My
friend Alfie B Mittington recently took another friend Anthea to task
for repetition of the view that all was hunky-dory during the
Convivencia
of Moors, Christians and Jews down in Islamic Spain a while back.
Specifically Alfie wrote: “That is a
silly myth, brought into the world by 19th century liberals who
wanted to prove that Islam was superior to Christianity. The Cordoba
Caliphate, for all its splendour, was military machine grafted onto a
slave-society. It was no better, and no worse, than its Christian
contemporaries.” In this, Alfie is
supported by the scholar Richard Fletcher, who takes the same line in
his excellent introduction to Moorish Spain, called – aptly enough
– Moorish Spain.
Of which one reviewer has written: “[This]
is a refreshing tonic against the plethora of books on Islamic Spain
idealising the supposed Convivencia.
Fletcher avoids the tendency among many scholars who wish to find an
apt, hopeful (albeit unrealistic) Christian-Islamic modus vivendi for
Europe's
present-day demographic predicament based on a romanticised model of
medieval Spain. Presented in a well-researched, matter-of-fact
fashion, the 'good' is presented in the context of the 'bad and the
ugly'.” Indeed. Highly recommended to
at least everyone who lives down south, among the fabulous reminders
of those centuries critical in Spain's cultural development.
But
back to the ugly present - Opinion on
the EU has reached a new low, at least in Ireland - "The Troika
has done more damage to Ireland than Britain ever did in 800 years,"
said David Begg, head of the Irish Confederation of Trade Unions.”
Worse than the British Empire, bloody hell. That's some going. “At
least the IMF officials are willing to admit they have been wrong but
the EU officials are total ideologues." Mr Begg added, alongside
a comparison with World War I donkeys masquerading as generals.
Two
'emblematic' Spanish companies have declared vast losses this week.
Firstly, there
the
new bank, Bankia, formed from 7 or 8 savings banks (cajas/caixas)
a few years ago. Its loss was the biggest in Spain's corporate
history. Secondly, there was Iberia, whose performance is a huge drag
on that of British Airways within the company (IAG) which owns both
of them. Is it any wonder attempts are being made to cut costs in
this hitherto feather-bedded operation?
There
was a letter in El País or El Mundo today in which the
writer labelled herself a mileurista. This is someone earning
around a thousand euros a month. The word was in common use at least
a decade or so ago. If anyone who was a mileurista back then
is still one now, they'll have been hit very hard by inflation rates
which have doubled the price of most things. A latent revolutionary?
Finally
. . . As I lay on the sofa this evening suffering the nasal effects
of a cold, I could hear an unusual sound coming up from the city. I
finally realised it was drummers practising for the Semana santa
processions. When we get to see a lot of folk dressed up in eerie
costumes which put those of the Ku Klux Klan to shame. I do hope we
have a new Pope by then. It won't be Holy Week without one.
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