Al-Andalus & Christian Kingdoms: Iberian History
Mozarabs: Iberian Christians Under Islamic Rule
Mozarabs were Iberian Christians who lived under the Arabic Islamic rule in Al-Andalus. They did not convert to Islam but adopted Arabic customs. Some migrated towards Christian kingdoms.
Raids: Attacks Behind Enemy Lines
A raid is a sudden attack behind the enemy’s lines with the specific purpose of destroying goods, obtaining property, and capturing slaves, but not taking and holding terrain.
Parias: Tribute Paid by Taifas
Parias were a form of tribute paid by the Taifas of Al-Andalus to the Christian kingdoms of the north. It was a kind of vassalage that increased the circulation of coin, at a time when precious metals, such as the gold dinar and the silver dirham, were in use.
Conquest of Al-Andalus
In 711, a Muslim army of Arabs crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, and Tariq defeated King Rodrigo in the Battle of Guadalete.
Dependent Emirate of Cordoba
Muslims created an emirate and made Cordoba its capital.
Independent Emirate of Cordoba
Abd al-Rahman I, a prince from Damascus, established the independent Emirate of Cordoba. His enemies were the Abbasids.
Caliphate of Cordoba
Abd al-Rahman III declared Al-Andalus a caliphate.
Taifa Kingdoms
Many small Muslim kingdoms, known as Taifas, were formed after the end of the Caliphate.
Almoravids
In the 11th century, the Almoravids, a people from North Africa, stopped the Christian expansion and took the lands of Al-Andalus for their own empire.
Almohads
In the 12th century, the Almohads, a people from North Africa, conquered the Almoravid Empire and founded a new one with its capital in Seville. They were defeated by Christians in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212).
Kingdom of Asturias
Pelayo was the first king, with the capital in Oviedo. He defeated the Muslims in the Battle of Covadonga.
Kingdom of Leon
The court moved from Oviedo to Leon. Some territories became independent, such as the County of Castile and Portugal, while Galicia remained united with Leon. The kingdoms of Leon and Castile united in the 13th century. Fernan Gonzalez unified territories. The Castilian County was incorporated into the Kingdom of Navarre. When the Navarrese King Sancho III died, the County of Castile passed to his son Fernando I. Castile became independent with its capital in Burgos.
Kingdom of Navarre
The kingdom was based in Pamplona. Sancho III the Great was a notable king.
Kingdom of Aragon
Alfonso I the Battler was king of both Aragon and Navarre.
Unification of Castile and Leon
Alfonso VI unified Castile and Leon and conquered Toledo.
El Cid
El Cid is a historical figure and a symbol of the warrior virtues of the Kingdom of Castile.
The Fueros or Cartas Pueblas
The kings granted privileges, known as fueros or cartas pueblas, to those who settled in the conquered lands in exchange for being protected under royal jurisdiction without being subjected to any other lord.
The Way of St. James
Two European routes crossed over the Pyrenees in Roncesvalles and Somport and were known as the French Way, although others existed.
Consequences
The kingdoms on the peninsula broke their isolation, and the Romanesque style spread.
Romanesque Art
Architecture
Notable examples include the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the monasteries of San Pedro de Arlanza and Santo Domingo de Silos in Burgos, the Church of San Martin de Fromista in Palencia, the Cathedral of Zamora, and the Old Cathedral of Salamanca. These were related to the resettlement of Christians in the first phase of the Reconquista.
Sculpture
Notable examples include the Platerias façade in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the capitals in the monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos.
Painting
- French influence: Frescoes of San Isidoro de Leon.
- Italian influence: Christ Pantocrator in the Church of San Clemente and Our Lady in Majesty in the Church of Santa Maria, both in Tahull, Lleida.