Spanish Islam

work by Dozy

Also known as: “Histoire des musulmans d’Espagne, jusqu’à la conquête de l’ Andalousie par les Almoravides, 711–1110”(Show More)

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July 14, 2026

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Reinhart Pieter Dozy was a Dutch Arabist best known for his monumental work, Histoire des musulmans d’Espagne, jusqu’à la conquête de l’Andalousie par les Almoravides, 711–1110 (1861), translated as Spanish Islam. This book provided a detailed account of Moorish dominion in Spain and was considered the standard work on the subject for a long time.1

Muslim Spain, also known as Al-Andalus, saw a significant influx of Arabs and Imazighen (Berbers) following the conquest. The society was diverse, comprising Arabs, Imazighen, muwallads (converts), Mozarabs (Christians living under Muslim rule), Jews, and slaves. Muslim cities were noted for their baths, gardens, markets, and mosques, and were considered by some to be superior to those in Christian Europe at the time. The state structure was theoretically based on Islamic orthodoxy, interpreted by the Malikite school, which exhibited conservative traits in Al-Andalus.2

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Reinhart Pieter Dozy
…par les Almoravides, 711–1110 (1861; Spanish Islam, 1913). Dozy, of French Huguenot ancestry, spent 33 years as a professor of history at the University of Leiden. His history, a graphically written account of Moorish dominion in Spain that shed new light on many obscure points, long remained the standard work…
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…par les Almoravides, 711–1110 (1861; Spanish Islam, 1913). Dozy, of French Huguenot ancestry, spent 33 years as a professor of history at the University of Leiden. His history, a graphically written account of Moorish dominion in Spain that shed new light on many obscure points, long remained the standard work…
Read More