Figure 1.--

Both Moorish and Christian kindoms developed on the Iberian Peninsula. A small Christian kingdom held out in the northwest. And difference developed within Moorish Spain. The major one was the division between Morrs of Berber (North African) origins and Muslims of Middle Eastern origins. This along with the decline of the Caliphate itself resulted in the emergence of independent Muslim kingdoms--the competing Taifa kingdoms. The fall of the Caliphate and competition among the Taifa kingdoms before Iberia had been thoroughly Islmicized provided the opportunity for the small Christian states. The Christiahs in the north consolidated their independence and enlarge dtheir territory. Gradually the Christian territories emerged as kingdoms. This included Aragon, Catalonia, Leon, and Navare. Castile developed out of Leon. The fall of central city of Toledo was the turning point in the Reconquista (1085). Possession of Toldeo in central Spain confirmed Christian control of northern Spain and an entryport into the south. Gradually Aragon and Castille emerged as the two most important Christian kingdoms.

Muslim Kingdoms

Tariq ibn-Ziyad, the governor of Tangiers, led a Berber army across the Strait of Gibraltar (711). Spain at the time was ruled by the Chriustianized Visigoths, although not yet fully united. They landed at Jabal Tariq which became Tariq’s mountain and hispanized as Gibraltar. Tariq at the Battle of Río Barbate defeated the forces of Roderick, the last Visogothic king (July 19, 711). This was the major Christian foirce in Spain. Tariq's army was reinforced the following year (712). After Rio Barbarte, the Moors no longer faced age Christian army. The Moors moved through the Toulouse Kingdom destroying ant armed resistance and over the space of a few years totally dominated the Peninsula. The Moors swept up to the North over the following few years and dominated almost all of the peninsula (by 718). Only Asturias held out in the far North. The Muslim advance further into Europe was stopped by the Battle of Poitiers in France (732). The Arab name for the Iberian peninsula was Al-Andalus. This gradually became the name of Spain’s southernmost region, Andalucía, where Moorish rule endured and was most pronounced. The Caliph in Damascus decalared Al-Andalus an emirate of the Caliphate. The administrative capital was in Cordoba. Abd-al-Rahman I declared Cordoba an independent emirate in when he defeated the previous governor (756). Difference developed within Moorish Spain. The major one was the division between Morrs of Berber (North African) origins and Muslims of Middle Eastern origins. This along with the decline of the Caliphate itself resulted in the emergence of an independent caliphate. The Caliphate of Córdoba lasted from for about 100 years (10th century). They broke all ties with Damascus. Abd-al Rahman III became the first Spanish Caliph. The fall of the Caliphate and competition among the Taifa kingdoms before Iberia had been thoroughly Islamicized provided the opportunity for the small Christian states. Cordoba began to fragment (early 11th century). Civil war splintered the Cordoba Caliphate into small independent kingdoms which became known as the Taifa Kingdoms (by 1031). Tand then independent Muslim kingdoms--the competing Taifa kingdoms. The Christian kingdoms pushed Muslim domination of the Iberian peninsula slowly south. The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa was a turjning point of the Reconquista (1212). Christian armies took Córdoba (1236). The Nasrid Kingdom of Granada became the last Moorish kingdom and a tributary kingdom to Castile (1238). Two centuries later, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castille, the Catholic Kings, determined to take Grenada. Confronted with an irresistable Christian army, the last Sultan of Granada, Boabdil, surrendered the keys of the city (1492). This completed the Reconquista.

Christian Kingdoms

Asturias, a small Christian kingdom in the north, held out against Moorish armies. The Christians in the north slowly consolidated their independence and enlarge their territory. Gradually the Christian territories emerged as kingdoms. This included Aragon, Catalonia, Leon, and Navare. Castile developed out of Leon. The fall of central city of Toledo was a major step in the Reconquista (1085). Possession of Toldeo in central Spain confirmed Christian control of northern Spain and provided an entryport to the Muslim dominated south. Gradually Aragon and Castille emerged as the two most important Christian kingdoms.

