Re-defining Medieval Spain
Janna Bianchini
AT dinner recently a friend told me about dispute between two of her colleagues in the History department nearby university. One them had insisted that there was really no such thing as ‘medieval Spain’; other replied with long list published books titles which all included words Spain’. My curious to know why historian would consider existence medieval Spain doubt, especially when scholarly convention seems run so strongly direction. As term, Spain’ has virtue recognisability. It conveys, even (and especially) general audience, host intriguing associations: crusade, convivencia, Inquisition, rich and sometimes violent interchange (at least) three cultures religions. Still, phrase always needs be qualified. Does it refer Muslim Spain? Christian include modern Portugal? What areas southern France were sometime possessions Crown Aragón—not mention Crown's considerable Mediterranean territories? These are problems every faces some degree, since borders western Europe far from stable over roughly thousand-year span middle ages. can talk Frankland, or Byzantium, without academic political anxiety attendant on any discussion Spain, but this is because way one defines ‘Spain’ ages read, rightly wrongly, reflecting an ideology world.
The English Historical Review