The origins of the dance are unclear but are two main popular theories. On one hand, it was a pre-Christian fertility rite to scare away the malicious spirits. On the other hand, the dance was introduced by the Moors, prisoners of war, in the court of Henry VII during the 15th century. Morris Dancing was popular in Tudor times; however it was actively discouraged under the Puritans but was restored under the reign of Charles II. Morris Dancing continued to rise in popularity up to the Industrial Revolution but eaw forms of entertainement, social change and its association with an older unfashionable culture contributed to its decline.