Between Christians And Moriscos: Juan De Ribera And Religious Reform In Valencia, 1568-1614 (the Johns Hopkins University Studies In Historical And Political Science)
by Benjamin Ehlers /
2006 / English / PDF
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In early modern Spain the monarchy's universal policy to convert
all of its subjects to Christianity did not end distinctions
among ethnic religious groups, but rather made relations between
them more contentious. Old Christians, those whose families had
always been Christian, defined themselves in opposition to
forcibly baptized Muslims (
In early modern Spain the monarchy's universal policy to convert
all of its subjects to Christianity did not end distinctions
among ethnic religious groups, but rather made relations between
them more contentious. Old Christians, those whose families had
always been Christian, defined themselves in opposition to
forcibly baptized Muslims (moriscos
moriscos) and Jews (
) and Jews (conversos
conversos). Here historian Benjamin Ehlers studies the
relations between Christians and moriscos in Valencia by
analyzing the ideas and policies of archbishop Juan de Ribera.
). Here historian Benjamin Ehlers studies the
relations between Christians and moriscos in Valencia by
analyzing the ideas and policies of archbishop Juan de Ribera.
Juan de Ribera, a young reformer appointed to the diocese of
Valencia in 1568, arrived at his new post to find a congregation
deeply divided between Christians and moriscos. He gradually
overcame the distrust of his Christian parishioners by
intertwining Tridentine themes such as the Eucharist with local
devotions and holy figures. Over time Ribera came to identify
closely with the interests of his Christian flock, and his
hagiographers subsequently celebrated him as a Valencian saint.
Juan de Ribera, a young reformer appointed to the diocese of
Valencia in 1568, arrived at his new post to find a congregation
deeply divided between Christians and moriscos. He gradually
overcame the distrust of his Christian parishioners by
intertwining Tridentine themes such as the Eucharist with local
devotions and holy figures. Over time Ribera came to identify
closely with the interests of his Christian flock, and his
hagiographers subsequently celebrated him as a Valencian saint.
Ribera did not engage in a similarly reciprocal exchange with the
moriscos; after failing to effect their true conversion through
preaching and parish reform, he devised a covert campaign to
persuade the king to banish them. His portrayal of the moriscos
as traitors and heretics ultimately justified the Expulsion of
1609–1614, which Ribera considered the triumphant culmination of
the Reconquest.
Ribera did not engage in a similarly reciprocal exchange with the
moriscos; after failing to effect their true conversion through
preaching and parish reform, he devised a covert campaign to
persuade the king to banish them. His portrayal of the moriscos
as traitors and heretics ultimately justified the Expulsion of
1609–1614, which Ribera considered the triumphant culmination of
the Reconquest.
Ehler's sophisticated yet accessible study of the pluralist
diocese of Valencia is a valuable contribution to the study of
Catholic reform, moriscos, Christian-Muslim relations in early
modern Spain, and early modern Europe.
Ehler's sophisticated yet accessible study of the pluralist
diocese of Valencia is a valuable contribution to the study of
Catholic reform, moriscos, Christian-Muslim relations in early
modern Spain, and early modern Europe.