Leo africanus 7 followers joannes leo africanus, c. Maps rectified using this tool can be brought into worldmap by following the instructions under section 4. Leo africanus, was an influential, popular and frequently translated text. Through the adventures of a wise, courageous traveler, this excellent historical novel recreates the era when the moors were expelled from spain, and much of. He settled in morocco, and traveled broadly through north africa. Patients beginning treatment now, are likely to have contracted hiv during the mid to late 90s the id photographs, reissued in the post apartheid id. But war is brewing, and leo is lucky to be able to escape beseiged rome and set sail back to africa.
His stories were considered valuable descriptions of the muslim world for hundreds of year and although a work of fiction, based on hasan alwazzans writings. For the turks as he and most muslims were called entrance into the. Unlock the more straightforward side of leo the african with this concise and insightful summary and analysis. Bbc world service absoutely facinatingan evocation of a lost.
Timbuktu was to become a byword in europe as the most inaccessible of cities, but at the time leo visited, it was the center of a busy trade in african products and in books. If i had put down that bloody book and looked out of the bloody window. Page lxxxi he was born at cordova, towards the close of the eleventh or about the beginning of the twelfth century, and in his capacity of khatib had frequent opportunities of conversing with natives of the northern provinces of africa. Leo africanus by amin maalouf overdrive rakuten overdrive. Moorish man of learning is a brief introduction to leo. For his next film, mauritanian filmmaker abderrahmane sissako following the great success that was timbuktu, which was well covered on this blog is considering an adaptation of author amin maaloufs leo the african, a historical novel based on the reallife of hasan alwazzan, also known as leo africanus, a 15th century moorish explorer, diplomat and author, best known for his book. Book from the collections of university of california language english volume 3. The diplomat and traveler now known as leo africanus was born hasan ibn muhammad alwazan alfasi. Leo africanus was an earlysixteenthcentury traveler who recorded in great. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The history and description of africa and of the notable things therein contained.
The book had attracted considerable attention even before porys translation. Since very little is actually known about his life, the book fills in the historical episodes, placing leo in the company of many of the key historical figures of his time, including three popes, leo x, adrian vi, and pope clement vii, two ottoman. His family fled the inquisition and took him to the city of fez, in north africa. Exhibition till july 25, 2009 at exit art in manhattan on the 20th black arts and political movement. Use worldmap warp to upload and rectify scanned maps for use in worldmap. The life and travels of leo africanus quintus curtius. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of leo africanus by amin maalouf. History and description of africa 1526 leo africanus introduction alhassan ibnmuhammad alwazzan alfasi, better known as leo africanus, was probably born in the 1460s in granada, the last muslim toehold in spain, but was raised in fez in modern morocco. This sets the tone for his life, as hes constantly on the move.
Leo africanus by amin maalouf meet your next favorite book. Leo had originally written his book in arabic but at the suggestion of pope leo rewrote. Born as alhasan ibn muhammad alwazzan alfasi in granada in the 1490s, hasan is forced into exile as a child after the spanish reconquista. Leo africanus was born some time between 1489 and 1493. The principal of these informants was a berber, who came to cordova about ah 352, as envoy from the omayyid khalif, mostanser. The description of africa by leo africanus historywiz. Description of timbuktu from the description of africa 1526 november 4, 2016 elizabeth. Such is the case with the titular moorish traveler in amin maaloufs 1986 book, leo africanus. An imaginary autobiography of the famous geographer, adventurer, and scholar hasan alwazzan. The history and description of africa volume 3 by leo. Leo africanus is a beautiful book of tales about people who are forced to accept choices made for them by someone else. History and description of africa 1526 leo africanus. Leo the african is that rare novel pride and prejudice, don quixote, candide from which the reader must travel. The story follows hasan from granada in spain, throughout north africa, rome, and various other places.
