Crucible of Light (Islam and Europe from the 8th to the 21st Century) - Elizabeth Drayson

‘[An] authoritative, fascinating account . . . Crucible of Light underlines the complexity of relations, both individual and collective, between the Islamic world and Europe’ The SpectatorFocusing on major turning points, individual stories, and key places, from Mecca to Cordoba, from Damascus to Venice, and from Vienna to Istanbul, 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 seventeenth-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. Review ‘Absolutely fascinating. At a time when a historical Christian Nationalism and chauvinism are gaining ground, this book arrives as an essential corrective’ Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and author of Secularism: a Very Short Introduction‘A treasure of a book, exploring the frequently misunderstood, often unsung, yet extraordinarily rich intertwining of Islamic and European culture over nearly one and a half millennia’ Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred About the Author Elizabeth Drayson is Emeritus Fellow in Spanish at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge. She specializes in medieval and early modern Spanish literature and cultural history, and has a particular interest in the Arabic, Jewish, and Christian cultures of medieval and Golden Age Spain. Her books include The Moor’s Last Stand,which featured among The Times and the Sunday Times History Books of the Year 2017, and Lost Paradise: The Story of Granada. She was a central figure in an award-winning international research project charting the legacy of Islam in Europe from 1350 - 1550.