Today I’m announcing the cancellation of The History of Spain Podcast, and instead I’m making ..read more

This is episode 46 called al-Hakam II, the cultivated caliph, and in this episode you ..read more

This is episode 45 called Umayyad interventions and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - A brief overview of the history of Catalonia of the 950s and 960s - Muslim expeditions against the Kingdom of León during the reign of Ordoño III - The Umayyad interventions in North Africa and Umayyad-Fatimid conflict in the 950s - Civil war during the reign of Ordoño III of León and its aftermath - The coup d’état against Sancho the Fat - The trip of Toda of Pamplona and Sancho the Fat to Córdoba to ask for the help of Abd al-Rahman III - The Umayyad-Christian coalition to depose Ordoño IV of Le ..read more

This is episode 44 called Slavery and Jews of al-Andalus and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Introduction to slavery in the Islamic world and al-Andalus - What’s the difference between a captive and a slave - Captivity for women and the social problem that captivity supposed - Which were the occupations and jobs performed by slaves in al-Andalus - Captivity and slavery in the context of the campaigns of Almanzor - What determined the price of a slave and how were auctions and transactions done - Jews under early Umayyad rule and the case of Eleazar of Zaragoza - Why Jews in al-A ..read more

This is episode 43 called Fernán González, Count of Castile, and in this episode you ..read more

This is episode 42 called Battle of Simancas and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Who Ramiro II of León was - The pompous parade of departure of the campaign of Osma of 934 - The first revolt of Muhammad ibn Hashim of the Banu Tujib clan and the tactical declaration of the Kingdom of Pamplona as vassal of the Caliphate - The campaign of Osma itself - The rebellion of Muhammad ibn Hashim, the offensives of the Christians, and the submission of Zaragoza - The treaty of submission of Zaragoza and its implications - The preparation of the campaign of the Omnipotence - The Battle of S ..read more

This is episode 41 called Caliphal Córdoba and Medina Azahara and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - An introduction to Caliphal Córdoba - How Córdoba evolved over time, from being a Roman foundation to the Caliphal era - Key elements of Córdoba and areas of expansion - Why the Andalusi capital grew to become a great metropolitan city during the 10th century - What did the Emirs and Caliphs of Córdoba build to expand Córdoba and improve the living conditions of its inhabitants - The construction of the palace-city of Medina Azahara, when did works begin and how much it costed - The ..read more

This is episode 40 called Economy of al-Andalus and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - European and Islamic context of the Medieval economy - Two misconceptions related to the economy of al-Andalus: the static image of al-Andalus and the image of al-Andalus as an urban and commercial economy - Muslim contributions to the agriculture of Spain and Europe, and the development of agriculture as a necessary condition to develop other sectors - Brief overview of how the Arabs and Berbers settled in the Iberian Peninsula and how were the Andalusi lands exploited - Which agricultural produ ..read more

This is episode 39 called Towards the Caliphate of Córdoba and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - The victorious Cordoban campaign of Muez as a punitive expedition against León and Pamplona - The Pamplonese conquest of La Rioja in 923, including Nájera, along the incorporation of the County of Aragon - The destructive punitive campaign of 924 against Pamplona (and to extend Umayyad authority in al-Andalus) and how Sancho Garcés I of Pamplona minimized the potential damage - Why Abd al-Rahman III’s campaigns against the Christian north didn’t involve conquests and colonizations - Th ..read more

This is episode 38 called Umayyad Resurgence and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Who Abd al-Rahman III was and the difficult situation that he faced in 912 - How could the Emir suppress the revolts that plagued al-Andalus, including his political strategy and the recruitment of mercenaries and slaves - An example of the diplomatic approach of Abd al-Rahman - The bitter Monteleón campaign against Umar ibn Hafsun and the reconquest of Seville - The sudden and tragic end of Alfonso III’s reign and his legacy - The transition from the Kingdom of Asturias to the Kingdom of León - The ..read more