  thumb|250px|the taifas (green) in 1031 in the history of the iberian peninsula, a taifa (from  á¹­Ä'ifa, plural Ø·ÙØ§Ø¦Ù á¹­awÄ'if) was an independent muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the al-andalus (moorish iberia) after the final collapse of the umayyad caliphate of cÃ³rdoba in 1031. ==history== ===rise=== the origins of the taifas must be sought in the administrative division of the umayyad caliphate of cÃ³rdoba, as well in the ethnic division of the elite of this state, divided among arabs, berbers, iberian muslims (known as muladÃ­es â the overwhelming majority) and the eastern european former slaves. during the late 11th century, when the first crusade waves were carving out their territories in the jerusalem area, the christians of the northern iberian peninsula set out to take over the sarasin or muslim territories. the caliphate of cordova, at this time among the richest and most powerful states in europe, underwent civil war, known as fitna. as a result, it "broke into taifas, small rival emirates fighting among themselves." however, the political decline and chaos was not immediately followed by cultural decline. intense intellectual and literary activity continued in some of the larger taifas. there was a second period when taifas arose, toward the middle of the 12th century, when the almoravid rulers were in decline. during the heyday of the taifas, in the 11th century and again in the mid 12th century, their emirs (rulers) competed among themselves, not only militarily but also for cultural prestige. they tried to recruit the most famous poets and artisans. ===decline=== reversing the trend of the umayyad period, when the christian kingdoms of the north often had to pay tribute to the caliph, the disintegration of the caliphate left the rival muslim kingdoms much weaker than their christian counterparts, particularly the castilianâleonese monarchy, and had to submit to them, paying tributes known as parias. due to their military weakness, taifa princes appealed for north african warriors to come fight christian kings on two occasions. the almoravids were invited after the fall of toledo (1085), and the almohads after the fall of lisbon (1147). these warriors did not in fact help the taifa emirs but rather annexed their lands to their own north african empires. taifas often hired christian mercenaries to fight n
11th_century_in_Al-Andalus 12th_century_in_Al-Andalus Al-Andalus Former_Muslim_countries_in_Europe Former_empires Former_monarchies_of_Europe History_of_Al-Andalus_by_period Medieval_Portugal Medieval_Spain Taifas