Brill Negotiating Cultures: Bilingual Surrender Treaties - Medieval Spain

Explore the intersection of Islam and Christianity in medieval Mediterranean Spain through two rare bilingual surrender treaties from the reign of James I, the Conqueror, King of Arago-Catalonia. Between 1225 and 1276, James conquered vast territories during fifty years of crusading campaigns, leaving behind a rich historical record. This scholarly work presents the only two surviving interlinear bilingual originals of these pivotal treaties, offering unparalleled insight into post-Almohad Islamic fragmentation and the complex negotiations between opposing medieval powers. Each treaty reveals the territorial ambitions of Islamic principalities emerging from political confusion and the profound cultural clash between Christian and Muslim societies. Through meticulous reconstruction of these fragile historical documents, readers gain deep understanding of how two radically different worldviews collided, negotiated, and shaped the political landscape of medieval Spain. This volume combines rigorous historical analysis with primary source material to illuminate a transformative period in European and Mediterranean history.