by Josh Owens

Created on: April 15, 2007   Last Updated: May 08, 2007

Islam in Spain

Islam had been in Spain hundreds of years before the first crusade. The Muslims that lived in Spain were called Moors. Christians were fighting against them the whole time, but this fighting was not necessarily a crusade. The mere fact that the war against the Moors in Spain was believed to be meritorious and thus attracted a certain number of French knights does not make it a crusade. The fighting in Spain was simply a Holy War at this time. It did play an important part in the origins of the crusade, but it was not until Pope Urban II that the turmoil in Spain developed into a crusade.

When the Cid took control of part of Islamic Spain he was tolerant of the Moors living there. He told his people to respect the Moors, honor them and talk to them when they pass on the streets. He gave orders that all windows of the towers which looked in upon the city should be closed up, that the Christians might not see what the Moors did in their houses; and the Moors thanked him for this. The Cid promised the Moors many things, but he would later forget the promises he made and send the Moors away. It seems that once the Cid got control over the territory and the people he no longer needed to be nice to the Moors.
The Moors in Spain and Sicily contributed greatly to the knowledge of the West. So great was the Moors knowledge that European Christian scholars traveled to Sicily, with its lively Muslim presence, as well as to Spain, where Christians were gaining territory from the Moors, to study ancient books as well as those written by Muslim scholars.
Spanish society under Muslim rule was complex. Islamic conquest did not systematically convert the conquered population. The Muslims recognized Christians and Jews as people of God. People in Spain slowly converted to Islam because it offered economic and social advantages. Many Christians, merchants, large landowners and local elites converted to Islam because they were drawn into the politics and this way they could maintain an influence. Under some Muslim rulers Jews held prominent positions, and sometimes participated in politics. Arabic was the official language in Muslim controlled Spain, even though the population was largely Spanish Christians. Both Christians and Jews spoke Arabic. Muslim Spain was extremely wealthy and sophisticated during this time. Western Christendom did not reach the same level as Muslim Spain until the 12th century. The only reason this happened was because of intellectual and commercial influence coming from Muslim Spain. The Muslims in Spain imported many intellectual ideas from the Middle East and North Africa. They improved on the knowledge of mathematics and science. They helped revive the Greek philosophical tradition. Arabs introduced new farming techniques which included new irrigation systems, and this led to a boom in agriculture, which had been on the decline. The Muslims constructed numerous mosques, palaces and other grand architectural monuments, many of which still stand.
The Muslims in Spain contributed much to the Spanish culture and without these additions Spain might not have been the fantastic place that it is today.

Mayer, Hans Eberhard The Crusades Oxford University Press New York, NY 1965 (pg 18)
Allen, S.J. The Crusades: A Reader Broadview Press Toronto, ON 2003 (pg 300)
Ibid (pg 303)

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