Lecture 4 - The rise of al-andalus Flashcards
what were all the great things that al-andalus resulted in
most prosperous society : re-opened Mediterranean trade routes revival of agriculture economic activities most developed urban centers Córdoba Philosophy, Theology, and Poetry Astronomy and medicine Major buildings Jewish, Christian, and Muslim culture flourished
when did Al-Andalus became the most prosperous society of Western Europe
between the 8th and the 13th Century AD
explain revival of agriculture
led to a substantial revival of agriculture – Arab irrigation techniques were extremely sophisticated
what were some of the economic activities
Other important economic activities included metal works, mining, textiles, paper, and jewelry
Cities in Al-Andalus were the most developed urban centers in Western Europe- Many where equipped with what
public lighting, sewers, libraries, and public baths
what was important about The city of Córdoba
became the biggest city in Al-Andalus and in Western Europe with around 450,000 inhabitants
why was Philosophy, Theology, and Poetry flourishing under al-andalus
experienced a renaissance – Greek Classical texts became available in Arab and Latin translation – Aristotle becomes reintroduced to the Western world through Al-Andalus
what sciences that were developed the most under al-andalus
Astronomy and medicine
what were some Major buildings under al-andalus
Cordoba’s Mosque
did Jewish, Christian, and Muslim culture flourished under al-andalus
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim culture flourished in Al-Andalus, although it was not the idealized coexistence presented by later historians
who lived in Al-Andalusian Society:
Multicultural Society: Arabs/Non Arabs, Jews, Christians, Converts…
what was the Hierarchical Society of Al-Andalusian
Emir/Caliph and the Arab conquerors at the top – The Majority of the population were “Muladi” – Jews and Mozarabs were subjected to taxation/lower social status – Slaves formed the basis of the pyramid [Reopening of Mediterranean and sub-Saharan slave markets]
explain the divided elite of al-andalusian society
Muslims of Arab origin had normally a higher status than those from Berber (North African) origin at least until the invasion of the Almoravaids and the Almohads (more on this later) – Divisions in the elite played a role in the downfall of Al-Andalus
In Islamic Spain, Jews and Christians were tolerated, but only if
:
they acknowledged Islamic superiority
accepted Islamic rule
paid a tax called Jizya to the Muslim rulers and sometimes paid higher rates of other taxes
avoided blasphemy,
did not try to convert Muslims
complied with the rules laid down by the authorities.
what were the rules laid down by the authorities
restrictions on clothing
restrictions on building synagogues and churches
not allowed to carry weapons
They could not receive an inheritance from a Muslim/ bequeath to a Muslim
They could not own Muslim slaves
They could not give evidence in an Islamic court
They would get lower compensation than Muslims for the same injury
They could not marry a Muslim woman (but the reverse was acceptable)
explain how tolerance decreased of the muslims to the christians
Around 50% of the local population were Muslims in the 10th century
By the end of the 12 century the figure was closer to 90%
The Almoravids and Almohads introduced a much more restrictive interpretation of Islam
Al-Andalusi Christians and Jews who refused to convert under Almoravid/Almohad rule fled to Christian dominated lands
who introduced a much more restrictive interpretation of Islam
The Almoravids and Almohads
what were the Al-Andalus Biggest Cities
Córdoba (Capital of the Caliphate)
Medina Azahara (Madīnat az-Zahrā: literal meaning “the shining city”) – City Palace built by Abd-ar-Rahman III (first Caliph of Spain)
Málaga (founded by the Phoenicians, it was known as Mālaqah)
Seville (Known as Hispalis by the Romans and as Arabic as Ishbiliyya by the Arabs
Granada (capital of the last Arab kingdom – View of the Alhambra palace - converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada – Example of late Arab culture in Spain
give A brief timeline of the Arab expansion
571-632: Prophet Muhammad
632-661: Rashidun Caliphate
661-750: the Umayyad Caliphate
explain 571-632: Prophet Muhammad
(571-632) creates a unified polity in the Arabian Peninsula
explain 632-661: Rashidun Caliphate
During the Rashidun Caliphate (the first four successors of Muhammad also known as the “Rightly Guided” caliphs) Arab influence expanded outside the Arabian Peninsula with the conquests of Syria (637), Armenia (639), Egypt (639) and North Africa (652) as well as with the destruction of the Persian Sassanid Empire (642) and the first siege of Constantinople (626)
explain 661-750: the Umayyad Caliphate
Under the Umayyad Caliphate the Arabs conquests continue in North Africa and Central Asia – In 711 starts the invasion of the Iberian Peninsula.