Aragon (1035-1516)

The kingdom of Aragon was located in what is now northeastern Spain, around the eastern Pyrrnees and the Ebro plain. The chief cities were Huesca, Saragossa, and Teruel. It was an arid and sparsely populated. Irrigation enabled agriculture (cereals, wine, olives, and sugar beets). There was also some sheep and cattle raising. Sancho III (the Great) of Navarre created Aragon out of western Navarre for his third son, Ramiro I (1035). Rulers of Aragon expanded at the expense of the Emirate of Saragossa. A personal union with Catalonia occurred (1137). Until this time, Aragon was a relatively small, land-locked kingdom. Upon acquiring Catalonia, Aragon became involved in Mediterranean politics. The kingdom acquired Naples, Sardinia, Sicily, and other Mediterranean islands. These possessions were not all ruled centrally, but rather by different family members. Naples and Aicily were by far the most important. Naples and Sicily had been unified by the Normans (11th century). The two were divided (1282). The Angevin (French) dynasty retained Naples. The Aragonese (Spanish) dynasty seuzed control of Sicily. The Aragonese after occupying Sicily, killed any of the Angevins they could find. This has come to be known as the Siclian Vespers. They were seeking revenge for what the killing of Aragonese in the Languedoc during the crusades against the Albigensians. They were also seeking a Sicilian revenge for what the Angevins did to the last Staufer King. Sicily remained an Aragonese possession until Aragon merged with Castile (1479-1516). The Angevins held on to Naples. Both dynasties claimed the title of king of Sicily and both the mainland and island and subsquent conflicts would follow. Aragonese challenged Pisan and Genovan rule over Sardinia (1297). The Aragonese claim was recognized (1328). At first, however, Aragon only had effective control over Cagliari and Alghero. Catalonia mercendarirs known as the Gran Company served the Byzantine Emperor. After he failed to pay them, they took the Duchy of Athens as payment (1311). Thus Aragon became an Mediterrabean power and Barcelona a major Mediterranean port. Alfonso V of Aragon reuniting Naples and Sicily and took the title of rex Utriusque (1443). King Ferdinand's marrige with Isabel meant a personal union with Castile (1479). Ferdinand and Isabella were two of the most important Spanish monsrchs. Both were commited tp the Reconquista. Ferdinand was also concerned about the Aragonese claim to Naples which was contested by France. Formal union of Aragon with Castille finally occured (1516). And meant that the new Spanish kingdom inherited the claims to Naples and Sicily. Modern Aragon is basically coextensive with the historical kingdom of Aragon.

Asturias (718-924)

