Book Report About Leo Africanus, By: Amin Maalouf

AMIN MAALOUF , LEO AFRICANUSAmin Maalouf s novel powerfulness of beasts Afri tolerateus , a fictionalized memoir by an actual sixteenth-century Islamic explorer , is an often-interesting account of life during the fast(a) end of the Middle Ages , told from the drive of view of a homophile who survived his life s ample excitement and bridged conflicting cultures without wholly live on to anyThe narrator of this work , a traveler and author eff in his life fourth dimension as Jean-Leon de Medici or Leo Africanus , was inbred in 1488 as Hasan al-Wazzan , discussion of a prominent Muslim family in Granada , Spain . At the time , southern Spain s Andalusia region (of which Granada was its pass city ) was Muslim-dominated , with Catholics , Muslims , and Jews alike coexisting in a world-wide , comparatively openhanded atmosp here(predicate) . Maalouf depicts Granada as an intriguing , strange , tolerant ordinate for its time contempt its corrupt findrs and last-ditch failing forwards the invading armies of Aragon and CastileShortly after(prenominal)(prenominal) his birth , Spanish forces conquered Granada and in short started persecuting each(prenominal) non-Christians , forcing them to convert to Catholicism or break away , depriving them of their riches in either possibility though European taradiddle depicts Spain s liberation from Muslim rule as a empyrean event , it was a tragical blow for the Muslims who had lived in that attitude for centuries and built a rich , learned society . As his uncle Khali , a wealthy diplomat , laments , See how the people . poise been forced into slavery after their surrender ! See how the see has raised pyres for the Jews . [and] for the Muslims as swell ! How can we stop this , hush by resistance , mobilization , and jihad (Maalouf , 1988 ,. 25 ) though the word jihad forthwith carries ominous meanings for occidentalers , in this lingual context it meant self-defense in the face of an intolerant enemyThe Spanish face in a distinctly negative dispirit , as bloodthirsty despiteful conquerors who used the Inquisition to printing press their enemies reliable or comprehend .

Maalouf offers in interesting eversion of Western opinion here , and he shows post-1492 Granada as a sombre , dangerous place whose intellectual life is humble . besides , while new(a) readers think of Jews and Muslims as mortal enemies , Maalouf demonstrates that they enjoyed collected relations in medieval Andalusia , and Leo laments the Spanish guild mandating the `formal exhalation of all relations amongst Christians and Jews , which can only be accomplished by the bulge of all the Jews from our kingdom (Maalouf , 1988 ,. 59His uncle Khali assumes a dominant role in Leo s life , fate educate him and , more burning(prenominal)ly , good-natured him along on his 1504 diplomatic mission to Timbuktu , then an of the essence(predicate) Muslim cultural and technical center in sub-Saharan West Africa . Even as a teen yearsr , he demonstrates keen insights to the world rough him , particularly to the appearances peoples , and attributes of the cities he visits en route . For example he describes Ain al-Asnam , an ancient city destroyed during Islam s spread , as sole witness of the get along with of ignorance (Maalouf , 1988 ,br 155 , implying that despite its cause glories , it symbolizes the dark era forwards Islam spread...If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com

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