This unit focuses on the production and circulation of aljamiado manuscripts (romance-language texts written with the Arabic script) in premodern Castile and Aragon. It contains a brief introduction to the history of mudéjares (Muslims living under Christian rule in medieval Iberia) and moriscos (Muslim converts to Christianity and their descendants). In addition to providing a brief overview of the origins and contents of extant aljamiado manuscripts, the unit highlights a Latin-script poem copied by a morisco around the late sixteenth to early seventeenth century. Titled Coplas sacadas de los castigos del hijo de Edam, the anonymous poem is derived from the Arabic textual traditions and set to a popular Castilian verse form. The transcription glosses Arabisms and cites relevant Qur’anic passages in footnotes to aid the reader. It highlights the text’s admonitory tone and eschatological passages.
The unit is published in English and Spanish. The English version contains a transcription of a section of the Coplas alongside its English translation, while the Spanish version contains a transcription of a section of the Coplas alongside a modern Spanish translation. The transcription and translation were done by Andrea Pauw and edited by Sol Miguel-Prendes and David A. Wacks. This unit could be useful in Religious Studies and Islamic Studies courses, as well as history or literature courses on premodern Iberia.