It is impossible to view Southern Spain without a nod to the Muslims, who swopped through in the 700s and hung out for about seven centuries.  The Christians eventually pushed them out, but the caliphate had been in decline for 200 years by that point, death by a thousands cuts — most self-inflicted — versus one, grand defeat.  Their time in power slowly seeped away, and the Christians seized on the long decline to portray a story of righteous religious conquest over shameful religious persecution and invasion.  After all, the victors craft the narrative.  In truth Christians, Muslims, and Jews in this area of Spain lived and worked together for centuries without serious incident.  Everybody was making money trading up and down the Mediterranean, through the modern day Middle East, and into China.  Christian Europe was much more concerned with The Ottoman Empire’s expansionist zeal, hence the various Crusades.     

In waves, the Jews and Muslims of Southern Spain were forcibly expelled from the country by the new Christian powers.  The Jews came first in the very late 1400s, and the Muslims came next in the early 1600s.  Seems like every country has their shameful acts of ethnic purging.  It is so common, I am surprised humanity is shocked when it occurs, a testament to our short view of history.    

Let’s not kid ourselves about why.  The stated reason was religion, but the real reason was money and economic opportunities.  Removing these two, long established ethnic groups opened up lots of economic opportunity for poor Christians and provided cover for the new regime.  They got to be job Creators .. get it??  It is this reason I am concerned over extreme bifurcation of wealth in U.S. society and the world generally.  Nobody cares who you sleep with or marry or worship when everyone feels like they (and their kids) have equal access to the economy.  Subvert that, and one day you risk finding yourself on the business end of a pike because of your hair color, height, or belief in the power of Krispy Kreme over Dunkin’.  Killing in the name of God is a commonly used excuse, unfortunately, because it feels better going down than, “Dude had more shit than I do and it’s not fair.”  (Somehow, the people in power and with the wealth always think the system is fair and just.)       

Sadly, the Jews had no where to go when expelled, while the Spanish Muslims were absorbed into The Ottoman Empire.  These two acts radically changed the Spanish demographics, and the effects are still clearly visible today.                   

Islamic rule left a large imprint on all facets of Spanish society, from architecture to flamenco to food.  I doubt it’s knowable where one culture begins and ends.