Reconquistadors

THE MIGHTY UMAYYAD WHO CHECKED THE RECONQUISTA AND RULED AN ENLIGHTENED CALIPHATE 891-961 CÓRDOBA

Christian kings and Muslim caliphs vied for control of Spain over the course of several decades

Abd al-rahman was the first caliph of Córboda, which he founded in 929 after previously ruling as the Umayyad emir. He became known as the greatest Umayyad ruler in Iberia and was the first to form a caliphate on the peninsula. A great patron of the arts and architecture, Abd al-rahman contributed to the Great Mosque of Córdoba and constructed a huge palace-city at Medina Azahara. He was also religiously tolerant of Christians and Jews, and such was his fame that he received emissaries from the Holy Roman and Byzantine emperors.

Much of Abd al-rahman’s success was because he was largely able to hold back the Christian Reconquista. He won a significant battle against León and Navarre at Valdejunquera in 920 before sacking the Navarrese capital of Pamplona in 924. Abd al-rahman was almost killed after being defeated by León at Simancas in 939 but this Christian success was never followed up. The caliph proceeded to take advantage of Christian infighting to the point where the kings of León and Navarre both paid homage to him in 958.

Despite his significant achievements as caliph, Abd al-rahman once wrote that he had only ever known 14 days of pure happiness in his life