Our clubs first meeting on the village green involved taping seaside. For uas production of othello, john leo africanuss name proves. Hasan and his family were forced to flee to fez, where he grew up and became a very welloff merchant. This is a paper originally published in alandalusmagreb. His last name, alwazzan, means the weighmaster, indicates that they were a commercial family, heavily involved in trades and business. Portrait of a humanist by sebastiano del piombo, c. In 1986, the lebanesefrench author amin maalouf published leo africanus, a historical. Born a muslim called hasan alwazzan in the 1480s, he became a christian called leo africanus. Part 1 i the book of granada chapter 2 the year of salma alhurra 5 chapter 3 the year of the amulets 23 chapter 4 the year of astaghfirullah 31 chapter 5 the year of the fall 41 chapter 6 the year of mihrajan 63 chapter 7 the year of the. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. He is photographed holding his id booklet as a point of reference. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The history and description of africa 1896 edition. Explore audibles collection of free sleep and relaxation audio experiences.
The journey starts in al andalus before the fall of granada and winds its way through fez, timbuktu, cairo, constantinople, mecca, and rome amongst other cities. There are potentially two leo africanus biopics in. Leo africanus is an epic travel journey seen from the eyes of our protagonist hasan who assumes many identities over 40 years of time period depicted in the book. Leo africanus, italian giovanni leone, original arabic al. The houses of timbuktu are huts made of claycovered wattles with thatched roofs. His stories of africa gave shakespeare one example of firsthand accounts of culture and warfare, stories that form the basis of othello and desdemonas romance. Leo africanus may or may not have made a second mission a few years later. The history and description of africa and of the notable. Leo africanus and the songhay dynasty of the askiyas. The year of salma alhurra met sulaiman, grandfather of hasan met salma, mother of hasan met sarah, who argued that slavery is freedom for women in granada met warda. It follows the renaissanceera traveller leo africanus, but since very little is actually known. It relates, poetically at times and often imaginatively, the story of those who did not make it to the new world. At the age of seventeen he went on a commercial and diplomatic mission to the land of the songhay people, in what is today northern mali. The history and description of africa by leo, africanus, ca.
Leo the african by amin maalouf book analysis by bright. This period was not a favorable one to be an andalusian arab in spain, as the last vestiges of the old caliphate were being pushed off the iberian peninsula by the. Settling in morocco, he studied in fez, and as a teenager accompanied. Rauchenberger gives a compelling presentation of this new captivity scenario, even finding italian diaries and testimonies relating leos arrival in rome. Leo africanus is a 1986 novel written in french by amin maalouf, depicting the life of a historical renaissance era traveler, leo africanus. You can click on the link above and see the actual article. Leo africanus description of west africa 1500 leo africanus leo africanus. The history and description of africa by leo africanus, 1896, printed for the hakluyt society edition, in english. Leo africanus description of west africa 1500 leo africanus. Since very little is actually known about his life, the book fills in the historical episodes, placing leo in the company of many of the key historical figures of his time. Leo africanus or alhasan ibn muhammad alwazzan,is a terrific tale retold by amin maalouf. Leo africanus describes timbuktu circa 16th century the name of this kingdom is a modern one, after a city which was built by a king named mansa suleyman in the year 610 of the hegira 1232 ce around twelve miles from a branch of the niger river. John leo africanus was a moorish explorer and writer, author of the geographical historie of africa and possible model for shakespeares othello. The book was first written in 1550 by a moorish traveller and linguistic scholar known as john leo africanus c.
This engaging summary presents an analysis of leo the african by amin maalouf, a historical novel which paints a vivid image of many of the most important events of the 16th century. Leo africanus is a 1986 novel written in french by amin maalouf, depicting the life of a historical renaissanceera traveler, leo africanus. Book from the collections of harvard university language english volume 1. Leo africanus reading notes the year of salma alhurra. In about 1494, leo africanus was born in granada, a city at the foot of the sierra nevada mountains in spain. It was translated into english in 1600 by john pory. In this note i shall consider some ways in which the various editions and translations of the descrittione altered its original meaning, with particular focus on the translators modifications of. For all the buckles that get swashed in leo the african, this is a book of understanding.