Tariq ibn Ziyad and his Moorish force of Arabs and Berbers defeated under the Visigothic King Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete (711). Asturias was a mountainous area. The geography waa an important factor. Even before the Muslim invasion, Asturias was not well integrated into the Visigothic Kingdom. The isolated mountaneous location helped to promote a kind of Asturian identity. An invading force led by Viigothic King Wamba (672-80) was repelled. Asturias along with the rest of Visigothic Spain quickly fell to the Muslims. After Guadalete there was no longer a substantial Visigothic fofce to resist them. The Moors easily took control of the major Visogothic urban centers and develooed agricultural areas taking advantage of the existing Visigothic administrative system. After Guadalete, a virtually unknown Austrian nobel named Pelayo returned to Asturias. Virtually nothing is jnown of Pelsyo's origins. Hevis believed to have vbeen a Visigoth nobleman, the son of Fafila who was apparently a dux of Galicia. The Moors found establish control in the mountaneous north more difficult than in central and southern Spain. Noorish expeditions in the mmountanous north had to move valley by valley, encountering hard to defeat guerilla resisance. The Moors to discourage resistance took many Asturian nobels hostage and held them in Cordoba to guarantee that the population would not resist Muslim rule. One of those nobels apparently was Pelayo. He escaped and managed to get back to Asturias. He was elected by the Asturians as a war leader to lead a revolt. The precise course of events is unclear. Existing accounts were written well after the actual events and it is difficult to destinguish betweem fact and legend. Pelayo drove the Moorish occupiers from the eastern valleys of Asturias. He then attacked León, the principal city in the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. He fortified the mountain passes which isolating the region from Moorish counter attacks. Breeching the passes required a major military campaign. Pelayo focused his attacks Moors attempting to hold positions north of the Asturian Mountains. Pelayo proceeded to found the Kingdom of Asturias (718). Catabria joined with Asturias. Some historians date the Reconquista from the Battle of Covadonga. The Kingdom of Asturias was the first Christian kingdom to arise in Spain following the collapse of the Visigothic kingdom. Asturias emerged from the western and central Cantabrian Mountains, especially the Picos de Europa. Pelayo created the kingdom of Asturias out of his mountenous enclave (718). Muslim governor Musa bin Nusair led a military expedition to reduce the rising Christian forces in Asturias. He was a Syrian Muslim appointed as a governor and general under by the Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. Pelayo appears to have defeated a small Muslim force at Covadonga (922). (Some sources date the battle as early as 718). Although apparently a minor engagement, it was the first Christian victory. This gave rise to a major rising in Asturias. The Muslim forces were unable to put it down and appear to have concluded that the cost of a major campaign did not justify the value of this remote mountaneous area. Asturians was a rough area with few urban centers. He then married his son Favila to Duke Peter of Cantabria’s daughter. (Another source suggest the marriage was between Peter's son Alfonso and Pelayo's daughter Ermesinda.) Catabria was a duchy located east of Asturias which had also resisted both Visigothic and Moorish control. The Visigoths conquered southern Catabria and established a duchy with the ruling family linked to the monarchy. (This link is not known with any certainty.) Pelayo's new bride was a descendant of the former Visigothic Astur dynasty. Thus Pelayo had both military prestige and dynastic legitimacy. Hev reigned until his feath (737). He was succeeded by his son Fafila who ruled only 2 years (737-39). It is unclear what the contemprary status of Pelayo and Fafila was. But their successor Afonso I (who married Pelayo's daughter) was clearly regarded as a king. He launched vigorous campaigns against the Moors. He retook Galicia (740) and León (754). The Kingdom of Asturias over time seized more territory to the south (late-9th century). The new lands were populated with Mozaran (Spanish Christians who had lived under Moorish rule). King Alfonso III the Great founded Burgos. He was to be last of the Asturian kings. When Alfonso died, he split his kingdom among his three sons (910). Fruela, took the original territory of Asturias. Ordoño took Galicia; and the eldest, García taking León. Asturias was divided between the brothers Fruela II (Asturias), Ordoño II (Galicia) and García I (León). The divisiin did not last long. They were soon reunited when King Fruela became king of León (924). The name of the reunited kingdom became León. The history of Asturias thus became the history of León.

Castille

The kingdom of Castile was founded around what was known as Old Castile, including the northern cities of Burgos, Santander, and Segovia. Castille included most of the arid plateau of central Spain. The principal rivers are the Duero, Guadiana, and Tagus. The economy was based on agriculture and sheap raising. Old Castille was originally a county of the Kingdom of Leon. Castile grew in imporance and became largely autonomous (10th century). King Sancho II of Navarre acquired Castille (1028). He made it a separate kingdom for his son Ferdinand I. Subsequent monarchs took Morrish territory to the south (New Castile). New Castill included Cuenca, Madrid, and Toledo. Catille and Leon were unified (1230). Subsequent monarchs struggled to control rebelious nobels. Castille emerged as the most powerful of the Christian kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula. Isabel after a revolt contesting her claim to the crown became queen. The marriage with King Ferdinand resulted in a personal union of Castile and Aragon (1479) which would lead to formal union of the two kingdoms (1516).

