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FIND OUT MORE. Crusades 389 • Islam 290 • Medieval Africa 394–395 • Ottoman Empire 397

History^387

HOW DID AL ANDALUS LINK EAST AND WEST?

During the 10th century reign of Abd al-Rahman,

Cordoba was the capital of Al Andalus. With its

lavishly endowed libraries, it was a magnet for

scholars and acted as the door through which the

science of the East reached Christian scholars in

western Europe. After 1031, when the ruling dynasty

changed, Cordoba’s golden age ended. In 1236 it was

reconquered by Christian Spanish forces.

WHY WERE TEXTILES SO IMPORTANT?

Many of the first Muslims were nomads, who needed

to be able to pack up and move all their belongings

quickly. Traditionally, woven cloth was used for tents,

bags, clothes, cushions, bedding, and kelims (rugs).

The art and craft of making textiles continued to be

important in the Muslim world, which gave us the

words for damask (from Damascus), muslin (from

Mosul), and cashmere (from Kashmir).

WHERE DID MUSLIMS TRAVEL?

Muslim pilgrims, traders, soldiers, scholars, and

government officials made long journeys across the

Islamic empire, and beyond. One of the most famous

explorers, Ibn Battuta, set out on a pilgrimage to

Mecca in 1325. He spent the next 25 years travelling,

crossing the Sahara, and even reaching China before

returning to Morocco to write his story.

CORDOBA’S GREAT MOSQUE 3

A mihrab is a niche that faces

Mecca, the holiest city of Islam.

This is the mihrab of the Great

Mosque (Mezquita) of Cordoba,

one of Islam’s greatest

architectural legacies to Europe.

It was begun by the city’s rulers

in 785 and enlarged over the

following two centuries.

1 RIDING THE MONSOON

For voyages of exploration and trade, Arab sailors used boats called

dhows, which can be handled by a small crew. The voyages of real

sailors inspired the imaginary adventures of Sinbad the Sailor.

Delicate plaster,

carved in Islamic

geometric patterns

Cooling fountain at

centre of courtyard

Roof supported by

124 columns of

white marble

AL ANDALUS

Muslim armies conquered southern Spain in 711. They called it

Al Andalus and it became the richest country in Europe. The

Muslims, or Moors as they are sometimes called, brought new

crops, such as oranges, almonds, and cotton, and new technology,

such as water wheels. In 1492, Granada, which was the last

surviving Islamic kingdom in Spain, fell to Christian rulers.

4 THE COURT OF THE LIONS

The Court of the Lions, part of the

Alhambra palace, which was built

in 1238–1354 for the ruling 

Nasrid family of Granada, the last

Moorish kingdom in Spain. The

central water basin is surrounded

by 12 stone lions, each fitted with

a water spout. Soothing, cooling

water was an essential ingredient

of Islamic architecture.