Conflict Erupts

Conflict erupts between newly arrived Berber troops from North Africa and the urban population of Córdoba, leading to the death of Caliph Hisham II and the sacking of Madinat al-Zahra. Anarchy reigns, and power is divided among Arab elites, Berber mercenaries, muwallads, and Slav converts to Islam, who served the caliph. The eminent surgeon, al-Zahrawi, dies. He authored a 30-volume work on medicine, which remained important in its Latin form for over five centuries.