An international group of researchers under the leadership of scientists from the University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom) analyzed the human genome living in medieval Spain, or Al Andalus. This made it possible to reveal the details of a cruel historical event, when Muslims, subjected to violent Christianization, were expelled from the country to indicate the decree of the Spanish King Philip III. This event is known as the expulsion of Moriscov. This is reported in the article published in the Journal Scientific Reports.
Scientists analyzed the human genome, the remains of which were discovered in the Islamic necropolis of the XI century in the city of Seggorb, near Valencia in Spain. Because of his unusual growth, a man was called a giant segorem. It turned out that he carried highly specific North African genetic lines both for the male and the female line. It brought to the idea of his belonging to the pedigree of Islamized Berber populations of medieval North-West Africa.
However, full-bent analysis showed that it also carried in his chromosomes a significant part of the local Spanish pedigree. The Giant, most likely, was born and grew up in Spain, and his ancestors were migrants. According to scientists, the most striking is that he was very unlike modern people from Valencia, who do not have Berber roots. This is explained by the change in the political situation after the Christian conquest of Spain, when the Muslims resettlement began following the expellation of Muslims, partly the North African origin.