Of the different books that I’ve read relating to The Reconquista, Reconquest and Crusade in Medieval Spain has to be the best one thus far. It makes sense why I keep seeing this book being referenced by numerous other historians online. Joseph F. O’Callaghan did an incredible work given us an overview of a very extremely complex topic. The author gives us an overview of the different events, using both Christian and Moorish sources. Then analyze it’s accurateness from an unbiased historian’s perspective.

I haven’t read any other book in where most of my highlighted notes were “lol” (for laugh out loud). It’s rather amazing to read about the events that ended up changing the course of human history forever, yet how comical the political landscape in medieval Iberia was at times.

This is the best book anyone can read regarding The Reconquista. The only caveat I see is that this is probably not the best first book to read on the subject. Since this book is an overview of an almost 800 year conflict, it is quite easy for someone to get completely lost in the sea of names of Kings and Queens, Nobles, and Religious Figures that took part of these historic events. Thus said, this book is hands down the best history book that I’ve read so far.