Moors

What are they?
Where did they come from?

"A Moor is one of the Muslim people of North Africa; they are of mixed Arab and Berber descent."

What were the Moors doing in Europe in the 16th Century?
The migration of the Moor took place in Europe in the 16th Century. The reason for the transportation of them was because the majority had lost their land and they did not have the power to rule any countries.


What religious or cultural practices are associated with them?
After migrating to Europe, the Moors were in fact compelled to conceal their religious beliefs and identities. Thus, they eventually implemented new beliefs, however these did not reflect their true religious practices of their Muslim religion.


What roles did they play in society?
The Catholic Church in Rome strongly viewed the Moors' civilization and potential witchcraft as an abomination. However, the Moors were able to provide some sort of advancement among Europe; they assisted with the production and development of plumbing systems and canals.

Images depicting Othello


It is apparent in the above image that the character Othello is not a Moor, but a person of European descent.



The Othello above is illustrated to have their face painted black; the man under the paint is of white skin colour. To validate this statement, black people in the 16th Century were not entitled to appear in plays, so it would be safe to say this man is white.



This is the famous portrayal of Othello from Laurence Fishburne. I believe he is not a prime example of a Moor, as he is an African American.