On This Day

Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon issue the Alhambra Decree expelling Jews from their kingdoms

The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion; Spanish: Decreto de la Alhambra, Edicto de Granada) was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I...

The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion; Spanish: Decreto de la Alhambra, Edicto de Granada) was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, ordering the expulsion of unconverted Jews from the Crowns of Castile and Aragon and its territories and possessions by 31 July of that year. Its primary purpose was to eliminate the influence of the remaining Jews on Spain's large converso New Christian population, converted from Judaism, to minimize the possibility that the latter and their descendants would be able to secretly practice their former faith.

Over half of Spain's Jews had converted as a result of the religious persecution and pogroms which occurred in 1391.

Key People

Events Before

  1. King Charles VIII of France (21) marries Anna Duchess of Brittany (14) giving France control over Brittany

    King Charles VIII of France (21) marries Anna Duchess of Brittany (14) giving France control over Brittany

  2. Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptized by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I

    Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptized by Portuguese missionaries, adopting the baptismal name of João I

  3. Opening ceremony of Kyoto's Daitokuji Shinju at the sub-temple

    Opening ceremony of Kyoto's Daitokuji Shinju at the sub-temple

  4. The case of the 'Holy Child of La Guardia', involving the kidnapping and murdering a Christian boy, concludes with publi

    The case of the 'Holy Child of La Guardia', involving the kidnapping and murdering a Christian boy, concludes with public burning at the stake of nine Jews in Ávila, Spain

  5. The siege of Granada, last Moorish stronghold in Spain, begins

    The siege of Granada, last Moorish stronghold in Spain, begins

Events After

  1. Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after his first voyage to the New World

    Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after his first voyage to the New World

  2. Spanish Pope Alexander VI decrees in the papal bull "Inter caetera" that all lands west of a line 100 leagues west of an

    Spanish Pope Alexander VI decrees in the papal bull "Inter caetera" that all lands west of a line 100 leagues west of any of the islands of the Azores or the Cape Verde Islands belong to Castile, ultimately dividing the Americas between Spain and Portugal

  3. Christopher Columbus embarks on his second expedition to the New World, setting sail with a fleet of 17 ships

    Christopher Columbus embarks on his second expedition to the New World, setting sail with a fleet of 17 ships

  4. Christopher Columbus returns to the colony of La Navidad, finding it destroyed by the first Native American uprising aga

    Christopher Columbus returns to the colony of La Navidad, finding it destroyed by the first Native American uprising against Spanish rule. Taíno Cacique Caonabo led his people to attack the settlement after the brutal treatment they received from the garrison who disobeyed Columbus's orders.

  5. Last day for all Jews to leave Sicily

    Jews, or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They traditionally adhere to Judaism.

More from the 1490s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 31, 1492?
The Alhambra Decree (also known as the Edict of Expulsion; Spanish: Decreto de la Alhambra, Edicto de Granada) was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, ordering the expulsion of unconverted Jews from the Crowns of Castile and Aragon and its territories and possessions by 31 July of that year. Its primary purpose was to eliminate the influence of the remaining Jews on Spain's large converso New Christian population, converted from Judaism, to minimize the possibility that the latter and their descendants would be able to secretly practice their former faith. Over half of Spain's Jews had converted as a result of the religious persecution and pogroms which occurred in 1391.
Why is Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon issue the Alhambr... historically important?
Its primary purpose was to eliminate the influence of the remaining Jews on Spain's large converso New Christian population, converted from Judaism, to minimize the possibility that the latter and their descendants would be able to secretly practice their former faith. Over half of Spain's Jews had converted as a result of the religious persecution and pogroms which occurred in 1391.
Who was involved in Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon issue the Alhambr...?
Key figures include Isabella I of Castile, Ferdinand II of Aragon.

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