Tales of Moorish Quarters

This book is the culmination of four years (2021-2025) of historical research carried out within the framework of a research project developed at the University of Valladolid under a public call for proposals from the Ministry of Science and Innovation, entitled "Study of the Moorish Quarters of the Duero Valley: Spatial, Material, and Symbolic Analysis of the Moorish Settlements in Medieval Castile." The project has been successfully completed thanks to the work and effort of the team (listed alphabetically): Germán Gamero Igea, José Luis García Cuesta, Miguel García Martín, Javier Jiménez Gadea, Francisco Javier Molina de la Torre, Dolores Muñoz Herrera, Juan Rebollo Bote, Jesús Rodríguez Plaza, Serafín de Tapia Sánchez, María Isabel del Val Valdivieso, Luis Vasallo Toranzo, and Olatz Villanueva Zubizarreta.

The book *Tales of Moorish Quarters* is structured in three parts: an introduction that aims to provide historical context for understanding and recognizing the present and past phenomenon of religious diversity (Living Islam in Diversity: Majorities and Minorities Throughout History); the short stories selected from the competition; and, finally, the story by guest writer Alejandro Hernández, entitled *Opportunity Makes the Thief*, a work of fiction featuring the Moriscos of Valladolid.

The result is this diverse and collaborative work, in which each author contributes their own perspective on the same theme. The stories gathered here address concerns that are both current and historical: the perception of difference, interreligious dialogue, friendship and love as spaces for encounter, the marginalization, discrimination, and persecution resulting from the practice of a different faith, and, underlying most of them, the hope for peaceful coexistence.