Essay on Leo Africanus: Exploring Islamic & Christian Relations in the Renaissance

Leo Africanus is a historic novel written by Amin Maalouf, a Lebanese French writer in 1986, and it elaborates and fictionalizes the actual life experiences of the 16th century for Leo Africanus whose real name was Hasan al-Wazza. The novel contains content that is clearly investigated and is factually correct, as the majority of the chief historic figures of that time are met via Leo's exploration. While exploring how the Islamic and Christian religions acted towards each other in the Renaissance era, Amin makes an up to date version of the picaresque class, which is a utilitarian and impartial character wayfares through various communities and cultures. The narration in the book is done by an aged Leo, who is writing his diaries after retirement from his exploration. The novel is grouped into for sections that explain Leo's exploits in the four different cities that include Granada, Rome, Fez, and Cairo. As we follow Leo's adventures in every city, we also witness major events. While traveling and exploring the world, Hasan-Leo makes us aware of how different religions, especially the Muslims and Christians, interacted with each other as well as the historical events that happened.

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Leo was born in Granada, a Spanish city in 1488, during the final years of the Islamic rule in Spain, that was stopped by the treaty of Granada in 1491 (Shammas, 1989). During this period things occurred quickly. Jews were fordriven from Spain and the Catholic church took over and empowered the Inquisition to oppress the people. Leo's mother, whose name is Salma, and her co-wife, Warda, rival his father Muhammad's fondness. Both are expectant and are determined to give Muhammad the firstborn son. Salma's desire comes to pass as she delivers a son, Hasan; whereas Warda delivers a daughter, Mariam. During 1494, at which time Hasan was 4, his family went into exile, just like other Jews and Muslims who refused to adopt the new faith and were able to escape the perilous Inquisition (Shammas, 1989).

While fleeing, they land in Fez, a Moroccan city where many Granadans had sought refuge with the hope that they will soon find their homes intact with the help of the Sultan. At the time of their arrival, Fez was being colonized by Spain and Portugal (Shammas, 1989). Leo is enrolled in school here but utilizes his free time exploring the city with his newly-found friend, Harun. Meanwhile, Muhammad engages in a shallowly thought business deals with Zarwali, an underworld thief. The deal involves Muhammad giving away Miriam for marriage. To protect his sister from the evil Zarwali, Leo and Harun approach a Muslim preacher and convince him to rebuke Zarwali's behavioral violation (Shammas, 1989). The marriage is canceled, but Zarwali avenges by accusing Miriam of leprosy, and so she is taken into quarantine, never to meet her family again.

To liberate Miriam, Leo and his uncle Khali approaches the Sultan to ask for his favor. The Sultan asks them to lead a number of caravan expeditions to areas such as Timbuktu. These journeys expand Leo's view of the universe. As they explore the Sahara, Khali fills the historical gaps in the teenage Hasan, while teaching him the art of narration (Shammas, 1989). Following his uncle's death, he was forced to assume the leadership role of the caravan. Leo's success enables him to earn an audience with the Sultan, which results in Zarwali being exiled. In the meantime, Harun secretly rescues Miriam, after which they go to the Rif Mountains. Zarwali follows them and finally, Harun kills him and becomes an abscotchalater (Shammas, 1989). Due to their close associations, both Harun and Leo are accused. However, the Sultan exchanges their capital punishment with banishment.

Following a joyful wayfare, Leo travels to an Egyptian city, Cairo, that is currently in the middle of warfare where the Ottoman Empire is conquering Egypt and there is also the plague. Leo falls in love with a Circassian princess called Nur. This acquittance automatically meant that the Ottomans were his people's foes (Shammas, 1989). Under Nur's influence, Leo endangers his life to alert Cairo of an approaching Ottoman attack, but this does not stop the city from being attacked. He assists Nur and her young son to flee Cairo for safety but is seized by a Sicilian pirate in 1519 while escaping (Shammas, 1989).

The pirate who wants to be cleansed for the various wrongdoings he had done brings Leo to Rome to present him to Pope Leo X as a Valentine's Day gift. Pope Leo X immediately starts liking Leo, whose knowledge and affection for poetry are impressive. The Pope renames Hassan Johannes Leo, gives him a position as an ambassador to Suleiman the Magnificent who leads Ottoman as well as marries him to Maddalena (Shammas, 1989). Regrettably, following Pope Leo's demise, Pope Adrian VI, a former inquisitor, takes over. Adrian sends Leo to prison, but soon perished and was replaced by Pope Clement VII, who Leo had made friends with while he was the cardinal during the reign of Pope Leo X. Leo is sent to meet with the Ottoman ambassador, who turns out to be Harun, a long time friend to Leo. The negotiations fail and Rome is attacked by the Ottomans in 1527 (Shammas, 1989). Leo manages to escape the city alive. He heads back to Morocco. His banishment is over, and he has the liberty to come back home. It is at this point that he retires from traveling and starts writing his memoirs.

Conclusion

Leo's journey across Granada, Fez, Cairo, and Rome reveals how different religious groups interact with each other as well as explaining some of the major historical events. The wayfare Leo advances explains how the Ottomans took over Spain and Rome through warfare, which is a significant historic occurrence for the two cities. The explorations also reveal how people were forced to abandon their faith and adopt new faith or else face the wrath of their oppressors. The novel also reveals how the different faiths related to one another. The Catholics encouraged the persecution of the Jews and Muslims in an attempt to lure them to convert. Leo Africanus is a novel rich of the cultural practices and historical events in the nations that Leo explored.

References

Shammas, A. (1989, March 12). On a Camel Moving Forward in Time. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/12/books/on-a-camel-moving-forward-in-time.html