This fascinating history book details the moorish arrival, conquest and rule over spain and the iberian peninsula in europe. Unlocking the secrets of moorish spain by jason webster including stories of the current conditions faced by muslim immigrants. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. One of the interesting things richard fletcher does in moorish spain is to bring the kind of clearheadedness one expects from the best historians to the task of revealing some of the distortions. Cos round table monralin, spain centre for organisational studies barcelona published by cengage learning emea 1994 isbn 10. Aug 27, 2011 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. It is a comprehensive and informative look at the subject by an industrious and scrupulous author. Weve read a few modern books about spains past but the history of the moors of spain was written in the 18th century around the time of the french revolution and the united. The guide contains a detailed history of spain, a guide to the different regions in spain, a hotel, restaurant and bar guide, a spanish phrase guide as well as practical information about travelling in spain. To narrow it down to the best books about spain for you, our dear readers and friends, is difficult. Hit italys cantmiss art, sights, and bites in two weeks or less with rick steves best of italy. Yarde, tales of the alhambra by washington irving, moorish spain by richard fletcher, convivencia.
The story of the moors in spain reads like a dream. The story of the moors in spain, history books african bookstore. From food to music, cinema and architecture spanishread more. Florian is an even more comprehensive account, at times too much so. Insight shopping guides are a play book for the avid shopper who wants to level the playing. This is an essential history for understanding the basque region the area between spain and france. Moorish spain deteriorated rapidly into violent turmoil.
History of the moors of spain ebook by florian rakuten kobo. The spanish moors were eventually overpowered in the 15th century, but they left behind a legacy of rich culture and architecture found right across spain and portugal today, particularly spain. The story of the moors in spain, by stanley lanepoole. May 05, 2006 as well informed this book is on the spanish conquest, which is saying something since few information can be recollected from that time, i find the book quite boring. To learn more about spains past and present, check out a few of these books and films. The forces here were swiftly followed by reinforcements so that, within 7 years, the muslim conquerors, who came to be known as the moors, were in control of most of the peninsula a situation that was to remain more or less intact for the next 400 years but, in some parts, for the next 700. Though originally written and published over 125 years ago, the story of the moors in spain by stanley lanepoole is an quick, easy, and informative read. The story of the moors in spain lanepoole, stanley on. Spain is the latest country for us to visit in our ten great books set in series. Tragically, the owner of books 4 spain passed away in july 20. The basque history of the world mark kurlansky, 2001. For many spain is a destination for a beach holiday but it is so much more.
The book depicts a very different angle of barcelona and spain in general. History of the moors of spain florian book con jamon spain. The term has also been used in europe in a broader, somewhat derogatory sense to refer to muslims in general, especially those of arab or berber descent, whether living in spain or north africa. Publication date c1888 topics arabs spain, spain history 7111516 publisher london. Sometimes words such as moor and arab become interchanged, but the book is a great read for anyone interested in history, especially this epoch in history when moors modern day black men controlled spain, portugal, italy and pther parts of europe, and lost it all due to infighting. Here are 10 books to dip into when you are preparing for your spanish odyssey.
The book, published in 2015, a year after the authors death, will be read with pleasure by anyone who has enjoyed jacobss travel writing or who has any interest in spain and the spanish. The shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafon is set in postwar barcelona and it revolves around the story of a young boy named daniel sempere who is taken to a secret the cemetery of forgotten books by his father. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item,850grams, isbn. Most books can now be bought through offside books books 4 spain is an online bookshop specialising in english language books and ebooks set in, or about, spain. Books to read before you visit spain before we travel abroad, we like to learn about the people will we meet, the history of their country, and the places we might visit. Lets pack our bags and go on a little literary tourism again. For any spain enthusiast or anyone interested even slightly interested in european history it certainly is a recommendable read. In aragon, the eastern part of spain ruled by ferdinands family, moors or saracens. Al mansur died in 1010 which led to the crisis in which medina azahara, the city palace of abd arrahman iii, was destroyed by rampaging berbers. Nov 28, 2012 open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published.
