After the First Crusade (c. 1095-1099), many Europeans encountered Muslims for the first time and were exposed to the rich cultures of the eastern Mediterranean.

In this talk, Saaleha will introduce how northern Europeans perceived and depicted Muslims in written texts from the twelfth century, and how these developed throughout the later medieval period, by comparing two texts from the medieval manuscripts collection at Chetham’s Library:The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, and theFlores Historiarumby Matthew Paris.

Saaleha Iqbal is a third-year PhD researcher at the University of Leeds, and recently completed a three-month placement at Chetham’s Library.

Her thesis examines the representation of Muslim women in the Old French Crusade Cycle, a series of epics centred on the events of the First Crusade.

Part of the Festival of Libraries.