Old Christian facts for kids

Old Christian (in Spanish: cristiano viejo, in Portuguese: cristão-velho) was a special way people were grouped in Spain and Portugal a long time ago. This system started in the late 1400s and early 1500s. It was used to tell apart people who were considered to have "clean blood" from those called New Christian.

"Clean blood" meant that a person's family had always been Christian, with no recent Jewish or Muslim ancestors. New Christians were people, or their children, who had recently changed their religion to Christianity. Many of them had been Jewish or Muslim before.

After Jewish people were asked to leave Spain in 1492 and Portugal in 1497, everyone in these countries was officially Christian. But the New Christians were often suspected of secretly practicing their old religions. This led to the creation of special courts called the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and the Portuguese Inquisition in 1536. These courts were set up to find and punish people who were thought to be secretly practicing other religions.

Understanding Old and New Christians

The term "Old Christian" helped people who had always been Christian show they were different from the new converts. These converts and their families were sometimes seen as a threat to the main Christian religion, Catholicism.

Different Names for New Christians

New Christians who came from Muslim families were sometimes called moriscos. This word meant "Moor-like" and was not a kind term. Those from Jewish families were sometimes called marranos, which meant "swine" or "pigs." These names were used to insult them.

How Society Treated New Christians

The idea of "clean blood" and the difference between Old and New Christians created a lot of unfairness. New Christians, even if they truly believed in Christianity, often faced discrimination. They had fewer rights and opportunities than Old Christians. Old Christians, who were most of the population, had many more advantages.

When the System Ended

In Portugal, the legal difference between New and Old Christians finally ended in 1772. This happened because of a special rule made by the Marquis of Pombal, an important leader at the time.

See also

In Spanish: Cristiano viejo para niños