Catalonia (800-1137)

Charlemagne's forces moved south of the Pyreneees and established a Christiam presence along the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula (800). This included parts of modern Catalonia. This was the origin of the Catalan Kingdom. It was at first called within the Carolingian Empire, the Spanish March. It included the counties of Gerona, Ampurias, Barcelona-Ausona and Urgel-Sardagne. The Spanish March developed its own identity. And with the decline of the Carolingian Empire, Catalomia became independent (Late-9th century). King Jaime I (1208-76) oversaw a substantial expansion of Catalonia. He extended extended Catalan territory to Valencia in the south as well as off shore to Majorca. Thus King Jaime is seen as the father of the Catalan nation. It was Catalonia that developed the first maritime tradition in Christian Spain. This would eventually result in a Mediterranean empire (Naples, Sicily, Sardinia as well as the Greek possesions of Athens and Neopatria). Eventually there was a dynastic union with the Kinfom of Aragon. Thus the history odfCaralonia became that of Aragon and eventually Spain. Catalalonia was not immediately medrged into a united Spain. Catalonia formally continued to exist as a separate state. This finally ended during the reign of King Philip V. During the War of the Spanish Succession, Ctalonia was defeated, Valencia (1707), Catalonia (1714), and of the Catalan controlled islands (1715). The new Spamish king subsequently abolished the sovereignty and the customary laws and privileges of Catalonia. The monarchy attempted to impose Castilian language and customs. Pressure fro Madrid for conformity continued until the creation of the Catalan Commonwealth (early 20th century). The Generalitat (Catalan government) was resored (1931). Catalonia strongly supported the Republic in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Franco with the defeatv of vthecRepublic suppressed Catalan autonomy. After vFranco's death, the Generalitat was restored (1977).

Galicia (910-1126)

Galacia along with almost all of Visigothic Spain was conquered by the Moors (711-18). As a result of the Asturian revolt, a Visigothic nobel named Pelayo managed to establish an independent Christian kingdom to the east of Galicia--Austrias (718). Alfonso I of Asturias conquered Galicia, returning it to Christin rule (740). This coming only three decades after the Moorish conquest meant hat Islam was not yet well established. Asturias was divided by Alfonso III into three parts among his three sons (910). One of those parts was Galicia. The three parts were reunited, although the name of Asturias was changed to Kingdom of León (924). The Galician Kingdom was subsequentky ruled by their own kings for short periods until it was permanently united with León (1126).

León (910-1230)

