The Desire for Syria in Medieval England

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In June 1458, two boats were cornered by pirates off the coast of Malta. Their captain – Robert Sturmy – proved no match for the notorious Genoese freebooter Giuliano Gattilusio and was summarily killed by him. The precious cargo for which Sturmy paid with his life contained stealable goods but also cultural significance. Sweet wines, spices, silks, jewels, and minerals – these alluring commodities gripped the medieval English imagination. E. K. Myerson utilises this dramatic incident of Mediterranean plunder to reveal the impact of Syrian imports on medieval art, language, and everyday life. They argue that the cultural category of 'Syriana' became a powerful tool, used to evoke both the sacred sites of the Holy Land and the global marketplaces of the Mamluk Empire. Myerson's innovative book draws on their research into medieval archives, conceptual art, and postcolonial and queer theory, showing how medieval 'Syriana' transformed English society in ways which continue to resonate today.

• A vividly told exploration of the cultural significance of Syrian and Mediterranean commodities in medieval England which will make a significant impact in medieval studies
• Will be of particular interest to readers of medieval literature, especially those working on Chaucer, late medieval romance, pilgrim narratives, Sir John Mandeville, mysticism, queer medievalism, Jewish history, and alchemy
• By innovatively exploring themes of trade, travel, and premodern racialisation across a range of literary, visual, and material sources and through the lens of contemporary conceptual art, the book will also appeal to cultural theorists, art historians, historians of material culture and science, as well as readers of travel literature
• Opens up important and previously inaccessible materials to readers unfamiliar with Middle English, Latin, and Arabic