Social Sciences. Unit 5. Spain in the Middle Ages. What was al-Andalus?

ISLAM
 

 
GOVERNMENT IN AL-ANDALUS

 

In 711 AD, the Muslims from North Africa invaded and conquered all the Iberian Peninsula except some parts in the north. They called this territory al-Andalus. Cordoba was its capital. At that time, the Muslims ruled quite a large territory, and their capital city was Damascus in Asia. The Caliph of Damascus ruled all the territories, included al-Andalus.

From 716 to 929AD, al-Andalus was an EMIRATE. It was part of the caliphate and its capital was Cordoba. It was governed by an EMIR, who represented the caliph. 

In 929AD, an emir called Abderramán III declared that al-Andalus was an independent caliphate. He established the Cordoba Caliphate. This was the beginning of a golden age for al-Andalus. Cordoba became one of the most important cities in the world.

Later on, al-Andalus was divided into small taifa kingdoms, so it was very easy to conquer them.