The Friars Minor and the Reconquest

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The Friars Minor and the Reconquest
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The Reconquista

• Constant tug of war in Spanish marches up to 11th
  century
• By 1050 Spain has Christian kingdoms in North and
  Muslims in South
• Church urging war
• Kings of Leon/Castile, Aragon/Navarre called in
  French knights to help

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Rodrigo Dias del Vivar, El Cid

• Hero of 11th century reconquest
• El Sayyid el Cid
• Poem of My Cid
• Worked with both Muslims and Christians in course
  of reconquest

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The Cids route, 1089
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Progress of the Reconquest

• Portugal carved out of Spain in early 1100s
• By mid-1100s Spain is half Christian
• By 1252 all Spain is Christian except Granada in
  the extreme south
• Granada conquered 1492

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The Preaching Friars

• In early 13th century Popes realize need for
  contact with regular people
• Purposes
• Better religious education
• Better publicity
• Function as popes eyes and ears

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Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

• Son of a cloth merchant
• Conversion experience
• Father disapproves
• Takes up life of hermit
• 1208, is inspired to found Franciscan order
  (approved 1209)
• 1212, founds Poor Clares

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Dominic Guzman (1170-1221)

• Noble Spanish family
• Inspired to preach against Albigensians
• Met Francis of Assisi about 1215
• Dominican order approved, 1216
• Preaching tradition makes them ideal inquisitors
• Domini canes Gods Dogs

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