Charles at his coronation took a solemn oath to respect the faith of Islam in these lands, but soon afterwards, frightened by the rise of heresy in Germany, he applied to Clement to absolve him from his oath.

This sanction of bad faith, at first creditably withheld, [Sidenote: 1524] was finally granted and was promptly followed by a general order for expulsion or conversion.

Throughout the whole of Spain the poor Moriscos now began to be systematically pillaged and persecuted by whoever chose to do it.

All manner of taxes, tithes, servitudes and fines {434} were demanded of them.

The last straw that broke the endurance of a people tried by every manner of tyranny and extortion, was an edict ordering all Moors to learn Castilian within three years, after which the use of Arabic was to be forbidden, prohibiting all Moorish customs and costumes, and strictly enjoining attendance at church.
As the Moors had been previously disarmed and as they had no military discipline, rebellion seemed a counsel of despair, but it ensued.