Muslims Showed Columbus the Way to America

They just never got around to do it while they occupied ‘al Andalus’.  They were too busy enjoying the “Golden Age”, along with the slaves and the hundreds of bright eyed virgins the bishops had to deliver into their care annually. Then, when queen Isabella and king Ferdinand threw them out, the muslims hopped on the Santa Maria to show Columbus the way. And anyhow, Columbus himself, like all great men in history, was a muslim of course. That’s why  he wrote “‘Boruch hashem’ (Praised be the Lord) in Hebrew on his letterheads.

Need proof? Well, because they say so. Would a muslim lie to you?

Muslims Showed Columbus the Way

Columbus learns wisdom from the Muslims por V1683

I’ve watched quite a lot of Spanish historical fiction series on DVD in the last year, and perhaps I’ll make a fuller post about how they typically portray the Muslims sometime later. In general, its what you would expect given the age of lunacy we live in. Spaniards who advocate taking their country back from the invaders who have occupied it are depicted as sinister, scheming extremists, while those who urge convivencia and accommodation are viewed positively.

Recently I watched an old series called Requiem for Granada on DVD. It tells the story of the recapture of Granada, and focuses on the Muslim perspective. The Muslim characters are played by Europeans “darked up”. I always find it amusing when television series or films bearing an “anti-racist” message have the non-European characters played by Europeans. People feel a natural affinity for those who are genetically like them, and this manifests itself in a certain physical repulsion from those who are unlike them. This instinct is the reality that underlies the mythology of racism. But, of course, while purporting to challenge it, the television studios and film directors are actually pandering to it by having the brown people played by Whitey.

In general, Requiem for Granada depicts the Muslims as being a kind of civilised master race, whose wisdom and and refinement contrasts with the crudity of the Christians. The Christian characters, including Fernando and Isabel, take up very little screen time. The story is told from the Muslim perspective. When they do appear, Christians are shown as shallow, fanatic and one-dimensional, albeit cunning. They win by guile rather than bravery or skill.

The most laughable aspect of the pro-Muslim propaganda the series contains is the claim depicted most succinctly in this scene: that the Muslims had discovered the route to Americas and designed ships that could sail it, but somehow never had time to put their plans into action because war with the Christians distracted them. The scene comes close to the end of the series. Granada is besieged by Christian armies. The end is near. Before it comes, however, Christopher Columbus sneaks in to consult with some old learned Muslim to learn his secrets. The Muslim explains to him how to get to the Americas.

It’s interesting that this series (a joint Spanish/Italian production) was produced around 1990. This was before there had been any significant Muslim re-colonisation of Spain, so it cannot have been internal pressures produced by the alien presence that produced this kind of propaganda fantasy, of the kind we have since grown used to.

Incidentally, the DVDs have subtitles in English, German, French, Italian and Portuguese if anyone is thinking of ordering it.