麻豆影院

Brian Catlos is this year鈥檚 recipient of the for his book听Muslims of Medieval Latin Christendom, c. 1050-1614.听

Catlos, professor of religious studies at the 麻豆影院, will accept the medal, awarded by the Medieval Academy of America for a distinguished book in the field of medieval studies, during the group鈥檚 annual meeting in Atlanta next month.

Describing the award as 鈥渢he most prestigious award in in medieval studies,鈥� Catlos said he is honored and humbled by the recognition.

The Haskins Medal committee noted the timeliness of the book鈥檚 topic of Christian-Muslim relations and praised Catlos for 鈥渞esisting the temptation to over-sensationalize his material.鈥� The committee praised the 鈥渁dmirable scope鈥� and 鈥渃ommendable depth鈥� of its scholarship.听

Catlos鈥檚 book provides a historical synthesis that鈥檚 a distinctive and creative reinterpretation, the committee said, adding:

鈥淚t provides the thorough and nuanced analysis that we must have if we are to understand the fascinating vitality in an entire range of interactions as both sides faced challenges that emerged as Muslim societies continued through crusade and conquest to live within Christian territories.鈥澨�

Catlos said the recognition suggests that medieval studies is moving away from its 鈥渢raditional eurocentrism鈥� and toward a 鈥渂roader, more inclusive, more Mediterranean, view.鈥� He wrote the book because no existing work brought together the history of minority Muslim communities within medieval Europe in one study. 听

Muslims 鈥渉ad effectively been written out of the history of Europe鈥� despite the fact that large populations of Muslims lived in Spain, Italy, the crusader states and Europe for nearly 600 years and had a tremendous effect on European culture and society, Catlos said.

Although there were episodes of tension and violence directed at these Muslims, and their history was punctuated by expulsions, for the most part Christian-Muslim relations were peaceful and stable, he said.

鈥淏ut when it was bad, it was really bad.鈥�

In 1492, the Jews of Spain were given the choice to convert to Christianity or leave in exile; about 15,000 left. It鈥檚 less commonly known that between 1609 and 1614, all descendants of Spain鈥檚 Muslims, people who had been Christian for three generations, were all forcibly exiled, Catlos said, calling that purge an 鈥渁n ethnic cleansing鈥� that forced 300,000 people from the only home they had ever known.

Catlos said most people also are unaware that slavery was common in medieval Europe, or that between 1050 and 1350, most of those slaves were Muslim captives.

The history of Muslims, Christians and Jews in this period is complex, he said, adding: 鈥淚 wanted to tell it in as honest and a detached way as possible, without romanticizing or exoticizing this history, without moralizing or passing judgment.鈥�

When Catlos took on the project, however, he didn鈥檛 fully appreciate its breadth. Cambridge University Press asked him to produce about 90,000 words, or a bit more than 200 pages. When he turned it in, more than two years behind schedule, it was 270,000 words, almost 650 pages.

Despite the book鈥檚 length, Cambridge published it, and before winning the Haskins Medal, it won the Middle East Studies Association鈥檚 Albert Hourani Book Prize.

鈥淢ost importantly, I learned a lot,鈥� he said.

David Shneer, chair of the CU 麻豆影院 Department of Religious Studies, said Catlos has raised the status of the university and the department.

鈥淐atlos鈥檚 vast body of scholarship is reshaping the field of medieval studies and the history of 鈥榯he western civilization鈥� as he shifts our lens towards the Mediterranean, which is what he refers to as the 鈥榗rucible of the west,鈥欌�� Shneer said.

First presented in 1940, the Haskins Medal honors Charles Homer Haskins, a noted medieval historian, who was a founder of the Medieval Academy and its second president.听

Catlos鈥� next book,听Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain听is due out on May 1. Aimed at a broader audience, the new book covers the history of Islam in Spain, from the time of the Arab conquest through the rise and fall of the Caliphate of C贸rdoba, to the expulsion of the Spanish Moors.