The Golden Age of Spain, 1474–1598 - 1 The Spanish Inquisition and the…

The idea

Study this as two linked enquiries: why Ferdinand and Isabella decreed expulsion in 1492, and what changed in Spain afterwards. Causes combine religion and politics. The Inquisition, founded 1478, targeted conversos suspected of secret Judaism; its campaigns produced the evidence used to justify removing all professing Jews. Torquemada pressed the case, and the fall of Granada in January 1492 removed the need to conciliate Jewish communities. The decree of 31 March 1492 gave Jews until the end of July to leave, though many converted. Assess impact across society and economy: loss of merchants, physicians, tax farmers and scholars; disruption to credit and royal finance; pressure on converso communities; and a legacy of uniformity enforced by the Inquisition. Weigh how far expulsion weakened Spain against arguments that its effects were limited or short-lived.

What earns the marks

• Explains religious motives: the Inquisition's pursuit of judaising conversos, Torquemada's advocacy, and the aim of religious uniformity.
• Explains political motives: consolidation of royal authority, the fall of Granada in 1492, and the desire to remove a perceived internal threat.
• Explains economic motives or consequences: loss of Jewish tax farmers, financiers, merchants and skilled professionals, and the effect on royal revenues and credit.
• Explains social and cultural consequences: disruption of communities, pressure on conversos, loss of physicians and scholars, and the human cost of exile.
• Evaluates the extent of impact, distinguishing short-term disruption from longer-term recovery, and weighing regional variation.
• Uses specific evidence, such as the decree of 31 March 1492, the July deadline, or the role of Torquemada, to support the argument.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the expulsion as solely religious.

  Put it right: Link religious aims to political consolidation and economic calculation.

• Assuming all Jews left.

  Put it right: Note that many converted, and that expulsion and conversion were intertwined.

• Claiming Spain's economy collapsed immediately.

  Put it right: Assess regional and sectoral effects and the possibility of recovery.

Exam tips

• Plan around causes and consequences before writing, so both halves of the statement are addressed.
• Use precise dates and names, such as 1492, Granada and Torquemada, to anchor the argument.
• Reach a judgement on the relative weight of religious, political and economic factors rather than listing them.