Myth, history, and the origins of al-Andalus: a historiographical essay. Issue 3 (2nd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wolf, Kenneth Baxter
• Is Part Of: Journal of medieval Iberian studies. Volume 11:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 378
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2019-09-02
• Subjects: Reconquista -- conquest -- 711 -- historiography -- myth -- al-Andalus -- Islam -- Alejandro García Sanjuán -- Emilio González Ferrín; Iberians -- History -- Periodicals; Civilization; Iberians; Iberian Peninsula -- Civilization -- Periodicals; Spain -- Civilization -- 711-1516 -- Periodicals; Portugal -- Civilization -- To 1500 -- Periodicals; Spain -- Civilization -- Periodicals; Europe -- Iberian Peninsula; Portugal; Spain; History; Periodicals; 946.000902
• DOI: 10.1080/17546559.2019.1566759
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-6559

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This essay juxtaposes two recent efforts to demythologize the history of the origins of al-Andalus. Alejandro García Sanjuán has called into question the continued usefulness of reconquista as a historical model, while Emilio González Ferrín has gone further, challenging the very notion of an "Islamic conquest, " which he regards as another misleading holdover from the past. Considering these two approaches side by side allows for a deeper appreciation of the challenges of demythologization in relation to the study of medieval Spanish history.