PowerPoint for my 2nd grade students, in order to help them to understand what happened in the Iberian Peninsula in the Muslim period

1. 6. Al Andalus
2nd
ESO
Maira Gil Camarón

2. How did Islam Expand?
The expansion of Islam
(622-846)
When Muhammad died, most of
the Arabian Peninsula had
converted into Islam
7th
century: the Muslims
faced the Byzantine empire
and conquered Syria, Egypt
and part of the Persian Empire
8th
century: the Muslims
reached the Indus River and
North Africa (Berber tribes).
They conquered the Iberian
Peninsula
9th
century: they expanded
towards Nubia and south and
central Italy

3. The organisation of the Caliphate
Muhammad
The first four caliphs were chosen from Muhammad’s
family. This created a divide between the Muslims
Shi’a – They believed the caliph should be a direct descendent
of Muhammad
Sunni – They thought the caliph should be chosen from the
most devout believers
Umayyad dynasty. Capital city: Damascus. They led a
great expansion, conquering the Iberian Peninsula
Abbasid dynasty. Capital city: Baghdad. Some provinces
separated themselves from the central power
Turks.

5. Cultural and economic splendour
Arabic: official language of the Islamic empire
Other religions were tolerated but Muslims favoured the
Islamisation of most of the population to avoid paying taxes
New cities emerged and became religious, political economic
and cultural centres
Schools, libraries and centres for translators (Toledo)
were created  great knowledge of the ancient world
was preserved and developed

6. The establishment of Al-Andalus
Military conquest
At the beginning of the 8th
century, the Muslims conquered the
Iberian Peninsula due to the weakness of the Visitoghic
Kingdom
The majority of the conquerors were North African called
Berbers, led by an Arab minority. They were managed by Tariq
and Muza
They crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated the Visigoths
in the Battle of Guadalete (711), in which king Roderick died
By 718, the invading armies controlled most of the Peninsula.
A few Visigoths and very small part of the general population
fled to the areas of Cantabria and Asturias, which were not
conquered by the Muslims

8. The dependent Emirate (718-756)
After the conquest, Al-Andalus became a province (or
dependent emirate) of the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus
The capital was established in Córdoba and an emir was
appointed to rule the emirate. His power in territories north of
the Sistema Central was scarce and limited to the maintenance
of some military garrisons
The independent Emirate (756-929)
When the Abbsids of Baghdad killed the last Umayyad caliph,
the only survivor of the Umayyad, prince Abd al-Rahman I,
took refuge in al-Andalus. He broke away from the Baghdad
Caliphate and, in 756, he declared himself an independent
emir founded the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba 
politically independent, but it remained under the religious
authority of the caliph
The Independent Emirate experienced a period of economic
and cultural development

10. Evolution of Al-Andalus 929-1492
The Caliphate of Córdoba
929-1031
10th
century: the Emirate faced
numerous problems
The emir Abd al-Rahman III was
powerful enough to declare religious
independence and proclaim
himself caliph of al-Andalus. He had
absolute power in a territory
independent from the authority of
Baghdad
The Caliphate of Córdoba was formed
and a golden age began. There was
stability within al-Andalus, economic
development and cultural prosperity

11. The Golden Age of the Caliphate of Córdoba
The caliphs put a stop to the expansion of the Christian kingdom and were
able to dominate them militarily thanks to successful military expeditions
organised by Al-Mansur
It was a time of economic prosperity due to the role played by al-Andalus
as an intermediary in trade between the Middle East, North Africa and
Christian Europe
Wealth generated by taxes on agricultural production and commercial traffic
allowed them to maintain both a large bureaucracy and army

12. From the year 1008, the Caliphate of Córdoba was no longer unified. Top civil
servants, aristocrats and the army fought for power and al-Andalus was
divided into 25 independent kingdoms, called Taifas
To avoid the Christian advance, new Muslim armies arrived from North Africa
(Almoravids in 11th
century and Almohads in the 12th
century) and settled in
al-Andalus. They temporarily stopped the Christian advance, but almost all of
the Taifas were conquered by the Christian kingdoms in the 13th
century

13. The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada 1248-1492
The Taifa of Granada was the only Taifa to survive. It included
Almería, Granada, Málaga and part of Cádiz.
The extensive wealth and economic activity of the Taifa
allowed it to pay taxes to the Christian kings. This ensured its
survival until 1492, when the last king, Boabdil surrendered
to the Catholic Monarchs

16. Economy and society

23. Architecture in Al-Andalus