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History of the Moors of Spain
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
158 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2007
91 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian
426 books5 followersJean-Pierre Claris de Florian est un auteur dramatique, romancier, poète et fabuliste français.
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian is a French playwright, novelist, poet and fabulist.
Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian is a French playwright, novelist, poet and fabulist.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 23, 2014
Along with all the other cheap ebook reprints out there, there is a company (unnamed, so far as I can tell), who specializes in distributing the files from Project Gutenberg in ebook format (with a fairly distinctive two-tone cover pattern). This means that unlike the other two companies I've dealt with recently, the number of typos is low, but there are still formatting glitches. Notably, all the page number tags in the Gutenberg files are still in-line here. (Since there are notes that reference these pages, it is of use.) Occasionally, the line breaks of the original file have not been properly removed, but this is a handful of times, and generally the formatting is good.
This particular book was originally published in in French in the late 18th century, and given here in a 1840 translation, which means it is somewhat... dated. (Especially as the accepted Anglicizations of the names have changed quite a bit.) The author's name was only given as "Florian", which took some investigation to find out was Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian.
At any rate, it's not a bad book, and is one of the first Western works to take a more sympathetic view of Moorish civilization (not entirely sympathetic, however). In fact, it is two works in one, as the final part of the book is a separate overview of Muslim history in general by "Rev S. Greene" (included in the 1840 book). That said, unless you're interested in the historiography of Spain, there must be better things to read, though I don't know what they would be (which is why I got this in the first place).
This particular book was originally published in in French in the late 18th century, and given here in a 1840 translation, which means it is somewhat... dated. (Especially as the accepted Anglicizations of the names have changed quite a bit.) The author's name was only given as "Florian", which took some investigation to find out was Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian.
At any rate, it's not a bad book, and is one of the first Western works to take a more sympathetic view of Moorish civilization (not entirely sympathetic, however). In fact, it is two works in one, as the final part of the book is a separate overview of Muslim history in general by "Rev S. Greene" (included in the 1840 book). That said, unless you're interested in the historiography of Spain, there must be better things to read, though I don't know what they would be (which is why I got this in the first place).
January 15, 2022
Started off okay, then it went into so many other things for me
I selected to read this book because I heard about the "Moors" by truly didn't have a full understanding of who they were. I think it started off okay but then it drifted into so many other things and I simply lost interest but you may find it to be a great book.
I selected to read this book because I heard about the "Moors" by truly didn't have a full understanding of who they were. I think it started off okay but then it drifted into so many other things and I simply lost interest but you may find it to be a great book.
November 17, 2022
Great book, the e-book version can be found at:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hist...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hist...
June 26, 2023
Awesome read with lots of information
February 20, 2016
I picked up (in a sense) the Kindle version of this book as I am contemplating a second trip to Spain, focusing on the south, in which the Moors play a vey important role. I wasn't sure what I was getting, but was not disappointed to find that this is a quick read, and so a good introduction, and that the book by the French M Florian was written in the early 19th century, and translated by as the publishers state "an American lady."
It is decided into four "Epochs" the first of which looks at the arrival of Moors in Spain and moves to the time of the famous Battle of Tours, when the spread of Islam outside of Spain was halted, and when its retreat from northern Spain began. the second epoch looks at Cordoba (Cordova here), for many years the capital of Moorish Spain. It describes the many various Caliphs, divisions within the Moors and moves to the end of the "Caliphate," or rule by one leader over all the Muslims in Spain. Epoch number three looks at the different kingdoms (including those of Toledo and Seville) created out of the disunity and discusses the Christian hero (at least he is so described here) known as The Cid. This mercenary did much to weaken Islam in the south of Spain. The epoch ends with the Siege of Cordoba and the taking of Valencia by Christian forces. The last epoch focuses on Granada (here Grenada), the last holdout of the Spanish Moors. A laundry list of rulers of that kingdom is offered, as well as the uniting of Aragon and Castile under Ferdinand and Isabella, which brings Granada to its knees in 1492.
While much of the book is devoted to the Spanish Muslims (or Musselmans as they are referred to here) at the end a substantial portion is devoted to a history of Islam (tis rise and "decline) in general. If you know little of Islam, or only of recent and often militant Islam this is interesting in that it is written in a period when the Moors were a good bit more peaceable than they are now - provides a very different perspective than the average Western conception of Muslims today, when Islam, particularly radical Islam, seems hardly in decline.
I was a bit surprised that so little notice of Jews was taken, but this book is very "Christian" - as in Christianity as the one TRUE religion. Although throughout much of the Moorish period Jews, along with Christians and Muslims lived in relative harmony in parts of the country, the account mentions Jews only on a very few occasions.
It is rather tediously written (or at least translated), but it does provide an outline of history, along with comments on the visual and written arts of the Spanish Moors. I found it worthwhile for that, though I am hoping to find a more recent and more comprehensive history before I travel.
