Originally published in 1963, this book covers one of the least known parts of Jewish history: the golden age of Jewish culture in Spain with the interaction of Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures, the horrors of the Inquisition and the final banishment of the race from the Iberian peninsula. In the Middle Ages there were large numbers of Jews in most Spanish cities: financiers and statesmen, poets and musicians, honoured by the rulers of great cities such as Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Toledo. Their history ended abruptly as they were persecuted and dispossessed, the survivors scattered over many countries. This book tells this story and provides a fascinating record of their literature and art.

Translated by: Michael Heron