The Moriscos' Secret World: Crypto-Muslims in Inquisition Spain

After the fall of Granada in 1492 and the forced conversions that followed, tens of thousands of Moriscos—Spanish Muslims baptized as Christians—continued to practice Islam in secret. This episode peels back the hidden world of the crypto-Muslims of Spain: the clandestine rituals, the networks of trusted neighbors, the Arabic manuscripts hidden behind false walls, and the brutal efficiency of the Spanish Inquisition's hunt for Islamic heresy. We follow the story of a Morisco alfaquí (teacher) in Aragon who taught children the Quran in underground schools, and the Inquisitorial investigation that unraveled his network. We also explore the rise of the aljamiado literature—Spanish written in Arabic script—as a way to preserve faith without revealing it. Lucas and Luna discuss the 1568-1571 Alpujarras Revolt through the lens of crypto-Muslim resistance, the tragic fate of the Moriscos after their final expulsion in 1609, and what this history tells us about identity, survival, and the price of religious conformity. #Moriscos #CryptoMuslims #SpanishInquisition #AlpujarrasRevolt #Aljamiado #Alfaqui #PhilipII #Valencia #Aragon #Granada #ForcedConversion #EdictOfExpulsion1609 #IslamInSpain #HiddenHistory #AlAndalus #InquisitionTrials #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo