Catholic Monarchs Deported Many Foreigners, But Who Exactly Did They Deport?

Mass deportations have been a major talking point in the latest election, with President Trump promising the deportation of illegals and a strong southern border.

Some critics have argued that the deportation of foreigners is unchristian. And surprisingly, this is an issue Christians are actually split on. Recently, a Catholic Cardinal from Washington, DC suggested that mass deportations were 'incompatible with Catholic doctrine.'

The Pope himself has also been quite outspoken about migrants and refugees, slamming European nations who have refused migrants, calling it a "grave sin."

Yet, many Catholics disagree. Political commentator, Michael Knowles, who is Catholic, made a good point about mass deportations, which have occurred in many Christian nations throughout history.

Knowles wrote, "Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella deported lots of foreigners who had been in the country for 781 years."

The Spanish monarchs Knowles is referencing here are extremely famous Catholic figures known by Catholics throughout the world. Ferdinand and Isabella ended the centuries of Muslim rule, and unified Spain and so heralded in a golden age of wealth, literature and arts. In recognition of their efforts to strengthen Catholicism, Pope Alexander VI gave them the title "Catholic Monarchs."

The actions of the Catholic Monarchs conflict with some of the modern retelling of Christianity from the likes of the Pope and certain cardinals. It's important to remember the Christianity of today is very different from the Christianity of old.

These Christian rulers of old had no problem expelling groups from different religious backgrounds from their nations. If a group refused to assimilate or adopt or convert, then they would be expelled (or deported).

It's interesting that Michael Knowles uses Ferdinand and Isabella as an example in favor of mass deportations, as there is some controversy around who they deported. Ferdinand and Isabella expelled non-Catholics, heretics, Gypsies, Muslims and most notably Jews. Anyone who refused to convert to Catholicism was asked to leave.

Between 40,000-100,000 Jews left Spain, and modern Jews believe this to be one of the many examples of their mistreatment by Europeans. Ferdinand and Isabella viewed Judaism as incompatible with their vision of a homogeneously Christian state – the same with Islam and Protestantism.

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