The New Christians and Wool (Part 1)Across the Beira Interior—particularly in Guarda, Fundão, Belmonte, and Covilhã—New-Christian families became deeply embedded in textile production, commerce, and artisan trades. The Inquisition did not eliminate economic specialization; rather, it reinforced it. Restricted access to certain institutional offices often redirected New Christians toward commercial and proto-industrial activity, where capital could circulate within kin-based networks.The second half of the eighteenth century marks a turning point. While the Inquisition remained formally active, its intensity waned, and Portugal entered a period of industrial expansion. In the Beira Interior, wool production intensified and gradually mechanized. Capital accumulation within certain New Christian family networks facilitated factory consolidation, particularly in Covilhã.