In the Lands of the Christians: Arabic Travel Writing in the 17th Century

by Matar,Nabil; Matar,Nabil

• ISBN13: 9780415932288
• ISBN10: 0415932289
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2002-11-15
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

In the Lands of the Christianspresents original translations from Arabic of four Christian and Muslim writers who visited Western Europe and America in the seventeenth century. These essays contain careful descriptions of the regions, societies, customs, and religions these intrepid travelers encountered in their journeys. Here you will find the complete travel narrative of the first Arab to visit South and Central America in 1688, the first English translation of the ambassadorial report by Mohammad bin Abd al-Wahab al-Ghassani who traveled through Spain in 1690, translations of letters by the Morrocan ambassador to France describing his relationship with his hosts and his impressions of the land, and Morisco author Ahmad bin Qasim's account of his voyage from Holland to France in 1610.

Author Biography

Nabil Matar is Professor of English and department head of Humanities and Communication at the Florida Institute of Technology

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction Arab Travelers and Early Modern Europeans	xiii
The Texts A Note on Translation and Selection	3	(2)
France and Holland	5	(40)
Kitab Nasir al-Din ala al-Qawm al-Kafirin
Ahmad Bin Qasim [al-Hajari]
Europe and South America	45	(68)
Kitab Siyahat al-Khoury Ilyas bin al-Qissees Hanna al-Mawsuli
Ilyas Hanna al-Mawsuli
Spain	113	(84)
Rihlat al-Wazir fi Iftikak al-Asir
Mohammad bin abd al-Wahab al-Ghassani
France	197	(18)
Letters
Abdallah bin Aisha
Index of Names	215	(8)
Index of Places	223