Sultana's Legacy
Sultana’s Legacy
Lisa J. Yarde
SULTANA’S LEGACY
Copyright © Lisa J. Yarde 2011
ISBN-10
1939138051
ISBN-13
978-1939138057
This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locations, and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locations or events is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without the prior written permission of the Author.
Cover Artwork
Femme Orientale
, Jean Francois Portaels, 1877
File source: Creative Commons, Attributions License
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bestand:Jeanfrancois-portaels-Femme_Orientale.jpg
Background courtesy of Fotolia, Royalty-Free License
Cover arrangement, title font and Alhambra Press logo by Lance Ganey
Table of Contents
Islamic Regions and Modern Equivalents
To Jeanne, who inspired my love of historical fiction and honors me with her friendship.
For my dear mother, devoted to her family and generous in her love, much like my heroine Fatima.
I remain grateful for the support of everyone who read and assisted with various drafts of this novel, the members of my critique groups, especially Anita Davison, Mandy Ducrot, Jennifer Haymore, Laura Hogg, Mirella Patzer, Rosemary Rach, Ginger Simpson, Devorah Stone, Richard Warren Field, and Anne Whitfield.
To my beta readers, Victoria Dixon, Mirella Patzer, Lindsay Townsend and Kristen Wood, thank you for your continued support and encouragement with this novel and its prequel. To my editor, Candice S. Watkins, thanks for your attention to detail.
As always, to my loving family, thank you for imparting the values of patience and perseverance. Without your guidance, my work would not be possible.
The events in this book take place in the kingdom of Granada during a turbulent period for thirteenth-century Moorish Spain. Historians have referred to the rulers of Granada as Muslim princes (
emirs
) or kings, but I have used the title Sultan. While the first four Sultans of Granada are members of the Banu’l-Ahmar and other clans were the Banu Marin and Banu Zayyan, I have chosen the more commonly accepted names, e.g. the Nasrids for the Banu’l-Ahmar, then the Marinids and Zayyanids.
Many of the male historical figures bore the same name. I have distinguished between them with reference to their titles or familial connections where possible. There were six key characters named Muhammad, whom I have mentioned in the narrative. In addition to my protagonist Faraj, there was also Faraj, the son of Muhammad II, Faraj, the paternal grandson of my protagonist and another Faraj, who conspired with his brothers in the murder of a Sultan of Granada. There were also three historical figures named Ismail, two of them cousins.
I have also used Arabic words for Moorish cities, regions and certain terms. While the correct title of chief minister in Granada was ‘
Dhu l-wizaratayn
’ in various periods, I have kept the usage of
Hajib
throughout the novel. The chronology of events differs in a variety of sources, but the narrative follows the best-documented dates in the Moorish period.
I remain indebted to invaluable research materials for an understanding of thirteenth-century Spain and its inhabitants, including Shirley Guthrie’s
Arab Women in the Middle Ages
and L.P. Harvey’s
Islamic Spain 1250 to 1500.
Other vital sources of information on the detailed history of the Alhambra and Moorish architectural achievements came from Antonio Fernandez Puertas’ masterwork,
The Alhambra: Volume 1 from the Ninth Century to Yusuf I
and Michael Jacobs’
Alhambra
.
Dates approximate the equivalent periods of the Hijri and Gregorian calendars. The sighting of the crescent moon determines dates in the Hijri calendar. The term AH refers to events occurring in numbered periods after the year of the Hijra or the emigration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in September AD 622.
