The Muslim Conquest of Iberia

This book explores the medieval Islamic historiography relating to the Arab conquest of Spain in 711, arguing that the body of medieval Arabic tradition about this conquest is a showcase for the diversity and creativity of medieval Islamic history-writing.

Introduction 1. The Late Antique Historiographical Backdrop 2. Successors, Jurists, and Propagandists: Reconstructing the Transmission History of Spanish Conquest Narratives 3. Accommodating Outsiders, Obeying Stereotypes: maw l and muwallad n in Narratives of the Conquest 4. To the Ends of the Earth: Extremes of East and West in Arabic Geographical and Ajaib Writings 5. The Table of Soloman: A Historiographical Motif and its Functions 6. Excusing and Explaining Conquest: Traitors and Collaborators in Muslim and Christian Sources 7. On the Other Side of the World: Comparing Narratives of Contemporary Islamic Conquests in the East. Conclusion: History on the Margins