The city of Leon was founded by the Romans with the name of the legion that was garrisoned there--the Legio VII Gemina. The word "Legio" evolved over time to "Leo", and from "Legionis civitas" it passed to be called "Leonis civitas". The Kingdom of Asturias was divided into three parts (910). The wesern part was the larger and ruled by King Garcia who named his kingdom after the capital--Leon. The smaller eastern portion of Asturias was subsequently regained, but the kingdom continued to be called Leon rather than Asturias. Essentially, Asturia was nenamed Leon. Leon as the successor state of Asturias simply continued the names and numbers of the Asturian kings. Compared to Spain's other early Christian kingdoms and provinces, Leon was the largest and most important during the High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries). The Kingdom of Leon was composed of three provinces (Leon, Zamora, and Salamanca). Great prestige came from Santiago de Compostella, an important pilgrimage site. Pilgrims arrived in large number from Western Christendom, especially France and England. Leon monarchs actively pursued the Reconquista through military action. They successfully expanded their kingdom into the lower Duero valley (northern Portugal) and, from there, eastward toward the upper Ebro valley. Leon also expanded eastward this area became contested with the Moors. To help secure the conquests, many castles were built there. This eastern province as a result became called Castile. Moorish armies commanded by Al Mansurdefeated the Leonese and sacked Santiago de Compostela (997). Leon was forced to recognize the Caliphate's suzerainty. As a vassal of the Caliphate, Leon was compelled to join Cordoban forces in battles against the neighnoring Christian kingdom of Navarrec and King Sancho. King Alfonso V of Leon late in his reign was able to reexert Leonese independemce. There was at the time no real national ethos among the people of Leon and the other Christian kingdoms. The principal national institution was the monarchy. The Leonese kings were unable to main the territorial integrity of the expanding kingdom. Count Fernam Gonzalez in the east moved Castille toward autonomy. The Counts of Castile claimed the title of King (1035). And the Counts of Braga also began ruling independently (1095). They subsequently claimed the title King of Portugal (1139). This meant that León rather than dominating Iberians Chistians became one of several Christian states. Leon did not discontinue the Reconquista. They took Salamanca. But the Reconquista was now waged primarily by Portugal in the west and Castille to the east. King Ferdinand the Great layed the foundation for uion with Castille which as emerging as the dominant Christian kingdom. Castilian king Fernando I conquered León (1037). Leon and Castile were united in Dynastic Union under Ferdinand (1037-1165). This union was dissolved when Ferfinand died. León and Castile were ruled by different kings for short periods, but the merger finally became permanent in an endyring dynastic union (1230). León for many years was the most important kingdom in Spain, but power gradually shifted to Castile. They were finally united in an enduring dynastic union (1230). From this point the history of Leon and the monarchy become the history bof Castile, the larger and most important of the two kingdoms. The two kingdoms were not, however, immediately merged. This process took several centuries and included not only state, but church and the estates (cortses).

Navarre

Navarre was an important medieval kingdom, but is one that is not well know today because it did not evolve into a modern kingdom. The territory of Navarre straddled parts of two modern nations, southern France and northern Spain. Navarre in ancient times was a part of the lands coverned by the Vascons. It resisted both Roman and Visigothic control as did the Basques. Navarre played an important part in the Reconquista. Under Sancho III, Navarre controlled most of Christian Spain as wll as land north of the Pyrenees. The kingdom was at times independaent and at other times linked dynativally with Aragon or France. After the Reconquista, Ferdinand the Catholic of Aragon (and regent of Castille), conquered Upper Navarre (Navarre south of the Pyrenees) and incorporated it into the developing unified Spain (1512). Navarre in many ways, however, retained its own destinctive charter. The five communities of Upper Navarre while incorporated into the Kingdom of Castile, but enjoyed considerable autonomy. King Henry of Navarre (Lower Navarre) rose as the leader of the French Hugenoughts (Protestants) in the French Religious Wars. He converted to Catholcism to end the Wars. He united Lower Navarre with France (1607). French Kings continued to call themselves Kings of France and Navarre. Gradually Navarre made a transition from kingdom to province in both Spain and France. Navarre was a traditional area od Spain. The population generally supported supported absolutism and Casrlism (19th century). Pamplona on the other hand was a hotbed of liberalism. Mavarre became a Spanish province (1841). It managed to retained many historic institutions provided in the local charter which survived the Spanish Civil War (1936-39).

Portugal

Bermudo II, King of the Leon reconquered the territory between the Douro and Minho rivers (now northern Portugal ) from the Moors early in the Reconquista (997). As a result, Portugal became a fiefdom of Leon. Ferdinand I, King of Castile and Leon, in 1064 completed the reconquest as far south as present-day Coimbra. The reconquered districts were then organized into a feudal country, composed of Spanish fiefs. Portugal later derived its name from the northern most fief, the Comitatus Portaculenis, which extended around the old Roman seaport of Portus cale (present-day Oporto). One of the most powerful French nobels, Henry of Burgundy in 1093 came to the assistance of Castile when it was attacked by a Moorish army. In gratitude Alfonso I of Castile made Henry Count of Portugal.

Created: 3:26 AM 9/16/2009
Last updated: 6:50 PM 10/16/2009