Spain in the Middle Ages

1. social
Spain in the
Middle Ages

2. What were the Middle Ages?
The Middle Ages began in 476 A.D. when the Roman Empire ended. At the
beginning, there were many wars in Western Europe. Christianity became
important in all aspects of life.
During the Middle Ages, Spain didn’t exist! There were Christian kingdoms
in the north. In the south, there was a Muslim state called al-Andalus.

3. Who were the Visigoths?
The Visigoths were an important Germanic tribe. They came to Roman
Hispania in the 5th century A.D. In 507 A.D. the Visigoths established a
new kingdom with its capital city in Toledo. It was called the Kingdom of
Toledo.

4. Who were the Muslims?
Islam is a religion that began on the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century A.D.
The followers of Islam are called Muslims. In the Middle Ages, there was a
great Islamic civilisation with its own laws, customs and art. Muslim empires
were called caliphates and they were ruled by caliphs.

5. What was al-Andalus?
In 711 A.D., Muslim armies came from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula.
They defeated the Visigoths at the Battle of Guadalete and established a new
Muslim territory called al-Andalus.

6. How was al-Andalus governed?
Until 929 A.D. al-Andalus was an emirate. In 929 A.D. it became an
independent caliphate called the Córdoba Caliphate. Later on it was divided
into small taifa kingdoms.

7. What was life like in al-Andalus?
Life in al-Andalus was peaceful, but there were many battles at the borders
with the Christian kingdoms in the north. Some people in al-Andalus were
Christian or Jewish. The Muslims didn’t consider non-Muslims to be equals,
but they gave them some basic rights.

8. What was life like in the Christian kingdoms?
In the Christian kingdoms of the north, most people lived in the
countryside, in small towns and villages. Society was divided into three
groups: the clergy, nobles and peasants. The Christians built many
religious buildings that we can still see today, such as churches and
monasteries.

9. What was the Reconquista?
Between the 8th and the 15th centuries, the Christian kingdoms
expanded to the south. They conquered lands from al-Andalus. This
process is called the Reconquista. The Reconquista ended in 1492
when the Christians conquered Granada.

10. Why did the Christian kings want to conquer al-
Andalus?
The Christian kings in the north of Spain needed more land for growing
crops and raising animals. They also needed more space, because the
population was increasing. The Christian kings thought the lands of al-
Andalus should be ruled by Christians.

11. What have we learnt?
Government Religion
The Visigoths
Culture The economy
king
Council of
Toledo
Latin Catholicism farmers

12. What have we learnt?
Jewish Christian
In Al-andalus there were three communities…
Muslim

13. What have we learnt?
clergy peasants
Society in the Christian kingdoms was divided into three groups…
nobles