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Mahomet and His Successors
Volume 1 of 2. The author makes no claim to novelty of fact, nor profundity of research in this life of Mahomet. It bears the type of a work intended for a family library; in constructing which the whole aim of the author was to digest into an easy, perspicuous and flowing narrative, the admitted facts concerning Mahomet, together with such legends and traditions as have been wrought into the whole system of Oriental literature; and at the same time, to give such a summary of his faith as might be sufficient for the general reader.
651 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1970
About the author
Washington Irving
5,726 books1,074 followersPeople remember American writer Washington Irving for the stories "
Rip Van Winkle
" and "
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
," contained in
The Sketch Book
(1820).
This author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle to begin his literary career at the age of nineteen years.
In 1809, he published The History of New York under his most popular public persona, Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Historical works of Irving include a five volume biography of George Washington (after whom he was named) as well as biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and several histories, dealing with subjects, such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra, of 15th-century Spain. John Tyler, president, appointed Irving to serve as the first Spanish speaking United States minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846.
This author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym Jonathan Oldstyle to begin his literary career at the age of nineteen years.
In 1809, he published The History of New York under his most popular public persona, Diedrich Knickerbocker.
Historical works of Irving include a five volume biography of George Washington (after whom he was named) as well as biographies of Oliver Goldsmith, Muhammad, and several histories, dealing with subjects, such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra, of 15th-century Spain. John Tyler, president, appointed Irving to serve as the first Spanish speaking United States minister to Spain from 1842 to 1846.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 17, 2018
An extremely thorough description of the life and times of Mohammed of Mecca and Medina, as well his most powerful successors. Tremendously informative. If you would like to know a lot about the character of the man and his allies, this book is the best of which I am aware, very scarce if any whitewashing. Could not be written today, I don't think, the author and/or his family would have been shot, bombed, stabbed, or worse. Mr. Irving is known to have spent much time in Spain, which was conquered by Muslims for a while, and he used many sources of profound value.
Do be careful which edition of this book you read. I first heard of it referenced in another book and began looking for it. For about a hundred years there were "revisions" made, and many of them were put out when glorification of Muslim religion and history was the rage in certain societies of the U.S.A. The original was published in 1845 (eighteen forty-five).
Do be careful which edition of this book you read. I first heard of it referenced in another book and began looking for it. For about a hundred years there were "revisions" made, and many of them were put out when glorification of Muslim religion and history was the rage in certain societies of the U.S.A. The original was published in 1845 (eighteen forty-five).
Displaying 1 of 1 review