Toledo: The City of Three Faiths - Essay Example

?A Summarize the history of Medieval Spain as described in the book, paying special attention to the role of the of Toledo in political and cultural history. The North African Moors in 711 C. E. captured the Iberian Peninsula after which the foundations for the Islamic state came into being. The Moors created the kingdom of Al-Andulas that played a critical role in the awakening of Europe. Over time infighting in the Arab quarters led to disintegration of the Al-Andulas kingdom into smaller kingdoms. Around a dozen smaller empires emerged in placed of Al-Andulas by 1030 C. E. Already, united Christian conquerors had launched the Reconquista in a bid to recapture Spain from Islamic rule. The twin threats of united Christian armies and rivalries between the smaller kingdoms eventually led to the demise of Islamic rule in Spain. The fall of the kingdom of Granada in the reign of Isabella and Ferdinand marked the official end of Islamic rule on the Iberian Peninsula. Between the Islamic conquest and expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula, a significant body of developments occurred throughout Spain in myriad fields. As commercial centers and centers of learning opened up their doors to all and sundry, the level of commercial advancement and research took on a new shape altogether. The developments in medieval Spain opened up the doors of Europe’s enlightenment and growth centuries later. The kingdom of Al-Andulas and the various kingdoms in its legacy gave rise to a number of cosmopolitans such as Seville, Cordoba, Toledo and Granada. All of these cities became centers of excellence in terms of economics, culture, science and religious tolerance. However, amongst these cities perhaps Toledo remained the most significant in terms of political and cultural development. Toledo first became a center of excellence under the Islamic regime of Al-Andulas after which King Alfonso VI conquered it in 1085 in his Reconquista bid. Unlike other regions where Christian takeovers incited bloodshed, violence and persecution, the takeover of Toledo was markedly different. Alonso placed no compulsion on the local Muslims and Jews to convert or immigrate to other lands. The real motives behind Alfonso’s actions have been questioned with some labeling them as altruism while others label them as commercial interests attached with the Muslims. Whatever the case, Alfonso allowed the Muslims to use the great mosque of Toledo and appointed a Christian governor (who spoke Arabic) to “oversee civil authority”. Muslim chronicles from the time indicate that Alfonso proclaimed himself as the King of two religions (Islam and Christianity as Jewish populations were too small). This declaration even by a king was revolutionary for the time as the Church considered all other religions as paganism alone. Alfonso’s recognition of Islam meant that he was ready for tolerance and peaceful coexistence. It must also be mentioned that Toledo served as an important commercial center on the important Spanish crossroads for trade and other commercial pursuits. Over the centuries Toledo’s centralized location as well as its commercially savvy population were able to transform the city into a massive commercial hub. The onset of commercial activities meant that Toledo had money to spare and that there were various cultural streams interacting with each other. Consequently, Toledo transformed into a vibrant commercial and cultural center. In contrast, the new rulers of cities such as Barbastro subjected their populations to inhumane and barbaric treatment that reduced these cities to dark ages. An-Andulas had managed to remove these cosmopolitan centers from abject poverty and backwardness, but the Reconquista managed to throw them back into poverty. This remained true for nearly all of the Iberian Peninsula except for Toledo. Toledo’s ruler Alfonso had captured the city in order to enhance his standing based on the city’s vibrant commercial and cultural activities. The Muslim population in the city was the very reason for its commercial success and Alfonso was bent upon retaining it under all conditions even if it meant religious compromise. Perhaps the largest difference between Alfonso and other rulers was that Alfonso protected the goose that lay the golden eggs instead of slaughtering it all at once to get the golden eggs. As medieval Spain reverberated with bloodshed and violence on religious grounds, the city of Toledo and its population held steady under a judicious ruler who promoted religious tolerance to deal with the largest social divide of the times. A.2. Based on the book, what did you learn regarding the coexistence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Medieval Spain? Be specific. What worked? What did not work? The coexistence of Jews, Christians and Muslims is possible as shown by the book in question. Medieval Spain presented various models of religious tolerance and intolerance that brought to focus various strategies that could be used to keep the fragile peace. The key point in ensuring coexistence of various religious communities is the venting of their political frustrations through adequate representation and due consideration in the process of governance. The governments in the more religiously tolerant regions were composed of various religious identities such as Toledo where the first governor was Christian but other officials were Christians and Muslims. In contrast, cities that experienced bloodshed had tainted forms of governance with one religious faction at the head of all affairs of governance. The move to impress one set of religious ideals onto different religious populations often led to bloodshed and violence. In addition, the second major factor in protecting interfaith harmony was commercial interests that the governor and the governed manipulated in their favor. The presence of long standing commercial skills in the Muslims of Toledo was a major factor in Alfonso’s preservation of their religious traditions and values. In contrast, the more learned Jewish populations were offered lower levels of protection when compared to the Muslims. However, it is undeniable that scholars of the Jewish tradition were highly protected and favored. Overall, it can be deduced that peaceful coexistence is possible if all involved parties have mutually developed stakes. A.3. Explain: What did you learn regarding minorities in the Christian and Muslim sides? One key aspect highlighted by the author has been the state of loose trust that exists between Christian and Muslim minorities throughout the medieval Spanish era. One such example is the reaction of the Muslims to the confiscation of the grand mosque at Toledo by the Christian archbishop in Alfonso’s absence. The Muslims for centuries considered this act as a means to enforce polytheistic Christian values onto Muslims by Alfonso himself while Alfonso had no real involvement in the affair. Moreover, Muslims considered the moderate behavior of Alfonso as a method of wooing the Muslim masses to Christian faith and values. In contrast, the Christians in the rule of Al-Andulas had such ideas too about their Muslim rulers. The conversion of large swaths of Christians to Islam was also taken as a sign of this contention. Read More