It is decided into four "Epochs" the first of which looks at the arrival of Moors in Spain and moves to the time of the famous Battle of Tours, when the spread of Islam outside of Spain was halted, and when its retreat from northern Spain began. the second epoch looks at Cordoba (Cordova here), for many years the capital of Moorish Spain. It describes the many various Caliphs, divisions within the Moors and moves to the end of the "Caliphate," or rule by one leader over all the Muslims in Spain. Epoch number three looks at the different kingdoms (including those of Toledo and Seville) created out of the disunity and discusses the Christian hero (at least he is so described here) known as The Cid. This mercenary did much to weaken Islam in the south of Spain. The epoch ends with the Siege of Cordoba and the taking of Valencia by Christian forces. The last epoch focuses on Granada (here Grenada), the last holdout of the Spanish Moors. A laundry list of rulers of that kingdom is offered, as well as the uniting of Aragon and Castile under Ferdinand and Isabella, which brings Granada to its knees in 1492.
While much of the book is devoted to the Spanish Muslims (or Musselmans as they are referred to here) at the end a substantial portion is devoted to a history of Islam (tis rise and "decline) in general. If you know little of Islam, or only of recent and often militant Islam this is interesting in that it is written in a period when the Moors were a good bit more peaceable than they are now - provides a very different perspective than the average Western conception of Muslims today, when Islam, particularly radical Islam, seems hardly in decline.
I was a bit surprised that so little notice of Jews was taken, but this book is very "Christian" - as in Christianity as the one TRUE religion. Although throughout much of the Moorish period Jews, along with Christians and Muslims lived in relative harmony in parts of the country, the account mentions Jews only on a very few occasions.
It is rather tediously written (or at least translated), but it does provide an outline of history, along with comments on the visual and written arts of the Spanish Moors. I found it worthwhile for that, though I am hoping to find a more recent and more comprehensive history before I travel.
June 26, 2011
“History of the Moors of Spain” by M Florian
A Review by Robert Bovington
I have read a number of books relating to the Moors’ occupation of Spain including Washington Irving’s excellent “Chronicles of the Conquest of Granada” and “Tales of the Alhambra. “History of the Moors of Spain” by M.Florian is an even more comprehensive account, at times too much so. It sometimes reads like the Book of Genesis with its frequent mention of who beget whom. Despite the occasional tedium, the book is a well-constructed history. It also contains a great deal that I find interesting, particularly the description of the Alhambra and Generalife.
The book has four main sections corresponding to four distinct epochs. The first covers the period 711-750, starting from when Tariq-Ibn-Zeyad and his army crossed the Straits of Gibraltar, which marked the beginning of the Muslim domination in Spain. This period ends with the Umayyad Caliphs of Damascus being relocated in Córdoba. This first section of the book also includes events in Asia and Africa during the 6th & 7th centuries that led to the spread of Islamism prior to the occupation of Iberia.
The second section of the book includes the reigns of the Caliphs in the west: the third relates to the various small Taifa kingdoms erected from the ruins of the Caliphate of Córdoba. The fourth part covers the prominent events in the lives of the rulers of the Kingdom of Granada. It culminates with the final expulsion of the Moors from Spain and, of course, includes the fall of Granada in 1492.
French author M.Florian wrote the book in the 18th century but my Kindle version was published in 1910 and translated into English by an American lady whose name I haven’t been able to ascertain. Anyway, she did a good job and, all in all, this book is comprehensive history of the Moors in Spain.
Robert Bovington
Roquetas de Mar June 2011
A Review by Robert Bovington
I have read a number of books relating to the Moors’ occupation of Spain including Washington Irving’s excellent “Chronicles of the Conquest of Granada” and “Tales of the Alhambra. “History of the Moors of Spain” by M.Florian is an even more comprehensive account, at times too much so. It sometimes reads like the Book of Genesis with its frequent mention of who beget whom. Despite the occasional tedium, the book is a well-constructed history. It also contains a great deal that I find interesting, particularly the description of the Alhambra and Generalife.
The book has four main sections corresponding to four distinct epochs. The first covers the period 711-750, starting from when Tariq-Ibn-Zeyad and his army crossed the Straits of Gibraltar, which marked the beginning of the Muslim domination in Spain. This period ends with the Umayyad Caliphs of Damascus being relocated in Córdoba. This first section of the book also includes events in Asia and Africa during the 6th & 7th centuries that led to the spread of Islamism prior to the occupation of Iberia.
The second section of the book includes the reigns of the Caliphs in the west: the third relates to the various small Taifa kingdoms erected from the ruins of the Caliphate of Córdoba. The fourth part covers the prominent events in the lives of the rulers of the Kingdom of Granada. It culminates with the final expulsion of the Moors from Spain and, of course, includes the fall of Granada in 1492.
French author M.Florian wrote the book in the 18th century but my Kindle version was published in 1910 and translated into English by an American lady whose name I haven’t been able to ascertain. Anyway, she did a good job and, all in all, this book is comprehensive history of the Moors in Spain.
Robert Bovington
Roquetas de Mar June 2011
September 20, 2012
Being not too familiar with this time period in history, except for the exploits of El Cid, I thought that this would help me expand my knowledge. It was interesting, but I think that I need to read another book on the same theme to really get a handle on the subject.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews