Aris & Phillips Hispanic Classics
2 total works
This volume gathers together extracts from texts in Latin, Hispanic vernaculars, and French, concerning the relations of the Christians and Moors in Spain in the first four hundred years of their co-existence in the Peninsula. An effort has been made to illustrate aspects other than the exclusively military. The texts are both historical and 'literary' (this distinction not being one that the medieval mind would make) and in both prose and verse; they are arranged in order of the events to which they refer, not by date of composition. The purpose is to make these texts available in a form not previously attempted, to all who are interested in this fascinating period, but may be unable to read the original languages or may not have access to the published sources. Each text has a facing translation and introductory section with notes on the background and on textual difficulties. There is also a general introduction and a short booklist.
Christians and Moors in Spain. Vol 2 Latin documents and vernacular documents AD 1195-1614
by Colin Smith
Published 1 January 1989
The two previous volumes draw a fascinating picture of the confrontation between the Christians and Moors in Spain from the Christian side. This volume attempts to redress the balance by describing many of the same incidents from the Muslims' point of view. The close intermingling of Christians and Moors, whether in love, in politics or in the common enjoyment of popular festivals, helps to account for the unique character of Islamic society in the Iberian Peninsula. Extracts from Arabic sources cover the relations between Christians and Moors in Spain over nearly 800 years. Apart from military encounters, some attention is paid to diplomacy, and also to lawsuits, legal judgments and regulations governing the co-existence of the rival communities. These not only reveal the fundamental differences between the two sides, but show how, in many cases, the divisions were not as clear-cut as the jurists and theologians would have wished. Only a handful of these texts have ever been translated into English before, and it is hoped that this selection will make a contribution to the understanding of this remarkable period in Spanish and Islamic history.