'An extraordinary story, vividly told with great pace and insight' DAVID MCCULLAGH'A compelling narrative for this incredible tale of fortitude and bravery' RONAN MCGREEVYCatalpa recounts one of the most daring and improbable rescue missions in Irish history, the dramatic escape of six Fenian prisoners from Fremantle Prison in Australia – on the farthest edge of the British Empire – and their journey onwards to America on a whaling...

The Iberian Peninsula was conquered by Islamic forces in 711 AD and the Islamic presence continued in this part of Europe for 900 years. This presence left an indelible stamp in Spain and Portugal, like the wonders of the Alhambra and the Great Mosque of Córdoba. Its legacy also extends to the rich seam of learning, in science, medicine, literature and philosophy that was later transmitted to the rest of Europe. How did all this come about? In this engaging book Michael Barry tells the sto...

During Queen Victoria’s reign, in the years between 1837 and 1901, Dublin experienced great change. It slipped from its position as second city of the Empire, while at the same time it developed as Ireland’s administrative and commercial centre. The advent of the railway and steam-ship resulted in Dublin becoming Ireland’s transport hub. However, improved cross-channel communications resulted in stiff competition for Dublin’s industries. Catholic Emancipation, coupled with a rise in nation...

Syria has an extensive range of historical sites and is truly part of the cradle of civilisation. It is currently not possible to visit Syria to see this exquisite patrimony: its inheritance of many civilisations. This includes the remains of the Greek, Roman, Islamic and Ottoman eras. From the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, to the perfectly preserved Krak des Chevaliers Crusader castle, Syria has more outstanding heritage than most other countries. Much of it is under threat; some has alread...

'Asbridge can't help but tell a ripping yarn, often breezily dramatic, whipping the narrative along' The TimesA superb and definitive one-volume account of the Crusades, the impact of which still resonates to this day.In the eleventh century, a v****ast Christian army, summoned to holy war by the Pope, rampaged through the Muslim world of the eastern Mediterranean, seizing possession of Jerusalem, a...

European and Arab versions of the Crusades have little in common. For Arabs, the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were years of strenuous efforts to repel a brutal and destructive invasion by barbarian hordes. Under Saladin, an unstoppable Muslim army inspired by prophets and poets finally succeeded in destroying the most powerful Crusader kingdoms. The memory of this greatest and most enduring victory ever won by a non-European society against the West still lives in the minds of millions...

'A rare gift . . . The story he has to tell may be a thrilling one but not every historian could tell it so thrillingly.' Financial Times'Magnificently rip-roaring history . . . Bursting with colour and excitement.' Dominic SandbrookAs remarkable as Columbus and the conquistador expeditions, the history of Portuguese exploration is now almost forgotten. But Portugal's navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasc...

A brilliant and fascinating portrait of medieval Spain explores the golden age when Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance.This enthralling history, widely hailed as a revelation of a "lost" golden age, brings to vivid life the rich and thriving culture of medieval Spain, where for more than seven centuries Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance, and where literature, science, and the arts flou...

From the two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning author, God’s Crucible brings to life “a furiously complex age” (New York Times Book Review).Resonating as profoundly today as when it was first published to widespread critical acclaim a decade ago, God’s Crucible is a bold portrait of Islamic Spain and the birth of modern Europe from one of our greatest historians. David Levering Lewis’s narrative, filled with accounts of some of the most epic ba...

This biography of the 12th century Islamic military leader provides a fascinating view of the Crusades and the Medieval Muslim world.Saladin was a Kurdish military leader who led the fight against the Crusades and rose to become first Sultan of Egypt and Syria. He united warring Muslim lands, reconquered the bulk of Crusader states and faced King Richard I of England in one of the most famous confrontations in medieval warfare. His extraordinary character and career...

A brilliant survey of the history and civilisations of the Middle East by one of the world's greatest authorities on the subjectIn this immensely readable and wide-ranging book, Bernard Lewis charts the successive transformations of the Middle East, beginning with the two great empires, the Roman and the Persian, and covering the growth of Christianity, the rise and spread of Islam, the waves of invaders from the east, the Mongol hordes of Jengiz Khan, the rise of ...

NEW YORK TIMES ' NOTABLE BOOK OF 2011LONGLISTED FOR THE MARITIME MEDIA AWARDSSHORTLISTED FOR THE HESSELL-TILTMAN HISTORY PRIZEIn 1498 a young captain sailed from Portugal, circumnavigated Africa, crossed the Indian Ocean, and discovered the sea route to the Indies, opening up access to the fabled wealth of the East. It was the longest voyage known to history; the ships were pushed to their li...