what were Reasons for the rapid expansion of the Arab conquests
state of war between Byzantium and the Persian Sassanid Empire
mercenaries
highly mobile and versatile force , religious ideals
lack of an appropriate defense from Byzantium and the collapse of the Western Roman empire
force and negotiation
Arabs did not seek the forced conversion of non-Muslim populations
explain state of war between Byzantium and the Persian Sassanid Empire
The permanent state of war between Byzantium and the Persian Sassanid Empire significantly weakened both of them
explain mercenaries
Arab troops had already been used by both Byzantium and the Persian empire as mercenaries
explain highly mobile and versatile force , religious ideals
Arab armies were a highly mobile and versatile force that were linked by religious ideals but also by a sense of belonging to the different Arab tribes
explain lack of an appropriate defense from Byzantium and the collapse of the Western Roman empire
The lack of an appropriate defense from Byzantium and the collapse of the Western Roman empire left the cities of Northern Africa exposed to Arab advance
explain force and negotiation
Arabs were able to use both force and negotiation as they advanced – They were also able to integrate non-Arabs and even non-Muslims in their armies (although it was not always an easy relationship, as we will see)
explain Arabs did not seek the forced conversion of non-Muslim populations
At the beginning of their expansion, Arabs did not seek the forced conversion of non-Muslim populations, but they demanded obedience to those considered the religious and political heirs of Prophet Muhammad
WHO WAS TARIQ IBN ZIYAD
711 – A Berber force of about 7,000 soldiers under the Berber general Tariq ibn Ziyad, loyal to the Umayyad Emir of Damascus, Al-Walid I, entered the Iberian peninsula from North Africa. The Muslim army was made of Arabs, but mainly Berbers (North African tribes) -The invasion was limited at the beginning and may have been welcomed by members of the Visigothic nobility as a way to upset the current balance of power- King Roderic was killed that same year in the battle of Guadalete
what happened in 712
A new, more powerful army sent from Damascus with a larger Arab component joined the invasion
The Visigothic nobility either joined the invaders, was killed in battle, or took refuge in the North of Spain (specifically in the Cantabrian mountain range)
717 – Córdoba became the capital of what
Muslim Al-Andalus
732– Frankish commanderCharles Marteldefeats an Umayyad army at theBattle of Tours-Poitiers, why is this important
killingAbdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi. This marks the maximum expansion in Western Europe
what is the issues with the sources of the muslim invasion of the I.P
Lack of contemporary accounts
Muslim sources only retell the story much later
Importance of the oral tradition
explain The endemic instability of the Visigoth Kingdom
A centralized kingdom, a fratricide nobility and a divided monarchy
The collapse of the economy and a demographic crisis
The religious question and the Jewish communities
what are the Two famous battles from the muslim invasion
Guadalete (711) and Covadonga (718/722).
who is Don Pelayo and why is he important
will play a fundamental role in the historical and political imagination of the Spanish nation by having his daughter marry Alfonso I, allegedly a noble linked to the Visigothic royal line – This allowed the Kings of Asturias to claim an uninterrupted line with the Visigothic kingdom - To this day, the heir to the Spanish Throne is known as Prince or Princess of Asturias
what are the 7 main events of The Golden Age of Al-Andalus (Periodization)
The Beginnings – A Dependent Province (711-756)
Consolidation – An Independent Emirate (755-929)
Golden Age – The Caliphate of Córdoba (929-1035)
The Breakup of the Caliphate – The Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1090)
New Impetus - The Almoravid Invasion (1090-1145)
Radical Islam– The Almohad empire (1145-1224)
The Last Muslim Kingdom - The Kingdom of Granada (1238-1492)
What is the difference between an Emirate and a Caliphate?
A Caliphate is an explicitly pan-Islamic state. To be Caliph is to be leader of the Muslim community, which means of all Muslims in the world. That is what al-Baghdadi, the leader of the so-called “Islamic State,” is claiming when he claims that he is the Caliph.
Emirates and Sultanates are analogous to kingdoms and duchies. A Sultan is the king of an Islamic state, similar to the way a European king was the ruler (in the Middle Ages) of a Catholic/Christian state. An Emir can mean a military commander and/or ruler of an Islamic State.
