Relations between Christians and Muslims in the 16th and 17th centuries are usually described as overwhelmingly hostile. Despite the groundbreaking research of historians like Fernand Braudel on the overlapping of Christendom and Islam in the Mediterranean and the rich hybrid culture that emerged, most people today are either totally ignorant of this part of history or consciously choose to ignore it. One of the most intriguing aspects of early modern Europe is the encounter between Britons and Muslims, both on the Mediterranean and on the British home turf itself. In "Islam in Britain", Nabil Matar shows how the interaction of these two cultures was never rigidly antagonistic. In fact, many Britons expressed a deep admiration for Islamic culture, and often became Muslims themselves.

In the first two chapters, Matar explores the phenomenon of British conversion to Islam ("turning Turke" as it was called in those days)......Matar describes some of the many different reasons why Britons "turned Turke" in the first place. He takes issue with the traditional allegation that converts simply sought financial success, freedom from slavery, or the right to marry a Muslim woman.

The author also examines the representation of British Muslim converts in late-Elizabethan and Jacobean drama (focusing on lesser-known plays by the likes of Thomas Kyd, Philip Massinger, and Robert Daborne). In the last half of the book, Matar looks at the impact of Qur'anic studies at Oxford and Cambridge, the work of some early British Arabists, and the earliest English translations from Arabic.....

Finally, Matar touches on Islam's impact on British Rosicrucianism and alchemy, the conversion of Muslims to Protestantism, and "Eschatology and the Saracens" ...

The book is extremely well written and should be accessible to readers without much background in this area. It is rich in historical detail and literary analysis and avoids faddish theoretical claptrap. However, Matar does put this subject into the context of some of the more important historiographical and cultural debates of recent years, such as Edward Said's critique of "Orientalism" and Martin Bernal's theory about the Egyptian/Semitic roots of Western civilization in "Black Athena".

A "captivating" and eye-opening read. Five stars.