Al-Andalus

HIST 100711/8/13

Muhammad b. `Abdallah b. Tumart (ca. 1080-1130)

• Berber religious scholar who studied in Baghdad and Damascus• Mixture of strict Sunni law with Sufi charisma• 1117: Returns to Morocco as a fiery, puritan preacher• Heir to the Prophet• Return to the time of the Prophet• Mahdi, imam, and ma`sun (sinless)• Berber military strength with religious charisma

Ibn Tumart Mosque

Almohad Caliphate (r. 1121-1269)

• Ibn Tumart reorganizes southern Morocco– 10 disciples– 50 tribal delegates– Religious hierarchy over tribal society

• Caliph of Ibn Tumart• 1140’s: Conquest of Morocco• 1149-1172: Conquest of Spain

Marrakech, Rabat, and Seville

Almohads and Islam

• Strict form of Islam difficult to maintain• Mizwar – keeper of morals• Muezzins – caller to prayer• Shaykhs – religious scholar hired to train

members of royal family• Madrassas• Can’t break growing interest in Maraboutism

and older tradition of Maliki Sunnism

What happens next?

• Establish general form of Moroccan state• Series of dynasties which struggle over

defined state• Bilad al-makhzan vs. bilad al-siba• Influx of refugees from Spain influence North

African identity• Increases Arab identity over Berber identity

Spain before Islam• 415 – Visigoths begin conquest of Spain• Maintained certain Roman institutions• Arian nobility vs. Catholic people• 6th century – nobility converts to Catholicism• Roman villa system and slave armies• Urban decline

Muslim Conquest of Spain• Tariq b. Ziyad (d. 720)• 711: Raid(?) across the Straight of Gibraltar• Largely a Berber force• Did Spanish think it was a trading mission?• Battle of Guadalete: Visigothic King Roderic defeated• Most of Visigothic nobility killed• Opens Spain to Muslims

The Battle of Poitiers

• By 720, Muslim armies heading north of Pyrenees Mountains• 732: Battle of Poitiers (Tours)• Tours: about 150 miles southwest of Paris• Charles Martel (688-741): general of Merovingian France, grandfather of Charlemagne• Muslims sent south of Pyrenees

Organization of al-Andalus

• Land parceled out to Arab and Berber tribes• Farm land vs. mountainous land• Syrian Arabs sent to put down revolts, given land

too• Appropriation of Spanish manors• Irrigation and new crops bring economic prosperity• Sahib al-saqiya: irrigation manager• Mediterranean trade

The Umayyads of Spain (r. 756-1031)

• `Abd al-Rahman I (r. 756-788): grandson of Umayyad Caliph Hisham

• Syrian troops in Spain help establish Umayyad family in Cordoba

• Bring imperial traditions from the east• Mercenary soldiers from Europe

The Umayyads of Spain

• `Abd al-Rahman II (r. 822-852): centralized administration and state monopolies over markets

• `Abd al-Rahman III (r. 912-961): declares himself caliph– Saqaliba: slave soldiers from Spain, Germany, and Eastern Europe– Centralized taxation– Consumption of `Abbasid and Fatimid court culture

Hispano-Arabic Culture

• Arabs, Berbers, converts, Jews, and Christians• Arabic language and Islam• Romance language and Christianity• Intermarriage• Blurring of lines• Mozarab – Arabized Christians• La Convivencia – the Coexistence

Jews of al-Andalus

• Jewish notables• Assisted in Arab conquests• Served in administration• Intermediary between Muslim and Christian rulers• Spokesmen for European Jews

Martyrs of Cordoba• Christians resisting Arabization of Spanish Christians• Translation of Christian religious texts into Arabic• Eulogius of Cordoba (d. 859)• 48 monks, nuns, priests, and devout Christians purposefully sought martyrdom• Defaming Muhammad• Apostasizing from Islam• Attacked by Arabicized Christians• Umayyads dismiss Christians from service

17th century Spanish depiction of execution of Eulogius

Taifa or Party Kings

• 11th century – Umayyad Caliphate breaks down• Provincial independence• Continues flourishing of culture• Multiple courts with multiple patrons

Reconquista• Band of Christian kingdoms survived in northern Spain• Ideological movement develops to reconquer and recolonize Spain• 1085: King Alfonso VI conquers Toledo• Opens world of Muslim knowledge and culture to the West• Translation of Arabic texts into Latin

Alcazar of Toledo (not Ohio)

Reconquista

• Not entirely ideological• Christian and Muslim mercenaries fight on both sides• Arabicized Christians and the Taifa courts• Insertion of crusading ideology, importation of crusaders, and establishment of Catholic institutions push ideological nature

Spain and North Africa

• 1082 – Spanish Muslims request support of Almoravids• 1149 – Almohads invade Spain• Both bring more extreme Muslim ideology• Breaking down of La Convivencia• 1212 – Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa: combined army of Leon, Castile, Navarre, and Aragon defeat Almohads

The Emirate of Granada

• Mid-13th century – 1492: Granada is the last Muslim territory in Spain

• Important port, brings in money and supplies• Large population of Muslims fleeing Christian

rule• Disunity within Christian kingdoms slows down conquest

The Alhambra in Granada