Dr. Hussein Fancy

Biography

Hussein Fancy is a historian specializing in medieval Europe and the Islamic world. His research and writing focus on the economic, social, legal, and intellectual history of the interaction between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the medieval Mediterranean. He particularly pursues projects that combine Latin, Arabic, and Romance archival sources. Fancy’s notable work, 'Mercenary Mediterranean', examines the service of Muslim soldiers in North Africa to Christian kings of the Crown of Aragon during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. This book argues that the alliance between Christian kings and Muslim soldiers was contingent upon the perpetuation of ideas of religious difference. His contributions to the field have garnered several accolades, including the Herbert Baxter Adams Prize and the L. Carl Brown Prize. Beyond his writing, Fancy also engages in scholarly debates surrounding the Islamic Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula and the perceptions of Islam from the seventh century to the present. He has taught at the University of Michigan for over a decade and has been involved with various historical academies and projects.

Research Interests