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Paper Abstract: Life & career of 11th Cent. Spanish leader in political, religious & military contexts. Paper Introduction: Ferdinand I This paper will discuss the life of Ferdinand I, also known as Fernando I, ruler of Léon, Castile, Galicia and the Rioja from 1035 to 1065. The first part of the paper will provide some background to Ferdinand's reign, examining the respective situations of the Moorish empire in Spain and the Christian kingdoms in northern Spain. The second part of the paper will look at the career of Ferdinand I and provide some detail of his role in the Christian Reconquest of Spain. The third part of the paper will discuss some of the reasons for the success of the Christians in weakening the Moorish empire in Spain during the Eleventh Century. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. [17]Ibid., 78-79;Lomax, 55; Menéndez, 8 -81. Theseparias became vested with certain property rights and were alienable.Agreements between Christian rulers were cemented with the transfer ofrights to the income from parias and parias were included in the wills ofleaders. A divided al-Andulus was much easier to pullapart and destroy than one which was united behind a strong caliph.Recognizing this, the Castilian and Catalan leaders sent expeditionaryforces to aid the respective sides in the Muslim civil war; this preventedeither side from losing or from gaining a clear advantage. In 1 43 he restored al-Ma'mun to theleadership of Toledo in return for the promise of annual tribute. The Cid and His Spain. Ferdinand perfectedthe tactic, originated by the Muslims themselves, of supporting certainMuslim provinces over others and making sure that none became individuallystrong enough to oppose the Christian kingdoms on their own. This division did not last, for Sancho conquered Léonand Galicia with Castilian troops. In this way, theyplanned to reconquer Spain.[8] The quarrels and conflicts between the various Christian kingdomswere serious enough, however, to prevent any unification of kingdoms untilthe Eleventh Century. In order tostop the raids, the Muslim province leaders would agree to pay annualtributes, known as parias, to the Christians, knowing that they couldexpect no help from a virtually nonexistent central government. [1 ]Ibid., 53; Pidal, 58; Jan Read, The Moors in Spain and Portugal(London: Faber and Faber, 1974), 1 1-1 2. Lomax, The Reconquest of Spain (London: Longman, 1978). They possessed important knowledge concerning theMuslim region and its government; this made them invaluable as spies andambassadors. In a similar vein, Ferdinand attacked andcaptured the castles at Gormaz and Berlanga in 1 6 , forcing al-Muqtadir ofSaragossa to pay him tribute. Throughout this final period of his life, heencouraged Christians to settle in the city and persuaded the Bishop inTortosa to serve as Bishop in Coimbra. [18]Read, 98. When a town or city was besieged, the residentswere informed that if they surrendered immediately they would be allowed tostay in their homes and keep their property and religion. Immigrants who settled the frontier districts banded togetherin rural communities, governing themselves in order to ensure theirsurvival. [7]Ibid., 52. This policy had beensuccessfully employed by Abd al-Rahman III and al-Mansur during theprevious century and it was not until the fall of the caliphate and theemployment of the same strategy against the Muslims by the Christians thatany unity between the Christian kingdoms could be achieved.[9] Life of Ferdinand I In 1 35 a ruler appeared in Léon who was finally able to unite someof the Christian kingdoms. Al-Mansur proved to be a strong and resourceful leader; hepersistently demonstrated the weakness of the Christian kingdoms bymarching into Christian regions and sacking the towns and villages. The old zeal of Islamspent itself on the sophistication and culture of al-Andulus during thattime period. Ferdinand I This paper will discuss the life of Ferdinand I, also known asFernando I, ruler of Léon, Castile, Galicia and the Rioja from 1 35 to1 65. They had beenresettling the northern plains since 718, after the Muslims had given uptheir plans of expanding into southern France. Realizing this, the Muslims tended to hate them and massacredthem in Saragossa in 1 65. He served as a loyal servant of the Abbasidsuntil he went over to the service of Ferdinand. [16]Pidal, 87-88. Davidiz had been captured in a slaving raidconducted by the Muslim king of Seville when he was young. Although they frequently tried to avoid payment, the sumsthey paid to Ferdinand in other years was enormous. The secondpart of the paper will look at the career of Ferdinand I and provide somedetail of his role in the Christian Reconquest of Spain. If they did not surrender and the city was stormed, theresidents were killed or enslaved. Ferdinand himself enjoyed the company of monks and theritual of the sung mass.