The expulsion and the search for the Ten Tribes

There was no marked difference in messianic fervor in pre-expulsion time and after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain. The interest in the Ten Tribes from which the messiah was promised in pre-expulsion times grew at the end of the 14th century as a result of trade with the East. After the expulsion, the Jewish leader Abravanel transformed the rumors of the Ten Tribes into a complete picture of the coming redemption to comfort the exiles. However, messianic energy was dissipated in writing about the messiah and searching for rumors. Consequently, a search for the ten tribes was never undertaken.