Taifa

The taifas (green) in 1031

In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa (from Arabic: طائفة‎ ṭā'ifa, plural طوائف ṭawā'if) was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus (Moorish Iberia) after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.

History

Rise

The origins of the taifas must be sought in the administrative division of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba, as well in the ethnic division of the elite of this state, divided among Arabs, Berbers, Iberian Muslims (known as Muladíes - the overwhelming majority) and the Eastern European former slaves.

There was a second period when taifas arose, toward the middle of the 12th century, when the Almoravid rulers were in decline.

During the heyday of the taifas, in the 11th century and again in the mid 12th century, their emirs (rulers) competed among themselves, not only militarily but also for cultural prestige. They tried to recruit the most famous poets and artisans.

Decline

Reversing the trend of the Umayyad period, when the Christian kingdoms of the north often had to pay tribute to the Caliph, the disintegration of the Caliphate left the rival Muslim kingdoms much weaker than their Christian counterparts, particularly the Castilian-Leonese monarchy, and had to submit to them, paying tributes known as parias.

Due to their military weakness, taifa princes appealed for North African warriors to come fight Christian kings on two occasions. The Almoravids were invited after the fall of Toledo (1085), and the Almohads after the fall of Lisbon (1147). These warriors did not in fact help the taifa emirs but rather annexed their lands to their own North African empires.

Taifas often hired Christian mercenaries to fight neighbouring realms (both Christian and Muslim). The most dynamic taifa, which conquered most of its neighbours before the Almoravid invasion, was Seville. Zaragoza was also very powerful and expansive, but inhibited by the neighbour Christian states of the Pyrenees. Zaragoza, Toledo, and Badajoz had previously been the border military districts of the Caliphate.

List of taifas

First period (11th century)

• Albarracín: 1011–1104 (to Almoravids)
• Algeciras: 1035–1058 (to Seville)
• Almería: 1011–1091 (to Almoravids)
• Alpuente: 1009–1106 (to Almoravids)
• Arcos: 1011–1068 (to Seville)
• Badajoz: 1009–1094 (to Almoravids)
• Carmona: 1013–1091 (to Almoravids)
• Ceuta: 1061–1084 (to Granada)
• Córdoba: 1031–1091 (to Seville)
• Denia: 1010/1012–1076 (to Zaragoza)
• Granada: 1013–1090 (to Almoravids)
• Jérica: 11th century (to Toledo)
• Lisbon: 1022–? (to Badajoz)
• Lorca: 1051–1091 (to Almoravids)
• Málaga: 1026–1057/1058 (to Granada); 1073–1090 (to Almoravids)
• Majorca: 1018–1203 (to Almohads)
• Melilla: 1030–1079 (to Almoravids)
• Mértola: 1033–1091 (to Almoravids)
• Molina: ?–1100 (to Aragon)
• Morón: 1013–1066 (to Seville)
• Murcia: 1011/1012–1065 (to Valencia)
• Murviedro and Sagunto: 1086–1092 (to Almoravids)
• Niebla: 1023/1024–1091 (to Seville)
• Ronda: 1039/1040–1065 (to Seville)
• Rueda: 1118–30 (to Aragon)
• Saltés and Huelva: 1012/1013–1051/1053 (to Seville)
• Santa María de Algarve: 1018–1051 (to Seville)
• Segorbe: 1065–1075 (to Almoravids)
• Seville: 1023–1091 (to Almoravids)
• Silves: 1040–1063 (to Seville)
• Toledo: 1010/1031–1085 (to Castile)
• Tortosa: 1039–1060 (to Zaragoza); 1081/1082–1092 (to Denia)
• Valencia: 1010/1011–1094 (to El Cid, nominally vassal of Castile but allied to Banu Hud)
• Zaragoza: 1018–1046 (to Banu Tujib; then to Banu Hud); 1046–1110 (to Almoravids; in 1118 to Aragon)

Second period (12th century)

• Almería: 1145–1147 (briefly to Castile and then to Almohads)
• Arcos: 1143 (to Almohads)
• Badajoz: 1145–1150 (to Almohads)
• Beja and Évora: 1114–1150 (to Almohads)
• Carmona: dates and destiny uncertain or unknown
• Constantina and Hornachuelos: dates and destiny uncertain or unknown
• Granada: 1145 (to Almohads?)
• Guadix and Baza: 1145–1151 (to Murcia)
• Jaén: 1145–1159 (Murcia); 1168 (to Almohads)
• Jerez: 1145 (to Almohads)
• Málaga: 1145–1153 (to Almohads)
• Mértola: 1144–1145 (to Badajoz)
• Murcia: 1145 (to Valencia); 1147–1172 (to Almohads)
• Niebla: 1145–1150? (to Almohads)
• Purchena: dates and destiny uncertain or unknown
• Ronda: 1145 (to Almoravids)
• Santarém: ?–1147 (to Portugal)
• Segura: 1147–? (destiny unknown)
• Silves: 1144–1155 (to Almohads)
• Tavira: dates and destiny uncertain or unknown
• Tejada: 1145–1150 (to Almohads)
• Valencia: 1145–1172 (to Almohads)

Third period (13th century)

• Arjona: 1232–1244 (to Castile)
• Baeza: 1224–1226 (to Castile)
• Ceuta: 1233–1236 (to Almohads), 1249–1305 (to Marinids)
• Denia: 1224–1227 (to Almohads?)
• Lorca: 1240–1265 (to Castile)
• Menorca: 1228–1287 (to Aragon)
• Murcia: 1228–1266 (to Castile)
• Niebla: 1234–1262 (to Castile)
• Orihuela: 1239/1240–1249/1250 (to Murcia or Castile)
• Valencia: 1228/1229–1238 (to Aragon)

Additionally, but not usually considered taifas, are:

• Granada: 1237–1492 (to Castile)
• Las Alpujarras: 1568–1571 (to Spain)

External links

• Chronology of the taifa kingdoms (in Spanish)
• History of Spain: Disintegration of the Caliphate (1010–1260)
• Regnal Chronologies - Iberia: al-Andalus