Final answer:
Sephardim are Jews from Spain and Portugal, with historical roots dating back to Roman times on the Iberian Peninsula. They experienced a rich cultural period under Muslim rule and later suffering under Christian dominance, leading to forced conversions and expulsions by 1492.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sephardim refers to Jews who once lived in Spain and Portugal, with their presence on the Iberian Peninsula dating back over a thousand years. Originating among the Roman conquests in the first century CE, the Jewish population in Spain, at one point, became larger than all other Jewish populations in the medieval world combined. Their position improved significantly under Muslim rule beginning in 711, with Jews often becoming well-integrated into the governance and economy of cities in Muslim Al-Andalus. However, their situation deteriorated over the centuries, culminating in forced conversions, massacres, and eventual expulsion in 1492, unless they converted to Christianity. Despite these trials, Sephardic Jews developed a rich cultural heritage, blending influences from Christian, Islamic, and Jewish cultures as evident in surviving synagogues and manuscripts like the Golden Haggadah and the Sarajevo Haggadah.