Raymond Ibrahim joins The Winston Marshall Show to examine the early Islamic conquests of Spain, the Reconquista, and the historical events that shaped the relationship between Christianity and Islam long before the Crusades. A historian and bestselling author specialising in Islamic history and the medieval Middle East, he explores the battles of Tours, the rise of Al-Andalus, Pelayo's resistance, Charlemagne's diplomacy with the Abbasid Caliphate, and why he believes key parts of this history have been omitted from modern accounts. The conversation also covers the Martyrs of Córdoba, the Reconquista, Harun al Rashid, Baghdad, the Visigoths, Charles Martel, Karen Armstrong, John Esposito, and competing interpretations of the origins of the Crusades. This episode draws on themes from his books 'Sword and Scimitar', 'Defenders of the West', and 'The Two Swords of Christ', alongside the wider debate over medieval Europe and the Islamic world.

Is Islam compatible with the West? (With Winston Marshall, Raymond Ibrahim and Maajid Nawaz) Get your discounted early bird tickets now before they sell out: https://winstonmarshall.eventbrite.co.uk

Watch the full episode (May 2025): https://youtu.be/RLk4MnWtQ4U?si=GLYgcHgXLqx-gCD4