Leila, or, The Siege of Granada

by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Charles Heath

It was the summer of the year 1491, and the armies of Ferdinand and Isabel invested the city of Granada. The night was not far advanced; and the moon, which broke through the transparent air of Andalusia, shone calmly over the immense and murmuring encampment of the Spanish foe, and touched with a hazy light the snow-capped summits of the Sierra Nevada, contrasting the verdure and luxuriance which no devastation of man could utterly sweep from the beautiful vale below. In the streets of the Moorish city many a group still lingered. At this time, a man, with downcast eyes, and arms folded within the sweeping gown which descended to his feet, was seen passing through the streets, alone, and apparently unobservant of all around him. Yet this indifference was by no means shared by the struggling crowds through which, from time to time, he musingly swept. "God is great!" said one man; "it is the Enchanter Almamen." "He hath locked up the manhood of Boabdil el Chico with the key of his spells," quoth another, stroking his beard; "I would curse him, if I dared." "But they say that he hath promised that when man fails, the genii will fight for Granada," observed a third, doubtingly. "Allah Akbar! what is, is! what shall be, shall be!" said a fourth, with all the solemn sagacity of a prophet. Whatever their feelings, whether of awe or execration, terror or hope, each group gave way as Almamen passed, and hushed the murmurs not intended for his ear.

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1838

About the author

Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC, was an English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. Lord Lytton was a florid, popular writer of his day, who coined such phrases as "the great unwashed", "pursuit of the almighty dollar", "the pen is mightier than the sword", and the infamous incipit "It was a dark and stormy night."

He was the youngest son of General William Earle Bulwer of Heydon Hall and Wood Dalling, Norfolk and Elizabeth Barbara Lytton, daughter of Richard Warburton Lytton of Knebworth, Hertfordshire. He had two brothers, William Earle Lytton Bulwer (1799–1877) and Henry Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer.

Lord Lytton's original surname was Bulwer, the names 'Earle' and 'Lytton' were middle names. On 20 February 1844 he assumed the name and arms of Lytton by royal licence and his surname then became 'Bulwer-Lytton'. His widowed mother had done the same in 1811. His brothers were always simply surnamed 'Bulwer'.

Reviews

[Mennatullah]

The Novel didn't address the history of the Siege of Granada and the fall of Al-Andalus correctly .

[تسنيم الروسان]

عندما يجتمع في الرواية ابطال ثلاث ، مسلم ويهودي ومسيحي ، يقاتلون بعضهم لا تعرف اين الحق منهم ، لذا لا تستطيع تقيم الرواية بالتقيم العالي ، مع انه الترجمة جميلة والقصة نوعا ما جذابة ، لكن بعض الحقائق كاذبة ، خاصة عن حنية الملكة اليزابيث وحنية النصاري الذين جعلوا محاكم التفتيش تغذية لساديتهم ، وعندما ذكر بطش المسلمين بالهيود وكأنهم مساكين ،
والحقيقة بالرواية تجد الظلم قائم على ثلاث الطوائف ، لا استطيع الانحياز للمسلمين لانهم لو كانوا مسلمين حقا ما سقطت هذه المدينة .

[Tania Rook]

If you think of Rienzi, Last of the Roman Tribunes as the bible, Leila is like the Book of Mormon. It's shorter and less detailed, with the important ideas sort of sketched in.

And if you consider the character of Leila compared to Alice in Alice, or the Mysteries, there is an extremely similar lack of coverage in the text. These books are named for women barely contained within the pages. Weird choice, but Eddie loves it.