Al-Andalus

The formation of Al-Andalus

In 711 the Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula.

Most of the Moors were Berbers, a tribe from North Africa.

Their leaders, however, were Arabs.

The Visigoths who ruled Spain were fighting for the throne.

This meant they were distracted, divided, and easy to beat.

The Moors beat the last Visigoth king along the Guadalete River.

The Moors conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula very quickly.

They moved so quickly because they made a pact with the Visigoths: surrender or die.

The Arabs named the peninsula AlAndalus.

Al-Andalus in 790

Their capital was Crdoba.

The Visigothic kingdom disappeared

but the Visigoths lived peacefully under the Arabs.

Al-Andalus lasted more than 700 years, from 7111492.

Thats longer than the Christians have ruled Spain!

Periods of Al-Andalus
Different groups ruled Al-Andalus at different times: 711-756: Damascus Emirate 756-929: independent Baghdad Emirate 929-1031: Crdoba Caliphate 1031-1212: Taifas & North African kingdoms 1233-1492: Nasrid kingdom of Granada

The Damascus Emirate 711-756

Its called this because the capital was Damascus, Syria.

The Moors crossed the Pyrenees then lost the Battle of Poitiers to Charles Martel & the Franks in 732.

This meant that the Moors couldnt expand further north into Europe.

The independent Baghdad Emirate 756-929

In 750 the caliph of Damascus was killed and the capital was moved to Baghdad.

Only one member of the caliphs family escaped:

Abd al-Rahman I

Abd alRahman I escaped to Al-Andalus & declared himself emir.

He was politically independent from Baghdad but recognized the caliphs religious authority.

The Mezquita was started under Abd alRahman I, during a period of economic prosperity.

The Crdoba Caliphate 929-1031

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In 929 Abd al-Rahman III declared himself caliph, leader of the Islamic world.

This was a clean break with Baghdad and made AlAndalus an independent caliphate.

Where was the capital of the Crdoba Caliphate?

Taifas & North African kingdoms 1031-1212

At the start of the 11th century the caliphate was in crisis.

Al-Andalus fell apart into small kingdoms called taifas, each governed by local princes.

Christian kings from the North took advantage of the instability to take territory from the Arabs.

So in 1086 the Arabs had to ask for help from the Almoravids, a Berber tribe from North Africa

The Almoravids united Al-Andalus against the Christians and ruled until 1145.

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In 1145 the Almohads, a rival Berber tribe, rebelled against them.

The Almohads ruled Al-Andalus from 1145-1212.

In 1212 the Almohads were destroyed by the Christian princes of Castile, Aragon, Navarre, & Portugal at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.

The Nasrid kingdom of Granada 1232-1492

The Nasrids rose to power after the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, but the kingdom was officially founded in 1232.

Granada was all that was left of Al-Andalus.

The Nasrid kings had to pay huge tributes to the Christian kings in order to stay in power.

The Nasrids built a palace to represent heaven on earth and called it the Alhambra.

In 1492 the last Nasrid king Boabdil gave Granada to the Catholic Monarchs after a long siege.

And that was the end of Al-Andalus!

But theres a whole nother presentation!