Umayyad state of Córdoba

De **Emirate of Córdoba**, den from 929, de **Caliphate of Córdoba**, be an Arab Islamic state wey de Umayyad dynasty rule from 756 to 1031. Ein territory comprise chaw of de Iberian Peninsula (dem know to Muslims as al-Andalus), de Balearic Islands, den parts of North Africa, wey ein capital insyd Córdoba (at de time *Qurṭubah*). From 756 e be ruled as an independent emirate til Abd al-Rahman III proclaim einself as caliph insyd 929.

Abd al-Rahman I found de state, an Umayyad prince wey flee de defeat den persecution of de Umayyad clan insyd Bilad Al-Sham (Levant) dey follow de Abbasid revolution. De polity flourish for nearly three centuries, before dem disintegrate insyd de early 11th century during de Fitna of al-Andalus, a civil war between de descendants of caliph Hisham II den de successors of ein *hajib* (court official), Almanzor. Insyd 1031, after years of infighting, de caliphate collapse den fracture into a number of independent Muslim *taifa* (kingdoms).

De period be characterized by an expansion of trade den culture, wey dey include de construction of well-known pieces of Andalusi architecture.

## Political history

### Background

De Visigothic Kingdom rule Iberia for over two centuries wen e be conquered by de Umayyad Caliphate. De Umayyads previously conduct small raids on de southern tip of Iberia against de Visigoths, buh full-scale conquest no begin til April of 711. An army wey Tariq ibn Ziyad lead cross into Southern Hispania from North Africa across de Strait of Gibraltar. After de crossing, Tariq troops defeat Visigothic forces at de Battle of Guadalete. Dem kill Roderic, de last king of de Visigoths, wey e lef an open path into Hispania. De Umayyads establish de Iberian Peninsula as a province (*wilāya*) of dema empire. De rulers of dis province establish dema capital insyd Córdoba wey dem receive de administrative titles *wāli* anaa *emīr*.

### Emirate
Insyd 756, Abd al-Rahman I, a prince of de deposed Umayyad royal family, refuse to recognize de authority of de Abbasid Caliphate wey e cam be an independent emir of Córdoba. He be on de run for six years after de Umayyads loose de position of caliph insyd Damascus insyd 750 to de Abbasids. Intent on regaining a position of power, he defeat de existing Muslim rulers of de area wey defy Umayyad den Abbasid rule. Abd al-Rahman I unite various local fiefdoms into an independent emirate. De campaigns to unify al-Andalus go into Toledo, Zaragoza, Pamplona, den Barcelona wey e take over twenty-five years to complete.

Despite de realm ein independence from Baghdad, de emirate ein rulers use de titles of emir anaa sultan til de mid-10th century wey dem nominally recognize de suzerainty den legitimacy of de Abbasid Caliphs insyd Baghdad.

### Caliphate
Abd al-Rahman III ascend to de throne insyd 912, wey he face de Fatimid Caliphate, a rival North African Shiʿite Islamic empire based insyd Tunis. De Fatimid claim of caliph challenge de legitimacy of de Abbasids dema religious authority. Abd al-Rahman III take de title of caliph insyd 929, wey dey challenge de Fatimids insyd dema claim to religious authority. Internally, de Spanish Umayyads consider demaselves as closer to Muhammad den more legitimate dan de Abbasids, even though de Caliphate of Córdoba ein legitimacy no be accepted outsyd of al-Andalus den ein North African affiliates.

#### Reforms under Almanzor
De death of Al-Hakam II insyd 976 mark de beginning of de end of Caliphal power. Al-Hakam be succeeded by ein only son, Hisham II. Al-Hakam ein top advisor, Almanzor, pronounce de 10-year-old boy caliph wey he swear an oath of obedience to am.

### Collapse
De title of caliph cam be symbolic, widout power anaa influence. Almanzor ein temporal power increase de importance of de military, both as a symbol of de power of Almanzor den an instrument to guarantee de payment of taxes. De chamberlain ein court sanso rival dat of de caliph. Almanzor ein reforms sanso divide de population into two unequal groups: a large mass of civilian taxpayers den a small professional military caste, generally from outsyd de peninsula den no be particularly loyal to de polity.

## Culture

### Arts

File:Pyxid_Al_Mughira_OA_4068.jpg|De Pyxis of al-Mughira, a carved ivory casket dem make at Madinat al-Zahra dated to 968
File:Medallón_central,_Arqueta_de_Leyre_(Museo_de_Navarra).jpg|Vegetal motifs den figurative imagery dem carve insyd ivory on de Leyre Casket, dem make insyd 1004–1005
File:Cordoba_Stag_DSCF6459.jpg|De "Stag of Córdoba", a bronze fountain spout from Madinat al-Zahra (10th century)
File:Capitel_(23753531034).jpg|Example of a marble capital from Madinat al-Zahra, 10th century
File:Dar_si_said_basin_DSCF1593.jpg|Marble basin dem craft give 'Abd al-Malik (son of al-Mansur) between 1002 den 1007


## List of rulers

## References


## External links

* 
* Guichard, P. (1976). *Al-Andalus: Estructura antropológica de una sociedad islámica en Occidente*. Barcelona: Barral Editores.