Division and Development in the Islamic world - The Emergence of Regional Powers - The Umayyads of Al-Andalus

4 important questions on Division and Development in the Islamic world - The Emergence of Regional Powers - The Umayyads of Al-Andalus

What is the story behind Abd al-Rahman III?

  • Abd al-Rahman III (r.912-961) took the title caliph in 929 to rival the Fatimids and to assume the luster of the ruler of Baghdad.
  • An active military man backed by an army made up mainly of Slavic slaves, Abd al-Rahman defeated his rivals and imposed his rule on all of al-Andalus.
  • Under the new caliph and his immediate successors, Islamic Iberia became a powerful centralized state.

What happened in Islamic Iberia between 1009 and 1031?

Between 1009 and 1031 bitter civil war undid the dynasty's power. After 1031, al-Andalus was split into small principalities, taifas, that were ruled by local strongmen.

What did the Islamic rulers do to pay their armies?

To pay their armies, Islamic rulers often resorted to granting their commanders iqta - lands and villages - from which the iqta-holder was expected to gather revenues and pay their troops.
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What is the major difference between the Western European institution of the fief and the Islamic iqta?

While vassals were generally tied to one region and one lord, the troops under Islamic local commanders were often foreigners and former slaves, unconnected to any particular place and easily wooed by rival commanders.

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