Download PDF The Story of the Moors in Spain Stanley LanePoole 9781536988284 Books
Download As PDF : The Story of the Moors in Spain Stanley LanePoole 9781536988284 Books
The story of the Moors in Spain “reads like a dream.†Under their rule, thrift and prosperity prevailed throughout the country. “Palatial cities rose under their hand. Aqueducts, rivaling those of the Roman Campagna, brought the streams from the mountains to city and field. Great districts, naturally sunburnt and barren, were made by skilful irrigation to blossom into wonderful fertility. Under their rule Spain was a rich, a prosperous, and, to a great degree, a happy land. Ample revenue of their monarchs enabled them to undertake and complete works of regal splendor, of which the admired Alhambra and the Mosque—now the Cathedral—of Cordova, with its thousand pillars of variegated marble, yet remaining after the desolations of centuries, are striking examples. . . . Their universities were of such celebrity that students from all Christian lands eagerly repaired to them. . . . In poetry and elegant literature, they attained no inconsiderable success.†This book is very skilful and interesting presentation of that brilliant and adventurous tale. The reader will especially value the numerous excellent illustrations and the ample citation of the story of the Cid. The writer's sympathies are wholly, and perhaps deservedly, with the Moors against the Christians, little or no notice being taken of the vices of slavery and of the harem inseparable from Moslem civilization. "The true memorial of the Moors is seen," he says, " in desolate tracts of utter barrenness, where once the Moslem grew luxuriant vines and olives and yellow ears of corn; in a stupid, ignorant population, where once wit and learning nourished; in the general stagnation and degradation of a people which has hopelessly fallen in the scale of nations, and has deserved its humiliation." So, too, the critic may add, has fallen the once brilliant civilization of Morocco, Algiers, and Tunis. The book furnishes a fine combination of solid knowledge and literary grace. Lane-Poole writes "THE history of Spain offers us a melancholy contrast. Twelve hundred years ago, Tarik the Moor added the land of the Visigoths to the long catalogue of kingdoms subdued by the Moslems. For nearly eight centuries, under her Mohammedan rulers, Spain set to all Europe a shining example of a civilized and enlightened State. Her fertile provinces, rendered doubly prolific by the industry and engineering skill of her conquerors, bore fruit an hundredfold. Cities innumerable sprang up in the rich valleys of the Guadelquivir and the Guadiana, whose names, and names only, still commemorate the vanished glories of their past. Art, literature, and science prospered, as they then prospered nowhere else in Europe. Students flocked from France and Germany and England to drink from the fountain of learning which flowed only in the cities of the Moors. The surgeons and doctors of Andalusia were in the van of science women were encouraged to devote themselves to serious study, and the lady doctor was not unknown among the people of Cordova. Mathematics, astronomy and botany, history, philosophy and jurisprudence were to be mastered in Spain, and Spain alone. The practical work of the field, the scientific methods of irrigation, the arts of fortification and shipbuilding, the highest and most elaborate products of the loom, the graver and the hammer, the potter's wheel and the mason's trowel, were brought to perfection by the Spanish Moors." CONTENTS I. THE LAST OF THE GOTHS II. THE WAVE OF CONQUEST III. THE PEOPLE OF ANDALUSIA IV. A YOUNG PRETENDER V. THE CHRISTIAN MARTYRS VI. THE GREAT KHALIF VII. THE HOLY WAR VIII. THE CITY OF THE KHALIF IX. THE PRIME MINISTER X. THE BERBERS IN POWER XI. MY CID THE CHALLENGER XII. THE KINGDOM OF GRANADA XIII. THE FALL OF GRANADA XIV. BEARING THE CROSS
Download PDF The Story of the Moors in Spain Stanley LanePoole 9781536988284 Books
"The accounts are confused and unclear, and it is sometimes hard to tell who's who and where they are. It seems suspect to quote Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra as real history, as this author does. The background research seems sketchy, and there's more of fable than of convincing historiography."
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The Story of the Moors in Spain Stanley LanePoole 9781536988284 Books Reviews :
The Story of the Moors in Spain Stanley LanePoole 9781536988284 Books Reviews
- This book has forever changed my life. The black American owes a great debt to the author. We are told that people with our heritage never did anything of significance and that is the biggest lie of all time. This book shows great reverence for the great contributions to the world the Moors provided. Their intellect, tolerance, culture, refinement, and ability to govern is on full display in this text. Children of all backgrounds should be required to read this. Maybe white children would grow up with less of a superiority complex if they knew the truth about their black classmates. This text is written in great detail and is very adventurous. I can't recommend this book enough.
- I wanted to know about the Moors and their time in Spain. I chose this book for that purpose. It is an old text with a number of details most of which were new to me. I think that the information was delivered in a style and in sequence with point and counterpoint well turned which made the sometimes density of events easily understood. Periodically, there were typographical hiccups but they can be overlooked as minor annoyances. This book flows with the telling of events well worth the telling.
- It is such a pleasure to read a book by an old world scholar - the book has excerpts of poems and folk songs that add a nice touch to the flow. The author has an obvious love for Islamic civilizations of yore (his works on Saladdin, the Mughals of India are something i will be reading some time soon).
- I am Hispanic and speak Spanish and I have visited Spain and viewed all the Arabic designs (Islamic) and always wanted more information about the the Moors. I have books that tells about the Moors and the Middle East but none on the influence on the Spanish language, architectural and the people in Spanish. This book was exactly what I was looking for.
- The accounts are confused and unclear, and it is sometimes hard to tell who's who and where they are. It seems suspect to quote Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra as real history, as this author does. The background research seems sketchy, and there's more of fable than of convincing historiography.
- Well organized and easy to read. Reveals the thoughts and struggles of the rulers and warriors.
Excellent description s of how and why land, rivers, mountains helped or hindered both small and large movements and settlements of people. - Gives a idea of a most brilliant civilization. Despite the date the book was released it reads well. I recommend this book
- I was disappointed with this read. The Story was choppy and did not hold my interest. I did not connect with the characters.
