Acknowledgements
Deepest and heartfelt gratitude is to Professor Simon Barton, to whose memory this volume is dedicated. As an inspiring, engaging, patient, and kind mentor and supervisor, he guided me through the exciting, and sometimes daunting, academic journey that has led me where I am today. To Simon I owe the privilege of having met and collaborated with the contributors to this volume, who are some of the finest scholars and experts in Medieval Iberian and Mediterranean Studies, and who have proven to be—time after time—supportive colleagues and generous friends. To them, I wish to express my most sincere gratitude for having transformed an initially intimidating editorial experience into one of the most productive and pleasant collaborative projects in which I have been involved. I am very grateful to Simon Doubleday, Therese Martin, Teresa Witcombe, and Jamie Wood, who provided invaluable feedback and precious advice throughout all stages of this process. Simon Barton would have been proud of this volume, not only for its scholarly and intellectual worth, but for what it represents: a collective endeavour from which we all learned, and by which we were inspired, while it brought us a step further in our journey of discovery both individually and collectively. Among all the uncertainty and challenges posed by the global shocks of the past few years, mutual support, collegiality, and kindness have made a major difference. Thanks also to my patient husband, to all my colleagues, friends, and family who apply these valuable principles of care and solidarity every day, within and beyond academia.