King Abdulaziz Public Library in Saudi Arabia Highlights Rare Andalusian Heritage and Manuscripts
The King Abdulaziz Public Library has revealed a rare collection of books concerning the history of Al-Andalus across its various historical stages, and the Arab-Islamic civilization that Al-Andalus represented in Europe for over eight centuries. The library houses a distinguished Andalusian heritage, highlighted by the rare manuscripts and publications it holds, which cover the Andalusian period across all its eras, from the conquest of Al-Andalus in 92 AH (711 CE) to the fall of Granada, the last Arab-Islamic city in Spain, in 1492 CE.
The library’s Andalusian heritage holdings span numerous subjects, including history, literature, poetry, warfare, agriculture, currency, arts, culture, Andalusian cities, biographies, and genealogies. These holdings, comprising 84 titles, are written in Arabic, English, Spanish, French, German, and Latin. They represent a curated selection of sources and references from the library’s collections. The book *Andalusian Sources*, published by the library in 2006, provides a bibliographic description of each Andalusian source held by the library. The collection includes 13 rare Arabic books on Al-Andalus and 71 rare books in foreign languages.
Among the most notable rare books in the library’s possession are: *News of the Arabs in Spain* by Ayami Blida; *Arab Spain: A Historical Overview* by Max von Boehn; *Spain: A Summary of Spanish History* by Henry Edward Watts; *Arab Spain: Insights into Its History and Art* by Bernard Weishaw and Ellen Weishaw; *Seville: A Historical and Descriptive Study of the Pearl of Al-Andalus* by Albert Frederick Calverton; *History of Arabic-Spanish Literature* by Angel Palencia; *History of the Muslim Empire in Spain and Portugal* by George Bourne; *The Alhambra: A Brief Witness to the Arab Presence in Al-Andalus* by Albert Calverton; *Critical Studies in Arabic-Spanish History* by Francisco Codera; *Andalusian Arabic Poetry* by Emilio García Gómez; *Arabic Poetry and Art in Spain and Sicily* by Adolfo de Schack; *Juan Valera and the Alhambra* by Albert Chamboredon; *The Moriscos in Spain* by Stanley Paul and Arthur Gilman; *Architectural Documents in Spain* by Martin Gamonida; *Views of the Alhambra* by Bucknall Estcourt; and *Description of the Arab Monuments of the Cities of Granada, Seville, and Cordoba*.
Most of these works date from the early 17th century to the early 20th century, alongside Arabic works from the early Islamic centuries, some of which have been translated into Spanish and English.
A prominent example of these rare books is *News of the Arabs in Spain* by Ayami Blida, a 1,071-page large-format volume published in 1618. Comprising eight books and written in old Spanish, it is considered a historical document of high scientific and informational value, as it represents the original edition of the work.
The book *Spain: History of a Civilization and Arts* discusses the history of Spain from the Stone Age through the modern era, including the Andalusian periods. In the French book *Arab Spain: A Historical Overview* by Victor Pico, the author covers seven chapters focusing on the mosques and palaces in Cordoba, Seville, Toledo, and Granada.
On another note, the King Abdulaziz Public Library possesses what is believed to be the only known copy of the manuscript *Riad al-Ans wa Nuzhat al-Nafs* (“The First Part”) by Abu al-Baq’ al-Rundi (d. 684 AH / 1285 CE), one of the poets of Al-Andalus in the 7th century AH (601–684). The manuscript is dated to 675 AH and falls under the disciplines of history and geography.
The library also holds the manuscript of *Nafh al-Tib min Ghusn al-Andalus al-Ratib* by Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Maqri (d. 1041 AH), copied in the 13th century AH; *Al-Mi’yar al-Mu’arrab ‘an Fatawa ‘Ulama’ al-Afriqiya wa al-Andalus wa Bilad al-Maghrib* by Ahmad al-Tilimsani (d. 914 AH), dating to the 12th century AH; and *Al-Silah fi Tarikh A’immah al-Andalus wa ‘Ulama’ihim* by Khalaf ibn Abdulmalik al-Andalusi, dating to the 9th century AH.
The library has also revealed one of the rarest global books, titled *Views of Spain*, authored by David Roberts. Published over 190 years ago in a luxurious edition with full natural colors, only about thirty copies were printed. It contains 26 lithographic plates hand-colored by the renowned British artist David Roberts (1796–1864), which he painted during his tour of Al-Andalus in 1832–1833.
Since its establishment in 1985, the King Abdulaziz Public Library has been dedicated to preserving Arab and Islamic heritage in all its elements, including books, manuscripts, rare items, documents, images, and coins, as well as safeguarding national heritage. This mission aims to provide a foundational heritage and knowledge base for researchers and stakeholders interested in Arab and Islamic culture worldwide.
