Kingdoms of Faith

Reviews / Votes

'A rich narrative account of al-Andalus . . . a reminder that Islam in Europe is set in stone - in marble and mortar - and it cannot be chiselled away.' -- Financial Times 'Catlos has produced a substantial new synthesis . . . a gripping, colourful and humane account of a period that ought to be better known.' -- History Today 'Catlos imparts an intimate sense of how members of different ethnic and religious communities negotiated subtle alliances and engaged in long-lasting cultural exchanges.' -- The New Yorker 'The ambition of Brian Catlos in this excellent new account is to provide not just a thoroughly up-to-date history but one that resists the narrative tug of both Right and Left. . . . he has forged a tight synthesis of the latest research in a fresh portrait of nearly a millennium of history.' 'A lively, engaging history.' -- Library Journal 'A richly layered tapestry . . . Catlos knows how to tell a story.' -- Asian Review of Books 'A brilliant narrative history of the rise and fall of Muslim Spain... a balanced, lucid, and myth-breaking account of a unique society that has too often been demonised, romanticised or simplified.' -- Matt Carr, author of Blood and Faith: The Purging of Muslim Spain, 1492-1614 'A lively ... account of medieval Spain and Portugal which steers away from the usual stereotypes and gives us a new, and much more nuanced account of relations and interactions between the various communities and faith groups in the peninsula.' -- Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic and author of 'Caliphate: The History of an Idea', SOAS, University of London 'In Kingdoms of Faith, Brian A. Catlos takes us through the kaleidoscopic interplay of Muslim-Christian relations, bringing clarity to a complex narrative. His deft analysis illuminates the forces brought to bear in creating both the myth and reality of life in "Moorish" Spain.' -- Thomas F. Glick, Emeritus Professor of History, Boston University and author of 'Islamic and Christian Spain in the Early Middle Ages' 'Spirited, probing and original, this is a key history of Muslim Spain. It's unique perspective illuminates the vexed issue of religious, political and cultural interaction between Christians, Jews and Muslims, underlining the complexity and ambiguity of medieval Spain and revealing its vital importance to the history of modern Europe too.' -- Elizabeth Drayson, author of 'The Moor's Last Stand: How Seven Centuries of Muslim Rule in Spain Came to an End', University of Cambridge 'Mediterranean studies have been shaped in an informative and innovative way by Brian Catlos's contributions in the recent decades. His incursion now into the history of a specific region and polity - that of al-Andalus (Medieval Iberia under Muslim rule) - brings to the fore the same qualities that characterize his previous work: an inquisitive and incisive mind that homes in on perceptive questions, combined with the ability to recreate past events in an appealing manner for a wide audience.' -- Maribel Fierro, Research Professor, Institute of Languages and Cultures of the Mediterranean, CSIC, Madrid ''Kingdoms of Faith' constitutes a fresh and original contribution to the history of al-Andalus, rooted in the author's profound knowledge of medieval Iberian history. Brian Catlos has managed to produce a very well-written and lively narrative that provides an up-to-date synthesis of the most recent developments in this field of history.' -- Alejandro Garcia Sanjuan, University of Huelva