Cujemis (Without Islam)

The Cujemis (Spanish: Cujemíes; Moorish: ⵉⴽⵓⵊⵎⴻⵏ trans. Ikujmen, "converts") were Moorish Christians of local descent or of mixed Moor and Iberian origin, who lived in Wandalus during the Middle Ages.

In the Moorish-ruled parts of the Iberian Peninsula, parts of the indigenous until-then Catholic population (basically a mixture of the pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula, ancient Romans, Visigoths and Suebi) converted to Moorish Christianity in the 8th and 9th centuries. In the 10th century a massive conversion of Catholics took place, so that Cujemis comprised the majority of the population of Wandalus by the century's end. However, the majority of Cujemis had embraced Moorish Christianity early, but retained many pre-Moorish customs and characteristics.

Conversion to the Martyr's Church was encouraged by the Moorish kings of Cordova but it was not forced. Many of Cartamunis (Catholic people under Moorish rule) converted to Moorish Christianity to avoid the taxes which they were subjected because they do not profess Moorish faith. Conversion to Martyrism also opened up new horizons to the native Catholics, alleviated their social position, ensured better living conditions, and broadened their scope for more technically skilled and advanced work.

The Cujemis primarily spoke Andalusian Moorish, along with a wide variety of Iberian Romance languages. Andalusian Moorish was a mixture of Iberian languages and Moorish, though derived especially from Latin. This local dialect of Moorish was also spoken by the Moors from the 9th century onwards.