I'm always taken aback when anyone asks why I write about Spain. It seems so inevitable to me that my reaction would include "Why don't you?" if I were a bit less civilized. I sometimes despair at the lack of historical novels in English about Spain. So I asked the wonderful Lisa Yarde the same question. This is what she had to say.
The question has
occurred often and my natural response is to answer, “Why not?” Spain is the
predominant setting for half of the books I have written. Inspiration derives
from the richness of its history and culture, and the influence of different
religions on the architecture and food. Spain is a beautiful country of
ice-capped mountains in the north, and sage green grass and red ochre soil in
the central tableland. The heat stifles most residents of the south in the
months of July and August. Spaniards today inherited a rich legacy from the
Celts, Romans and Goths, and Christians, Jews and Muslims.
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| Toledo surrounded by the Tagus |
For
more than twenty years, I have explored Spain’s medieval past with a focus on
the period of Muslim influence. It began with the North African invasion in 711
and ended in 1492, through the union of the Catholic monarchs of Castile and
Aragon. During 800 years of rule, the Muslims ushered in changes and left a
permanent mark on the character of Spain. New architectural styles, foods and
music, as well as the Arabic language and the religion of Islam altered the
peninsula. Almost from the moment of invasion, the Christians pushed back with
the determination to recover their country. The boundaries extended at a
gradual pace, while daily life required cooperative interactions between
Muslims, Christians and their Jewish counterparts. Spain’s medieval period was
often turbulent and filled with contradictions, a time of scientific
development and superstition, coupled with spiritual fervor and terrible actions
done in the name of religion.
With
such a diverse heritage, Spain seems to be the perfect location for an
adventurous story, but the setting remains rare in mainstream historical. I
asked other authors who have also based their stories in Spain to comment on
the choice. Jeanne Kalogridis is an award-winning, best-selling author. Her
latest, The
Inquisitor’s Wife is set in late fifteenth century Spain. On the choice
of Spain, Jeanne’s research uncovered irresistible details about the historical
figures, which she had to share with readers.
“…I didn't know much about Spanish history but was extremely
curious about Queen Isabel and the Inquisition. I knew Isabel had always been
portrayed as a saintly person who ordered the Inquisition because of her
religious convictions. The more I researched, the more surprised and fascinated
I became. For one thing, she wasn't dark-haired, as some out-of-date
biographies state, nor was she a small person. She had auburn hair and was
taller than her husband Fernando. The other reason I chose Spain was because of
its rich history and mingling of Iberian and Arabian cultures; I find it
romantic. My novel, THE INQUISITOR'S WIFE, is set in the city of Seville, which
for centuries had a vibrant population of Jews, Moslems and Visigoths. It was
also the birthplace of the Inquisition.”
Kathryn
Kopple has also written about Isabel in her well-received novel, Little
Velásquez. Kathryn’s influence for choosing to write about Spain’s
history stems from personal experience, and admiration of the traditions.
“I spent so much of my life
absorbing Latin American and Spanish culture--first as a scholar and then as a
translator--that is seemed natural to me to set my writing in Iberia. I
had also lived there--and so I could visualize the places I was
writing about--and yet it's a whole other ball of wax when you are
trying to reconstruct the historical setting for a novel. I was
particularly interested in writing about the 13 years that led to the fall
of Granada to the Catholic kings, as 1492 changed the world: 800 years of
Moorish rule ended in Andalusia; Columbus set out on his voyage; and the
Catholic Kings issued the Alhambra Decree expelling the Jews. The expulsion of
the Moors came later. So much was happening--and very quickly. Much
of it tragic--and the consequences of that year (which in Spanish hagiography
is known as the Year of Miracles, 1492) are still felt today.”
Jeanne
shares my puzzlement as to why more novels are not set in Spain. She rightly
says, “Spain is an exotic, romantic locale, just as interesting as
any other.”
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| The Alhambra in Granada seen from the Generalife gardens |
Part
of the difficulty is access to the historical record. Chronicles written in
Spanish, Latin and Arabic still require translation, which makes research
difficult for non-native speakers. While stories of Spain’s past are less
common, the history of the country remains intriguing and influences the
character of its people today. Their ancestors turned back the tide of Moorish
conquests and forged a strongly Catholic identity, which dominates the country.
Spaniards are also appreciative of myriad aspects of their history, and
celebrate multiple influences that make Spain unique. It is my hope the novels of Jeanne, Kathryn and others like myself have written will broaden interest in an
often-neglected area.
