Tales From The Castle Of The Moat: The Forgotten Conquerors
A Personal Reappraisal of the Cretan Emirate 827–961 through Art and Prose 
Written by: George Sfougaras
 
50 Pages. Full-colour.
 
‘The Forgotten Conquerors’ refers to a period in Crete’s history which is neglected in favour of the more acceptable Greek and Venetian eras. A few coins, a remarkable 11th century Byzantine codex and the writings of some enlightened historians have ensured that we can critically reflect on a significant period in Crete’s history. The Andalusian Arabs who established an independent Emirate on the island of Crete were absent in any of the history books when I was growing up. Even as I was researching and illustrating this book, the general public and the inhabitants of the island know very little about a dynasty that lasted for six generations and which transformed the island until its destruction in 961. The astonishing scholarship I encountered and translations from Arabic texts, tells us that there is an immense body of knowledge that deserves wider dissemination and a universal audience.  On a personal level, I loved writing and illustrating this book  beautifully typeset and designed by Cistaarts and published through the generosity and foresight of Mehri Publishing, London.'  George Sfougaras 2019