The Decline of Islam in Spain

The question of "what happened to the Muslim majority in Spain" can be explained in two parts. First, the fall of Muslim rule over Al-Andalus led many Muslims to either leave or voluntarily convert to Christianity as they saw their rulers and the last Islamic emirate collapse around them. Second, the Spanish crown’s policies of forced conversion and expulsion ensured that Islam would disappear from Spain. With nearby North African and Ottoman lands welcoming the expelled Muslims and their descendants, it became clear why they would have little desire to remain in Spain.