Session 3

The Foundation of al-Andalus

1. The Muslim conquest of Iberia

2. Al-Andalus: the amirate

3. Al-Andalus: the caliphate

4. The Taifa Kings

1. The Muslim conquest of Iberia
the conquests of Islam

Muhammad (circa 570-632)

his successors (imams and caliphs)

• the Rashidun (Rightly Guided) (632-661)

– Abu Bakr (632-634)

– Umar ibn Abd al-Khattab (634-644)

– Uthman ibn Affan (644-656)

– Ali ibn Abi Talib (656-661)

• the Umayyads (661-750)

the conquests of Islam

the dinasty of the Umayyads (661-750)

the capital: Damascus (Syria)

Afghanistan
Irak
Persia
India
Arabia
Egypt
Anatolia
Armenia
Syria
Africa
The Islamic empire:
Medina
Mecca
Damascus the Umayyads
the conquests of Islam Iberia

711: the conquest of Visigothic Hispania

– the victory: the battle of Guadalete

– the Visigothic king Roderic: defeated and killed

– the capital, Toledo: conquered

Visigothic
Toledo Hispania
the conquests of Islam Iberia

the conquest

– the leaders

Musa ibn Nusair, governor of Ifriqiya (an Arab) and Tarik ibn Ziyad (a
Berber general)

– the army (yund)

• circa 150.000-200.000 warriors

• tribes and clans of Arab or Berber origin

3. Al-Andalus: the amirate
the conquered Catalonia
Aragon
Navarre
Asturias
al-Andalus
Zaragoza
Toledo
Cordoba
Seville
Valencia
Barcelona

land: al-Andalus

– a part of the
world of dar
al-Islam

– a province of
the Umayyad
empire
immam amirs
and caliph
central
(governors)
government
provincial
Damascus
government
3. Al-Andalus: the caliphate
al-Andalus the independent amirate

the Abbasid ‘revolution’, 750

– a massacre in Damascus

– a new dynasty (Abbasids) and the new capital (Baghdad)

– a survivor: Abd al-Rahman

Afghanistan
Irak
Persia
India
Arabia
Egypt
Anatolia
Armenia
Syria
Africa
The Islamic empire:
Medina
Mecca
Baghdad
Damascus the Abbasids
al-Andalus the independent amirate

the independt amirs ruling al-Andalus

– Abd al-Rahman I (756-788)

– Hisham I (788-796)

– al-Hakem I (796-822)

– Abd al-Rahman II (822-852)

– Muhammad I (852-886)

– al-Mundir (886-888)

– Abd Allah (888-912)

al-Andalus the caliphate

a 'revolution' in Cordoba (929)

a new caliph

• Abd al-Rahman III (912-961)

• al-Hakem II (961-976)

• Hisham II (976-1009)
al-Andalus the caliphate

the caliphs of Cordoba built up

– an efficient civil administration

• buying slaves officials (Slavs)

– a powerful army

• importing mercenaries (Berbers)

– a splendorous court
Islamic
the ruler
society
(state)
the capital: Cordoba

• 500.000 inhabitants

• 21 quarters

• 100 mosques

• 26 cemeteries
Jewish quarter
Christian
suq
masjid
al-qasr quarter
• more than 15 public
bathhouses
al-Andalus the caliphate

the court

a new palace, West of Cordoba: the Madinat al-Zahra

• 10.000 persons toiled at the site

• 4.000 slaves served in the palace

• there were fishponds which had an daily allowance of 12.000 loaves of

bread
the meters
Barcelona
745
450
250 Madinat
1,520
meters
meters al-Zahra
4. The Taifa Kings
al-Andalus the civil war

the collapse of the caliphate of Cordoba

– a conflict between powerful generals and high ranking officials

Andalusians, Berbers (generals), Slavs (officials)

– soon generals and officials

• take-over of power

• take-over of parts of caliphate

Batalyaws
Mursiya
Ishbiliya
Malaqah
Tulaytula
Gharnata
Qurtuba
Saraqusta
Balansiya
al-Mariya
Mayurqa
Cordoba
Murcia
Malaga
Granada
Sevilla
Badajoz
Toledo
Saragossa
Valencia
Almeria
Mallorca

al-Andalus fragmented into

circa 30 states or
kingdoms (taifas) ruled
by

Andalusians, Berbers, Slavs

al-Andalus the taifas

the taifa kings ruled al-Andalus 1031-1130

– each taifa its dynasty

– each taifa its capital

– each taifa its court

the taifa of Granada (Gharnata)

was founded by the Berber general Zawi ibn Ziri, who established the capital of
the kingdom in the city of Granada; the ruling dynasty are the Zirids