Land of Three Faiths: Jews, Muslims, and Christians in Medieval Spain and Portugal

4 credits

History of Spain from the arrival of Islam in 711 CE to the Christian conquest of Granada in 1492. The term “medieval Spain” evokes popular stereotypes, including that of a dark period of Islamic “occupation” of Christian territory, and its counterpart, tolerant society of Jews, Muslims, and Christians that might serve as a model for today’s world. Students will study the complexity of life in medieval Spain, discerning nuances more interesting and surprising than either of these stereotypes. +