Comparing The Reconquista And The Expansion Of Medieval Spain

The Reconquista was a period of war, conquest, and repopulation in the Iberian Peninsula. This historical battles occurred between Christian Kingdoms and Muslim Moors in medieval Spain and Portugal. The Reconquista was characterized by Islamic conquest of Hispania, the collapse of the last Islamic state in Iberia and the expansion of Christian kingdoms, a history explored in this paper.
Medieval Iberian
Medieval Iberian land comprised of multicultural complexity that would become modern Portugal and Spain. The medieval Iberian Peninsula was a region with rich cultural, religious and ethnic diversity (Constable, 272). Christians, Jews, and Muslims inhabited the Peninsula, land extending continental Europe toward Africa. These people lived together
Christian rulers represented Reconquista as re-taking Christian territory lost to Muslim invaders in campaigns that attracted support from other Christian empires (O'Callaghan, 19). Pelayo, a Visigothic leader from the Kingdom of Asturias, led the first Asturian victory against the Muslims. Around 722, the new emir of Al-Andaluas set a military expedition into the north to squash Pelayo's rebellion. The Muslim army assaulted much of Pelayo's territory, compelling him to seek refuge deep into the mountains. At the narrow valley at Covadonga, Pelayo and his men defended against a broad frontal attack. Pelayo's forces victory encouraged local villagers to take up arms. Further military attempts by the Muslims were futile and mountains remained Pelayo's stronghold. The kings of Christian kingdoms slowly but surely conquered Muslim territories in their proximity and the final war at Granada culminated in the Moors’ surrender and retreat back to North Africa. By 1252, the Kingdom of Granada remained was the only remaining sovereign Muslim state in the Iberian Peninsula (Chris, 40). Matrimonial alliances strengthened Christian kingdoms as seen by the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. These two monarchs completed the conquest at Granada in 1492 and expelled both Muslims and Jews who chose not to convert to
Medieval Iberian land comprised of multicultural complexity that would become modern Portugal and Spain. Christians, Jews, and Muslims inhabited the Peninsula. Germanic tribes invaded the Western Roman Empire ending the Roman rule in Iberia. The Visigoth Kingdom was later involved in a civil war and Arab and Berber Muslims, Moors, seized the opportunity to conquer Iberia. Muslim rulers subjected hefty taxes on Christian peasants living within their domain. The Muslim kingdoms continued to weaken in the wake of strengthening Christian kingdoms. El Cid Campeador was a legendary Castilian knight who played a dual role in the Reconquista as he fought for both Muslim and Christian kings. Reconquista ended in repopulation under the presura system which gave rise to charters or feuros. In order to incentivize repopulation, the Spanish kings granted better privileges to the frontier towns, but in so doing led to the emergence of large numbers of municipalities. The Reconquista influence culture, laws and the conquest spirit in the Iberian