Muslim presence in Iberian Peninsula

Moorish occupation

Jan 1, 711

From the Northern part of Africa came the Moorish people. They traveled across the straight of Gibraltar to take over the Iberian Peninsula.

Battle of Guadlete

Jul 19, 711

This battle took place very close to the Guadalete River which was closer to the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. This battle was between the Visgothic forces and the Muslims. After a few years, the Muslims had almost taken over the entire peninsula.

Umayyad campaign

Jan 1, 714

The Islamic Umayyad people invaded Spain from the Mediteranian Sea. They came to be the first Muslim individuals to reside in the Iberian Peninsula. These campaigns would take place in the southeastern parts of the peninsula.

Córdoba

Jan 1, 717

The campaigns in Spain were led by a man named Abd al-Aziz ibn Musa. He was first left in charge of the city of Seville. He and other officials had then led to take over the City of Córdoba. Once this city was taken, it became the capital of Muslim Al-Andalus.

Battle of Covadonga

Jan 1, 722

The Umayyad people that were currently rulers of Córdoba were unsuccessful in taking over the Frankish territory. They decided to keep their power in Iberia. During the summer, a Muslim army went to overtake a big part of Pelayo's territory. Ultimately they were unable to conquer Pelayo's stronghold.

Dark times with Christians

Jan 1, 850

Not all Muslims were as gentle about spreading the word as others. During the period of 850-859 a Christian priest named Perfectus was in Córdoba. He was beheaded after refusing to take back things he said that were offensive to Muhammad. After this, numerous other priests and monks met the same end by the Muslims.

Umayyad Caliphate

Jan 1, 929

Córdoba was under the threat of invasion. Its current leader known as Abd al-Rahman III proclaimed himself as the Caliph of Córdoba. By doing this he broke all of the ties he had with the Caliphate in Baghdad. This was ultimately the start of Al-Andalus decline.

Battle of Simancas

Jan 1, 939

The current Muslim leader is known as Abd al-Rahman III. His army was engaged in a battle again the army of Ramiro II. The Muslims were greatly defeated by Ramiro II, and Abd al-Rahman III stepped down from taking on these expeditions. Although this was a defeat, the Muslims were still able to reclaim the city of Madrid for themselves.

Fall of Caliphate of Córdoba

Jan 1, 1031

Córdoba flourished during the Caliphate with people. However after the death of Hisham II, crisis would begin to break out everywhere. Civil war began which led to decline everywhere. Córdoba was ultimately dissolved because of all of the civil war that never stopped.

Birth of the Taifa

Jan 1, 1032

The Taifa was an independently Muslim-ruled principality. They originally wanted to be made into an administrative part of the Umayyad that was currently in Córdoba. This however did not happen because of battles knows as the First Crusades. This was formed in Al-Andalus along with others after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba.

Fall of Seville

Jan 1, 1248

After the fall of Córdoba many other Muslim cities began to fall as well. Seville was the next to be claimed by the Christians. After being controlled by the Muslims for 500 year, Abu al-Baqa' al Rundi wrote a lamnent about the fall of this great city in hopes to inspire Muslims to reclaim the city from the Christians. Unfortunately this never happened.

The Black Death

Jan 1, 1346

The Black death is a very fatal disease that swept through all of Spain from 1346-1353. The disease was spread so quickly through rats that carried it. These rats that had the disease liked to live very close to people which is how humans got the disease. After a few days of having it the rats start to turn on humans which gave the humans the disease. This disease killed nearly 50 million people

Reconquista of Spain

Jan 1, 1492

King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I are the current leaders of the Christian forces. They launched a full scale attack on the kingdom of Granada. Granada had become the last place the Muslims still had control of in Spain, which they transformed into a fortress. The Muslims lost their fight and Granada fell to the Christian forces. This was the last foothold the Moors had left in Spain. After the fall of Granada, all remaining Muslims were forcibly converted to Christianity.