Retelling interreligious marriage, from Andalusi Christians to Moriscos

Arsuaga, Ana María Echevarría

doi:10.1080/09518967.2020.1741232

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…The elites who feature in the chronicles were principally seeking political and religious control through military force, wealth and monumentality, but the effects felt amongst the larger population are far from clear. Historical sources indicate that marriage between Muslims and Christians occurred in both Sicily and Spain, although attempts were made to discourage it [3,4]. For example, in 973 CE during the Fatimid dynasty, Muslim traveller Ibn Hawqal observed widespread acculturation in western Sicily, with mixed marriages between Muslim and Christian individuals [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-proxy bioarchaeological analysis of skeletal remains shows genetic discontinuity in a Medieval Sicilian community

Monnereau,

Ughi,

Orecchioni

et al. 2024

R. Soc. Open Sci.

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The medieval period in Sicily was turbulent, involving successive regime changes, from Byzantine (Greek Christian), Aghlabid (Sunni Muslim), Fatimid (Shīʿa Muslim), to Normans and Swabians (Latin Christian). To shed new light on the local implications of regime changes, we conducted a multidisciplinary analysis of 27 individuals buried in adjacent Muslim and Christian cemeteries at the site of Segesta, western Sicily. By combining radiocarbon dating, genome-wide sequencing, stable and radiogenic isotopic data, and archaeological records, we uncover genetic differences between the two communities but find evidence of continuity in other aspects of life. Historical and archaeological evidence shows a Muslim community was present by the 12th century during Norman governance, with the Christian settlement appearing in the 13th century under Swabian governance. A Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates from the burials finds the abandonment of the Muslim cemetery likely occurred after the establishment of the Christian cemetery, indicating that individuals of both faiths were present in the area in the first half of the 13th century. The biomolecular results suggest the Christians remained genetically distinct from the Muslim community at Segesta while following a substantially similar diet. This study demonstrates that medieval regime changes had major impacts beyond the political core, leading to demographic changes while economic systems persisted and new social relationships emerged.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%