Abbasid revolution in the context of "Caliphate of Cordoba"

The Emirate of Córdoba, and from 929, the Caliphate of Córdoba, was an Arab Islamic state ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 756 to 1031. Its territory comprised most of the Iberian Peninsula (known to Muslims as al-Andalus), the Balearic Islands, and parts of North Africa, with its capital in Córdoba (at the time Qurṭubah). From 756 it was ruled as an independent emirate until Abd al-Rahman III proclaimed himself as caliph in 929.

The state was founded by Abd al-Rahman I, an Umayyad prince who fled the defeat and persecution of the Umayyad clan in Bilad Al-Sham (Levant) and across the caliphate after the Abbasid revolution. The polity then flourished for the best part of three centuries, before disintegrating in the early 11th century during the Fitna of al-Andalus, a civil war between the descendants of caliph Hisham II and the successors of his hajib (court official), Almanzor. In 1031, after years of infighting, the caliphate collapsed and fractured into a number of independent Muslim taifa (kingdoms).

The Umayyad Caliphate or the Umayyad Empire (US: /uːˈmaɪæd/; Arabic: ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, romanized: al-Khilāfa al-Umawiyya) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 661 to 750. It succeeded the Rashidun Caliphate, of which the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, was also a member of the Umayyad clan. The Umayyad family established a dynasty with hereditary rule under Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the long-time governor of Greater Syria, who became caliph after the end of the First Fitna in 661. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in the Second Fitna, and power was eventually claimed by Marwan ibn al-Hakam, who came from another branch of the clan. Syria remained the Umayyads' core power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital.

The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests, conquering Ifriqiya, Transoxiana, Sind, the Maghreb and Hispania (al-Andalus). At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered an area of 11,100,000 km (4,300,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of size. The dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established an emirate and then a caliphate in Córdoba, with Cordoba becoming a major center of science, medicine, philosophy and invention during the Islamic Golden Age.

The Umayyad Caliphate or the Umayyad Empire (US: /uːˈmaɪæd/; Arabic: ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, romanized: al-Khilāfa al-Umawiyya) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 661 to 750. It succeeded the Rashidun Caliphate, whose third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, was also a member of the Umayyad clan. The Umayyad family established hereditary rule under Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the long-time governor of Greater Syria, who became caliph after emerging victorious in the First Fitna following the assassination of Ali in 661. Syria remained the Umayyads' core power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in the Second Fitna, and power was eventually passed to Marwan ibn al-Hakam, who came from another branch of the clan.

The Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests, conquering Ifriqiya, Transoxiana, Sind, the Maghreb and Hispania (al-Andalus). At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered an area of 11,100,000 km (4,300,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of size. The dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established an emirate and then a caliphate in Córdoba, with Cordoba becoming a major centre of science, medicine, philosophy and invention during the Islamic Golden Age.

The Umayyad Caliphate or the Umayyad Empire (US: /uːˈmaɪæd/; Arabic: ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, romanized: al-Khilāfa al-Umawiyya) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty from 661 to 750. It succeeded the Rashidun Caliphate, of which the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, was also a member of the Umayyad clan. The Umayyad family established hereditary rule under Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the long-time governor of Greater Syria, who became caliph after emerging victorious in the First Fitna following the assassination of Ali in 661. Syria remained the Umayyads' core power base thereafter, with Damascus as their capital. After Mu'awiya's death in 680, Umayyad authority was challenged in the Second Fitna, during which the Sufyanid line was replaced in 684 by Marwan ibn al-Hakam, who founded the Marwanid line that restored Umayyad rule over the Caliphate.

The Umayyads continued the early Muslim conquests, conquering the Maghreb, Transoxiana, Sind and Hispania. At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered an area of 11,100,000 km (4,300,000 sq mi), making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of geographical size. The dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the Umayyad dynasty established an emirate and then a caliphate in al-Andalus with its capital at Córdoba, which became a major centre of science, medicine, philosophy and invention during the Islamic Golden Age.