7i8 



A. D. 1492. 



manded (March 1492) all the Jews in Spain to become Chriftians or 

 to leave the kingdom in four months; and 170,000 famiUes*, all induf- 

 trious and valuable members of fociety, by whom a great part of the 

 trade of the country was conduced, were driven out to enrich other 

 countries with their arts and induftry, and as much of their property as 

 they could fave. With refped to the Saracens, or Moors, inftead of 

 imitating the wife and liberal condud of the anceftors of thofe people, 

 who, when they conquered Spain, permitted their Chriftian fubjecls to 

 enjoy their religion and laws, or that of the Chriftian conqueror of Si- 

 cily, who gave the Saracen inhabitants the fame indulgence, or paying 

 any regard to his own treaty, Ferdinand the C'atholic f refolved to com- 

 pell all his new fubjeds to become Chriflians X- Many of them pro- 

 fefled the Chriftian religion, while they retained their own : but thofe 

 hypocrites were foon exterminated by the burning zeal of the holy fa- 

 thers of the inquifition. Others, by far the greateft number of them, 

 were either murdered, or plundered and driven out of the country. 

 Moft of the exiles took refuge among their brethren on the oppofite 

 coaft of Africa, and, in revenge for the miferies inflided on them by 

 the Spaniards, refolved to carry on a perpetual predatory war againft 

 their opprefTors. But their war of juft reprifals has been perverted by 

 their defcendents into indifcriminate piracy againft every nation pro- 

 fcffing the Chriftian religion, excepting only thofe, who by bribes, or fu- 

 perior naval power, allure or compell them to refped their flags : and 

 thus it happens, that a private merchant in the United ftates of Ameri- 

 ca, a country not known to exift when Granada was conquered, is ruin- 

 ed in confequence of that event. By thefe depopulations with the fub- 

 fequent drains to the colonies, by blind and furious bigotry, and the 

 lazy pride introduced by the acquifition of the American mines, Spain, 

 from the time of entering upon pofl'eflion of the greateft opportunities 

 of improvement, has been falling back in civiUzation, induftry, and com- 

 merce, while all the other countries in Europe were rapidly advancing: 

 a memorable and dreadful example of the fatal confequences of pcrfe- 

 cution for religious opinions. [See Maria?ia, LI. xxv, xxvi, xxvii.] 



It has been obferved that the commerce of the Venetians acquired 

 a very great extenfion by the depreflion of their rivals, the Genoefe, 

 upon the eftablifliment of the Turkiih empire in Europe. The wealth 

 of Europe, and, along with it, the tafte for the fpiceries, jewels, pearls, 

 and other rich produdions and manufadures of the Eaft, continued to 

 increafc. Thofe articles of luxury were almoft entirely fupplied by the 



• Tills is tlie mod rrodcrati; eiUuiatc. Some 

 authors make tlie mirr.ber much greater. 



f He WHS the fitd hiiig of .Sjjain who liaj tliat 

 title, which was tloiihtlcls givtu to him as a reward 

 for his zeal .igainll heretics. 



X Tliis couvtrfioH did not begiu till the year 



1499 ; but I have iiitrodiicfd it here fur the fake 

 of coMiicftioii. Tlie archhilhops of Toledo and 

 Granada were the cliief advilcr;, and executors of 

 this j)crfecutioii, which, as Mariana ackiiowlegcs, 

 was ihc fource of all the fubfecuieut troubles. 



