Ricote (Don Quixote)

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Ricote (Spain) is also a village formerly inhabited by Moriscoes.

Ricote is a fictional character who is referred to in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. He was a wealthy Morisco shopkeeper and old friend of Sancho Panza, banned from Spain in 1609 like all Moriscoes.

When Sancho leaves Barataria, he meets Ricote^[1], returning in a group of German pilgrims. After meeting Sancho again, Ricote tells him that after the expulsion, he went north while his family went to Algiers. Ricote and the pilgrims share food with Sancho, including "the black dainty called, they say, caviar". He tells him that he came back to recover some gold which he had buried near his house. Ricote recognizes to be a bad Christian and then asks Sancho to help him carry the money away. But Sancho refuses as it would be a treason to his king.

Later^[2] Sancho and Don Quixote meet Ricote and his daughter Ana Félix in Barcelona. She is a fervent Christian and has been rescued from Berbery by a young noble neighbour from Sancho and Ricote's village. Her beauty and sincere faith convinces the authorities to arrange the re-admission of the Ricotes in Spain.

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As a contrast in the perception of Moriscos, the first part of Don Quixote, published in 1605, is said by Cervantes to have been an Arabic found manuscript by some Cide Hamete Benengeli, translated for Cervantes by a Morisco.
List of characters in Don Quixote