This book is a mustread for anyone considering relocating to spain. Odyssey traveller offers regular escorted small group tours to spain each year, including a fully escorted small group tour of spain and portugal, perfect for the single traveller or couple. Today were travelling to the iberian peninsula to discover the 10 best books set in spain. The andalucian coasttocoast walk or any other of guy hunterwatts books on walking trails in spain for those who want to add a little noncamino walking to their journey. Reading this book made it clear to me why there was so much moorish influence in some of the architecture in spain which i often wondere why did i not learn about the moors in school. The story of the moors in spain is a chronicle of splendor and tragedy, and no one has told the story better.
The story of the moors in spain the decline and fall of the moorish empire was a great setback to modern civilization. Christian and moor playing chess, from the book of games of alfonso x, c. The moors in spain by stanley lanepoole free ebook. Feb 14, 2008 when the moors ruled in spain 1 of 11. Possibly encouraged to invade spain in the first place by hispanoromans unhappy with the vigigoths, the moors came and stayed for around 700 years, leaving a definite imprint on the country, particularly andalucia.
I guess i am use to the idea of medieval england, but this spanish depiction was a novelty to me. You see something different in lorcas poetry each time you read it, and gypsy ballads in particular is a book about spain that. Fodors essential spain 2019 fullcolor travel guide. The ambulance man and the spanish civil war buy from. A clear, intelligentlywritten guide to a crucial period of spanish history synopsis. During the colonial era, the portuguese introduced the names ceylon moors and indian moors in south asia and sri lanka, and the bengali muslims. They spread sw into africa see mauritania and nw into spain. This book is a very interesting read about the moors. The name was later also applied to arabs moors are not a distinct or selfdefined people, and the 1911 encyclop. The moors came from north africa, muslims,a mixture of arab and berbers the latter from the. The story of the moors in spain by stanley lanepoole is a detailed presentation of the history of the islamic invasion and rule of largely the andalusia region of modern spain. Who remembers the last survivors of muslim spain, whom spaniards contemptuously called moriscos little moors.
Some of your favourite books set in holiday destination spain 2nd june 2016. Others revel in immersing themselves in history and culture. This is an opinionated journey through the citys tumultuous history, with a focus on art and architecture. Twelve hundred years ago, tarik the moor added the land of the visigoths to the long catalogue of kingdoms subdued by the moslems.
As the european holiday season gets under way, we are pleased to publish the second in a series of posts that list some of your favourite books set in some of your very favourite holiday locations. Some of your favourite books set in holiday destination spain. This book is about historic and modern populations of berber,it about some of whom came to conquer and occupy the iberian peninsula for nearly 800 yeasrs,at that time they were muslim. The story of the moors in spain by stanley lanepoole. Spain had long hosted the three religions of the book. In expats spain, shearman provides a humorous take on precisely what living in spain is like for a foreigner. List of books and articles about moors online research. The moors were the muslim inhabitants of the maghreb, the iberian peninsula, sicily, and malta.
There are some people for whom shopping is not a necessity but a sport. Its 301 pages contain 14 detailed chapters that cover the history of islamic spain. The moors initially were the indigenous maghrebine berbers. Books to read before you visit spain kids are a trip. Had this great african culture been able to survive, the world would have been five hundred years more advanced than it is today. He finds a book in this mysterious and hidden library that unexpectedly sets him off on a lifechanging adventure filled with mystery, magic, betrayal and forbidden love. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In his history of the moors of spain he brings all of his considerable fictional talents to bear in this often factually inaccurate, context poor, and overromanticized tale of moorish spain. A historical and artistic perspective on barcelona, this book also details the tensions between the city and the rest of spain. The moors were the muslim inhabitants of the maghreb, the iberian peninsula, sicily, and malta during the middle ages. Some authors have pointed out that in modern colloquial spanish use of the term moro is derogatory for moroccans in particular and muslims in. Stanely lanepoole a book of great intellectual scholarship and historical insight moors in spain by stanely lanepoole has almost secured a place of canon while consulting the moorish era of spain. At just under pages, it is a solid book to get stuck into. It is necessary to live for a time amid the subtle and exciting atmosphere that pervades the arabic monuments of cordoba, seville and granada in order to grasp the extent and importance of a very alien culture, many facets of which survive still.
