Tales of the Alhambra is a collection of essays verbal sketches and stories about the Moors
and Spaniards. Through these stories sketches and essays it is described the author's journey
through Spain in Andalusia where he gives a general description of the country and people. The
collection consists of around 30 Tales about the Alhambra the city castle of the last Moorish
rulers in Al-Andalus. The stories are dealing for the most part with after-Moorish period in
which the Alhambra has been managed as a possession of the Spanish kings and was left to decay.
Tales of the Alhambra is translated into many languages and is considered one of the most
important works of the author. During Irving's stay in Spain after the success of his previous
books he was invited to stay at the palace of the Duke of Gor who gave him unfettered access
to his library containing many medieval manuscripts. It took him just a year to complete The
Chronicles of the Conquest of Granada. The book is covering the long process of banishing the
Moors from Spain and Portugal. Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American author essayist
biographer historian and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short
stories Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow both of which appear in his book The
Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon Gent. His historical works include biographies of George
Washington and Oliver Goldsmith and several histories of 15th-century Spain dealing with
subjects such as the Moors and the Alhambra. Irving served as the U.S. ambassador to Spain from
1842 to 1846.
