Murcia was founded in AD 825 by the Emir of Córdoba and named Medinat Mursiya. Under Muslim rule, the city prospered from its irrigation systems and exports of ceramics, silk, and paper. It later came under Christian rule of Castile in the 13th century and served briefly as an independent kingdom. Murcia experienced boom and bust over the centuries, suffering disasters like floods and earthquakes but also benefiting from a 18th century silk industry boom. Today it is the capital of the autonomous region and province of Murcia.