[18] In addition, the northern Christians underwent social changes duringthis time. [6]Ibid., 51-52. Sancho Garcia of Castile provided troops to one side in returnfor territory, rather than money. Florian, The Moors in Spain (The Werner Company,191 ), 41-42; Stanley Lane-Poole, The Moors in Spain (Beirut: Khayats,1967), 152-166. Between the end of theseexpeditions and the establishment of the Spanish caliphate by Abd al-RahmanIII in 929, the Spanish Muslims attempted to bring the whole of the IberianPeninsula under Muslim control. Background Since the beginning of the Tenth Century, the area comprisingnorthern Spain was controlled by Christians. The Christian leaderspossessed long-term plans of their own: reconquering the Peninsula anddriving the Muslims out of Europe. Beirut: Khayats, 1967.Lomax, Derek W. This superiority in cavalry provided a distinct advantage to theChristians when they met the infantry armies of the Muslims.[19] Conclusion Al-Andulus enjoyed a very brief period of political and culturaldomination in Spain during the late Tenth and early Eleventh Centuries butthis domination faded very quickly during the middle part of the EleventhCentury. The Werner Company, 191 .Lane-Poole, Stanley. Ferdinand supported this claim byconducting the first Léonese expeditions to the eastern half of the IberianPeninsula. Thus, the Muslim empire in Spain was fatally weakened inthe space of a few short years.[3] Several reasons have been postulated for this quick demise of thecaliphate immediately following its time of strength. He left the field and returned to Léon on ChristmasEve; he died four days later.[16] His dominion was divided amongst hischildren. Although he was able to subdue them tothe point where they could not conduct any more campaigns in al-Andulus, hewas unable to bring them under the control of the emirate.[1] Meanwhile, the Christian kingdoms became disunited after the death ofRamiro II of Léon, in 951. While the rulers of thevarious kingdoms tried to attain ascendancy over each other, Abd al-Rahman's son, al-Hakam II, concentrated his forces against the Christiankingdoms and forced them to make peace on his terms. [13]Lomax, 54. Hecontinued the policy of weakening the Muslims through raids and tribute,but also conquered the capital of Toledo. Sancho received Castile and the parias of Saragossa; Alfonso VIreceived Léon, Asturias, and the parias of Toledo; Garcia received Galiciaand Portugal, along with the parias of Seville and Badojoz; Ferdinand'sdaughters, Elvira and Urraca, received all of the monasteries in the empirein exchange for lifelong promises of chastity (Urraca was rumored to havereneged on hers). By indicating that he was theprotector of all Spanish Christians regardless of where they resided,Ferdinand was also indirectly claiming the authority of the Léonesemonarchy over all of Spain. Although fighting didnot really cease, the provinces prospered on their own. Spain in the Middle Ages: From Frontier to Empire, 1 - 15 . [15]Ibid., 54-55. BibliographyFlorian, M. [4]Lomax, 5 -51. Ltd., 1934, reprint,1971), 31-32. Ferdinand'sarmy enjoyed a large force of cavalry, composed of both nobility and freemen. London: Frank Cass & Co. [5]Ibid., 5 -51. Although many of the reasons for this twilight had to do withproblems inside the Muslim empire itself, the inherent strengths of theSpanish Christian kingdoms also played a very important role. He also turned the immigrationof French monks and pilgrims into the Léon region into a program for theeuropeanization of the empire.[17] Reasons for the Success of the Reconquest The contrast between the rapid decline of al-Andulus and the rise ofthe Christian kingdoms of the north during the Eleventh Century wasdramatic. When al-Hakam died,his son became caliph, but one of his generals, known as al-Mansur, ruledthe emirate. After making a pilgrimage toSantiago to pray for help, he laid siege to the city of Coimbra in 1 64.Although the garrison in the city resisted, battering rams breached thecity walls and most of the residents surrendered on the condition that theybe allowed to leave the city with enough provisions for their flight tosafer environs. Civil wars within the Muslim empire inSpain, however, prevented this from becoming reality and until theaccession of Abd al-Rahman III to the emirate the Christian kingdoms in thenorth were able to keep Muslim forces off balance with raids and excursionsinto al-Andulus (Moorish Spain). The longer the conflict lasted, theweaker the Muslims became. In addition, the Christians played off the independent Muslimkingdoms against each other, supporting one against the other in order toprevent the emergence of a single dominant kingdom. Throughout the Eleventh Century,the Christians raided and looted Muslims towns and villages. Subsequently, al-Ma'mun agreed toresume paying the tribute. This tacticfed the natural disunity and conflict within al-Andulus and prevented thecentral authority of Córdoba from reasserting itself after the fall of theCaliphate. [2]Lomax, 45-48; M. For example, in 1 63 Ramiro I of Aragon marched on theSaragossan town of Graus; Ferdinand sent troops to aid al-Muqtadir andRamiro's plans were thwarted.