(Spain before 1492) Islamic Empire in Europe 11-11
Islamic Empire in Europe, a truly fascinating documentary produced by BBC Four in 2005. A film sets out to capture some of the image of Spain (The Moors) before 1492 when, after 700 years of Muslim rule under the Moors, the Spanish kicked the Muslim invaders out and destroyed the great books and other evidence of Muslim occupation. Among the buildings that escaped the Inquisition was the Alhambra Palace, a masterpiece of medieval architecture on a Granada hilltop. Lots of myth-busting content showing how Islam flourished in the West for over seven centuries, bringing advanced science, mathematics, technology, medicine, stunning architecture, the concepts of romantic love and end-rhyme poetry, and paper, a culture that placed the highest values on knowledge and education - to Al-Andalus (Spain), long before the Christians decided to spoil the party. The upshot of this is that Islamic culture is a lot more integral to the origins of Western civilization than most people realise. Presenter Bettany Hughes beautifully explores the rich trappings of Muslim life discovered by archaeologists and historians, not least the mathematical intricacies of the Alhambra. The Spanish may well try to rewrite history as far as religion is concerned, but the indelible stamp of the Moors will always remain in the architecture of the buildings. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. A film sets out to capture some of the image of Spain (The Moors) before 1492 when, after 700 years of Muslim rule under the Moors, the Spanish kicked the Muslim invaders out and destroyed the great books and other evidence of Muslim occupation. Among the buildings that escaped the Inquisition was the Alhambra Palace, a masterpiece of medieval architecture on a Granada hilltop. Lots of myth-busting content showing how Islam flourished in the West for over seven centuries, bringing advanced science, mathematics, technology, medicine, stunning architecture, the concepts of romantic love and end-rhyme poetry, and paper, a culture that placed the highest values on knowledge and education - to Al-Andalus (Spain), long before the Christians decided to spoil the party. The upshot of this is that Islamic culture is a lot more integral to the origins of Western civilization than most people realise. Presenter Bettany Hughes beautifully explores the rich trappings of Muslim life discovered by archaeologists and historians, not least the mathematical intricacies of the Alhambra. The Spanish may well try to rewrite history as far as religion is concerned, but the indelible stamp of the Moors will always remain in the architecture of the buildings. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance.