Persecution

Religion could encourage migration when people faced persecution for their beliefs. Huguenots and Jews provide examples of groups whose migration could be influenced by religious persecution. Religion could also be used to justify imperial expansion or attempts to influence people living under imperial rule.

War, persecution or expulsion may make remaining at home unsafe or impossible. People escaping persecution are not simply choosing between two equally acceptable places to live; they are seeking protection from a serious threat.

Gay men faced persecution because the regime condemned homosexuality. Eugenics policies targeted people whose health or disabilities the Nazis regarded as undesirable.

As England became an established Protestant country, it became an attractive destination for Protestants escaping persecution elsewhere in Europe.