A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain
By Chris Lowney
Reviewed by Indhira Flowers, Biola University, La Mirada, CA
A Vanished World by Chris Lowney highlights the more than seven centuries (711-1492) in Spain that were under Muslim control. Through creative writing and detailed storytelling, Lowney examines the nearly peaceful coexistence of Muslims, Jews and Christians under Islamic rule of the Iberian Peninsula and delves into the problems that led to the demise of Muslim Spain. The book highlights some key figures in the development of Al Andalus (Islamic Spain), including Tariq , the young commander who led the initial vigilant attack against the Visigoth king Roderick in capturing Spain for Islam, and ‘Abd al-Rahman the sole surviving heir to the Umayyad dynasty who sowed the seeds of prosperity and tolerance in the newly conquered country.
Lowney surveys the history of Muslim Iberia through the various stages of her development; from the previous Visigoth rulers to the invasion led by Tariq; to the intermediary years where Muslims, Jews and Christians coexisted in peace and Spain thrived financially, educationally, scientifically and agriculturally; to the final decline of Muslim control of Spain in the fifteenth century and the end of eight centuries of Muslim control.
Lowney also writes of the many benefits European society gained from Al Andalus. Many native Spaniards converted to Islam because of its attractiveness, and by the ninth century Arabic was spoken widely throughout Al Andalus. Muslim culture also placed Spain as a forerunner in Europe, elaborate aqueducts, sophisticated agriculture, advances in medicine and an embrace of translating works of Greek and Latin into Arabic spurred Al Andalus ahead of her European counterparts. At the center of all this growth was the city of Cordoba; according to Lowney “Cordoba’s luxury and sophistication undoubtedly surpassed anything found elsewhere in Europe” (68). Filled with museums, libraries, running water and other sites that were unheard of elsewhere in Europe, Cordoba was a perfect example of what could happen when people put their religious differences aside to create a society based on knowledge and exploration.
Sadly, the era of Muslim domination of Iberia came to an end in the same year Christopher Columbus discovered America, 1492. Along with gaining land in the New World, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand moved forward in reuniting the lands that were lost to Muslims in 711. Along with the reconquest of Spain by the crowns of Castile and Aragon, came intolerance and persecution of Muslims and Jews, alike. The centuries of peace between Muslim, Jew and Christian Spaniards came to an end.
The importance of Lowney’s book can be greatly appreciated today because of the current societal turmoil and religious tensions we face. Lowney paints a picture of what it was like in the brief period in history where Jews, Muslims and Christians lived together in a society that was thriving and successful. Although it is true that during the era of Islamic control of Spain, which lasted seven centuries, there were some tensions between the three religious groups, the greater cohesiveness of the society was the focal point for the citizens of Al Andalus and it was common to find Jews, Christians and Muslims working side by side with one another. We as citizens of a newly globalized world should keep this in mind, it is said that history repeats itself, and hopefully the period of peace between Jew, Christian and Muslim can be something we can look forward to.
A Vanished World chronicles this impossibly panoramic sweep of human history and achievement, encompassing both the agony of jihad, Crusades, and Inquisition, and the glory of a multireligious, multicultural civilization that forever changed the West. One gnarled root of today's religious animosities stretches back to medieval Spain, but so does a more nourishing root of much modern religious wisdom. In a world torn by religious antagonism, Chris Lowney offers enduring lessons learned from medieval Spanish villages where Muslims, Christians, and Jews rubbed shoulders on a daily basis.[1]
The reason that this book is a great read, is just that; the relevance it has in today’s society is ever present and if we can apply what is learned from reading history of Islamic Spain to today’s atmosphere of religious tension and racial division, maybe we as human beings (not Christian, Jew or Muslim) can coexist with one another in harmony.
[1] Simon & Schuster, available from http://books.simonandschuster.com/Vanished-World/Christopher-Lowney/9780743243599; Internet; accessed 20 February 2011.
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