MIDDLE AGES 1: THE BEGINING

The Middle Ages started on the Iberian Peninsula with the creation of the Visigoth kingdom. Later, the Moors invaded and conquered the Peninsula.

1. THE VISIGOTH KINGDOM (EL REINO VISIGODO)

* Before the year 400 A. D, the Roman Empire was attacked from Germanic tribes, who came from the North of Europe. One of these tribes were the Visigoths.



* They arrived in Hispania and founded a kingdom ( Toledo was its capital).



* The most important Visigoth kings were Liuvigil (Leovigildo), Recarred (Recaredo) and Recceswinth (Recesvinto), they unified the kingdom using some attempts.






* Their population were very few but the adopted the Roman language (Latin), Roman Laws and the Catholic religion. The Visigoths were experts in jewellery (metal and precious stones).






2. THE MOORISH CONQUEST ( LA CONQUISTA MUSULMANA)

* In 711 A.D. an army of Moors arrived from Africa and invaded the Visigoth Kingdom.

The Moorish Conquest

* In just a few years, they conquered almost the whole of the Peninsula and Balearic Islands.
* They called this territory Al-Andalus and Cordoba was its capital.

* Al-Andalus was an emirate (emirato), a province which depended on the Caliph of Damascus (Califa de Damasco) in Asia.
* In 756, Prince Abd-ar-Rahman I (Abderramán I) proclaimed himself an independent emir, separated from Damascus.
* In 929, the emir Abd-ar-Rahman III (Abderramán III) proclaimed himself caliph (Califa) and stablished the caliphate of Cordoba (until the year 1031).

* Al-Andalus made great military conquests (during the caliphate), Almanzor (Moorish soldier) was the responsible for many victories.
* Cordoba became the most important cities and densely-populated.
* Musicians, brilliant doctors, poets, astronomers....lived there.
* There were big markets where people bought and sold products from all over the world.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF A MOORISH CITY

3. THE CHRISTIAN KINGDOMS (FORMACIÓN DE LOS REINOS CRISTIANOS)

* The Chistians (in the North) put up strong resistance against the invaders (Moorish). They organised themselves into Kingdoms (reinos) and counties (condados).
* In Cantabria, They accepted a nobleman called Pelayo (Visigoth) as their chief (jefe). In the year 722 they founded the Kingdom of Asturias.

* In 910, they transferred the capital to Leon and it was called the Kingdom of Leon.
* The eastern part became independent and the county of Castile (Castilla) became the Kingdom of Castile.
* In the Pyrenees, the Kingdom of Navarra (the most importantin the Christian area), the Catalan counties and the kingdom of Aragon was created. 
* The Christian Kingdoms fought against Al-Andalus for 8 Centuries but they traded with the Moors, learnt their customs and travelled in their territory.