The political situation in the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century was unstable, with a civil war occurring between King Rodrigo and the family of the previous king, Witiza. When the Witiza family hired Muslim mercenaries from North Africa to fight for them, the Muslim army led by Musa and Tariq defeated Rodrigo's forces and went on to conquer most of the peninsula over the next few years due to the weakness of the Visigothic nobles. Al-Andalus began as an emirate dependent on the Umayyad Caliphate in Damascus, but it became independent under Emir Abd al-Rahman in 756 and later a caliphate under

1. AL-ANDALUS

2. THE CONQUEST
How was the political situation in the Iberian Peninsula
at the beginning of the VIII century?
There was a civil war in the Visigothic kingdom
between the king Rodrigo and the family of Witiza,
who had been the king before

3. Why did the Muslim come to the Peninsula?
Because the army of the Witiza’s family hired them as a
mercenaries. As a result, the Muslim army of Musa
and Tariq defeated the Rodrigo’s army at the battle
of Guadalete

4. Why did the Muslim stay in the Peninsula?
The Visigothic nobles were to weak and the Muslim
decided to conquer the Visigothic kingdom. A large
number of nobles did not fight against the Muslims
so they could occupy most of the Iberian Peninsula
in few years
Some Visigoths
found a shelter in the
northern mountains
and they created
small kingdoms with
the local population

5. The dependent Emirate of Cordoba
• Al-Alandalus was an Emirate of the Caliphate of
Damascus. It was like a province in the Caliphate.
• Its capital was in Córdoba and the main authority was
the Emir who was a governor

6. The independent Emirate of
Cordoba
• In 750, Abd-al-Rahman could escape from Damascus
when his family was assassinated by the Abbasid family
which took the power of Islam and set the capital of the
Caliphate in Baghdad.
• In 756, Abd-al-Rahman set an independent emirate in
Al-Andalus. That meant that they obeyed the Caliph of
Baghdad from a religious point of view but they were
independent from a political point of view

7. The Caliphate of Córdoba
• The Emir Abd-al-Rahman III was very successful
defeating the Christians and keeping the peace in Al-
Andalus
• In 926, when there was a crisis in Baghdad, he decided to
be a Caliph. Thus, he was not only the main political
authority in Al-Andalus but also the religious leader.
• In 976, the new Caliph Hisham II was only 11 years old.
As a result, the general Al-Mansur ruled Al-Andalus.
When the Caliph became an adult, he was not interested
in politics and he left the power to Al-Mansur, who set a
military dictatorship.
• The attacks against the Christians were very common
under Al-Mansur. He only wanted treasure and money
from the Christians in order to reduce taxes in Al-Andalus

8. The Taifas
• When Al-Mansur died, there were internal fights in Al-
Andalus and Caliphate declined.
• In 1031, Al-Andalus was divided into small kingdoms
called Taifas. They fought in order to expand their lands
against other taifas.
• They also suffered attacks from the Christians and they
became weaker. As a result, some taifas paid taxes to the
Christians in order to have them as mercenaries or avoid
their attacks
• However, Christian Kingdoms were stronger and they
started to conquer some taifas and expand their lands to
the River Tajo

9. Almoravids and Almohads
• The small and weak taifas asked for help to the
Almoravids, who were warriors from the North of Africa.
• Almoravids did not only stop the Christians but they also
unified Al-Andalus
• However, other power from the North of Africa –the
Almohads-fought against Almoravids and defeated them
taking the power in Al-Andalus
• In 1212, the Christians decided to fight together against
the Almohads and they defeated them in the battle of Las
Navas de Tolosa
• Christians only left the Kingdom of Granada for the
Muslims

10. MAPS OF THE EMIRATE AND
THE CALIPHATE OF CÓRDOBA

11. EVOLUTION AFTER THE FALL OF THE CALIPHATE OF
CÓRDOBA

12. The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada

13. • The Kingdom of Granada was the last
Muslim territory in the Iberian Peninsula
• It was in the south-east of Andalucía and
its capital was Granada
• It could survive for more than two
centuries because they paid taxes to the
kings of Castile.
• However, the Catholic Monarchs decided
to conquer the Kingdom of Granada in
1492 because they wanted to have good
relations with the Pope and give the
Muslim lands to their nobles