Juan de Segovia (d. 1458), theologian, translator of the Qur'ān, and lifelong advocate for the forging of peaceful relations between Christians and Muslims, was one of Europe's leading intellectuals. Today, however, few scholars are familiar with this important fifteenth-century figure. In this well-documented study, Anne Marie Wolf presents a clear, chronological narrative that follows the thought and career of Segovia, who taught at the University of Salamanca, represented the university at the Council of Basel (1431–1449), and spent his final years arguing vigorously that Europe should eschew war with the ascendant Ottoman Turks and instead strive to convert them peacefully to Christianity. What could make a prominent thinker, especially one who moved in circles of power, depart so markedly from the dominant views of his day and advance arguments that he knew would subject him to criticism and even ridicule? Although some historians have suggested that the multifaith heritage of his native Spain accounts for his unconventional belief that peaceful dialogue with Muslims was possible, Wolf argues that other aspects of his life and thought were equally important. For example, his experiences at the Council of Basel, where his defense of conciliarism in the face of opposition contributed to his ability to defend an unpopular position and where his insistence on conversion through peaceful means was bolstered by discussions about the proper way to deal with the Hussites, refined his arguments that peaceful conversion was prefereable to war. Ultimately Wolf demonstrates that Segovia's thought on Islam and the proper Christian stance toward the Muslim world was consistent with his approach to other endeavors and with cultural and intellectual movements at play throughout his career.

Juan de Segovia and the Fight for Peace: Christians and Muslims in the Fifteenth Century (History, Languages, and Cultures of the Spanish and Portuguese Worlds)

Biographies & Memoirs

Wolf, Anne Marie

Historical

University of Notre Dame Press

In the popular imagination, the Middle Ages are often seen as a period in which people's lives were especially affected by violence, including violence based on religion. Their thoughts about peace have been neglected. Using a variety of primary sources, this book introduces readers to ways that medieval Jews, Christians, and Muslims approached the concept of peace and insists that their respective approaches are best explored side by side rather than separately. This book examines how peace was discussed, negotiated, dreamed about, created in gardens, and woven into folktales and commentaries. Endorsements "Beautifully written and crisply argued, Peace in the Middle Agesshould be read by everyone interested in the Abrahamic religions' rich history of thinking about and making peace." --Thomas E. Burman, University of Notre Dame "An engaging survey of how Christians, Muslims, and Jews have thought about peace and have tried to make peace for centuries. Respectful, nuanced, and inspirational." --Walter Simons, Dartmouth College "A panoramic sampler of complex conceptions and practices of peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This captivating book contests the popular perception of medieval cultures as dominated by interreligious violence." --Jessalynn Bird, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN Anne Marie Wolf is a professor of history at the University of Maine at Farmington. She earned her PhD in medieval history at the University of Minnesota, focusing on Iberia. She is the author of Juan de Segovia and the Fight for Peace: Christiansand Muslims in the Fifteenth Century(2014).

Peace in the Middle Ages: Exploring Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives

Religion & Spirituality

Christian Books & Bibles

Paulist Press

Peace In The Middle Ages

New York ; Paulist Press

The story of the first stage of Europe's expansion inot the Americas usually focuses on the personal actions of Christopher Columbus. Nevertheless, the enterprise of the Indies was a collective endeavour. Between Columbus's first voyage in 1492 and 1504 when he returned to Spain for the last time, thousands had sailed from Spain to the Americas. Their voices have largely been forgotten, but they have not been lost. The testimony those witnesses made, duly recorded and preserved, is the focus of this volume. The material has been available in the Spanish archives since the sixteenth century. Some historians used it in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and begining in the 1960s a group of Spanish scholars led by Antonio Muro Orejon published a definitive Spanish-language version. That is the basis of this edition, the first and only English-langauge version available. The dispositions of the individual witnesses provide evidence that the traditional picture of Columbus needs re-examination. This volume offers fascinating and unfamiliar information about the first voyages.

Testimonies from the Columbian Lawsuits (Repertorium Columbianum)

History

Americas

Brepols Publishers

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Books by Wolf, Anne Marie