Cádiz

Description

This is the tale of Western Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, a 3,000-year history of war and seafaring, culture and commerce, liberalism and resistance.

Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart offer a vibrant account of Cádiz past and present, from its ancient founding myths to its reinvention as a trendy tourist destination. They illuminate Cádiz’s experiences under Roman and Moorish rule; explore its centuries of maritime warfare, from Francis Drake to the Battle of Trafalgar; and probe its role in Spain’s ‘Golden Age’ of empire, when it dominated trade with the New World. As Spain’s de facto capital during the Peninsular War, Cádiz also produced Europe’s first liberal constitution in 1812. And in 1936, it was the port of entry for Franco’s troops, mustered to overthrow the Republic.

Cádiz has excited the passions of travellers for centuries. Lord Byron was enchanted by the ladies of the city, whom he described as ‘form’d for all the witching arts of love’. Benjamin Disraeli fell in love with Cádiz in 1830, seeing ‘Figaro in every street and Rosita in every balcony’. This beautifully illustrated book, the first to tell the full story of this intriguing and extraordinary city, brings its past to life.

Reviews

‘Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart have created a sparkling homage to an unsung city. Engaging, complex and filled with a literary eye for the details.’ — Nicholas Casey, staff writer, The New York Times Magazine

‘Cádiz is one of Spain’s most beautiful and seductive cities, as rich in history as it is in gastronomy and flamenco music. It is also one of the less overwhelmed by tourism. Whether it will remain so after this elegantly written and enticingly knowledgeable history is a matter for some trepidation.’ — Sir Paul Preston, author of Perfidious Albion: Britain and the Spanish Civil War

‘Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart capture the essence of this unique and ancient settlement, with just the right mix of facts, myths and insight. A joy to read, it moves through 3,000 years of history with elegance and pace. An engaging and thoroughly enjoyable book.’ — Jason Webster, author of Duende and The Book of Duende

‘Lively, evocative and rich in anecdotes, Cádiz takes us on a 3,000-year journey through the multi-cultural history of a city set between two continents and two seas that have forged its vital role in world trade.’ — Elizabeth Drayson, University of Cambridge, author of Lost Paradise: The Story of Granada and The Moor’s Last Stand: How Seven Centuries of Muslim Rule in Spain Came to an End

‘An excellent introduction to Cádiz for discerning travellers who use tourism for education rather than destructive, whistle-stop, list-ticking European weekend breaks. Through the study of one city’s history, the reader gains a wealth of knowledge about Spanish history in general.’ — Helen Rodgers, co-author of City of Illusions: A History of Granada

Author(s)

Helen Crisp is fascinated by Spain’s history, landscapes and lesser-known museums. She is co- author, with Jules Stewart, of Madrid: Midnight City and Strike Up the Band: New York City in the Roaring Twenties.

Jules Stewart is a journalist and author, whose thirteen book topics include the NYPD and Prince Albert.