Riccoldo da Monte di Croce (†1320): Missionary to the Near East and Expert on Islam

Riccoldo da Monte di Croce, a Dominican friar, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1288 and spent years as a missionary in Muslim Baghdad, learning Arabic and studying the Qur’an. After returning to Florence, he wrote extensively about non-Christian peoples. Liber pere-grinationis recounts his travels and includes ethnographic observations and theological discussions. His Libellus ad nationes orientales explores Eastern religions and conversion strategies, with a focus on the Mongols. Contra legem Sarracenorum, a detailed critique of the Qur’an, had a significant influence on Christian European understandings of Islam, impacting figures like Nicholas of Cusa, Guillaume Postel and Martin Luther.

This collection provides a comprehensive look at Riccoldo’s writings and their impact on the history of medieval and modern Christian-Muslim relations. It brings together contributions from 16 authors, each offering different perspectives on Riccoldo as an author and his intellectual legacy.

Författare:
Johannes Ehmann, Eduardo Fernández Guerrero, Susanna E. Fischer, Rita George-Tvrtković, Kurt Villads Jensen, Jacob Langeloh, Anthony John Lappin, José Martínez Gázquez, Jean-Marie Mérigoux (†),Daniel Pachurka, Marco Robecchi, Ulli Roth, Stefan Schreiner, Davide Scotto, Jana Valtrová