The Beginnings of Al-Andalus (711-755): Infighting and Political Instability
what are the main events
712 - Al-Andalus becomes part of the Ummayad Caliphate
739-740 The rebellion of the Berbers
742-746 Muslim against Muslim
750 – The Ummayad dynasty is overthrown in Damasco
explain 712 - Al-Andalus becomes part of the Ummayad Caliphate
becomes part of the Ummayad Caliphate based in Damascus as a dependent province
explain the 739-740 The rebellion of the Berbers
Berbers rebel against the ethnically exclusive Arab elite and refuse to support them with tax revenues
explain the 742-746 Muslim against Muslim
Internal problems and rivalries also extend to the original and to more recent Arab groups that settle in the Iberian Peninsula
Fights among Arabs and Berbers erupted early for the control of the best lands, which went to Arab owners in spite of their lesser role in the Conquest
explain the 750 – The Ummayad dynasty is overthrown in Damasco
Abd ar-Rahman I of the Umayyad dynasty flees to Iberia to escape the Abbasids and proclaims himself Emir of Cordoba
explain what happens in The Emirate of Córdoba (755-929)
Abd al-Rahman I proclaimed the Emirate of Córdoba in 773 as a political and administratively independent from the Abbasid dynasty in Baghdad
He recognizes the spiritual and religious authority of the Abbasid Califate in Baghdad spiritually and morally connected with the rest of Islam
His dynasty will rule the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries (including the succeeding Caliphate of Córdoba).
His son, Abd-ar-Rhaman II, expanded the administrative organization of the Emirate and delegated power to the visirs
Islamization and Arab rule deepened
Protests from the muladíes (Arabic: muwallad) [Muslims of local descent or of mixed Arab, Berber, and Iberian origin who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages] and Mossarabs [Iberian Christians who lived under Moorish rule in Al-Andalus]
Mossarab rebellions - The number of Mossarabs, Cristians living in Muslim territory, reduced considerably
Substantial expansion of the Kingdom of Asturias in the North
explain what happens wth Abd al-Rahman I proclaimed the Emirate of Córdoba in 773
as a political and administratively independent from the Abbasid dynasty in Baghdad
He recognizes the spiritual and religious authority of the Abbasid Califate in Baghdad spiritually and morally connected with the rest of Islam
His dynasty will rule the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries (including the succeeding Caliphate of Córdoba).
what did Abd-ar-Rhaman II do (son of Abd al-Rahman
expanded the administrative organization of the Emirate and delegated power to the visirs
Islamization and Arab rule deepened
explain Protests from the muladíes
(Arabic: muwallad) [Muslims of local descent or of mixed Arab, Berber, and Iberian origin who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages] and Mossarabs [Iberian Christians who lived under Moorish rule in Al-Andalus]
explain what happened in The Golden Age: the Caliphate of Cordoba (929-1035)
Abd-al-Rahman III proclaimed himself Caliph of Cordoba in 929 –
He faced a threatened invasion from North Africa by the Fatimids, a Shiite rival Islamic empire based in Cairo. Since the invading Fatimids claimed the caliphate, Abd ar-Rahman III claimed the title of caliph himself
This also allowed him to reinforce his political position, declare religious independence, and consolidate the trade routes with Byzantium
Under Abd-al-Rahman III, Córdoba, the capital of the Caliphate, becomes the biggest metropolis in Western Europe (500,000 inhabitants)
Maximum development of Arab culture in Spain
what are the main points of The Breakup of the Caliphate: The Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1090)
1009-1013: Civil war christian kingdoms taifas kingdoms economic splendour to war against the Christian kingdoms Relaxation of morals the Almoravid (Berbers) invasion
explain 1009-1013: Civil war during the breakup of the Caliphate
erupted over the throne between supporters of the last legitimate caliph Hixam II and the successors of his prime minister Almansor
explain Christian kingdoms during the breakup of the Caliphate
During the period of the Emirate and the Caliphate, the Christian kingdoms in the North were able to make substantial territorial gains, but they also broke-up into different polities (see next class)
explain taifas kingdoms during the breakup of the Caliphate
The breaking-up of the Caliphate led to the creation of the so-called Taifas Kingdoms -The Taifas were small- to medium-sized kingdoms that functioned as independent Muslim states, each with a city as its main economic and political center
