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The Caliphate of Córdoba (Arabic: ????? ?????) ruled the Iberian peninsula
Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France....
 (Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to the parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Arab Muslims, at various times in the period between 711 and 1492....
) and North Africa
North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the United Nations subregion of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories:...
 from the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain

viktor chucchuc he sucsuck my dick||-||-|File:Cordoba Water Wheel.jpg|}Cordova is a city in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the C?rdoba ....
, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
ic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous Great Mosque of Córdoba
Mezquita

The Mezquita of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of C?rdoba, Spain. Originally built as a church, after the Muslim conquest the building was confiscated for use as a mosque and greatly expanded until it became the second-largest mosque in the world....
. In January of 929, Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III

Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
 proclaimed himself Caliph
Caliph

The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah....
 (Arabic: ?????) of Córdoba in place of his original title Emir of Córdoba (Arabic: ???? ?????).






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The Caliphate of Córdoba (Arabic: ????? ?????) ruled the Iberian peninsula
Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France....
 (Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to the parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Arab Muslims, at various times in the period between 711 and 1492....
) and North Africa
North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the United Nations subregion of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories:...
 from the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain

viktor chucchuc he sucsuck my dick||-||-|File:Cordoba Water Wheel.jpg|}Cordova is a city in Andalusia, southern Spain, and the capital of the C?rdoba ....
, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
ic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous Great Mosque of Córdoba
Mezquita

The Mezquita of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of C?rdoba, Spain. Originally built as a church, after the Muslim conquest the building was confiscated for use as a mosque and greatly expanded until it became the second-largest mosque in the world....
. In January of 929, Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III

Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
 proclaimed himself Caliph
Caliph

The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah....
 (Arabic: ?????) of Córdoba in place of his original title Emir of Córdoba (Arabic: ???? ?????). Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III

Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
 was a member of the Umayyad dynasty; the same dynasty who held the titles of Emir
Emir

Emir , is a high Nobility or office, used throughout the Arab World and historically in some Turkic peoples states and Afghanistan. Emirs are usually considered high-ranking sheikhs, but in monarchical states the term is also used for princes, with "Emirate" being analogous to principality in this sense....
 of Córdoba since 756. The rule of the Caliphate is known as the heyday of Muslim presence in the Iberian peninsula
Iberian Peninsula

The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France....
. The Caliphate was practically disintegrated due to civil war (fitna) between descendants of the last legitimate Caliph Hisham II
Hisham II

Hisham II was the third Caliph of Cordoba, of the Umayyad dynasty. He ruled 976-1009, and 1010-1013 in the Al-Andalus .Hisham II succeeded his father Al-Hakam II as Caliph of Cordoba in 976 at the age of 10, with his mother Subh and the first minister Jafar al-Mushafi acting as regents....
 and the successors of his prime minister (hayib) Al-Mansur
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir

Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries....
. The shell of the Caliphate existed until 1031 when, after years of infighting, it fractured into a number of independent Taifa
Taifa

In the history of Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, an emirate or petty kingdom, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba in 1031....
 kingdoms.

The Umayyad Dynasty


The Rise

Abd-ar-Rahman I became Emir of Córdoba in 756; fleeing for six years after the Umayyads had lost the position of Caliph held in Damascus
Damascus

Damascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It is List of oldest continuously inhabited cities and its current population is estimated at about 4,000,000....
 in 750. Intent on regaining a position of power, he defeated the existing Islamic rulers of the area who defied Umayyad rule and united various local fiefdom
Fiefdom

Under the system of feudalism, a fiefdom, fief, feud, feoff, or fee, often consisted of inheritance lands or revenue-producing property granted by a Allegiance lord, generally to a vassal, in return for a form of allegiance, originally to give him the means to fulfill his military duties when called upon....
s into an emirate
Emirate

An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Arab Monarch styled emir....
.

