Routledge Arab Ambassador Mediterranean World: al-Miknasi Travels 1779-1788

Discover a rare pre-modern Arab-Muslim perspective on European Christendom through this translated collection of Muhammad ibn Othman al-Miknasi's travelogues. As an ambassador travelling between 1779 and 1788, al-Miknasi gained access to court life, government offices and religious buildings across the Mediterranean, recording detailed observations unavailable in other historical sources of the period. His three travelogues offer unique comparative insights into both Islamic and Christian societies, featuring accounts of cities, peoples, customs, diplomatic negotiations and political events. This scholarly work provides modern readers with an invaluable window into how an educated Arab observer perceived the Western world during a transformative era, making it essential for historians, scholars of Islamic studies and anyone interested in cross-cultural understanding and Mediterranean history.