The New York Times recently published an article in their science section called “Gene Test Shows Spain’s Jewish and Muslin Mix”. This article, while on a personal level full of interesting tidbits as I am descended from those very Moors who were so violently ousted in the late 1400s, reminded me just how much the Iberian Peninsula is completely intoxicating to me.
The article, while brief, shimmies through most of Spain’s major historical events while making a broader point about Spain commonly thought of as being primarily racially pure since that 1492 expulsion is in fact much more of a mix than anyone previously thought. As I said, this is interesting as its own scientific discovery, but those brief little bullet-points of Spanish history really only got me salivating for more!
In 2007 I was inexplicably and suddenly seized with the desire to learn all I could about the royal family of Portugal. Wikipedia beautifully served here and I spent a few days utterly immersed and in awe of the convoluted and intertwining paths of the Portuguese/Brazilian royal family. It was fascinating and I couldn’t get enough. Spain holds a similar allure for me for reasons that I think are fairly basic: I am an British historian and if there is one thing I hold in common with the Britons I study, it is a firm view that Spain is an undeniable Other, one which is wrapped primarily in mystery but one that is also enticingly interesting because of that obscurity. I know very little about Spain beyond the typical things that have leaked out (expulsion of the moors, Christopher Columbus, Catholicism, etc.) and those little pieces only make me want to learn more and as quickly as possible.
To that end, I decided I wanted to know more about the period between 700-1600 in Spain, which would take me through the Muslim rule (while neatly avoiding the earlier battles of the Romans and Carthaginians) and the Spanish imperial state (before it fell into decline somewhere after the defeat of the Armada by my wonderful Brits). Searching for books called “history of spain 700-1600” unfortunately didn’t get me very far since there are both a million books answering that or part of that description and also few who cover so broad and specific a range. So perhaps I am doomed forever to the broad strokes of Wikipedia. If anyone out there reading this has any suggestions of better ways to find good Spanish history books or knows of any personally, I would be much obliged for the recommendation. Until I find that perfect Iberian history book, I shall remain intrigued and awaiting more dispatches from that mysterious historical front.
6 years ago