When the Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus ended in 750, members of the ruling family were being killed. One family member, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān I, escaped and made his way through North Africa to Spain where he gained power and began a system which shared many similarities with the original Umayyad caliphate. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān I initiated what was known as the Emirate of Córdoba in 756. Later, under his descendent ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III declared that it a caliphate. The Caliphate of Córdoba lasted until 1031 when it split up into several kingdoms.
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A modern photograph of Córdoba. On the left is the exterior Great Mosque of Córdoba (see below).
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Interior of the Great Mosque of Córdoba, also called the Mezquita. Originally built by ʿAbd al-Raḥmān I (see below), it became a Catholic cathedral in 1236 and continues to exist in that capacity. Recently, some Muslims have called on the Church to allow them to worship along with Catholics. More information on that can be found in this article from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/apr/19/spain
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Statue of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān I (731-788), founder of the Spanish Umayyad dynasty. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān left syria as the Umayyad dynasty in Syria fell, and eventually ended up in Spain where he gained power.
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Silver dirham from the reign of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān II (822-852), grandson of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān I and the fourth Umayyad leader of Córdoba. Encyclopedia Britannica Online describes his reign as “an administrative watershed,” as he inplemented a variety of public works, added to the Mozquita, and provided for the arts.
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A depiction of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān III (891-961), who was the first ruler of the Spanish Umayyad to be called caliph. Important actions on his part included attempting to gain more control of the area from Spanish Christians
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Ivory pyxis, made 950-75 in Andalusia. Both the pyxis and the plaque below feature animal imagery and patterning that link back to characteristics of Islamic art made in the Arab world, showcasing the connection and continuation of that style in the new reaches of the tradition.
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Ivory plaque from the 10th-early 11th century, Córdoba.
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Column capital from Madinat al-Zahra’, the Córdoban Umayyad capital city. Like the pyxis and plaque, the Arabic influence in the style of the carving is clear.
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Notice the similarities in design between the incense burner (left) and the ewer (insert). The incense burner was Spanish, made during the 11th century, while the ewer comes from the 8th-early 9th century in the original Umayyad Empire in Syria.
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Excerpt of a manuscript dated 1834 of a commentary on a communication that occurred towards the end of the Umayyad rule in Córdoba by Ibn Zaydun, a nobleman and poet.
Ibn Zaydūn was caught up in the political turmoil of the day and embroiled in many conflicts and rivalries. The commentary deals with a letter by Ibn Zaydūn concerning his feud with a minister named Ibn ‘Abdūs, which stemmed from the rivalry of the two men for the affections of Wallada bint al-Mustakfī (994—1091), herself a well-known poet and the daughter of Caliph Muḥammad III of Cordoba. |
