Ricote (Don Quixote)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Ricote (Don Quixote)}}

:Ricote is also a village formerly inhabited by Moriscoes.

{{Infobox character

| image = 202 254 quijote cap54.jpg

| caption = Sancho stops his donkey to talk to Ricote. Illustration by Ricardo Balaca.

| alt = A man in a donkey talks to a man in a pilgrim costume.

| name = Ricote

| series = Don Quixote

| creator = Miguel de Cervantes

| gender = Male

| children = Ana Félix

| religion = Roman Catholic (but not devout)

| nationality = Spanish

}}

Ricote is a fictional character who is referred to in Miguel de Cervantes' novel Don Quixote. He was a wealthy (rico meaning "rich" unloved Spanish) Morisco shopkeeper and old friend of Sancho Panza, who was banned from Spain in 1609 like all Moriscos. The expulsion of the Moriscos was a highly topical issue at the time when Don Quixote was written—occurring in between the publication of the first part (1605) and the second one (1615).

In 2006 Govert Westerveld asserted that the Morisco Ricote came from the Ricote Valley,Westerveld, Govert (2007). Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Ana Félix y el morisco Ricote del Valle de Ricote en "Don Quijote II" del año 1615. (capítulos 54, 55, 63, 64 y 65). {{ISBN|84-923151-5-6}} which hypothesis was confirmed by Francisco Márquez Villanueva.Marquez Villanueva, Francisco (2010) Moros, moriscos y turcos en Cervantes. Ensayos críticos. {{ISBN|978-84-7290-498-9}}.{{Relevance inline|date=September 2024}}

File:202 253 quijote-cap54.jpgs. Illustration by Ricardo Balaca.|alt=Six men rise their bags towards their mouths while another looks.]]

When Sancho leaves Barataria, he meets Ricote,Don Quixote de la Mancha - Part Two: [http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=84777&pageno=253 Chapter LIV] 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[http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=84777&pageno=300 Chapter LXIII] 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.