University of california press, berkeley 1992, 1992. For world book day, the local has put together a list of some of the very best books ever written about spain. Expert advice from rick steves on whats worth your time and money twoday itineraries covering venice, the cinque terre, florence, the hill. This book is not only about investigating the murder of a famous paella chef but about religious and political issues in valencia and spain in general. Try to imagine that the city of malaga is to be evacuated overnight. Moors, nomadic people of the northern shores of africa, originally the inhabitants of mauretania. This is another book i read before i traveled to spain. As a family we make time to read quite a few fiction and nonfiction books to prepare us for our journey. The story of the moors in spain stanley lanepoole on. To put together our latest local list, we asked bookshop owners around the country to give us the names of the best books about spain.
The esteemed irish historian ian gibson has been a citizen of spain since 1984, and his latest book collects the experiences and observations he has amassed over that time. Return to main history of spain page back to the time of the visigoths 408 to 711. Some travelers love nothing better than to bathe in the sun. Discover the best spain travel guides in best sellers. Jan 30, 2017 there is a huge choice out there, books about travelling around spain, books about the cities, books about people who have made a new life here, books about the culture and history of this wonderful country. An illustration of a computer application window wayback machine an illustration of an open book. The umayyad conquest of hispania, also known as the muslim conquest of the iberian peninsula or the umayyad conquest of the visigothic kingdom, was the initial expansion of the umayyad caliphate over hispania in the iberian peninsula from 711 to 788. Books about spain a list for senior travellers odyssey. Spain is overwhelmingly rich in history, art, and culture.
The true story of the canadian doctor and his ambulance that came to help a city in exodus. The spanish occupation by the moors began in 711 ad when an african army, under their leader tariq ibnziyad, crossed the strait of gibraltar from northern africa and invaded the iberian peninsula andalus spain under the visigoths. Spain is a country packed with a rich and diverse history. Despite the occasional tedium, the book is a wellconstructed history. A brief guide to the marvelous history of the moors in spain. Nov 10, 20 living in las alpujarras were reminded of its moorish past on a daily basis in the architecture, fruit trees and acequias. This historyplex post takes a brief look at the history of what happened to the moors in. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. A brief yet insightful introduction to moorish spain, from the invasion in a. The purple nights were astounding, but i missed matadors and dancers. The moors in spain by lanepoole, stanley, 18541931. The history of spain offers us a melancholy con trast. Check out our list of books to read about spain and discover some of the most interesting and exciting books ever written about our wonderful country.
From my biased point of view, i greatly dislike, yet i love. I expected bullfighters, flamenco and, to quote cole porter, the purple light of a summer night. Written in the same tradition as john julius norwichs engrossing accounts of venice and byzantium, richard fletchers moorish spain entertains even as it enlightens. This is an exlibrary book and may have the usual libraryusedbook markings inside. Activities, food, drinks, barcelona, madrid, valencia spain in our hearts. Originally from the north african country of morocco, the moors were medieval muslims who once ruled over areas that currently comprise spain, portugal, and septimania. Governors were appointed, deposed, or murdered, in deference to the mandates of some faction, who resented the government being entrusted to a man of the medina faction, or would not have a clansman of kays, or objected to the nomination of a member of the yemen party. Books to read if you are taking a trip to spain odyssey traveller has prepared and made this reading list of books to read if you are taking a trip to spain. Plus over 160 vital spanish terms and definitions plus useful contacts. Set in the mid1400s one of the most tumultuous times in spanish history the book retraces the life of young princess isabella, who, though opposed by a halfcrazed mother, ambitious archbishop and lecherous nobleman, remained steadfast in her determination to restore order to castile and marry ferdinand, the handsome. All serious students of history should read this book. Having moved in 2002 to spain with his own family, he hopes to shed light on the actual experience of paving a new life in a new country. You get an idea of the social classes back in the day, the power and abuses of the church and the general horrors of the time.
The caliphate ceased to exist and al andaluz broke up into 20 taifas and unified rule came to an end. Moors in spain history of the moors in spain spanish fiestas. After reading golden age of the moors, this book was a good addition to my learning about the north african, northwest african moors would be considered black by united states racial standards and the arab makeup of the moorish armies that invaded and conquered medieval spain. The train in spain by christopher howse i took three memorable train journeys in. Florians book was first published in french around 1790 and is of some interest as it was probably the first nonspanish work on the subject. A list of spain books for all those who love spanish food, history and culture i am often asked for reading recommendations about spain themes.
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