Taifa of Seville: Map & History
The Taifa of Seville was an Arab kingdom which was ruled by the Abbadid dynasty.
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The Taifa of Seville was an Arab kingdom which was ruled by the Abbadid dynasty. It was established in 1023 and lasted until 1091, in what is today southern Spain and Portugal. It gained independence from the Caliphate of Cordoba and it expanded the territory it ruled in the mid-11th century. The emerging power of Castile led Seville to ask military assistance from the Almoravids, who then occupied Seville.
Modern Countries Once Part of Taifa of Seville
At its mapped extent, Taifa of Seville covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Taifa of Seville's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Taifa of Seville in Depth
History
The taifa (principality) began as a small, weakly-defended territory comprising parts of the modern Spanish provinces of Seville, Huelva, and Cádiz, but quickly emerged as the most powerful taifa of the time, after its rulers began a policy of expansion.
The first emir of Seville was Abu al-Qasim (1023–1042). He was qadi of Seville and declared independence from the Caliphate of Córdoba after its downfall in 1031, becoming Abbad I, emir of Seville. His son, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid (1042–1069) who succeeded him, expanded the taifa by conquering Mertola, Niebla, Saltés and Huelva, Silves, Santa María de Algarve during his reign.
His son, Muhammad al-Mu'tamid (1069–1091), turned Seville into a major centre of Ibero-Muslim culture.
Culture, science and industry
Like the other taifas in the 11th century, the Taifa of Seville was a Muslim-majority territory. It did have Christians and Jewish inhabitants, although they were often treated as secondary to Muslims. Christian inhabitants of al-Andalus who adopted Arabic culture were called Mozarab Christians, "Mozarab" being a corruption of the Arabic must'arab which meant "Arabized". Antisemitism certainly existed, but compared to their Christian neighbors to the north, the taifas was far more tolerant. Jews were known to attain high governmental positions, like how the taifas of Granada and Seville both went to war under Jewish prime ministers.
Toledan judge and historian of science Said ibn Said labelled the Taifa of Seville as the “kingdom of poetry”.
Legacy
While historians in the mid-20th century have painted a picture that the taifas, including Seville, were merely barbarians, modern historians have explained how they were geopolitically placed into positions where they had to be ruthlessly pragmatic to survive. Similar to the other taifas of the 11th century, the Taifa of Seville saw a sophistication in culture alongside state degradation. This taifa is an example of how the taifa kings would maneuver to unite al-Andalus under their own banner, but the infighting between the taifa kings would lead to their territories becoming unsustainable by 1085.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Taifa of Seville (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Taifa of Seville: Key Facts
| Capitals | Seville, Ishbiliya |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1023 |
| Dissolved | 1091 |
Preceded by
- Taifa of Algeciras
- Taifa of Córdoba
- Taifa of Mértola
Facts from Wikidata Q276951 (CC0).
Taifa of Seville Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 92,473 km² in 1089 CE.
Taifa of Seville: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Taifa of Seville exist?
Taifa of Seville is dated to 1028 CE – 1093 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Taifa of Seville?
The capital of Taifa of Seville was Seville.
How large was Taifa of Seville at its peak?
At its peak in 1089 AD Taifa of Seville covered about 92,473 km².
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