Taifa of Dénia
Encyclopedia
The taifa
of Dénia was a Muslim kingdom in medieval Spain
, ruling over part of the Valencian coast and Ibiza
. With Dénia
as its capital, the taifa included the Balearic Islands and parts of the Spanish mainland.
, by the freed slave Mujahid al-Siqlabi, a former high functionary of the caliphate, probably had a Sardinia
n origin. In 1011 Dénia was the first taifa to strike coin. The kingdom had a relatively powerful navy, which in 1015 was used to take control of the Balearic Islands
and from there to invade Sardinia
. The taifa settled a military camp in the north of the island for one year, as a base to the next attack against the Maritime Republic of Pisa, but it was reconquered by the fleets of Pisa
and Genoa
: in the fray Mujahid's heir, Ali Iqbal al-Dawla, was captured, and could be ransomed only in 1032. In that period the taifa's ships launched several other raids against the Liguria
n and Tuscan
coasts.
In the 1020s he took advantage of the death of the regents of the taifa of Valencia
to capture the southern part of that kingdom, which he held for two years. A few years later he supported the rebellion of Ibn Jattab against Ibn Tahir of Murcia
. After the rise of Abd al-Aziz ibn Amir in Valencia, Mujahid constantly struggled against him, conquering Murcia, Lorca
, Orihuela
and Elche, extending his power up to the Segura River. Through the mediation of Sulaymán ibn Hud
of Zaragoza, he signed a treaty of peace with Valencia in 1041.
Muyahid, who had been educated as slave in the court of the Andalusian ruler Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
, was a patron of several intellectual, espacially writers and ulema
s escaping the chaos ensuing the Córdoban disoolution.
At the death of Muyahid al-Muwaffaq in 1045, he was succeeded by Ali Iqbal al-Dawla, son of Christian mother. He was able to keep the integrity of his father conquests for some thirty years, starting a period of peace and prosperity, based on the large commercial fleet based in Dénia. In 1050 the Balearic governor, Abd Allah ibn Aglab, gained autonomy in the islands. Dénia's power remained confined to its peninsular possessions until the conquest from the taifa of Zaragoza
in 1076. The Balearic taifa of Mallorca remained independent until 1116.
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
of Dénia was a Muslim kingdom in medieval Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, ruling over part of the Valencian coast and Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
. With Dénia
Dénia
Dénia is a city in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, the judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta...
as its capital, the taifa included the Balearic Islands and parts of the Spanish mainland.
History
The taifa was created in 1010, after the disintegration of the Caliphate of CórdobaCaliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
, by the freed slave Mujahid al-Siqlabi, a former high functionary of the caliphate, probably had a Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
n origin. In 1011 Dénia was the first taifa to strike coin. The kingdom had a relatively powerful navy, which in 1015 was used to take control of the Balearic Islands
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
and from there to invade Sardinia
Pisan–Genoese expeditions to Sardinia (1015–1016)
In 1015 and again in 1016 forces from the taifa of Denia, in the east of Muslim Spain , attacked Sardinia and attempted to establish control over it. In both these years joint expeditions from the maritime republics of Pisa and Genoa repulsed the invaders and preserved Sardinia as a part of...
. The taifa settled a military camp in the north of the island for one year, as a base to the next attack against the Maritime Republic of Pisa, but it was reconquered by the fleets of Pisa
Republic of Pisa
The Republic of Pisa was a de facto independent state centered on the Tuscan city of Pisa during the late tenth and eleventh centuries. It rose to become an economic powerhouse, a commercial center whose merchants dominated Mediterranean and Italian trade for a century before being surpassed and...
and Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
: in the fray Mujahid's heir, Ali Iqbal al-Dawla, was captured, and could be ransomed only in 1032. In that period the taifa's ships launched several other raids against the Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
n and Tuscan
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
coasts.
