What is a Morisco/Morisca, and why would their migration to New Spain be considered dangerous?
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A morisco/ Morisco is person who is descendant of a Muslim or who is a former Muslim in New Spain. Their presence is a reminder of the lack of “limpieza de sangre” whereby their religious beliefs may not be or can never be purely Catholic due to this heritage. This inhibits their ability to be saved which would have caused the zealous catholic population including the ruling elite and inquisitors great strain and distress. Additionally, their migration to New Spain may be considered dangerous for numerous reasons including the practice of Islam, their influence on indigenous people and their issues with Iconoclasm. The potential Islamic practices of Moriscos that may have carried on despite their conversion to Catholicism created great suspicion amongst the Catholics. The mentioning of the Prophet on page 86 where on “Judgment Day, Muhammad would sit at Christ’s feet and revoke sentences he deemed unjust.” Which highlights the belief in Muhammed’s jurisdiction over Jesus’ which undermines the entire philosophy behind Catholicism thus posing a threat to Catholic doctrine in New Spain. Additionally, the use of Arabic and mentioning of the Prophet may have been seen as a reminder of the previous Islamic expansion that posed a great threat to the Catholic rule of Europe. The fear that Muslims would influence indigenous people and steer them away from the catholic faith made anyone with Islamic connections dangerous. Muslims indoctrinating the indigenous people and spreading their practices in Arabic would obviously impede on the Catholics’ power over the indigenous population as the catholic church’s doctrine would no longer be held as religious truth. Thus potentially limiting their jurisdiction and power over the indigenous people, as they do not the share the same religious beliefs as those enslaving them. Similarly, the iconoclasm where relics and idols were destroyed, is characteristic of the Protestant purification of the church thereby linking two opposing bodies against Catholicism making the threat stronger.