Diana Darke

Islamic scholar Diana Darke says masterpieces of medieval architecture should be recognised for what they are – Islamesque rather than Romanesque monuments.

Darke says that buildings such as Mont Saint-Michel, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Durham Cathedral and the Basilica of Santiago de Compostela speak for themselves. While Christian clergymen and anonymous creators have traditionally been credited with these designs and buildings, Darke says it was actually Muslim craftsmen dominating high-end construction and spreading their influence throughout Europe. Christendom lacked the expertise but Muslim craftsmen had the understanding of geometry and complex ornamentation needed to create these buildings.

Darke has spent four decades in the Middle East and is a non-resident scholar at Washington DC’s Middle East Institute. Her previous books include Stealing from the Saracens, My House in Damascus and The Ottomans.