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The late Ch.-E. Dufourcq was one of the first to map out the relations between the Christian and Muslim coastlands of the medieval western Mediterranean. These studies reveal the extent of the contribution he made to the subject, and the care and attention with which he handled the scattered documentary sources. There are three main themes to the volume: one group of articles focuses on the political and diplomatic aspects of the relations between Spain (Catalonia in particular) and the Maghreb (the lands of the modern Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia); a second is concerned more with commercial contacts and with a comparison of the economic conditions north and south of the Mediterranean, and with the day-to-day life of the sailors and merchants who formed the link between the two. A third theme, most prominent in the final articles, is the social and economic history of Catalonia itself, a subject to which he returned in the final years of his life. Le regretté Ch.-E. Dufourcq à été l'un des premiers à établir les grandes lignes des rapports existant entre les pays côtiers chrétiens et musulmans de la Méditerannée occidentale durant le Moyen Age. Ces études revelent l'éntendue de la contribution de l'auteur à ce sujet, ainsi que le soin et l'attention avec lesquels il en a manié le s sources documentaires dispersées. On retrouve trois themes principeaux au travers de ce volume : un groupe d'articles se concentre sur les aspects politiques et diplomatiques des rapports entre l'Espagne, plus particulièrement la Catalogne, et le Maghreb; le seconde s'attache plus aux contracts commercieaux, comparant les conditions économiques du Nord et du Sud de la Méditérranee, et à la vie quotidienne des marins et des marchands qui formaient le lien entre les deux. Un troisième théme, plus proéminent dans les derniers articles, écrits par l'auteur vers à la fin de sa vie, est celui de l'histoire sociale et économique de la Catalogne elle-

The studies included in this selection - the opening two being published for the first time - are concerned with various aspects of the history of Christian Spain between the 6th century and the 14th. A recurrent theme is that of the invention of the past: of the manner in which, for reasons which have seemed good to them, at different times and places, from Toledo in the 1240s to Cambridge in the 1920s, men have sought to appropriate and recolonise that past. Three more technical articles on the subject of 13th-century papal diplomatic in a Spanish setting illustrate the related activity of the invention of the future as reflected in the activity of the agents or proctors and others whose services were retained in order to ensure that it was their employer's particular view of the present that prevailed. Les études comprises dans cette sélection, dont deux paraissent ici pour la première fois, traitent des différents aspects de l'histoire de l'Espagne chrétienne entre le 6e et le 14e siècle. Un thème fréquent est celui de l'invention du passé: la façon dont à différentes époques et à différents endroits, de Tolède en 1240 à Cambridge en 1920, et pour des raisons qui lui semblent être les bonnes, l'être humain s'est efforcé de s'approprier et de reconquérir le passé. Trois articles d'ordre plus techniques sur la diplomatique papale au 13e siècle dans un cadre espagnol, illustrent l'activité attenante qu'était l'invention de l'avenir, telle qu'elle se traduisait au travers de l'action d'agents, de fondés de pouvoir et autres, dont les services étaient requis afin que la vision du présent de leurs employeurs prévale.

The Routledge Hispanic Studies Companion to Medieval Iberia: Unity in Diversity draws together the innovative work of renowned scholars as well as several thought-provoking essays from emergent academics, in order to provide broad-range, in-depth coverage of the major aspects of the Iberian medieval world.Exploring the social, political, cultural, religious, and economic history of the Iberian Peninsula, the volume includes 37 original essays grouped around fundamental themes such as Languages and Literatures, Spiritualities, and Visual Culture. This interdisciplinary volume is an excellent introduction and reference work for students and scholars in Iberian Studies and Medieval Studies.SERIES EDITOR: BRAD EPPSSPANISH LIST ADVISOR: JAVIER MUÑOZ-BASOLS

As seen from the perspective of 1492, the medieval expansion of Latin Europe was nowhere as dramatic or enduring as in the Iberian Peninsula and the Atlantic. Its Christian kingdoms continued their advance against Al-Andalus up to 1492, whereas territorial expansion elsewhere against the Muslim world had either ceased or subsided by the late 13th century. Castile and Portugal also transformed the Atlantic Ocean from the inaccessible dead-end of Eurasia into the most promising avenue for European expansion for the first time in history. The articles collected in this volume explore the causes and the nature of this expansion, from a variety of historical traditions. They investigate the extent to which the'transference'of Mediterranean traditions aided this process; the characteristics of Iberian conflict that eventually led to the success of its Christian kingdoms; and the motives for launching, and techniques for running, the first European'overseas empires'in the unfolding Atlantic frontier. In the process they illuminate the new identities and cultural interactions that this expansion produced in its wake, while the new introduction sets them in the broader context.

First published in 2003, Medieval Iberia: An Encyclopedia, is the first comprehensive reference to the vital world of medieval Spain. This unique volume focuses on the Iberian kingdoms from the fall of the Roman Empire to the aftermath of the Reconquista and encompass topics of key relevance to medieval Iberia, including people, events, works, and institutions, as well as interdisciplinary coverage of literature, language, history, arts, folklore, religion, and science. It also provides in-depth discussions of the rich contributions of Muslim and Jewish cultures, and offers useful insights into their interactions with Catholic Spain. With nearly 1,000 signed A-Z entries and written by renowned specialists in the field, this comprehensive work is an invaluable tool for students, scholars, and general readers alike.

This study of El Cid, first published in English in 1934, is by the leading authority on the medieval history and literature of Spain. The Cid occupies a unique position among national heroes. Others such as King Arthur and Roland are but shadowy figures in the historical record, but El Cid is very much better documented. This book also paints a striking picture of eleventh-century Spain, bringing out the importance of the country as a link between Christian and Muslim civilization.