Muslim Rule and Christian Kingdoms in Medieval Iberia
Al-Andalus: Muslim Rule in the Iberian Peninsula
Al-Andalus refers to the part of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim power, regardless of its size.
Chronology of Al-Andalus
- Dependent Emirate (711-756): A civil war took place in the Visigoth Kingdom.
- Independent Emirate (756-929): The Emirate became independent in 756.
- Caliphate of Córdoba (929-1031): The Caliphate was instituted in 929.
- Taifa Kingdoms (1031-1086): Al-Andalus was divided into numerous kingdoms.
- Almoravid Period (1086-1147): Toledo was conquered.
- Second Taifas
- Almohad Period (1150-1212): Christian Kingdoms fought against the Muslims in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.
- Taifas (1212-1230)
- Granada (1492): The last Muslim period.
Parias were the payments that Taifa Kingdoms made to Christian Kingdoms to avoid being conquered.
Christian Kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula
The Kingdom of Asturias
Founded in 718, with Pelayo as its first king. In 722, the Muslims were defeated in the Battle of Covadonga. The kingdom stretched from the Pyrenees to Galicia. At the beginning of the 10th century, the capital was moved from Oviedo to León, and the Kingdom of Asturias became the Kingdom of León.
The Kingdom of Navarre
Initially part of the Carolingian Empire. Íñigo Arista became king of Navarre around 810 or 820. During the reign of Sancho III the Great, the counties of Castile and Aragon were united with Navarre.
The Catalan Counties
Initially part of the Carolingian Empire. When the Carolingian Empire disappeared, the counties became independent. In 878, Wilfred the Hairy unified the counties under his rule.
Castile
Became independent under Count Fernán González in 932. In 1028, it fell under the power of Sancho III of Navarre. In 1035, the county was inherited by Sancho’s son, Fernando, who named himself king, thus transforming the county into a kingdom.
The County of Aragon
Initially part of the Carolingian Empire. In the 10th century, it fell under Navarre’s power. In 1035, it was inherited by Ramiro, son of Sancho III.
The Kingdom of Portugal
Alfonso VI gave the county of Portugal to his daughter, Teresa, and her husband, Henry of Burgundy. Their son, Alfonso I Henriques, became king of Portugal in 1139.
The Crown of Castile
In 1230, Ferdinand III united the kingdoms of Castile and León, forming the Crown of Castile.
The Crown of Aragon
In 1137, Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona, married Petronilla of Aragon, uniting the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona into the Crown of Aragon.
Evolution of the Crown of Castile
Castile gradually became the most powerful kingdom. In 1085, Alfonso VI conquered Toledo, and the Tagus valley fell into Castilian hands. After the Muslim defeat at Las Navas de Tolosa (1212), the Christian kings conquered almost all of Andalusia. However, in the 12th century, Portugal became independent. In 1230, Ferdinand III united Castile and León, founding the Crown of Castile.
Government
The Crown of Castile was a unified state, with the same institutions and laws throughout its territory. The Castilian king held great power, with the ability to make laws, declare war, and pass judgment. The Castilian Cortes could not legislate; their function was to approve or reject new taxes.
Economy and Society
The economy was based on agriculture and stockbreeding. Merino sheep were very important, and their high-quality wool was exported or used in the textile industry. Sheep breeders held assemblies, called mestas, to discuss their problems. In 1273, the Honourable Council of the Mesta was created, granting privileges such as the right for sheep and cattle to graze on peasants’ land. The Mesta became very powerful. The sale of wool contributed to the development of craftsmanship and trade. Trade fairs, like those held in Medina del Campo, were very important.
Architecture
Castile boasts interesting examples of the Romanesque style, such as the churches of San Martín de Frómista in Palencia and part of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. There are also outstanding examples of the Gothic style, such as the cathedrals of León, Burgos, and Toledo, all built in the 13th century.
Evolution of the Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon was created in the 12th century following the marriage of Petronilla of Aragon and the Count of Barcelona, Ramón Berenguer IV, in 1137. The first king of Aragon was their son, Alfonso II. He conquered Zaragoza in 1118 and other lands in the Ebro valley. In the 13th century, the Crown of Aragon expanded around the Mediterranean. James I the Conqueror took Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, and the Balearic Islands. Peter III the Great and his successors conquered Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples.
Government
The Crown of Aragon comprised the Catalan counties and the kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia, and Mallorca. Each territory kept its own institutions and customs. The king of Aragon could not establish new taxes or laws without the approval of the Cortes of each kingdom. The Generalitat in Catalonia and Valencia, and the Justicia in Aragon (an institution that defended the rights of individuals), ensured that the fueros and decisions of the Cortes were respected.
Economy
Most of the population lived from agriculture, although the Crown of Aragon traded with many countries and had consulates in European, Asian, and African cities.
Culture
Examples of the Romanesque style, such as the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña in Huesca, can still be seen in the Pyrenees. Gothic buildings include the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca and the markets in Valencia and Palma.