History of Moorish Spain: Part 1
The word Moors derives from the Latin mauri, a
name for the Berber tribes living in Roman Mauretania (modern day Algeria
and Morocco). It has no ethnographic meaning but can be used to refer to
all Muslims, Berber or Arab, who conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
These Moors, who were religious fanatics, arrived in Spain in the
year 711
and thus began a period of history which would shape Iberia differently than the
rest of Europe as the land adapted to a new religion, language and
culture. Hispania became a part of the caliph of Damascus which was the
capital of the Muslim world.
This Moorish land was known as Al-Andalus and
included all of the Iberian Peninsula except for the extreme north-west from
where the Christian Reconquest would originate.
Internal divisions within Moorish rule largely
explain why the Moors didn't conquer the whole peninsula in those early
days. Had they done so Spain may well have remained a Muslim state until
today. Instead an Asturian mountaineer called Pelayo led a band of
Christians to the first victory over the Moors at Covadonga in 718. The reconquest had begun.
Strangely Moorish Spain wasn't really ruled by
Arabs. It is true that many high positions were taken by Arabs but most of
the Moors were Berbers. Later Muwallads (converted Christians) together
with the offspring of the first invaders became dominant in Moorish Spain.
The invaders brought no women so the second generation of Moors were already
half Hispanic!
The first 40 years of Moorish rule was volatile
and Al-Andaluz needed order and unity which came in the form of Abd-er-Rahman
who arrived in Almuñecar on the coast of Granada in 755. Within a year he
became Emir of Al-Andalus and during his 32 year reign he would transform this
land into an independent state which was the cultural light of Europe.
In Cordoba Abd-er-Rahman I founded the Mezquita
in 785 when he purchased the Christian section of the San Vicente Church, a place
the two faiths had shared for 50 years. The Mosque was expanded to its
final glory over the next two centuries. This became the second most
important place of worship in the Muslim world after Mecca.
The Moors expanded and improved Roman irrigation
systems to help develop a strong agricultural sector. They introduced many
new crops including the orange, lemon, peach, apricot, fig and pomegranate as
well as saffron, sugar cane, cotton, silk and rice which remain some of Spain's
main products today.
The frontier in the north between the Moors and
the Christians was constantly on a war footing and in St James (Santiago de
Compostela), the Christians found their own inspiration to match the
Koran-inspired fanaticism of the Moors. Santiago became known as "Matamoros"
(the Moor slayer) and to this day is Spain's patron saint.
However, there was still a long way to go before
the Reconquest would succeed. In the mid-10th century Al-Mansur appeared
on the scene. He led many expeditions into Christian territory over a
period of 20 years and in 997 his army captured Santiago de Compostela.
They destroyed the shrine and prisoners took the basilica doors and bells to Cordoba where
they would be placed in the Mezquita.
Centuries of painstaking Christian advance had
been destroyed by Al-Mansur's daring raid.
History of Moorish Spain:
Part 2
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