Lamezquitacordoba
Rulers of the Emirate were content to use the title emir
Emir

Emir , is a high Nobility or office, used throughout the Arab World and historically in some Turkic peoples states and Afghanistan. Emirs are usually considered high-ranking sheikhs, but in monarchical states the term is also used for princes, with "Emirate" being analogous to principality in this sense....
 or sultan
Sultan

Sultan is an Islamic honorifics, with several historical meanings. Originally it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", or "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ???? sulah, meaning "authority" or "power"....
 until the 10th century, when Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III

Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
 was faced with the threat of invasion by the Fatimid
Fatimid

The Fatimid Caliphate or al-Fatimiyyun was an Arab Shi'a dynasty that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Egypt, Sicily, Malta and the Levant from 5 January 909 to 1171....
s, a rival Islamic empire based in Cairo
Cairo

Cairo , which means "the triumphant", is the Cairo and largest city of Egypt.It is the most populous metropolitan area in Egypt and is also one of the most populous in the world....
. Partially to help in his fight against the invading Fatimids, who claimed the Caliphate in opposition to the generally recognized Abbasid
Abbasid

The Abbasid Caliphate was the third of the Islamic Caliphates of the Islamic Empire. The Caliphate is one of the high points of Islam, and at the time Muslim civilization, together with that of Byzantium, China and India, was the most developed part of the world....
ian Caliph of Baghdad
Baghdad

Baghdad is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous. With a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq, and the second largest city in the Arab World....
, Rahman III claimed the title of Caliph himself. This move helped Rahman III gain prestige with his subjects, and the title was retained even after the Fatimids were repulsed.

The Prosperity

The Caliphate enjoyed immense prosperity throughout the 10th century. Abd-ar-Rahman III
Abd-ar-Rahman III

Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
 not only united al-Andalus
Al-Andalus

Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to the parts of the Iberian Peninsula governed by Arab Muslims, at various times in the period between 711 and 1492....
, but brought the Christian kingdoms of the north, through force and diplomacy, under control. Abd-ar-Rahman stopped the Fatimid advance into Caliphate lands in Morocco and al-Andalus. This period of prosperity is marked by growing diplomatic relations with North African tribes, Christian kings from the north, with France and Germany, and Constantinople. The death of Abd-ar-Rahman III led to the rise of his 47 year old son Al-Hakam II
Al-Hakam II

Al-Hakam II was Caliph of Cordoba, in the Al-Andalus , and son of Abd-ar-rahman III . He ruled from 961 to 976.Al-Hakam II succeeded to the Caliphate after the death of his father Abd ar-Rahman III in 961....
 in 961. Al-Hakam II more-or-less followed in his father's footsteps, occasionally dealing with a few disruptive Christian kings and North African rebels, though trying not to be too severe. Unlike his father, al-Hakam's dependence upon his advisers was more distinct.

The Fall

The death of al-Hakam II in 976 marked the beginning of the end of the Caliphate of Córdoba. Before his death, al-Hakam named his 14 year old son Hisham II
Hisham II

Hisham II was the third Caliph of Cordoba, of the Umayyad dynasty. He ruled 976-1009, and 1010-1013 in the Al-Andalus .Hisham II succeeded his father Al-Hakam II as Caliph of Cordoba in 976 at the age of 10, with his mother Subh and the first minister Jafar al-Mushafi acting as regents....
 (976-1008) as successor. Seeing that the child was in no way competent to be Caliph, yet having sworn an oath of obedience to him, Ibn Abi 'Amir
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir

Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur ??? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries....
 (the top adviser to Hisham's father) pronounced him Caliph. Ibn Abi 'Amir played guardian for the young Hisham, taking the Caliph's powers until he was of age. Instead, he isolated Hisham in Córdoba while systematically eradicating his opposition. He steadily allowed Berbers from Africa to immigrate to al-Andalus in order to build up his base of support. Ibn Abi 'Amir led a cruel regime compared to Abd-ar-Rahman III. He did not shy away from using force to keep the Christians in check. He, and eventually his son 'Abd al-Malik
Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar

Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar was hajib of Cordoba from the death of his father Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir in 1002 until his own death in 1008. He was succeeded by his half-brother Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo....
 (al-Muzaffar), would continue to keep power from Hisham until 1008 when al-Muzaffar died and his brother (Abd al-Rahman
Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo

Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo , born and died in C?rdoba, Spain, was the son of Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir and chief minister of Hisham II, Caliph of C?rdoba....
) pushed to become the successor of Caliph Hisham; Hisham complied. On a raid in the Christian north, a revolt tore through Córdoba. Abd al-Rahman never made it back.

