Pope Alexander II sends a combined force of Italian, Norman, French, and Spanish knights against the Muslim-held fortress of Barbastro in the north, massacring many inhabitants and enslaving the rest. The Almoravid leader, Yusuf ibn Tashufin, founds the capital city of Marrakesh and begins expanding his empire northward throughout Morocco…
Scholar Ali Ibn Hazm Produces Numerous Writings
Scholar Ali Ibn Hazm, having renounced political service, produces numerous theological, legal, and moralistic writings, in addition to the Tawq al-Hamamah (“The Dove’s Necklace”), a compendium of humorous observations about love and human nature. At Zaragosa, Solomon ibn Gabirol composes Judeo-Arabic poetry, a famous moral treatise, and the Meqor Hayyim…
Abd Allah ibn Yasin Attracts Berber Converts
Religious reformer Abd Allah ibn Yasin attracts Berber converts and founds a ribat (fortified retreat) in the Sahara, which becomes the base for the Almoravid movement in North Africa. Ferdinand I of Castile-León, like his father Sancho III, claims the title, “Emperor of All Spains.” The Jewish wazir (minister), Samuel…
Córdoban Ulama Formally Dissolve the Caliphate
The Córdoban ulama (learned religious scholars) formally dissolve the caliphate, ending the era of centralized Umayyad rule. Over 30 petty kingdoms under local rulers sprout up throughout Al-Andalus.
