History of the Jews in Spain

Catalog description

This course examines the history and culture of Jewish peoples in Spain during the Christian Reconquest of the peninsula, the formation of medieval kingdoms, and the final unification of Spain in the late 1400s. Special attention will be paid to the interaction (convivencia) between Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Middle Ages and then growing persecution under the Spanish Inquisition to Jewish expulsion in 1492. Students take an analytical appraisal of Hispanic civilization, which will allow them to reassess and evaluate problems such as social diversity, identity and religious tolerance.