The document summarizes the formation and expansion of Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula between the 8th-15th centuries as they gradually reconquered territory from the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate. It discusses the establishment of the Kingdom of Asturias in northern Spain and later the kingdoms of Leon, Castile, Pamplona/Navarre, and Aragon in the north and center. It also describes the expansion of these kingdoms southward between the 10th-15th centuries through military conquests and the process of resettling territories. The document notes that the peninsula experienced a mixing of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures during this time period.
3. INDEX Introduction
1. Expansion until the 10th
century
1. The Cantabrian kingdoms
2. The Pyrenean counties and
kingdoms
2. Expansion after 10th century
3. Resettlement
4. The Iberian Peninsula: a
meeting of cultures
5. The camino de Santiago
3
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In the 8th
century, the
majority of
the Iberian
Peninsula
was
occupied by
Muslims,
who had
created the
Kingdom of
Al-Andalus.
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In the Cordillera
Cantabrica, a small group
of Christians survived the
Muslim conquests and
established the Kingdom
of Asturias.
In the Pyrenees, the group
of counties known as the
Marca Hispánica gained
independence from
Frankish rule.
15. Pelayo
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The north of the Peninsula,
protected by the Cordillera
Cantábrica, stayed independent
of Al-Andalus. Some Visigoth
nobles took refuge there.
A Christian Visigoth noble,
Pelayo, defeated the Muslims for
the first time in 722 in
Covadonga (Asturias).
This began the Reconquista: the
reconquest of the Iberian
Peninsula from the Muslims.
16. a) The Kingdom of Asturias
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His successors, Alfonso I and Alfonso II, created the
Kingdom of Asturias.
17. b) The Kingdom of Leon
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In the second half of the 9th
century, Alfonso III took
control of a territory
previously ruled by the emirs
of Cordoba.
This territory extended from
the river Duero to the
Kingdom of Asturias. It was
renamed the Kingdom of
Leon (854).
19. c) The Kingdom of Castile
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The Kingdom of Castile
began when Alfonso III
built a defensive line of
castles in the west of the
Kingdom of Leon as
protection from the Muslim
army.
This territory was named
Castile.
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Under Count
Fernán
González,
Castile gained
independence
from the
Kingdom of
Leon.
Years later,
Ferdinand I
made himself
king of Castile.
22. The Marca Hispánica
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In the Pyrenees,
Charlemagne created the
Marca Hispánica.
This was a defensive zone
divided into counties to
protect his territory from
the Muslim armies.
When Charlemagne died,
many of these counties
became kingdoms and
independent counties.
24. a) The Kingdom of Pamplona
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The count of Pamplona,
Iñigo Arista, created the
independent Kingdom of
Pamplona in 830.
The Kingdom of Pamplona
experienced its greatest
expansion under the rule
of Sancho III (the
Great).
This territory was divided
among his sons when he
died.
26. b) Kingdom of Aragon
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In the 9th century, some
Aragonese counties in the
Marca Hispánica (Aragon,
Sobrarbe and Ribagorza) also
freed themselves from
Frankish rule.
For a while, under Sancho III,
they joined up as part of the
Kingdom of Pamplona, then
under his son Ramiro I, they
formed the Kingdom of
Aragon.
27. c) Catalan Counties
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The Catalan counties
took longer to become
independent.
In 987, a count of
Barcelona, Borrell II,
gained independence
from the Franks.
He then left the territory
to his sons.
30. Parias
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To buy peace, the
Muslim kings gave
gold and other
treasures, called
parias, to the
Christian kings.
But the Christian
kingdoms used these
gifts to continue their
conquests:
31. a) Kingdom of Castile
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The first king of
Castile, Ferdinand I,
gained control of the
Kingdom of Leon and
resettled the southern
Duero valley.
His son, Alfonso VI,
occupied Toledo in
1085 and extended the
territory beyond the
river Tagus.
32. b) Kingdom of Aragon
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The occupation of
the Ebro valley
began with the
conquest of
Zaragoza by
Alfonso I, king
of Aragon.
Later, Alfonso II
took control of all
Aragon and
founded Teruel.
33. c) Catalan Counties
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Ramón Berenguer
IV, Count of
Barcelona, also
conquered the
Muslim cities of
Tortosa and Lleida.
34. Almoravids
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To defend themselves
against the advance of
the Christians, the
Muslims asked the
Almoravids (empire in
the north of Africa)
for military help.
At the end of the 11th
century, the
Almoravid armies
defeated the Christian
kings.
37. Resettlement
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Resettlement described the process of occupation of
territory after the Christian kings conquered it from the
Muslims.
This territory became property of the king and was given
to nobles in payment for their military support.
New monasteries were built in these territories, and
other land was distributed among free peasants.
The kings awarded privileges to settlers, who received a
document called the settlement letter.
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In the Middle Ages,
Christians, Muslims
and Jews lived
together on the
Iberian Peninsula.
This mix led to the
development of a
rich, diverse culture.
40. Translation Schools
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Many Greek and Latin philosophical and scientific
texts arrived in Europe via Al-Andalus, where they
were translated into Arabic in translation schools,
such as the one in Toledo.
Alfonso X dictando (Miniatura
de Las Siete Partidas)
41. Jewish
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Many members of the
Jewish community were
doctors, moneylenders,
scientists or translators.
Jews lived in special
neighbourhoods called
Jewish quarters and
attended synagogues.
They had administrative
and judicial autonomy.
42. Mozarabs
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There were also
communities of Christians
in Al-Andalus. They were
called Mozarabs.
As the Christian conquest
advanced, many Mozarabs
emigrated to the north.
Interior de la iglesia mozárabe
de San Millán de la Cogolla
43. Mudejars
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The Muslims who lived in
the Christian territory were
called Mudéjars.
In the 16th century, the
Mudéjars were forced to
convert to Christianity and
were renamed Moors.
Torre de El Salvador, Teruel.
