The conquest of Al-Andalus

Author's name: Jurji Zaydan Publisher's name: Tanmiya for Publishing and Distribution Publication year: 2025 Literary classification: Biographies and Memoirs Book summary: Tariq bin Ziyad crosses the strait with his small army, and reaches a land where the Visigothic kingdom is collapsing under internal conflicts. He opens cities one after another, defeats King Roderic in a decisive battle, and the Muslims begin establishing a new rule in Al-Andalus led by Musa bin Nusayr and his son Abdul Aziz. Jurji Zaydan narrates these events in a vivid novelistic framework, tracing the fall of the Visigoths and the rise of the Muslims through historical and imaginary characters who show Florinda, the daughter of Count Julian, as a link between two worlds, and revealing her path as a reflection of the tensions that preceded and ignited the conquest. The novel moves between Toledo, Córdoba, and Ceuta, presenting details of political and social life, while wars and military plans remain in the background as a driving force behind each event.