SPAIN IN THE MIDDLE

AGES

Timeline
ANCIENT HISTORY

MIDDLE AGES

AL-

507

ANDALUS
ROMANS
KINGDOM

1492

VISIGOTHS

476 507

CHRISTIAN

711
1492

What were the Middle Ages?

The Middle Ages began in 476 A.D. when the
Roman Empire ended. At the beginning, there
were many wars in Western Europe. Christianity
became important in all aspects of life.
During the Middle Ages, Spain didnt exist! There
were Christian kingdoms in the north. In the
south, there was a Muslim state called al-Andalus.

Who were the Visigoths?

The Visigoths were an important Germanic tribe. They came to Roman

Hispania in the 5th century A.D. In 507 A.D. the Visigoths established a
new kingdom with its capital city in Toledo. It was called the Kingdom of
Toledo.

THE LIFE IN VISIGOTHIC KINGDOM

The Visigoths

Government

king

Council of
Toledo

Culture

Latin

Religion

Catholicism

The economy

farmers

THE LIFE IN VISIGOTHIC

KINGDOM
The king made the laws and he had meetings
with nobles and bishops ( Council of Toledo)
They learned to speak Latin. St Isidoro of
Sevilla wrote the encyclopedia.
In 589, King Recaredo converted to
Catholicism
They were farmers so they moved to the
countryside
ART: The treasure of Guarrazal and the
Church of San Juan de Baos

Who were the Muslims?

In 711 A.C. Muslims came from North Africa to
the Iberian Peninsula. In the battle of Guadalete
they conquered the Visigothic Kingdom.
Islam is a religion that began on the Arabian
Peninsula in the 7th century A.D. The followers of
Islam are called Muslims. They follow the teaching of
the prophet Mohammed. His God is Allah and their
sacred book is the Koran.
In the Middle Ages, there was a great Islamic
civilisation with its own laws, customs and art.
Muslim empires were called caliphates and they
were ruled by caliphs.

How was al-Andalus governed?

ALHAMBRA

THE GREAT MOSQUE

From 711 to 929 A.D. al-Andalus was an emirate. In 929 A.D. Abderraman III
declared that Al- Andalus was an independent caliphate called the Crdoba
Caliphate. Later on it was divided into small taifa kingdoms.

WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE IN AL-ANDALUS?

Life in al-Andalus was peaceful, but there were many
battles at the borders with the Christian kingdoms in
the north.
There were many merchants who traded products such
as gold, silk, leather and pottery in the souk. Farmers
were experts in irrigated farming.
They pray in the mosque and they spoke Arabic
language.
Cities were ruled by a governor. He lived in the alcazaba.
Some people in al-Andalus were Christian or Jewish. The
Muslims didnt consider non-Muslims to be equals, but
they gave them some basic rights

What was life like in the Christian kingdoms?

In the Christian kingdoms of the north, most people lived in the

countryside, in small towns and villages. In 722, the Battle of Covadonga
took place between Christians and Muslims. A Visigoth noble, Don Pelayo,
was the leader and he defeated the Muslims in the battle. Then, he
established the Kingdom of Asturias and later the kingdom of Len,
Castilla, Navarra and Aragn.

Life
Society was divided into three groups: the clergy,
nobles and peasants
The King ruled the country but each area was
ruled by a lord.
They spoke Latin and Galician, Spanish,
Portuguese and Catalan began to develop
The Christians built many religious buildings such
as churches and monasteries. ( Burgos Cathedral
or San Martn de Fromista Church)

What was the Reconquista?

Between the 8th and the 15th centuries, the Christian kingdoms
expanded to the south. They conquered lands from al-Andalus. This
process is called the Reconquista. The Reconquista ended in 1492
when the Christians conquered Granada.