thumb|right|300px|Morisgiaid yn gadael  [[Valencia, gan Pere Oromig]]

Mwslemiaid a orfodwyd i gyffesu Cristnogaeth ar ôl i frenhinoedd Castille oresgyn teyrnasoedd Mwslemaidd Al-Andalus yn ne Sbaen ar ddiwedd yr Oesoedd Canol oedd y '''Morisgiaid''' (Sbaeneg, enw unigol, ''Morisco'').

Roedd nifer o Fwslemiaid yn ardaloedd fel Andalucia yn dal i fyw yn Sbaen ar ôl y goresgyniad. Yn ystod y 15fed ganrif fe'u gorfodwyd i dderbyn Cristnogaeth neu ffoi i alltudiaeth. Dewisai nifer aros yn Sbaen a chyffesu Cristnogaeth yn gyhoeddus tra'n proffesu Islam yn eu tai. Ar ddechrau'r 16eg ganrif penderfynodd llywodraeth Sbaen eu troi nhw allan o'r wlad ac rhwng 1609 a 1614 gorfodwyd tua 500,000 ohonyn nhw i ffoi. Ymsefydlodd y mwyafrif yn y Maghreb (gogledd Affrica). Gwnaethent gyfraniad arbennig i ddiwylliant y gwledydd hynny, yn arbennig yn Tunisia, gan ddod â cherddoriaeth a phensaernïaeth arbennig gyda nhw, ffrwyth y croesffrwythloni rhwng y traddodiadau Islamaidd a Christnogol yn ne Sbaen.

[[Image:Embarco moriscos en el Grao de valencia.jpg|thumb|right|300px|	
Embarkation of moriscos in Valencia by Pere Oromig]]

A '''''morisco''''' (Spanish "Moor-like") or '''''mourisco''''' (Portuguese) was any Muslim of Spain or Portugal who converted to Catholicism during the reconquista of Spain. The term also became a pejorative regarding those who had converted, but were suspected of secretly practicing Islam. Converted Jews, or conversos, who secretly held to Judaism were called marranos.<ref>.</ref>

==History==
From the Middle Ages to the early 1600s Spanish Muslims were encouraged, sometimes peacefully, sometimes forcibly, to adopt Catholicism. Muslims who refused to convert faced penalties for adhering to Islam. Muslim converts were known as Moriscos. However, many Moriscos continued to remain crypto-Muslims. Furthermore, adherent Muslims were busily re-proselytizing among the Moriscos. This became a matter of concern to the Spanish crown, which finally expelled the remaining Muslim population in the decree of 1610; most of whom made their way to lands controlled by the Ottoman Empire, or to North Africa.

Prior to their conversions, Muslims were known as Mudéjars, and were allowed to practice Islam among Christians with certain restrictions.

The exact status of Mudéjars depended on the Cardinal Cisneros took more forceful measures: forced conversions, burning Islamic texts and the prosecution of some of Granada's Muslims. In response to these and other violations of the treaty, Granada's Muslim/Morisco population rebelled in 1499. The revolt, which lasted until early 1501, gave the Spanish authorities a reason to void the remaining terms in the treaty of surrender. In 1501, Granada's Muslims were given the ultimatum of either converting to Christianity or leaving. Most did convert, but usually only superficially, continuing to dress and speak as they had before and to secretly practice Islam and using the aljamiado writing system, i.e., Castilian or Aragonese texts in Arabic writing with scattered Arabic expressions. In 1502, however, the ultimatums were extended to the Mudéjars of Castile and Leon and in 1508, authorities banned traditional fashion. The Mudéjars of Navarre had to convert or leave by 1515 and those of Aragon by 1525. 

thumb|right|300px|Aljamiado text by [[Mancebo de Arévalo. c. 16th century<ref>The passage is an invitation directed to the Spanish Moriscos or Crypto-Muslims so that they continue fulfilling the Islamic prescriptions in spite of the legal prohibitions and so that they disguise (''taqiyya'') and they are protected showing public adhesion the Christian faith.</ref>]] 
More restrictive legislation was introduced in 1526 and 1527 under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Moriscos could buy a 40-year suspension of the laws, but in 1567, Arabic. They were even told that they would have to give up their children to be educated by Christian priests. This led to another uprising in the Alpujarras from 1568 to 1571, resulting in the forced resettlement of the Moriscos of Granada upon its defeat - especially to the kingdom of Valencia. Only a few Moriscos, who had collaborated with the royal forces, were permitted to remain in the city and territory of Granada. The relocation affected not only the Arabized Granadines but also the Moriscos of Castile, quite assimilated by that time.

