The Caliphate of Cordoba and the Visigoths in Al-Andalus
Caliphate of Cordoba
. Building disputes of the Visigoths, the Muslims in 711 landed in Gibraltar and defeat at the Battle of Guadalete the army of Don Rodrigo. In two years conquered the entire peninsula except for some parts of the Gaza coast and the Pyrenees. Usually signed contract which allowed the won to keep their land in exchange for the payment of taxes. The rapidity of the conquest was partly due to Muslim tolerance towards Christians and Jews and the disinterest of the majority of people in defense of a monarchy which was not identified. After the Muslim conquest, the peninsula became a province or the Caliphate of Damascus emirate, ruled by an emir who acted on behalf of the caliph. In 756, Abd-al-Rahman I, a surviving member of the Umayyad family, the family expelled by Abbasid Caliphate, came to the peninsula by seizing the power and proclaimed emir independent political leader but not religious. It was a phase of consolidation of Muslim power spurred economic development and urban. In 929 Abd-al Rahman III proclaimed himself caliph, political and spiritual leader, the period of the caliphate represented the cultural heyday era of Al-Andalus. Mansur in 976, the Minister of Hisham II, took power and turned the caliphate into a military dictatorship supported by the victory of his army against the Christians nuclei norte.A Mansur’s death struggles between rival factions ended up producing final phase of the caliphate, which would end in 1031 when a rebellion overthrew the last caliph, Hisham III and Al-Andalus broke into numerous Taifa kingdoms. ARTE.AL-A. The Muslim art was one of the highlights of the cultural development of Al-Andalus, becoming a synthesis of artistic elements Byzantine, Persian, Roman-Christian … highlights the architecture, the mosque and the palace are two examples that represent . They are small buildings that stand in decoration. It is marked by three periods: 1.The Cordoba: Caliphate of Córdoba was the peak of artistic splendor, highlighting the Cordoba mosque, surrounded by a wall, consists of a patio and a beautiful amines. Has 19 ships, forming a forest of columns, which are double arches. Appears typical poly-lobed arch and vault Caliphate. As palace complex stands of Medina al-Zahra. 2.Periodo Taifa Almoravids and Almohads. Examples such as the Giralda and the golden tower of Seville. 3.Periodo Nazari, features a very ornate palatial architecture, you can highlight the courtyard of the lions, where the architecture, water and garden form a unique artistic. The eight centuries of Muslim presence meant a complete evolution and influence indelible on Spanish art later.
Visigoths. At the end of the fourth century came the Swabians, Vandals and Alans. To fight the invaders the Visigoths established a fodeus. Alans and Vandals and the Visigoths fell by the Empire were settled in Aquitaine. After his defeat by the Franks, the Visigoths moved south, thus was born the Visigoth kingdom of Toledo. Visigothic presence endangered the reconstruction of the Roman Empire by the Byzantine emperor. Was Leovigildo who consolidated control Visigoths in Spain and it allowed its political and religious authority in the kingdom. This aimed to overcome the duality between Hispanic and Visigoths. Racaredo managed to restore peace and religious unity, after converting to Catholicism and Judaism chasing Arianism. Still, the instability did not disappear.Bred fighting for the throne between Don Rodrigo and Agila II, for this confrontation the Muslims into the Peninsula. The organization of the Visigoth kingdom, was performed according to the social, economic and political empire: The colonato as a system of dependency. Territorial organization, divided into six provinces. In front of them was the Doge (Duke). The legislative authority of the Liber ludiciorum, unified Roman law with the Visigothic traditions. Noble relations organized through the parcel. The system was completed with elements of the Visigoths: The councils of Toledo and the elective monarchy. AL-A.SyE. The economic base of Al-Andalus was agriculture, were improved irrigation techniques and introduced crops such as cotton, rice and saffron. Continued predominance of large estates, but the owners lived in large cities that became centers of consumption, stimulating craft and trade. Was boosted foreign trade, especially exports of oil. And it led to the circulation. Socially different groups were distinguished by ethnic origin, religion, wealth and power. Among the Muslims were an aristocracy of Arab origin and one of Syrian origin, among which there were many tensions. The Berbers established in poorer lands staged rebellions like the 741. The muladíes, Hispanic converts to Islam, which provided them with social inclusion and special tributes were exempted. Non-Muslim minorities were able to maintain their laws and authorities on payment of taxes. Among them were the Jews who enjoyed tolerance policy and assisted in the start of the Muslim conquest and Mozarabic Christians who were declining in number by the conversion and migration to the Christian kingdoms. Although not a key player in the economy, the basis of social structure were the slaves: the Slavs, prisoners of war from Europe and black Sudanese origin.