The Mercenary Mediterranean: Sovereignty, Religion, and Violence in the Medieval Crown of Aragon

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By Hussein Fancy *08

Published May 20, 2016

Based on extensive research in Arabic, Latin, and Romance sources, The Mercenary Mediterranean: Sovereignty, Religion, and Violence in the Medieval Crown of Aragon explores the little-known and misunderstood history of Muslim soldiers recruited by the Christian kings of Aragon in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries to serve in their armies and royal courts. Hussein Fancy *08 argues that study of the alliance of these Christian kings and Muslim soldiers offers a unique opportunity to reconsider the relation of medieval religion to politics. Fancy is an assistant professor of history at the University of Michigan.

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PAW's July/August 2025 issue cover, featuring a photo of people dressed in orange and black, marching in the P-rade, and the headline: Reunions, Back in Orange & Black.
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