In the 1020s he took advantage of the death of the regents of the taifa of Valencia
Taifa of Valencia
The Taifa of Valencia was a medieval taifa kingdom which existed, in and around Valencia, Spain during four distinct periods: from 1010 to 1065, from 1075 to 1099, from 1145 to 1147 and last from 1229 to 1238 when it was finally conquered by Aragon....
to capture the southern part of that kingdom, which he held for two years. A few years later he supported the rebellion of Ibn Jattab against Ibn Tahir of Murcia
Taifa of Murcia
The Taifa of Murcia was one of the Taifas of medieval Al-Andalus, in what is now southern Spain. It became independent as a taifa centered on the Moorish city of Murcia after the fall of the Omayyad Caliphate of Córdoba...
. After the rise of Abd al-Aziz ibn Amir in Valencia, Mujahid constantly struggled against him, conquering Murcia, Lorca
Lorca
Lorca is a municipality and town in the autonomous community of Murcia in southeastern Spain, 36 miles southwest of the city of Murcia. It had a population of 92,694 in 2010, up from the 2001 census total of 77,477. Lorca is the municipality with the second-largest surface area in Spain with...
, Orihuela
Orihuela
Orihuela is a city and municipality located at the feet of the Sierra de Orihuela mountains in the province of Alicante, Spain. The city of Orihuela had a population of 32,472 inhabitants in the beginning of 2006...
and Elche, extending his power up to the Segura River. Through the mediation of Sulaymán ibn Hud
Al-Mustain I
Al-Mustain I, Sulayman ibn Hud al-Judhami was the first member of the Banu Hud family to rule the medieval taifa of Zaragoza, in what is now Spain. He ruled from 1039 to 1049.-References:*...
of Zaragoza, he signed a treaty of peace with Valencia in 1041.
Muyahid, who had been educated as slave in the court of the Andalusian ruler Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Al-Mansur Ibn Abi Aamir
Abu Aamir Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abi Aamir, Al-Hajib Al-Mansur , better known as Almanzor, was the de facto ruler of Muslim Al-Andalus in the late 10th to early 11th centuries. His rule marked the peak of power for Moorish Iberia.-Origins:He was born Muhammad Ibn Abi Aamir, into a noble Arab...
, was a patron of several intellectual, espacially writers and ulema
Ulema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
s escaping the chaos ensuing the Córdoban disoolution.
At the death of Muyahid al-Muwaffaq in 1045, he was succeeded by Ali Iqbal al-Dawla, son of Christian mother. He was able to keep the integrity of his father conquests for some thirty years, starting a period of peace and prosperity, based on the large commercial fleet based in Dénia. In 1050 the Balearic governor, Abd Allah ibn Aglab, gained autonomy in the islands. Dénia's power remained confined to its peninsular possessions until the conquest from the taifa of Zaragoza
Taifa of Zaragoza
The taifa of Zaragoza was an independent Muslim state in Moorish Al-Andalus, present day eastern Spain, which was established in 1018 as one of the taifa kingdoms, which emerged in the 11th century following the destruction of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the Moorish Iberian Peninsula.During the...
in 1076. The Balearic taifa of Mallorca remained independent until 1116.
Amirid dynasty
- Mujahid al-Muwaffaq (in Valencia 1017-1021): 1010/12-1045
- 'Ali Iqbal ad-Dawla: 1045-1076
- To ZaragozaTaifa of ZaragozaThe taifa of Zaragoza was an independent Muslim state in Moorish Al-Andalus, present day eastern Spain, which was established in 1018 as one of the taifa kingdoms, which emerged in the 11th century following the destruction of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the Moorish Iberian Peninsula.During the...
: 1060-1081 or 2/3 - To TortosaTaifa of TortosaThe Taifa of Tortosa was a medieval taifa kingdom which existed for two separate periods: from 1010 to 1060 and from 1081 to 1099.-Saqlabi dynasty:* Lab'ib : c. 1009-bfr. 1039/40* Muqatil Sayf al-Milla: bfr...
: 1081 or 2/3-1092 - To MoroccoAlmoravidsThe Almoravids were a Berber dynasty of Morocco, who formed an empire in the 11th-century that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus. Their capital was Marrakesh, a city which they founded in 1062 C.E...
: 1092-1224
- To Zaragoza
- Abu Zayd 'Abd ar-Rahman (in Alcira, Jativa also): 1224-1227
- To AragonKingdom of AragonThe Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
thereafter…
- To Aragon
External links
- http://web.raex.com/~obsidian/taifa.html