A review by lokster71
This Orient Isle: Elizabethan England and the Islamic World by Jerry Brotton
4.0
This is a fascinating book. A well-written, well-researched history of isolated Elizabethan England's relations with the Islamic world and how that impacted the culture of the time, particularly in the theatre culminating with Shakespeare's Othello.
It is often forgotten how isolated Elizabeth's protestant England was in the face of implacable Spanish hostility and a largely Catholic European mainland. And a potential alliance with the Islamic powers would help protect England by keeping Spain militarily occupied elsewhere.
Brotton's book is packed full of interesting information but it avoids just working on the level of dry diplomatic history. It works as the story of individuals too: merchants, soldiers, and adventurers. Of whom the Sherley family must provide the most interesting example (and get a chapter of their own accordingly.)
The analysis of the literature of the time is also interesting and gives you an insight into the choices made by Shakespeare and others. The use of the Turk or Moor as a 'heretic' could also be seen as representing Catholicism - equally heretical to a Protestant England and more of an obvious threat.
There's much more I could say about this book, but I don't have the time. Worth reading in a time of conflict between Islam and 'the West'. It shows how much has changed, but much still remains the same.
It is often forgotten how isolated Elizabeth's protestant England was in the face of implacable Spanish hostility and a largely Catholic European mainland. And a potential alliance with the Islamic powers would help protect England by keeping Spain militarily occupied elsewhere.
Brotton's book is packed full of interesting information but it avoids just working on the level of dry diplomatic history. It works as the story of individuals too: merchants, soldiers, and adventurers. Of whom the Sherley family must provide the most interesting example (and get a chapter of their own accordingly.)
The analysis of the literature of the time is also interesting and gives you an insight into the choices made by Shakespeare and others. The use of the Turk or Moor as a 'heretic' could also be seen as representing Catholicism - equally heretical to a Protestant England and more of an obvious threat.
There's much more I could say about this book, but I don't have the time. Worth reading in a time of conflict between Islam and 'the West'. It shows how much has changed, but much still remains the same.