This book is the latest addition to the distinguished History of Spain series published by Blackwell, which now comprises some thirteen volumes. The present work covers the period from the death of Alfonso vii of Castile-León (1126–57), the self-styled ‘emperor of the Spains’, down to the end of the thirteenth century, by which time Islamic power in the Iberian peninsula, if not destroyed, had been significantly eroded by the expanding Christian realms. Peter Linehan addresses the period with insight, erudition and considerable élan. Given the severe limitations on space, he is deliberately selective in his coverage of material and is up-front with his readers on the matter. His focus is primarily on the Christian crowns of Castile and Aragon, particularly the former, which had emerged as the political and military heavyweight in the region. Readers hoping to learn something of Muslim Spain during this period, such as the impact of the rise and fall of the Almohad Empire on the Peninsula, will be disappointed, since it is consigned to little more than a shadowy walk-on role. The landlocked Christian kingdom of Navarre is similarly largely overlooked. Military and political developments are mostly downplayed and coverage of social and economic aspects is decidedly limited, although there is an excellent discussion of relations between Christians, Mudejars and Jews. The centrepiece of the book is a wide-ranging and thought-provoking treatment of the reign of Alfonso x of Castile (1252–84), in which Linehan deliberately weaves the political and cultural policies of that remarkable monarch into a seamless whole. To compartmentalise the king's activities, Linehan observes, ‘is to sacrifice the connecting tissue wherein his genius or defects lay’ (p. 105). The book is enlivened throughout by excellent use of primary sources, a good eye for illuminating anecdotes and a consistently entertaining turn of phrase. The bibliography is ample and commendably up-to-date. Given its selective focus and occasionally dense analytical style, this would not be the most obvious book to recommend to the undergraduate coming to the subject for the very first time. But for those who already have acquired some grounding in medieval Spanish history, the rewards on offer here are rich indeed.