In the early Middle Ages Italy became the target of Muslim expansionist campaigns. By examining how Muslims and Christians perceived each other and how they communicated, this book brings the relationship between Muslims and Christians in early medieval Italy into clearer focus.

Luigi Andrea Berto is Professor of Medieval History at Western Michigan University, USA. His research focuses on medieval Italy and the Mediterranean, with a special interest in the use of the past and the relationships between Christians and Muslims.

Introduction; 1. References, definitions, and circulation of news; 2. Religious Otherness; 3. Perceptions; 4. Some "Light" in the "Darkness"; 5. Supernatural Events; 6. Why is the Enemy Attacking Us and Winning?; 7. Rewriting History; 8. The Enemy is Coming; 9. Prisoners; 10. Going to the "Other"; 11. Encounters; Conclusions