Early Islam and Moorish Spain
From 644 Islamic armies swept over Central Asia toward India and China. Before the end of their period of rule, their empire was larger than the Roman Empire. Millions were converted to Islamic faith.
Muhammad's death (632) left no direct blood relatives to inherit.
Abu Bakr - although not a blood relative to Muhammad - was given power to manage the worldly affairs of the Islamic Empire. His title (in abbreviated English) became caliph. Abu Bakr died, passing the office of caliph to Omar ibn al-Khattab.
Under Omar, Islam experienced its first wave of territorial expansion. Omar was assassinated in 644.
Othman ibn Affan was the next caliph. During his rule, the Koran was written and completed. He too was assassinated. His death caused splits in the Islamic community that last to this day.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, finally became caliph, he was Muhammad's cousin (and adopted son, as son-in-law). Ali too was assassinated.
Othamn's nephew, (head of the Umayyad Koresh tribes), seized control and established the first Umayyad caliphate, (the first Islamic dynasty: 661-750). At this period, most of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain and Portugal was conquered along with what was left of North Africa.
After Ali's death the Umayyads turned the caliphate into a hereditary office, ruling from Damascus for almost a century until 750.
The Abbasid’s overthrew the Umayyads. Purposely, severing all past Umayad connections, they switched the caliphate capital, to Baghdad.
From (750 – 1258), 37 Abbasid caliphs ruled the Islamic Empire, uninterrupted.
In 750, the sole surviving young prince (abd al-Rahman) who escaped from the Abbasids persecution. The young prince finally arrived at the furthest frontier of the new regime and crossed the African straights, with the intention to settle in the new territories of al-Andalus.
He overthrew the Governer, entered and took possession of Cordoba and declared it, the new House of the Umayyads. It became known as the Umayyad Cahliphate revived and he ruled as the Emir of Córdoba. His descendants reigned as Emirs of Cordoba, however, their territorial dominion was mainly limited to Cordoba but their desire to expand those boundaries, was endless.
Moorish Spain (711-1492 AD)
The Different Periods of Moorish Rule.
The Dependent Emirate (711-756)
The Independent Emirate (756-929)
The Caliphate (929-1031)
The Almoravid Era (1031-1130)
Decline (1130-1492)
Simultaneously, (because of continuous extension of the Islamic Empire) Europe had become isolated and was submerged in the Middle Ages. Medieval European perspective was steeped with illogical reasoning and irrational beliefs. Barbarity and illiteracy were commonplace. Squalor was ubiquitous.
Caliph Abd-al-Rahman 1 of Moorish Spain
The sole Umayyad heir was well accepted by the Iberian Muslims as he was half-Syrian and half-Berber (a direct bloodline from his mother). The Spanish called the Moors = Moors because they were largely Berbers and were black. The Berbers were a major part of the invasion-force.
The ruling Arabs sustained a sense of racial superiority and purity of faith over the Berbers. Many Berbers were either of a pagan background or had been converted to Byzantine-Christianity.
Caliph Abd-al-Rahman 1 began recreating the Umayyad legacy in Moorish Spain by commencing the building of the great Mosque of Cordoba in 785. It was erected on the site of where the temple of Janus and the Christian Visigoth church of St. Vincent originally stood.
There were 7 million Christians and Jews that inhabited Spain when the 711 – 716 conquest ocurred. Gradually the religious statistics changed but Muslims were never the majority in Moorish Spain.
Moorish Spain Society had Definite Ranking Status:
- Arabs were supreme
- Berbers were the armed forces
- Converts: the Muladies (Christians who had converted to Islam)
- Jews (Sephardi Jews were native born converts)
- Christians
Cordoba became the prime metropolitan-based economy and it excelled in business. Cordobes Gold was the currency, reflecting a unique glory compared to Europe. Cordoba was Europe’s principal source of urban concentration.
Original Hispanic Heritage
The Romans, Greeks, Assyrians and Carthaginians had introduced:
- Agriculture
- Irrigation
- Mathematics
- Time keeping
- The calendar
- Mining
- Architecture
- Road building
- Mosaic art
- Pottery
- Jewellery
- Law and Civic responsibility
The Blossoming of Knowledge heralded the Golden Ages of Moorish Spain.
- The Moorish Golden Ages existed 1050 – 1390 in the North and from the 8th Century to the mid-eleventh in the South.
- Cordoba excelled 930 – 1000 under the reign of Caliph Abd al Rahman 111
- Moorish lifestyle had absorbed many valuable schools of learning during the Islamic Empire’s expansion.
A Major Element to Muslim Successes:
The Art of Paper making, acquired, from China
- An inherent love of language and elegant Arabic poetry became a focal point to the educated al-Andaluz
- Calligraphy was highly regarded
- Education was Universal. Literacy existed in every Social Class – meanwhile (in comparison), 99% of Christian Europe was illiterate
- Vast Libraries
- Widespread amount of Schools
- Universities: Cordoba, Sevilla, Valencia, Málaga, Granada
Cordoba was the Connecting Point between the Ancient Worlds and the Dawn of Modern Times.
- The Arabs Translated and studied the Ancient Masterpiece Works of: Aristotle, Archimedes, Apollonius, Euclid, Hipoocrates and Galen.
- The philosophy of these works became the stimulating-point for the revival of European Civilizations.
- There were thousands of bookstores in Moorish Spain.
"Curious" Moorish-Spain Details:
Gibraltar was named after General Tarik who crossed the straits in 711A.D. to invade Spain.
Christies of London was selling five 10th century wooden beams from the Great Mosque of Cordoba in 2006. Their pricing was estimated at 1.75 million US$. The sale was impeded by the Spanish authorities and Cordoba Cathedral’s lawyer.
Legend was: the Umayyads kept a shallow bowl of mercury in their palace. They used this to impress or intimidate their visitor or subjects. By swirling the mercury, this would create a flashing effect in the room. Thus: the caliph had the power to create lightening and strike one dead!
A Rich Tapestry of Islamic and Caliphal Architecture Evolved:
The Moors reintroduced:
- Art
- Astronomy
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Science
Lifestyle Higlights:
- There were illuminated-paved streets with pedestrian sidewalks – several hundred years before London or Paris could boast of such amenities
- Sophisticated Interior decoration
- Crystal manufacturing was invented
- Lusterware: losa dorada, became a Moorish speciality, expensive gold-glazed ceramics
Agriculture:
- The Muslims had learned the technique of raising river-water to irrigate fields
- They brought algodon/ Cotton
- al-Andalus became a major manufacturer of medieval Silk
- The use of the Noria/water-wheel was introduced from the East
- Crop rotation use of manure
- Sensational Gardens
- Harvest preservation methods
- Soil was tilled and farmed - everywhere, this created prevalent degree of wealth for even the most humble
- Tanneries
Excellence in intricate Gold Handicraft
Spain possessed a huge mineral wealth: copper, gold, tin, silver, lead, iron, mercury and alum were extensively mined.
Toledo sword blades were considered the best in Europe
Murcian Brass and Iron factories produced first-class work
Gunpowder was introduced to Europe through the Arabs
Tracing the Doctrines of the Revered Moorish Scholars:
- Averroes
- Avempace
- Avicenna
- Abulcasis
Huge advances in Medicine: new surgical techniques, new medical instruments, improvement in paediatrics, obstetrics, ophthalmology, anatomy
- Hospitals with running water
- The use of Latrines
- City Sewerage systems
- A Widespread Construction and Use of Public BathsThe Distillation and popular use of Floral Essences
Chemistry:
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