L P Harvey - Islamic Spain 1250 - 1500 - University of Chicago - 1990 - First Edition

Now retired, L P Harvey is a noted expert on Middle Eastern Studies and has been Head of the Department of Spanish and Spanish American Studies, King`s College,  London ; Cervantes Professor of Spanish at King`s College, London and Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

His  published works include Islamic Spain 1250 - 1500, Muslims in Spain 1500 - 1614 and Makers of Islamic Civilization ; Ibn Battuta.

At 3704 in our listings you will find a first edition copy of Islamic Spain 1250 - 1500.

While softcover copies are relatively easily available, hardbacks in general and the first edition in particular are less easy to obtain. Opinions of the value of this book vary wildly. However, taking into account a variety of factors, including the economic climate, we`ve opted for what we believe to be a fair and reasonable price, all things considered.

For a full description and details of price. postage etc, please see our listing using the links provided. To aid you in your cogitations, here are some pictures of the book in question.

As always, if you have any questions, just ask !

George Courtauld, John Hutchinson, Sir Edward Verney, Mrs Anne Staunton, Ian Brown and John Bunyan

George Courtauld, author/compiler of The Pocket Book of Patriotism (you`ll find a copy at 3481 in our listings), believes that the English are woefully ignorant of their own history. Up to a point I agree with him, but I do wonder if it depends what aspect of that history you have  in mind - the continuing popularity of books, events and societies connected with the local/regional history of a particular area indicates to me that people perhaps just approach the subject differently now. Different approaches to history need not be mutually exclusive of course !

Specially for history buffs, here are a few facts concerning the English Civil War ; 

1) John  Bunyan, author of Pilgrim`s Progress and others, was a soldier in the Parliamentary cause. I assume that`s the reason why so many editions of his books feature illustrations of the characters in Civil War-era clothing.

2) Sir Edward Verney, the King`s Standard Bearer, told one of the King`s advisers that he was not happy with the way his monarch behaved ("I do heartily wish the King would yield"), but felt tied to the King by bonds of loyalty ("I will not...forsake him"). He indicated that his true beliefs were not in keeping with the King`s philosophy, and that he regarded death as a way out of this conflict of loyalties and  would "choose rather to lose my life...than to preserve and defend those things which are against my conscience". In the event, he refused to put on protective armour before riding into battle at Edgehill carrying the King`s Standard. He died still clutching the flag.

3) An equally brave and principled man, but on the Parliamentary side, was Colonel John Hutchinson, variously MP for Nottingham, Governor of Nottngham Castle, JP for Owthorpe in Notts  and later Sheriff of Nottingham. Nick`s article `Colonel John Hutchinson and the Civil War in Nottingham` can be found online at Bookshelves and Brown Ale.

4) When Parliamentary forces attacked Staunton Hall in Notts, they met stiff resistance from Mrs Staunton and "a group of twenty servants and others too unfit for the military" ! Eventually, the redoubtable Mrs Staunton gave up the fight and made her escape along the Great North Road. After the war, she was allowed to return "without any molestation" . Her husband was fined "for bearing arms for the King", but his fine was later halved as compensation for vandalism and theft by Roundhead soldiers after the unequal battle.

These few facts bring us neatly to a couple of forthcoming additions to our stock ;

Ian Brown* - A Guide to the Civil War in Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire County Council, 1992)

Unknown - The Civil War 1642 - 1651 ; A Pitkin Guide (Pitkin Pictorials, 1993)

We are temporarily off-line , but these two will appear at numbers 3697 and 3698 in our listings in the not-too-distant future.

Any queries, just drop us an e-mail and we`ll get back to you ASAP.

* other titles by Ian Brown also available.