Jewish history in Spain

Jewish history in Spain stretches from ancient Roman times to the dramatic expulsion of 1492, marked by periods of extraordinary cultural flourishing and moments of deep persecution. Jewish communities first took root in Hispania during the Roman era, and under Muslim rule in al‑Andalus they experienced a celebrated “Golden Age,” contributing to philosophy, poetry, science, and diplomacy.

As Christian kingdoms expanded, Jews often served as scholars, translators, and financiers, though rising religious tensions led to violence, forced conversions, and restrictive laws. The turning point came with the Edict of Granada in 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs expelled practicing Jews from Spain, ending more than a millennium of continuous Jewish life on the peninsula. Despite this rupture, the legacy of Sephardic Jews endures in language, culture, and the global diaspora that still preserves deep ties to Spain.