A merchant’s account of his travels through an independent African state

Muhammad ibn 'Umar al-Tunisi (d. 1274/1857) belonged to a family of Tunisian merchants trading with Egypt and what is now Sudan. Al-Tunisi was raised in Cairo and a graduate of al-Azhar. In 1803, at the age of fourteen, al-Tunisi set off for the Sultanate of Darfur, where his father had decamped ten years earlier. He followed the Forty Days Road, was reunited with his father, and eventually took over the management of the considerable estates granted to his father by the sultan of Darfur. In Darfur is al-Tunisi’s remarkable account of his ten-year sojourn in this independent state.

In Volume Two al-Tunisi describes the geography of the region, the customs of Darfur’s petty kings, court life and the clothing of its rulers, marriage customs, eunuchs, illnesses, food, hunting, animals, currencies, plants, magic, divination, and dances. In Darfur combines literature, history, ethnography, linguistics, and travel adventure, and most unusually for its time, includes fifty-two illustrations, all drawn by the author.

In Darfur is a rare example of an Arab description of Africa on the eve of Western colonization and vividly evokes a world in which travel was untrammeled by bureaucracy, borders were fluid, and startling coincidences appear almost mundane.

A bilingual Arabic-English edition.

A merchant’s account of his travels through an independent African state

Muhammad ibn 'Umar al-Tunisi (d. 1274/1857) belonged to a family of Tunisian merchants trading with Egypt and what is now Sudan. Al-Tunisi was raised in Cairo and a graduate of al-Azhar. In 1803, at the age of fourteen, al-Tunisi set off for the Sultanate of Darfur, where his father had decamped ten years earlier. He followed the Forty Days Road, was reunited with his father, and eventually took over the management of the considerable estates granted to his father by the sultan of Darfur. In Darfur is al-Tunisi’s remarkable account of his ten-year sojourn in this independent state.

In Volume One, al-Tunisi relates the history of his much-traveled family, his journey from Egypt to Darfur, and the reign of the noted sultan 'Abd al-Rahman al-Rashid. In Darfur combines literature, history, ethnography, linguistics, and travel adventure, and most unusually for its time, includes fifty-two illustrations, all drawn by the author.

In Darfur is a rare example of an Arab description of Africa on the eve of Western colonization and vividly evokes a world in which travel was untrammeled by bureaucracy, borders were fluid, and startling coincidences appear almost mundane.

A bilingual Arabic-English edition.

This compact, pocket-sized travel guide to Seville is ideal for travellers on shorter trips and anyone wanting to make the most of the city. It's light, portable and includes a handy pull-out map.

This Seville guidebook covers: Barrio Santa Cruz, Barrio Alfalfa, Arenal and the Río Guadalquivir, El Centro, Sur, Barrio Triana, Barrio Macarena, La Alameda de Hércules and Los Remedios.

Inside this Seville travel book, you will find:

• Curated recommendations of places – expert picks of top attractions, hidden corners, family-friendly activities and relaxing spots in key neighbourhoods.
• Things not to miss in Seville – including the Alcázar, Flamenco, Giralda Tower, Catedral, Barrio Santa Cruz, Triana, Feria de Abril, Semana Santa, Parque de María Luisa, Las Setas, Museo de Bellas Artes and more.
• Ready-made itinerary samples – routes designed for different trip lengths and travel styles.
• Seville at a glance – an overview map with key districts and what to expect in each.
• Day trips – ideas for exploring nearby highlights such as Itálica and Monasterio San Isidoro del Campo.
• Practical travel tips – essential advice on transport, health, festivals, tourist information and an A–Z directory.
• Handy language section – themed basic Spanish vocabulary for greetings, numbers and food and drink.
• Independent reviews – honest recommendations on where to eat, drink and stay.
• Accommodation – a useful guide to hotels across different budgets.
• Pull-out map – removable, easy-to-use folding map with key sights marked.
• What's new – a brief update on recent changes in Seville.
• Free eBook download – included with the print edition.

This guide to Seville serves as the ideal companion both before and during your trip, providing a clear and reliable introduction to the city.

An essential guide to one of the world’s most remarkable, and often misunderstood, cities by the author of Why the Dutch Are Different.

When Ben Coates injures his leg and needs to rebuild his strength by walking, he finds himself presented with an exciting opportunity: to rediscover the city he has been working in for over a decade, at a slower pace. He devised ten walks, each demonstrating a different chapter of Amsterdam’s history, from its humble beginnings in the early 1200s as a small fishing community through two Golden Ages, fuelled by the growth of the Dutch colonial empire, two world wars, and countless reinventions.

Join Coates as he meanders past beautiful townhouses and glittering canals, dances at Pride celebrations, witnesses the King’s apology at Keti Koti, attends a WW2 memorial, gets high at a coffee shop, walks through the red-light district, and gazes in awe at Rembrandt paintings, all the while illuminating modern Amsterdam by explaining its past.

Blending travelog and quirky history, The Invention of Amsterdam is an entertaining and sharply observed portrait of a fascinating and complicated city.

Governing the military combines the study of governance, democratisation, and policymaking to explore how military politics have unfolded since the return to democracy in Chile. The book offers timely research to understand the rocky road to overcome the civil-military tension of the 1990s and the challenges presented by novel security demands in the twenty-first century, including the militarisation of urban crime and pandemics, and its consequences on human rights. The book will also introduce the reader to failed policies, lack of attention to governance, and decaying democratic practices.

The volume examines eight themes considered fundamental to understand the modern governance of the armed forces: the state of civil-military relations, political transition and military subordination, roles and missions, military effectiveness, fiscal spending, inter-agency challenges, international engagements, and transparency and corruption.