[11] Toward the end of his reign, Ferdinand began to capture small Muslimtowns, especially in the kingdom of Badajoz. The fate of Coimbra signaled theestablishment of surrender terms which were given to all Muslim towns andcities in the given years. The third part ofthe paper will discuss some of the reasons for the success of theChristians in weakening the Moorish empire in Spain during the EleventhCentury. Throughout this time,Christian leaders were forced to make treaties with al-Mansur and his son,Abd al-Malik, and frequently fought each other. When he died,however, the kingdoms were again split up, going to his sons. With the death of Abd al-Malik, however, the power of the caliphate declined and al-Andulus eruptedinto civil war.[2] Each side in the ensuing conflict sought allies amongst the Christiankingdoms. Muslim forays into southernFrance had ended two centuries earlier as the Merovingian forces proved toopowerful to be overcome by the disunited Moors. The civil war sputtered as the Muslim provinces secured theirrelative independence from any central authority. These families proved themselvesapathetic in the face of the caliphate's collapse.[4] On the other hand, it was in the interest of the Christian rulers toprolong the civil war to their south. Theeffects of this revival reached northern Spain in the form of Cluniac monksfrom Burgundy; after this, the Spanish Christians increasingly turned toFrance for help. ----------------------- [1]Derek W. This opened theway for the Christians to unite under a strong leader and eventuallydominate the Peninsula.[5] Between 1 1 and 1 6 , the frontier between al-Andulus and theChristian kingdoms in the north remained static. [14]Ibid., 54. As noted above, the aristocratic families were moreinterested in preserving their power and culture than in protecting theMoorish empire from the encroachment of the Christian kingdoms.Christianity, on the other hand, was undergoing a revival in Europe. This authority had its origins in the Gothicperiod and the leadership of Léon intended to reassert this authority asthe Muslims were driven out of Spain. The grand schemebehind this policy was to weaken and exhaust the Muslim kingdoms until theChristians could march in and take over the kingdom. Ltd., 1934, reprint, 1971.Read, Jan. The Moors in Spain and Portugal. Abd al-Rahman, however, proved to be astrong ruler and he brought the rebellious Muslim provinces under firmcontrol. Many have said that the reversal of fortunes was due in largepart to the characters of the respective religions. The Léonese claim would be repeated in drives towardsSaragossa, Valencia, and the Mediterranean Sea over the next two centuries,but it would eventually lose out to the accomplishments of the Catalans andthe Aragones.[15] Ferdinand became sick in 1 65 during the attacks upon the king ofValencia at Paterna. In return for thetribute paid by the Muslim towns and provinces, Ferdinand protected themfrom incursions. Davidiz also acted as a royal judgeand served as Ferdinand's ambassador to the courts of Saragossa andGranada.[13] The career of Davidiz was indicative of the residence of Christiansin al-Andulus and also illustrates their importance to the Reconquest bythe Christian kingdoms. Ferdinand Iwas extremely important in bringing together the Christian kingdoms in thenorth. Whenthis was not paid, he besieged the cities of Talamanca and Alcala andraided the Jarama and Henares valleys. Some citizens refused to surrender, however, and retreatedto a redoubt. First, Iberiangeography aided the cause of sectionalism and it required special effortson the part of the central government to bring the provinces together.Second, racial factionalism had long been a problem in al-Andulus. None of the factions was able to gainclear superiority and the caliphate changed hands fifteen times between1 9 and 1 27. A lessernobility emerged amongst the Christians, obligated to come to the aid ofthe king when needed. London: Macmillan, 1977.Pidal, Ramón Menéndez. Minor forays were mountedagainst Muslim towns and fortresses, but none of the Christian kingdomswere yet strong enough to pose a serious threat to the Muslim empire as awhole. [12]Ibid., 53-54; Pidal, 81-82. Finally, the leadingfamilies in the Kingdom were more interested in pursuing their own aimsthan protecting the unity of the kingdom. Alfonso then went into exile at Toledo,where he was entertained by King al-Ma'mun. Hereduced several fortresses after successful sieges and the Christiankingdoms remained weak until his death in 1 2. They had been cementedtogether by Islam, but once the Islamic leadership was questioned, nosingle leader, such as Abd al-Rahman III, could unite the Muslims of al-Andulus against the Christian kingdoms in the north. Thus, Ferdinand could rely upon Spanish Christiansfor his army, while the Muslims had to employ mercenaries. But the military expeditions of al-Mansur had set back immediate plans of some of the great Muslim cities inthe north.