THE INDEPENDENT KINGDOMS, OR EMIRATES (1031-1091 A.D.)

S1ince the death of Almansor, Mohammedan Spain has been splitting up into a number of independent emirates or principalities. The fall of the Omayyad dynasty breaks the last link of unity, and we have now the separate and distinct emirates of Saragossa, Toledo, Valencia, Badajoz, Cordova, Seville, and Granada. The Christian states seize the opportunity to reconquer Spain. The Spanish national hero, “the Cid,” takes part in these conquests. Without following each of these states in detail, we note the most important events of the period.

21032 Civil war breaks out in the emirates.

31038 Ramiro I of Aragon drives the Moors from Sobrarbe, and annexes it to his possessions. Assassination of =Al-Mundar= of Saragossa, at Granada.

41043 Death of =Gehwar= of Cordova. His son =Muhammed= succeeds.

51046 Ferdinand I of Castile besieges Toledo. The emir pays tribute.

61060 =Muhammed Al-Muatedid= seizes Cordova, and then becomes the most powerful leader of the Moorish rulers in Spain. Muhammed Gehwar dies of grief.

71064 Last victories of Ferdinand I in Catalonia and Valencia. Al-Mamun of Toledo captures Valencia, deposing his brother-in-law, Al-Mudafar.

81070 Rise of the Almoravids in Africa due to Yusuf b. Tashufin.

91078 Ibn Abed of Seville takes Murcia.

101079 Conquest of Malaga by Ibn Omar, the vizir of Ibn Abed. Alliance between Ibn Abed and Alfonso VI of Castile.

111081 Alfonso VI invades Toledo. Al-Aftas, emir of Badajoz, drives him back.

121085 Capture of Toledo by Alfonso VI.

131086 Al-Mutamid, emir of Seville, asks Yusuf, the Almoravid chief in Africa, for assistance. He comes, and defeats Alfonso at Zallaka.

141087 Yusuf returns to Africa. The Cid defeats the Moors at Al-Coraza, and captures Huesca.

151088 Yusuf recalled to Spain, but is able to accomplish nothing, owing to discord and dissension among the emirs.

161089 The Moors besiege Alid, but are driven off by Alfonso. Yusuf returns to Africa.

171090 Yusuf returns to Spain with a large army, and conquers Granada.

181091 Conquest of Seville and Almeria by Yusuf. Al-Mutamin sent to Africa a prisoner. Yusuf is now supreme in the Mohammedan regions of Spain.