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The battle of Guadalete, happened in the year 711, in the 8th Century.
The Muslim Army, led by Tarik, defeated the Visigoth Kingdom, called Don Rodrigo, and began the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Ummayad Dynasty, with capital in Damascus, expand throughout the Iberian Peninsula.
A good example of it is that by 715, the Muslims has conquered the majority of the Iberian Peninsula. -
In 711, Tarik led some Muslim Army to conquest the Iberian Peninsula. This people defeated the Visigothic Kingdom, Don Rodrigo and continue its expansion throughout it.
But in 722, the Muslims were defeated by a group of Christians led by Don Pelayo. That was called the Battle of Covadonga and also meant the beginning of the RECONQUISTA.
Muslims go further and attacked France, but they were defeated by the Franks in 732 (B. of Poitiers).
Among this, they depend on the emirate -
This battle took place in Covadonga, as the name indicates, a place in Asturias, in the Picos de Europa.
Don Pelayo led a group of Christians and fight against the Muslims. (Ummayads).This event is what determines the beginning of the Reconquista, where the Christian kingdoms start to recover areas of the Iberian Peninsula conquered by the Muslims. -
This year marks the beginning of the Second Period of Al-Andalus in Spain: the "Independent Emirate"!
In this year, the Ummayad prince, called Abderraman I, escape from the killing of his family, something that happened in a dinner with the Abbasids.
He deposed the emir of Al-Andalus and introduced an Independent Emirate, but it still recognized the religious authority of the Abbasid Caliphs, with capital in Baghdag -
Abderraman I got into the Iberian P. after escaping from the Assesination of his family by the Abbasids.
He deposed the emir of Al-Andalus and established a dependant emirate. It was politically independant, but still recognizing the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdag.
They were three problems:
+ The franks conquered Girona, establishing an Spanish March.
+ The Christian kingdoms advanced to the south and conquered Zamora.
+ Rebellion of the Muladi: Christians converted to Islam. -
Abderraman III became king of Al-Andalus. He led an independance of the Abbasid Caliphate of Baghdag, marking the beginning of the Caliphate of Cordoba. -
Abderraman III became automatically king of Al-Andalus. They became totally independant, not considering religion.
This period was the greatest, due to a reorganization of the army, punitive expeditions against Christians to stop invasions & the importance of Cordoba.
With Hisman II the empire continue with prosperity, and Almanzor achieved great successes of Christians.
When he died, there was a deep crisis.
In 1031, the governors of the provinces get independant, starting the 1st Taifas period -
The Caliphate of Cordoba break down into 28 taifas. This make them become weaker because they complete among themselves the territorial & cultural prestige. -
The Muslim empire has broken up into 28 taifas.
The taifas had to deal with their problems, something that converted them into weak territories.
Looking forward this situation, the Christian kingdoms charged them taxes (called Parias). Despite that, the Reconquista continue.
In 1085, the King of Leon conquered the Taifa of Toledo. The muslims saw that as the "Beginning of the End" and they asked for help to the Almoravids. -
In the year 1085, Alfonso VI (actual king of Leon) conquered the Taifa of Toledo.
The Muslim considered this event as the end of Al-Andalus. So, they looked for help and asked the Almoravids to defeat them. -
In 1085, the Almoravids came to the Iberian P to help the Taifa king. They reunified Al-Andalus and it start to take part of the Almoravid Empire.
The Almoravids implemented a very strict religious radicalism, which led the following problems:
+ In 1145, Al-Andalus desintegrated into Taifas again.
+ In N Africa, the Almoravids were replaced by the Almohads in 1147. -
The Almoravids arrived to the Iberian Peninsula on 1085. In 1086, it took place the Battle of Sagrajas, in which the Almoravids defeated the Christians (King of Leon).
The Almoravids had unified Al-Andalus and since then, Al-andalus became to tale part of their empire. -
The Almoravid Kingdom in Spain was divided into Taifas again in the year 1145.
In North Africa, the Almoravids were replaced by the Almohads -
They lasted from 1145 until 1172, when the Almohads conquered them.
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The Taifas continue in Spain until the Almohads appeared in 1172. They conquered the territory of the Taifas. They unified Al-Andalus another time and it took part of Al-Andalus again. -
In 1172, the Almohads reunified Al-Andalus and stopped for a while the Reconquista. (e.g. The Battle Of Alarcos, 1195)
However, in Battle Las Navas de Tolosa, they were defeated by the Christians.
This led to the following situation: the Almohads returned to North Africa and Al-Andalus broke up into taifas.
Christians had reached the Valley of Guadalquivir!! -
The Battle of Alarcos took place in 1195, near the Guadiana River.
It meant an stop of the Reconquista, because the Almohads defeated Alfonso VIII of the kingdom of Castilla. This cause inestability in the kingdom of Castilla but that would not last too much... -
The battle of "Las Navas de Tolosa" took place in 1212, between the Almohads and the Christian Kingdoms. The Almohads were defeated by the Christians, so the Almohads returned to North Africa and Al-Andalus was broken up into the Taifas. It was the third time this happens. -
The Taifas were conquered by Christians until 1238, when just one taifa survived: The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada
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In 1238, all the Muslim taifas were conquered by the Chirstians. The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada was the only kingdom to survive. This was due to its geographical location.
For example, the Alhambra (the largest fortress on this taifa) was start to built in 1238. -
The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada survived over 200 years due to its geographical location and the payment of Parias to the kingdom of Castilla.
But not everything lasted forever... They were conquered by the Catholic Monarchs.
We've arrived to the end of the Reconquista and the end of the Middle Ages!! -
The Reconquista had ended in 1492, marked by the conquest of the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada by the Christian Kingdoms.
This event, together with the Discovery of America in the same year, marked the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Modern Age.
