In 1492, Spain succeeded in expelling the Arab Empire and regaining control of the Iberian Peninsula. The land was under 700 years of Muslim rule, and many of its inhabitants converted to Islam, which posed a challenge to the newly ruled Spain. In order to eliminate the influence of Islamization, Spain has taken a series of measures, including the vigorous promotion of Catholicism and the construction of numerous Catholic churches throughout the country, making Spain an important position for Catholicism in Europe. At the same time, Spain forced all Muslim residents to convert to Catholicism and took heavy-handed measures to expel Muslims who did not want to convert.
In order to maintain the dominance of Catholicism, Spain established the Inquisition, which was responsible for judging pagans. At the beginning of the 16th century, at the beginning of the Reconquista, a large number of pagans were subjected to capital punishment such as burning at the stake or guillotine every year. At the same time, the rise of the Ottoman Turkish Empire and the fall of the Byzantine Empire increased tensions between the two camps of Christianity and Islam. By the mid-16th century, Spain had begun to implement a more drastic policy, banning the use of the Arabic language in the country and banning women from wearing black veils and headscarves. After more than 100 years of repressive rule, Islamization in Spain gradually weakened. By the early 17th century, Spain had largely completed the process of de-Islamization, and the country's population was predominantly Catholic. At the same time, Portugal has adopted a similar policy and has succeeded in de-Islamization.
Although the Iberian Peninsula was ruled by Muslims for 700 years, Spain and Portugal eventually succeeded in de-Islamizing. Today, many ancient buildings in the Islamic style are still preserved in the territory of the two countries, which are popular tourist attractions. After the Reconquista, Spain and Portugal quickly entered the Age of Discovery and established extensive colonies in South America. Portugal also leased Macau from the Ming Dynasty.
In the long course of history, the contest between religion and Islam has been tortuous and changeable. The most religious countries in Europe have launched several crusades, but they have not succeeded. The last crusade even turned into a civil strife between the religious states, which made the original goal of the crusade chaotic. Although these historical events are a thing of the past, their impact is far-reaching, shaping the course of European history.