Languages, Memory and Religion: The Literature of the Morisco Diaspora

Literature written by the Moriscos during their diaspora in North Africa, especially in the 17th century, offers three fundamental pillars for its analysis: the languages in which it is written, their emotional and intellectual relationship with their land of origin and their host countries, and, finally, religion. Through the combination of these pillars, it can be observed how Morisco texts are essentially Islamic texts, but, at the same time, texts embedded in the Spanish culture of their time. This dual nature is also expressed in two different languages and presents an unusual blend that challenges established critical labels, especially those that a priori radically separate the Islamic personality from Spanish literary culture.