Months
Muharram: the first Islamic month
Safar: the second Islamic month
Rabi al-Awwal: the third Islamic month
Rabi al-Thani: the fourth Islamic month
Jumada al-Ula: the fifth Islamic month
Jumada al-Thani: the sixth Islamic month
Rajab: the seventh Islamic month
Sha`ban: the eighth Islamic month
Ramadan: the ninth Islamic month, a venerated period of abstinence and fasting from sunrise to sunset
Shawwal: the tenth Islamic month
Dhu al-Qa`da: the eleventh Islamic month
Dhu al-Hijja: the twelfth Islamic month, a period of pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia
The Nasrids
Fatima bint Muhammad, daughter of Abu Abdallah Muhammad II of Gharnatah
Abu Abdallah Muhammad II of Gharnatah, the second Sultan of Gharnatah (r. 671-702 AH), Fatima’s father
Abu Abdallah Muhammad III of Gharnatah, the third Sultan of Gharnatah (r. 702-709 AH), Fatima’s elder brother
Abu’l-Juyush Nasr I of Gharnatah, the fourth Sultan of Gharnatah (r. 709-714 AH), Fatima’s younger brother, only son of Abu Abdallah Muhammad II of Gharnatah and Nur al-Sabah
Abu Said Faraj ibn Ismail, Fatima’s husband,
Raïs
of Malaka
Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s eldest son
Arub bint Muhammad, second wife of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj
Abu Abdallah Muhammad IV ibn Ismail, eldest son of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Arub bint Muhammad
Moraima bint Ismail, eldest daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Arub bint Muhammad
Zubaidah bint Ismail, second daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Arub bint Muhammad
Ismail ibn Ismail, second son of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Arub bint Muhammad
Sahar bint Ismail, third daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Arub bint Muhammad
Jamila bint Ali, third wife of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj
Faraj ibn Ismail, son of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Jamila bint Ali
Hamda bint Ismail, eldest daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Jamila bint Ali
Muna bint Ismail, second daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Jamila bint Ali
Safa bint Yusuf, fourth wife of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj
Yusuf ibn Ismail, son of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Safa bint Yusuf
Tarub bint Ismail, eldest daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Safa bint Yusuf
Khalida bint Ismail, second daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj and Safa bint Yusuf
Leila bint Ismail, eldest daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj
Fatimah bint Ismail, second daughter of Abu’l-Walid Ismail I ibn Faraj
Aisha bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s second daughter
Faridah bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s third daughter
Muhammad ibn Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s second son
Qamar bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s fourth daughter
Mumina bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s fifth daughter
Qabiha bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s sixth daughter
Saliha bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s seventh daughter
Muhammad ibn Ismail, Faraj’s brother,
Raïs
of Qumarich
Soraya bint Samir, wife of Muhammad ibn Ismail
Ismail ibn Muhammad, son of Muhammad ibn Ismail and Soraya bint Samir, Faraj’s nephew,
Raïs
of al-Jazirah al-Khadra
Leila bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s first daughter, wife of her first cousin Ismail ibn Muhammad
Muhammad ibn Ismail, first son of Ismail ibn Muhammad and Leila bint Faraj, Fatima and Faraj’s first grandson
Faraj ibn Ismail, second son of Ismail ibn Muhammad and Leila bint Faraj
Ali ibn Ismail, third son of Ismail ibn Muhammad and Leila bint Faraj
Alimah bint Muhammad, Fatima’s second sister, widow of Abu Umar of al-Hakam
Faraj ibn Muhammad, Fatima’s younger brother, only son of Abu Abdallah Muhammad II of Gharnatah and Shams ed-Duna
The Marinids
Shams ed-Duna, second wife of Abu Abdallah Muhammad II of Gharnatah, aunt of Abu Ya’qub Yusuf el-Nasir al-Marini ibn Abu Yusuf Ya’qub
Abd al-Haqq, a prince of the Marinids
Hammu, a prince of the Marinids, cousin to Abd al-Haqq
Uthman ibn Abi’l-Ula,
the Shaykh al-Ghuzat
in the service of Abu al-Rabi Suleiman and Abu Said Uthman of the Marinid Dynasty
The Ashqilula
Abdallah ibn Ibrahim, Fatima’s maternal uncle
The Courtiers of Castilla-Leon
Prince Juan de Castilla, Senor de Valencia, brother of King Sancho IV of Castilla-Leon