The decision to name Hisham II Caliph shifted power from the individual to the advisers. The title Caliph became only a symbol; it no longer held power and influence. The Caliphate would be rocked with violence, with different revolutionaries claiming to be the new Caliph. The last Córdoban Caliph was Hisham III
Hisham III

Hisham III was the last Umayyad ruler in the Al-Andalus , and the last person to hold the title Caliph of Cordoba.Hisham III, the brother of Abd ar-Rahman IV, was chosen as Caliph after long negotiations between the governors of the border regions and the people of C?rdoba, Spain....
 (1027-1031). With different factions competing, the Caliphate finally crumbled in 1031 into independent taifa kingdoms.

Economy

The economy of the Caliphate was very diverse and successful. State-sponsored raids into neighbouring Christian kingdoms were very lucrative throughout the history of the Caliphate. Through the early years, tribute payments were made to Córdoba to guarantee safety. Muslim trade routes connected al-Andalus with the rest of the Mediterranean and beyond. There were many areas of industry that were revitalized during the Caliphate: textiles, ceramics, glassware, metalwork, and agriculture all benefiting the state. Tariffs were lucrative. Taxes implemented on Jews and Christians living within the Caliphate was another source of income.

Culture

Mosque of Cordoba Spain
Córdoba was the cultural epicenter of al-Andalus. Mosques, such as The Great Mosque
Mezquita

The Mezquita of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of C?rdoba, Spain. Originally built as a church, after the Muslim conquest the building was confiscated for use as a mosque and greatly expanded until it became the second-largest mosque in the world....
, were the focal point of many Caliph' attentions. Córdoba was the intellectual centre of al-Andalus, with translations of ancient Greek texts to Arabic. And in lesser extent Latin and Hebrew. Huge advances in science, history, geography, philosophy and grammar occurred during the Caliphate. Al-Andalus became susceptible to eastern cultural influences as well. Ziryab
Ziryab

Abu l-Hasan ?Ali Ibn Nafi? , nicknamed Ziryab , was an polymath: a Islamic poetry, Islamic music, singer, Cosmetology, fashion designer, celebrity, Fads and trends, strategist, Astronomy in medieval Islam, Muslim Agricultural Revolution and Geography in medieval Islam....
 is credited on bringing hair and clothing styles to the Iberian peninsula (as well as toothpaste
Toothpaste

Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it can aid in the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth, aid in the elimination and/or masking of halitosis and deliver active ingredients such as fluoride or xylitol to prevent tooth...
 and deodorant
Deodorant

Deodorants are substances applied to the body mainly to reduce body odor which is caused by the bacterial breakdown of perspiration. A subgroup of deodorants are "antiperspirants", which prevent odor and reduce sweat produced by parts of the body....
).

List of rulers


Umayyad Emirs of Córdoba

  • Abd-ar-rahman I, 756-788
  • Hisham I
    Hisham I

    Hisham I or Hisham Al-Reda was the second Umayyad Emir of Cordoba, ruling from 788 to 796 in the Al-Andalus .Hisham was born in C?rdoba, Spain....
    , 788-796
  • al-Hakam I
    Al-Hakam I

    Al-Hakam Ibn Hisham Ibn Abd-ar-Rahman I was Umayyad Emir of Cordoba from 796 until 822 in the Al-Andalus .During his reign he crushed a rebellion led by clerics in a suburb called al-Ribad on the south bank of the Guadalquivir river....
    , 796-822
  • Abd-ar-rahman II, 822-852
  • Muhammad I
    Muhammad I of Córdoba

    Muhammad I was the Umayyad Emir of C?rdoba, Spain from 852 – 886 in the Al-Andalus . The beginning of Muhammad I's reign was marked by a number of revolts and demonstrations of resistance to the Umayyad court by a number of leading families....
    , 852-886
  • al-Mundhir
    Al-Mundhir

    Al-Mundhir , was Emir of Cordoba from 886 to 888. He was a member of the Umayyad dynasty of Al-Andalus , the son of Muhammad I of Umayyad, amir al-Qurtubi. He was murdered by his brother Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Umawi....
    , 886-888
  • Abdallah ibn Muhammad, 888-912
  • Abd-ar-rahman III
    Abd-ar-Rahman III

    Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
    , 912-929


Umayyad Caliphs of Córdoba


  • Abd-ar-rahman III
    Abd-ar-Rahman III

    Abd-ar-Rahman III was the Emir of C?rdoba and Caliph of C?rdoba and a prince of the Ummayads dynasty in al-Andalus . The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender , was born at Cordova on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave....
    , as caliph, 929-961
  • Al-Hakam II
    Al-Hakam II

    Al-Hakam II was Caliph of Cordoba, in the Al-Andalus , and son of Abd-ar-rahman III . He ruled from 961 to 976.Al-Hakam II succeeded to the Caliphate after the death of his father Abd ar-Rahman III in 961....
    , 961-976
  • Hisham II
    Hisham II

    Hisham II was the third Caliph of Cordoba, of the Umayyad dynasty. He ruled 976-1009, and 1010-1013 in the Al-Andalus .Hisham II succeeded his father Al-Hakam II as Caliph of Cordoba in 976 at the age of 10, with his mother Subh and the first minister Jafar al-Mushafi acting as regents....
    , 976-1008
  • Mohammed II, 1008-1009
  • Suleiman II
    Suleiman II of Córdoba

    Suleiman II or Sulaiman al-Mustain ? was the fifth Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba and ruled from 1009 to 1010, and from 1013 to 1016 in the Al-Andalus ....
    , 1009-1010
  • Hisham II
    Hisham II

    Hisham II was the third Caliph of Cordoba, of the Umayyad dynasty. He ruled 976-1009, and 1010-1013 in the Al-Andalus .Hisham II succeeded his father Al-Hakam II as Caliph of Cordoba in 976 at the age of 10, with his mother Subh and the first minister Jafar al-Mushafi acting as regents....
    , restored, 1010-1012
  • Suleiman II
    Suleiman II of Córdoba

    Suleiman II or Sulaiman al-Mustain ? was the fifth Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba and ruled from 1009 to 1010, and from 1013 to 1016 in the Al-Andalus ....
    , restored, 1012-1016
  • Abd-ar-Rahman IV, 1017


The Ummayad dynasty was interrupted by the Hammudid dynasty
Hammudid dynasty

The Hammudid dynasty is one of the Alid dynasties of Muslim Berber people in Al-Andalus . It is named after their ancestor, Hammud, a descendant of Idris ibn Abdallah, i.e., it is of Idrisid lineage....
:

  • Ali ibn Hammud al-Nasir, 1016-1018
  • Al-Qasim ibn Hammud al-Ma'mu, 1018-1021
  • Yahya ibn Ali ibn Hammud al-Mu'tali, 1021-1023
  • Al-Qasim ibn Hammud al-Ma'mu, 1023 (restored)


The Ummayad dynasty returned to power:

  • Abd-ar-Rahman V, 1023-1024
  • Muhammad III
    Muhammad III of Córdoba

    Muhammad bin 'Abd ar-Rahman bin 'Obayd Allah , known as Muhammad III was an Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba in the Al-Andalus . He ruled after the death of Abd ar-Rahman V from 1024 to 1025 when the people of C?rdoba, Spain revolted against him....
    , 1024-1025
  • Hisham III
    Hisham III

    Hisham III was the last Umayyad ruler in the Al-Andalus , and the last person to hold the title Caliph of Cordoba.Hisham III, the brother of Abd ar-Rahman IV, was chosen as Caliph after long negotiations between the governors of the border regions and the people of C?rdoba, Spain....
    , 1026-1031


See also

  • Caliphate
    Caliphate

    The caliphate represented the political leadership of the Muslim ummah in classical and medieval Islamic history and juristic theory. The head of state's position is based on the notion of a successor to the Prophets of Islam Muhammad's political authority....
  • History of Islam
  • History of Portugal
    History of Portugal

    Portugal is a European nation whose origins go back to the Early Middle Ages. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it Portugal in the Age of Discovery to the status of a world power during Europe's "Age of Discovery" as it Portuguese Empire including possessions in South America, Africa, and Asia....
  • History of Morocco
    History of Morocco

    The [Capsian culture]brought Morocco into the Neolithic about 8000 BC, at a time when the Maghreb was less arid than it is today. The Berber languages probably was formed at roughly the same time as agriculture , and was developed by the existing population and adopted the immigrants who arrived later....
  • History of Spain
    History of Spain

    The History of Spain spans the period from Prehistoric Iberia, through the rise and fall of the first Spanish Empire, to Spain's current position as a member of the European Union....