@bypyros1933

1 year ago

It's dumb to say Spain was under Arab rule until 1492. That long period had many territorial changes among the different muslim and christian kingdoms (it was not weird for christians and muslims to make alliances against other christians and muslims). By the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212 the christians already occupied half of the peninsula.
Also, if I'm not mistaken, Velázquez freed his slave by command of the king Philipp IV after he saw his ability to paint, stating that a man that had such skill (which he had learnt in order to help Velázquez in his job) could not be a slave.
Slaves in Spain had a role in the domestic and workplace of the owners instead of the stereotypical idea of working in the fields. They helped their masters at their job, cleaned the house, did the groceries, etc. Since it was legal for a slave to buy their own freedom there were some cases where a slave saved enough money to do so.
Another important black figure is Juan Latino, the son of a slave woman. Since he was little he got along with his master's son and became his "personal slave", when the son was sent to study he went along and during the lessons he listened at the other side of the classroom's door. Once his affinity for studies was discovered he was eventually freed and started and finished his studies. He became a teacher and married one of his students. He gained a lot of status and Cervantes mentioned him in his works.

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