The main purpose of both the original and revised editions of Blood on the Cross has been to explore the history of that extraordinary period during which the Muslims first flourished and then perished in the Iberian peninsula, which used to to be called Andalus but which now comprises Spain and Portugal. It was largely due to the Muslims’ presence and illumination there that the Dark Ages in Europe came to an end – and their influence remains with us today in a thousand ways. What took place in the Iberian peninsula during the period between 711 and 1609 CE is fascinating. It witnessed great illumination and tremendous darkness. It was characterised by immense wisdom and profound ignorance. One of the meanings of ‘Andalus’ in Arabic is ‘to become green at the end of the summer’ – and this is the history of Islam in Andalus.