Taifa of Valencia: Map & History
The Taifa of Valencia was a medieval Muslim kingdom which existed in and around Valencia, Spain.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Taifa of Valencia was a medieval Muslim kingdom which existed in and around Valencia, Spain. It gained independence from the Caliphate of Córdoba circa 1010 and became its own small kingdom, or Taifa, for most of the 11th century. It was absorbed by the Taifa of Toledo in 1065, which in turn fell to Alfonso VI of León and Castile in 1085. From 1094 to 1099, the kingdom was ruled directly by the Castilian military commander known as El Cid, then by his wife Jimena after his death, until being annexed by the Almoravids in 1102.
Modern Countries Once Part of Taifa of Valencia
At its mapped extent, Taifa of Valencia covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Taifa of Valencia'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 Valencia in Depth
History
Valencia was one of many cities in al-Andalus (in present-day Spain and Portugal) that became independent during the Fitna, a destructive civil war after 1008 that ended the Caliphate of Córdoba. As centralized authority collapsed in the caliphate's provinces, local rulers formed their own small states or principalities known to historians as Taifas (from Arabic: طائفة, romanized: ṭā'ifa, lit. 'faction'). Valencia had already enjoyed urban and economic growth since the second half of the 10th century and during the Taifas period of the 11th century it became a major city and political center for the first time since Muslim rule began in 711.
Two ṣaqāliba (former slaves) from the Amirid household, called Mubarak and Muzaffar, established the effective independence of Valencia in 1010–1011.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Taifa of Valencia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Taifa of Valencia: Key Facts
| Capital | Balansiya |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 1010 |
| Dissolved | 1094 |
Succeeded by
- Lordship of Valencia
Facts from Wikidata Q676811 (CC0).
Taifa of Valencia Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 53,704 km² in 1149 CE.
Taifa of Valencia: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Taifa of Valencia exist?
Taifa of Valencia is dated to 1010 CE – 1249 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Taifa of Valencia?
The capital of Taifa of Valencia was Valencia.
How large was Taifa of Valencia at its peak?
At its peak in 1149 AD Taifa of Valencia covered about 53,704 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Cusco
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Niani, Kangaba