ELIZABETH DRAYSON

The Moors Last Stand presents the poignant story of Boabdil, the last Muslim king of Granada. Betrayed by his family and undermined by faction and internal conflict, Boabdil was defeated in 1492 by the forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of the newly united kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. The Christian victory marked the completion of the long Christian reconquest of Spain and ended seven centuries in which Christians, Muslims and Jews had, for the most part, lived peacefully and profitably together. Five centuries after his death, Boabdil continues to be a potent symbol of resistance to the forces of western Christendom, and his image endures in contemporary culture.Elizabeth Drayson presents a vivid account of Boabdils life and times and considers the impact of his defeat then and now.

Rethinking the history of the last thirteen centuries in Crucible of Light Elizabeth Drayson pulls together the epic interwoven history of the Muslim and Christian worlds Focusing on major turning points individual stories and key places from Mecca to Cordoba from Damascus to Venice and from Vienna to Istnbul Drayson tracks the themes that unite us classical learning preserved in Islamic libraries the enduring influence of Moorish architecture and design the food we share the goods we have traded and the continuing dialogue between individuals and cultures that has permeated Europe s history and shaped its borders It is a history that sweeps across cities and continents from Spanish patios and palaces to Ottoman inspired coffee houses in 17th century London to the Mezquita in Cordoba once a mosque now a cathedral the physical embodiment of the ongoing discourse that continues to shape European identity

La primera indagación profunda y completa que se publica en cualquier lengua sobre el último rey musulmán en España y las razones de su derrota. Una historia de traición, coraje, intriga, heroísmo