New book with open access about religious meetings in the late Middle Ages

Riccoldo da Monte di Croce (†1320). Missionary to the Near East and Expert on Islam

Riccoldo da Monte di Croce, a Dominican friar, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1288 and spent years as a missionary in Muslim Baghdad, learning Arabic and studying the Qur’an. After returning to Florence, he wrote extensively about non-Christian peoples. Liber pere-grinationis recounts his travels and includes ethnographic observations and theological discussions. His Libellus ad nationes orientales explores Eastern religions and conversion strategies, with a focus on the Mongols. Contra legem Sarracenorum, a detailed critique of the Qur’an, had a significant influence on Christian European understandings of Islam, impacting figures like Nicholas of Cusa, Guillaume Postel and Martin Luther.

This collection provides a comprehensive look at Riccoldo’s writings and their impact on the history of medieval and modern Christian-Muslim relations. It brings together contributions from 16 authors, each offering different perspectives on Riccoldo as an author and his intellectual legacy.

The volume is the result of an international symposium held at the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities in Stockholm 2017.

Editors: Kurt Villads Jensen & Davide Scotto

Authors: Johannes Ehmann, Eduardo Fernández Guerrero, Susanna E. Fischer, Rita George-Tvrtković, Kurt Villads Jensen, Jacob Langeloh, Anthony John Lappin, José Martínez Gázquez, Jean-Marie Mérigoux (†), Daniel Pachurka, Marco Robecchi, Ulli Roth, Stefan Schreiner, Davide Scotto, Jana Valtrová.

The volume is also available as open access.

Distribution via Eddy.se. Order or download.

More information:
Jenni Hjohlman, Kungl. Vitterhetsakademien, jenni.hjohlman@vitterhetsakademien.se

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