The Moriscos, whose Christianity was often dubious, were suspected of being in contact with the conspiring against Spain. Spies reported that the Ottoman Emperor, Selim II was planning to attack Malta; and from there move on to Spain - with the idea of inciting an uprising among Spanish Muslims and Moriscos. Thus persuaded, Philip enacted restrictive measures against them. However, many had risen to positions of wealth and prominence, and wielded considerable counteracting influence, which further hardened Philip's resolve to deal with them. Aragonese and Valencian nobles in particular appreciated their work ethic and tried to protect them from expulsion, advocating a line of patience and religious instruction. Moorish businessmen and workers were especially important to the agriculture of Valencia and Murcia.

Towards the end of the 16th Century, Morisco writers sought to challenge the perception of their culture as alien to Spain, with literary works purporting to present a version of early Spanish history in which Arabic-speaking Spaniards played a positive role. Chief among these is [http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/portal/LMM/autor_luna.shtml Miguel de Luna's ''Verdadera historia del rey don Rodrigo''] (c. 1545-1615).  
thumb|280px|left|''La Expulsión de los Moriscos''. A painting by [[Vicente Carducho. Museo del Prado, Madrid]]
The Moriscos were ultimately expelled from Philip III, at the instigation of the Duke of Lerma. Estimates have varied on the number of expelled although contemporary accounts set the number at around 300,000 (about 4% of the Spanish population), a majority of which were expelled from the Crown of Aragon (modern day Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia).<ref></ref> Some historians have blamed the subsequent crisis of the Spanish Mediterranean on the replacement of Morisco workers by Christian newcomers, who were fewer and less familiar with the local techniques.

Adult Moriscos were often assumed to be covert Muslims (i.e. crypto-muslims), but the arrangements for expulsion of their children presented Henry IV in 1610 few or none actually settled there. Those Moriscos who wished to remain Catholic were generally able to find new homes in Italy (especially Livorno) but the overwhelming majority settled in Muslim held lands, either within the Ottoman Empire or Morocco.

Some communities fought as corsairs based at Niger Curve in 1591, and it is recorded that a Morisco worked as military advisor for Sultan Al-Ashraf Tumanbay II of Egypt (the last Egyptian Mamluk Sultan) during his struggle against Ottoman invasion of Egypt in 1517 led by Sultan Selim I, Morisco military advisor asked Sultan Tomanbey to use guns instead of depending mainly on cavalries.

A large number of Moriscos did remain in Spain, camouflaged among the Christian population, some stayed on for genuine religious reasons, some for merely economic reasons. It is estimated that, in the kingdom of Granada alone, between 10,000 and 15,000 Moriscos remained after the general expulsion of 1609.<ref></ref> It has been suggested that the Mercheros (also Quinquis), a group of nomadic tinkerers traditionally based in the northern half of Spain, may have their origin from vagrant Moriscos.

==In literature==
Miguel de Cervantes' writings, such as ''Don Quixote'' and ''Conversation of the Two Dogs'', offer interesting views of Moriscos and put them in a favorable light.
In the first part of ''Don Quixote'' (before the expulsion), a Morisco translates a found document containing the Arabic "history" that Cervantes is merely "publishing".
In the second part, after the expulsion, Ricote is a Morisco and a good mate of Sancho Panza.
He cares more about money than religion, and left for Germany, from where he returned as a false pilgrim to unbury his treasure.
He however admits the righteousness of their expulsion.
His daughter María Félix is brought to Berbery but suffers since she is a sincere Christian.