E. W. Bovill (1892–1966)

In 1578 king Sebastian of Portugal intervened in a Moroccan succession dispute, but was defeated and killed at El-Ksar el-Kebir (variously known as Alcazar, Alcazarquivir, and Alcácer Quibir in European languages). Besides Sebastian (killed in combat), both Mulay Muhammad, the pretender he was supporting (drowned when attempting to flee), and Abd al-Malik, the victor (poisoned by an underling acc'd Bovill, of natural causes acc'd other sources) died, for which reason the battle is also known as that of Three Kings.

The battle was fairly large (16 000 Portuguese combatants and allegedly 60 000+ Moroccans) and tolerably important, inaugurating something of a golden age for the Moroccan monarchy under Abd al-Malik's brother and successor Al-Mansur, and, because both Sebastian and his uncle and heir Henry died childless, leading to personal union between Spain and Portugal two years later, so I was surprised that this appears to be the most recent book about it in English. It's a popular history of the kind that doesn't hesitate to pass judgement: the young king Sebastian is portrayed as having very few redeeming features beyond personal bravery, Philip II of Spain (also Philip I of Portugal from 1580) is portrayed as simultaneously vacillating and fanatical, etc. While Bovill didn't think much of Moroccans generally, the portrait of Abd al-Malik personally is rather glowing.

While not worse than that I perserved - it helps it's just ~200pp - I'm happy I got a free copy off the 'Net; money on this would not have felt well spent.… (more)