An Early Modern Dialogue with Islam: Antonio de Sosa's Topography of Algiers (1612) makes available in translation a riveting sixteenth-century chronicle of European and North African cultural contacts that is virtually unknown to English-speaking readers. The Topography was written by a Portuguese cleric, Doctor Antonio de Sosa, who was captured by Algerian corsairs in 1577 and held as a Barbary slave for over four years while awaiting ransom. Sosa's work is a fascinating description of a city at the crossroads of civilizations, with a sophisticated multilingual population of Turks, Arabs, Moriscos, Berbers, Jews, Christian captives, and converts to Islam from across the world.

In the Topography of Algiers, Sosa meticulously describes the inhabitants' daily lives; their fashions, pastimes, feasts, and funerals; their government; the landmarks of the city itself; and much more. Readers will be struck by the vibrancy of his narrative, rendered into English with crisp accuracy by Diana de Armas Wilson. The Topography is a treasure trove of amazing customs, startling behavior, and historical anecdotes that will enthrall readers. The extensive introduction by María Antonia Garcés is a superb archival study of the Mediterranean world described by the Topography, as well as an exposé of the adventurous, even scandalous, life of its author. The introduction also discusses the fraudulent publication of Sosa's Topography under another man's name.

Sosa's chronicle stands out for its complexity, vitality, and the sharpness of the author's ethnographic vision. No other account of captivity in this period offers such a detailed and dynamic tableau of Algerian society at the end of the sixteenth century.

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Yes, you can access Early Modern Dialogue with Islam by Dr. Antonio de Sosa, María Antonia Garcés, Diana de Armas Wilson in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Islamic Theology. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher

University of Notre Dame Press

Year

2020

ISBN

9780268077723

Topic

Theology & Religion

Subtopic

Islamic Theology

Cover
Half title
Series page
Title page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Illustrations
Transliteration and Translation
Note from the Translator
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Preliminary Materials
Chapter 1: The Founding of Algiers
Chapter 2: Why the City Is Called Algiers
Chapter 3: Algiers as a Muslim Kingdom
Chapter 4: How Algiers Came under the Turks
Chapter 5: The Ramparts of Algiers
Chapter 6: The Gates of Algiers
Chapter 7: The Fortifications of Algiers
Chapter 8: The Moat of Algiers
Chapter 9: The Castles and Forts outside Algiers
Chapter 10: The Houses and Streets of Algiers
Chapter 11: The Inhabitants and Neighbors of Algiers
Chapter 12: Turks
Chapter 13: Renegades
Chapter 14: Ka’ids
Chapter 15: Sipahi
Chapter 16: Janissaries
Chapter 17: Agha of the Janissaries
Chapter 18: Ranks of the Janissaries
Chapter 19: Customs of the Janissaries at War
Chapter 20: Customs of the Janissaries in Peacetime
Chapter 21: Customs of the Algerian Corsairs
Chapter 22: Catalogue of Corsairs
Chapter 23: Corsairs with Frigates
Chapter 24: Algerian Merchants
Chapter 25: Algerian Laborers and Artisans
Chapter 26: Algerian Fashions
Chapter 27: The Marabouts of Algiers
Chapter 28: The Jews of Algiers
Chapter 29: Languages and Currencies
Chapter 30: Marriage Ceremonies
Chapter 31: Childbirth and Child Rearing
Chapter 32: Algerian Women’s Fashions
Chapter 33: Women’s Pastimes, Home Decorating, and Cooking
Chapter 34: Islamic Feast Days and Festivals in Algiers
Chapter 35: A Miscellany of Muslim Customs in Algiers
Chapter 36: Algerian Vices
Chapter 37: Algerian Virtues
Chapter 38: Death and Burial in Algiers
Chapter 39: Algerian Buildings and Fountains
Chapter 40: The Natural Beauty of Algiers
Chapter 41: The Government of Algiers
Abbreviations
Glossary
Notes
Archival Sources
Bibliography
Index