Although the Taifas lived a period of economic splendor, they were beleaguered by problems caused by heavy taxes needed to continually fight wars against the Christian kingdoms to the north
The Taifa Kingdoms were frequently associated with what
They were frequently associated with a lavish and refined life-style – Extremely sophisticated courts – Hedonism - Relaxation of morals
explain the Almoravid (Berbers) invasion (The Breakup of the Caliphate: The Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1090))
Their ceased to exist after the Almoravid (Berbers) invasion of the Iberian Peninsula (1086-1090) commanded by Yusuf ibn Tashfin (Ben Yusuf)
The Almoravids were called to help by who (The Breakup of the Caliphate: The Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1090))
The Almoravids were called to help by the last sovereign king of al-Andalus, al-Mu’tamid, who saw his Abbadid-inherited taifa of Seville in jeopardy – To those who advised him not to do so, he replied:
I would rather be a camel-driver in Africa than a swineherd in Castile
explain what happened in New Impetus: The Almoravid Invasion (1090-1145)
Imperial Berber Muslim dynasty centered in Morocco that invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 1086 - Stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus
Invited by the MuslimTaifaprinces ofAl-Andalusin theIberian Peninsulato defend their territories –Crucial in preventing the fall ofAl-Andalusto the Iberian Christian kingdoms
Detested theTaifarulers for their religious indifference. Almoravid clerics issued afatwa(a non-binding legal opinion) to dethrone the Taifa rulers, whom they saw as heterodox in their faith.Harsher version of Islam
The Almoravids fell—at the height of their power— in 1147, replaced by the Almohads.
The Almoravids fell—at the height of their power— in 1147, and were replaced by who
the Almohads
explain what happened in Radical Islam: The Almohad Empire (1145-1224) (slide info)
The Almohad movement was founded among the Berber Masmuda tribes of southern Morocco.
Al-Andalussoon followed, and all of Islamic Iberia was under Almohad rule by 1172.
The first Almohad leader, Abd al-Mumin, allowed an initial 7-month grace period
Then he forced most of the urban dhimmi population in Morocco, both Jewish and Christian, to convert to Islam.
The Almohad dominance of Iberia continued until 1212
Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212): Combined army of Leon, Castile, Navarrae, and Aragon defeat Almohads – Key in the Reconquista (next class)
The Almohad movement was founded among who
the Berber Masmuda tribes of southern Morocco
who was Abd al-Mumin and did he make people convert to islam
The first Almohad leader, Abd al-Mumin, allowed an initial 7-month grace period
Then he forced most of the urban dhimmi population in Morocco, both Jewish and Christian, to convert to Islam
what happened in Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212):
Combined army of Leon, Castile, Navarrae, and Aragon defeat Almohads – Key in the Reconquista (next class)
explain The Kingdom of Granada and the Collapse of Al-Andalus (1238-1492)
In 1238, Muhàmmad I al-Ghàlib entered Granada and founded the Nasrid Dynasty, whose sultans ruled the Kingdom of Granada for fifteen generations.
The Nasrids were on good terms with the Castilians from the beginning but over time were increasingly forced to pay higher tributes in order maintain their independence.
The Nasrid Kingdom covered a large territory, which included the current provinces of Malaga, Almeria, Granada and part of Cadiz making a long stretch of coastline with important ports and prosperous agricultural lands.
The last sultan was Boabdil (Abu-Abd-Al·lah), when the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada fell in 1492 and became part of the Kingdom of Castile (the reasons for the invasion of Granada will be explored next class)
(slide info)
In 1238, Muhàmmad I al-Ghàlib entered Granada and did what
founded the Nasrid Dynasty, whose sultans ruled the Kingdom of Granada for fifteen generations.
were nasrids on good terms with the Castilians
The Nasrids were on good terms with the Castilians from the beginning but over time were increasingly forced to pay higher tributes in order maintain their independence
was the madrid kingdom large
The Nasrid Kingdom covered a large territory, which included the current provinces of Malaga, Almeria, Granada and part of Cadiz making a long stretch of coastline with important ports and prosperous agricultural lands.
The last sultan was who
Boabdil (Abu-Abd-Al·lah), when the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada fell in 1492 and became part of the Kingdom of Castile (the reasons for the invasion of Granada will be explored next class)
