Interesting piece, Robomatic. This excerpt described the 1492 debacle very well:

Jews prospered in medieval Spain, under Muslim and Christian rule. But that changed in 1492, when the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, expelled them. Some 300,000 Jews — up to a quarter of the Spanish population — had to convert to Catholicism or flee Spain, or were killed in the Spanish Inquisition.

A quarter of the population expelled or forced to convert. Makes one wonder why anyone would honor Ferdinand and Isabella, doesn't it?

But that's not all. The Muslim Moors had lived in Spain since 700 AD, and had made a remarkable contribution to the culture and history of Spain. They were expelled in 1492, also. Portugal also shows all sorts of evidence of the wonderful cultural and artistic influence of the Moors.

-Joe-