Abd ar-Rahman II
Encyclopedia
Abd ar-Rahman II (788–852) was Umayyad
Emir of Córdoba in the Al-Andalus
(Moorish
Iberia
) from 822 until his death.
He was born in Toledo
, the son of Emir
Al-Hakam I
. In his youth he took part in the so-called "massacre of the ditch", when from 700 to 5,000 people come to pay homage to the princes who were killed by order of Al-Hakam.
He succeeded his father as Emir of Córdoba
in 822 and engaged in nearly continuous warfare against Alfonso II of Asturias
, whose southward advance he halted (822–842). In 837, he suppressed a revolt of Christians and Jews in Toledo
. He issued a decree by which the Christians were forbidden to seek martyrdom, and he had a Christian synod
held to forbid martyrdom.
In 844, Abd ar-Rahman repulsed an assault by Vikings who had disembarked in Cadiz
, conquered Seville
(with the exception of its citadel) and attacked Córdoba itself. Thereafter he constructed a fleet and naval arsenal
at Seville
to repel future raids.
He responded to William of Septimania
's requests of assistance in his struggle against Charles the Bald
's nominations.
Abd ar-Rahman was famous for his public building program in Córdoba where he died in 852. A vigorous and effective frontier warrior, he was also well-known as a patron of the arts. He was also involved in the execution of the "Martyrs of Córdoba
".
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
Emir of Córdoba in the Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
(Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
Iberia
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
) from 822 until his death.
He was born in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
, the son of Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
Al-Hakam I
Al-Hakam I
Al-Hakam Ibn Hisham Ibn Abd-ar-Rahman I was Umayyad Emir of Cordoba from 796 until 822 in the Al-Andalus .Al-Hakam was the second son of his father, his older brother having died at an early age. When he came to power, he was challenged by his uncles Sulayman and Abdallah, sons of Abd ar-Rahman I...
. In his youth he took part in the so-called "massacre of the ditch", when from 700 to 5,000 people come to pay homage to the princes who were killed by order of Al-Hakam.
He succeeded his father as Emir of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
in 822 and engaged in nearly continuous warfare against Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II of Asturias
Alfonso II , called the Chaste, was the king of Asturias from 791 to his death, the son of Fruela I and the Basque Munia.He was born in Oviedo in 759 or 760. He was put under the guardianship of his aunt Adosinda after his father's death, but one tradition relates his being put in the monastery of...
, whose southward advance he halted (822–842). In 837, he suppressed a revolt of Christians and Jews in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. He issued a decree by which the Christians were forbidden to seek martyrdom, and he had a Christian synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
held to forbid martyrdom.
In 844, Abd ar-Rahman repulsed an assault by Vikings who had disembarked in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, conquered Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
(with the exception of its citadel) and attacked Córdoba itself. Thereafter he constructed a fleet and naval arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
at Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
to repel future raids.
He responded to William of Septimania
William of Septimania
William of Septimania was the son of Bernard and Dhuoda. He was the Count of Toulouse from 844 and Count of Barcelona from 848....
's requests of assistance in his struggle against Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald
Charles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
's nominations.
Abd ar-Rahman was famous for his public building program in Córdoba where he died in 852. A vigorous and effective frontier warrior, he was also well-known as a patron of the arts. He was also involved in the execution of the "Martyrs of Córdoba
Martyrs of Córdoba
The Martyrs of Córdoba were forty-eight Christian martyrs living in the 9th century Muslim-ruled Al-Andalus, in what is now southern Spain; their hagiography describes in detail their executions for deliberately sought capital violations of Muslim law in Al-Andalus...
".