Bad Blood: Impurity and Danger in the Early Modern Spanish Mentality

• Main Author: Pyle, Rhonda
• Other Authors: Golden, Richard M.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 2010
• Subjects: Blood; impurity; Spain; Blood > Religious aspects > Christianity.; Blood > Symbolic aspects.; Christianity and antisemitism.; Christianity and other religions > Judaism.; Judaism > Relations > Christianity.; Christianity and other religions > Islam.; Islam > Relations > Christianity.; Spain > Church history.; Spain > Religious life and customs.
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30504/

The current work is an intellectual history of how blood permeated early modern Spaniards' conceptions of morality and purity. This paper examines Spanish intellectuals' references to blood in their medical, theological, demonological, and historical works. Through these excerpts, this thesis demonstrates how this language of blood played a role in buttressing the church's conception of good morals. This, in turn, will show that blood was used as a way to persecute Jews and Muslims, and ultimately define the early modern Spanish identity.