Tim Knoche: Islamic inheritance law in Christian wills of high medieval Toledo

Afternoon Talk on Islamic Law

  • Datum: 23.05.2019
  • Uhrzeit: 16:00

About the Speaker:

Tim Knoche studied law at the University of Heidelberg and at the University of Saint-Joseph in Beirut (2008-2014). He completed his legal clerkship in Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Speyer and Dubai (2016). He was an assistant to Prof. Dr. Christian Baldus at the Roman LawDepartment of the University of Heidelberg (Oct. 2017 –Sep. 2018). His PhD thesis on Execution of Wills in Spanish-Islamic, Mozarabic and High Medieval Castilian Law has included research stays in Seville and Toledo and is funded by a scholarship of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

About the Topic:

Spain has witnessed nearly 800 years of Islamic law in practice during the period of Al-Andalus (711 –1492). Yet little is known on the influence of Islamic to medieval Christian law. This presentation focuses on possible legal receptions in the field of testaments. Taking the example of high medieval Toledo, it compares the formulary of a will as presented by the 11th century Muslim Toledan lawyer Ibn Muġīṯto individual Christian wills from Toledo. The case of Toledo is particularly interesting because Christian wills were not only written in Castilian, but arabised Christians (Mozarabs) also notarised in Arabic. The analysis examines aspects such as the designation of heirs, the types of bequest and the duties of an executor.


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