| Summary: | As the fifteenth century entered its last quarter Islamic al-Andalus was drowned in internal controversies whereas on the other hand the Christians brought about a powerful alliance between the kingdoms with the aim of concluding the military phase of the Reconquista, that is, the reconquest of Spain. After this alliance, which was established through the marriage of the King of Aragon and the Queen of Castile, the political and military presence of the Muslims in Spain reached an end with the occupation of Granada, the last capital of al-Andalus. Shortly after the occupation hundreds of thousands of Muslims were reduced to “pariah” status within their own country and were made to change their faith under pressure. The Muslims of al-Andalus who looked Christian from the outside and who did what was asked of Christians were called “Moriscos” and were always seen as “the other” and “the other civilisation” in official and religious circles. When these people who despite all efforts in that direction became in no way “good Catholics” and who made common cause with the enemies of Spain (the Ottomas, the French and the dynasties in North Africa) a decision was taken eventually, in April 1609, to send them into “collective exile” in order to sever them from their roots. Following this decision tens of thousands of Muslims began to emigrate via Europe to Muslim lands. Diplomatic initiatives that the Ottoman State initiated in order to ensure the proper running of the emigration, especially via France and Venice, bore fruit and saved from death tens of thousands of Muslims from al-Andalus
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