11. Holy War

Session 11

The Holy War and the Triumph of the Cross

1. The collapse of the taifas 2. Almoravids and Almohads: the Berber rulers 3. The Christian conquests in Iberia 4. The last Muslim kingdom: Nasrid Granada

1. The collapse of the taifas

the collapse of the taifas taifas were small states, military weak, exposed to double threat – threat of Muslim neighbours – threat of Christian neighbours

always needed protection

the collapse of the taifas protection offered by Christian rulers of the North (the kings of Leon and Castile, the counts of Barcelona, and others) – protection had to be paid, in gold – payments made by the taifa kings: parias

the collapse of the taifas the paria-system worked until last decades of 11th century. Then things changed – replacement of policy of exploitation by programm of conquest

Toledo

conquest of taifa of Toledo by king Alfonso VI of Castile, 1085

considering danger and growing Christian pressure, taifa kings decided to call for help Berbers rulers of Maghrib •

Almoravids

•

Almohads

Marrakesh

2. Almoravids and Almohads: the the Berber rulers

Almoravids and Almohads the Almoravid amirs (al-Murabitun) ruled 1090-1145 Maghrib and al-Andalus – Yusuf ibn Tasufin died 1106

– Ali ibn Yusuf ibn Tasufin died 1143

– Yusuf ibn Ali died 1145

Almoravids and Almohads the Almohad amirs (al-Muwahhidin) ruled 1146-1228 Maghrib and al-Andalus – Ibn Tumart died 1130

– Abd al-Mumin died 1163

– Yusuf II died 1184

– Yakub I died 1199

Almoravids and Almohads Almoravid and Almohad amirs – political leaders – religious leaders • religious reform movements • Ibn Tumart, proclaimed mahdi (the rightly guided one, the one sent by God in the last days to restore righteousness before the Day of Judgement)

Berber amirs – stopped Christian conquests (battle of Zallaqa in 1086) – replaced taifa kingdoms – united al-Andalus with North Africa in a single empire

Seville Marrakesh The Almohad

empire, 12th century

Almoravids and Almohads Almoravid and Almohad brought – holy war (jihad) against Christian kingdoms

– rigorist rule • Muslims • Christians and Jews

3. The Triumph of the Cross

the triumph of the Cross collapse of Almohad rule over al-Andalus, circa 1200 reasons • inside al-Andalus • outside al-Andalus

the triumph of the Cross reasons for collapse: inside al-Andalus rejection of Andalusians to accept dominance of Almohads • rejection of foreign Berbers • rejection of rigorist Berbers

reasons for collapse: outside al-Andalus Christian military pressure increases • county of Barcelona and kingdom of Aragon, ruled by single ruler since 12th century (Crown of Aragon) • kingdom of Castile, kingdom of Leon, ruled by single ruler since 13th century (Crown of Castile) • kingdom of Navarra • kingdom of Portugal

Le—n Castile Portugal Catalonia Aragon Navarra

the triumph of the Cross Almohad rulers incapable to resist – 1212 Christians defeat Almohads at battle of Navas de Tolosa the armies of Alfonso VIII of Castile, Sancho VII of Navarra, Pedro II of Aragón, Afonso II of Portugal

– Christian victory: turning point in history of Iberia

the triumph of the Cross the Muslim defeat at las Navas de Tolosa was followed by the breakdown of Almohad rule over al-Andalus – new balance of power – new period of great conquests

Crown of Aragon, under the king James I (1214-1276) conquered Valencia and Mallorca

the Christian conquests of Aragon of the 13th century Valencia Palma de Mallorca Crown

Murcia Cordoba Seville Caceres Merida Badajoz theCrown Christian

kingdoms of Leon and Castile, under kings Alfonso IX (11881230), Fernando III (1217-1252) conquered Extremadura, Andalucia and Murcia

conquests Castile ofofthe 13th century

kingdom of Portugal, under kings Sancho II (12231245), Afonso III (12451279) conquered Algarve (lands south of Lisbon and west of river Guadiana)

kingdom the Christian conquests of Portugal of the 13th century

the triumph of the Cross by end of 13th century: greater part of the Peninsula under rule of Christian kings most powerful Christian kingdoms • Crown of Aragon principality of Catalonia, kingdom of Aragon, kingdom of Valencia, kingdom of Mallorca

• Crown of Castile kingdom of Castile, kingdom of Leon, kingdom of Galicia, kingdom of Toledo, kingdom of Murcia, kingdom of Jaen, kingdom of Cordoba, kingdom of Seville

the Crown (the king) – the principality of Catalonia • furs de Catalunya • corts de Catalunya

– the kingdom of Aragón • fueros de Aragón • Cortes de Aragón

– the kingdom of València • furs de València • corts de València

– the kingdom of Mallorca • furs de Mallorca • corts de Mallorca

the Crown of Aragon Palma Barcelona Val Perpinyˆ Zaragoza ncia de Mallorca

4. The last Muslim kingdom: Nasrid Granada

by end of 13th century: greater part of Peninsula under rule of Christian kings only remaining Muslim state: Nasrid kingdom of Granada

Crown kingdom Crown kingdom ofof of of Castile Aragon Portugal Navarre Granada

Almer’a Granada Seville Cordova Ronda M‡laga

the last Muslim kingdom ruled by dynasty of Banu Nasr or Nasrids founder: Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr • pretended to descend from a fellow of prophet Muhammad • proclaimed himself 1237 amir al-muslimin (amir of muslims) • established capital in city of Granada the palace of the Nasrids: Alhambra

established capital in city of Granada the palace of the Nasrids: Alhambra