[7] A recovery period was needed, during which the Christians rebuilttheir strength and weakened the Muslims. Navarre went to Sancho's oldest son, Garcia, but the kingdomwas isolated from Muslim territory and could take part in the Reconquest ofMuslim territory only through expansion of its Christian neighbors, Castileand Aragon.[1 ] Throughout his reign, Ferdinand concentrated his efforts on unitingthe kingdoms and weakening the Muslims, rather than on military campaignsto actually effect the Reconquest. The Moors in Spain. He received aneducation in Seville and, as not uncommon for slaves of the Muslims, herose through the ranks of the militia in Seville until he became a generaland then a royal councillor. London: Longman, 1978.MacKay, Angus. Bythe time of his death in 1 65, Ferdinand ruled Galicia, Léon, Castile, andthe Rioja. He advised Ferdinand tolay siege to Coimbra and after the city's fall, he governed it as countuntil his death in 1 91. Ferdinandinherited Castile but went after Léon as well, conquering it in 1 37. Sancho had been able to combine thekingdoms of Navarre and Castile and occupy most of Léon. [9]Lomax, 53. [11]Lomax, 53. In response to this massacre, Ferdinand led apunitive expedition, asserting his identity as protector of all SpanishChristians.[14] The punitive expedition was also intended as a sign to the otherChristian kingdoms of Léon's superiority. He was also able to get Badajoz and Sevilleto pay tribute. Thekingdom was comprised of a mixture of European, Arab, and North Africanpeoples, all of whom literally despised each other. [19]Ibid., 98-99; MacKay, 41, 45-5 . After reuniting the provinces of al-Andulus under central Muslimauthority, he went after the Christian kingdoms who continued to causetrouble in the northern regions. This set something of a precedent andthe warring Muslim factions proved all too willing to give up territory tothe Christians in return for troops. Christian forces were not strong enough to makemuch headway against the emirate during this period, for the cooperativespirit broke down with the death of Ramiro. This state of affairs reflected the long-term policyof the Muslims, which was intended to divide the Christians in order tokeep them from gaining too much strength. Upon Sancho's assassination in1 72, Alfonso inherited the entire kingdom (after disposing of Garcia).Alfonso eventually became one of the greatest of the Spanish kings. In contrast, the Muslims of al-Andulus were locked into a rigidhierarchy in which individualism and initiative were discouraged. London: Faber and Faber, 1974. Ferdinand I, also known as Fernando I, was theson of Sancho the Great of Navarre. Indeed, theEleventh Century was a high point for Muslim culture in Spain, as rulerswelcomed artists, historians, poets, and scientists in an effort to equalthe accomplishments of the caliphate.[6] Meanwhile, the Christian kingdoms were also divided and quarrelingamongst themselves, as they had been for centuries. If theysurrendered during the siege they could depart with whatever belongingsthey could carry. Upon the storming of this last bastion, Ferdinand had thesurvivors either killed or enslaved. The first part of the paper will provide some background toFerdinand's reign, examining the respective situations of the Moorishempire in Spain and the Christian kingdoms in northern Spain. [3]Florian, 43-44; Lane-Poole, 167-76; Lomax, 49-5 . The Reconquest of Spain. The Moors in Spain. [8]Ibid., 52-53; Angus MacKay, Spain in the Middle Ages: From Frontierto Empire, 1 -15 (London: Macmillan, 1977), 17-18; Ramón MenéndezPidal, The Cid and His Spain (London: Frank Cass & Co. The unified Christian kingdoms weakened the Muslim empire throughmilitary actions and through diplomatic maneuvering. The fact that those who surrenderedimmediately were not forced to give up their religion indicates that theChristian reconquerors were more interested in expanding the politicalpower of the Christian community, rather than spreading Christianityitself.[12] After the surrender of Coimbra, Ferdinand drove out all Muslims fromthe region north of the Mondego River and placed the area under the rule ofCount Sisnando Davidiz. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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