During Arab conquests and the spreadof Islam, the relationship between warriorand horse has been described in manyversus of the Quran, in poems, andliterary works. A bright period for theIslamic Empire was during the Umayyadrule which had the empire extend to theIberian Peninsula.

Seven hundred years before Columbusset sail for the New World, the Moors

invaded and conquered the IberianPeninsula. With them the Moors

(common term to refer to theMuslims of Islamic Iberian

Peninsula and North Africa,who were of Arab and

Berber descent) broughtArabian and Berber

horses (known asB a r b s ) . T h e s eexceptional horses

were more than a littleresponsible for thehistory of their masters.

Spain was under Muslim Reign for over800 years from 711 - 1422 AD. Theexceptional horses have not been allwhat the Muslim Empire contributed toSpain; the Moors built magnificent citiesas well.

Education was universal in MoorishSpain, available to the most humble, while99% of Europe was illiterate - not eventhe kings could read or write. In the tenthand eleventh centuries, public librariesdid not exist in Europe, while MoorishSpain had more than seventy, of whichthe one in Cordova contained over sixhundred thousand manuscripts. Therewere more than seventeen greatuniversities in Moorish Spain, whileEurope had only two universities of anyvalue.

Scientific progress in astronomy,chemistry, geography, mathematics,physics, and philosophy flourished inMoorish Spain. Scholars, artist andscientists formed learning societies, while

CONQUESTSHORSES &

By Lubna Dairanieh

Um ayyad Spain

W HO ARE THEY THAT W ILL M OURN AFTER M Y

DEATH? M Y SW ORD, M Y LANCE AND M Y LEAN,

LONG LEGGED CHESTNUT, TRAILING HIS REINS

TO THE FOUNTAIN, DEATH HAVING CARRIED OFF

HIS RIDER – ARAB POET

26

scientific congresses were organised topromote research and to facilitate thespread of knowledge. A brisk intellectuallife flourished in all Islamic dominatedsocieties.

Architecture was splendour during MuslimRule as exemplified in The Mezquita DeCordova which is now the Roman CatholicChurch in Cordova. The Mezquitarepresents two worlds, two cultures thatare exquisitely combined in it.

This historical encounter will explore theera of El Mezquita highlighting a personalclose up with the founder of the Mezquitaand the dynamics of Umayyad Spain.The Mezquita, meaning the mosque datesback to the 8th century. It was built inCordova the capital of Muslim Spain. Theconstruction of the Mezquita started inapproximately sixth century A.D. as aChristian Visigothic church. Later, theMezquita was reworked for over twocenturies to refashion it as a mosque,starting in 786 A.D. under the supervision

of the first Muslim Emir Abd ar-RahmanI, who used it as an adjunct to his palaceand named it to honour his wife.

The founder of the mosque Abd ar-Rahman I was known as the "Falcon ofAndalus" or "The Falcon of Quraish" forhe was the founder of the Muslim dynastythat ruled the greater part of Iberia fornearly three centuries. Abd ar-Rahman'sestablishment of a government in Andaluspresented a break from the rest of theIslamic Empire, which was ruled by theAbbasidsia. But that materialised throughthis great leader’s political shrewdnessand wisdom. Descending from anUmayyad Ancestry Abd ar-Rahman wasthe grandson of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik,the tenth Umayyad Caliph. Abd ar-Rahman was a prince groomed from anearly age to be a caliph.

A 749 A.D. Abbasid revolution overthrewthe young princes’ ruling family in Damas-cus and he, along with other family mem-bers, fled the city. His journey to his fateful

Andalusia had started at that point, andthis journey, which was faced with manyadversaries and plenty of Abbasid trialsof assassination of the Prince, was agreat test for the Emir who traveledthrough many countries until he finallyreached Morocco in year 755AD. It wasfrom Morocco that Abd ar-Rahman senthis envoy to claim rightful authority overAndalusia.

Greeted by many loyalists, Abd ar-Rahman made his way throughAndalusia. Waves of people made theirway to Malaga to pay respect to the princethey thought was dead. One famous storywhich persisted through history related

M ezquita of Cordova

IT W AS FROM

M OROCCO THAT ABD AR-

RAHM AN SENT HIS ENVOY

TO CLAIM RIGHTFUL

AUTHORITY OVER

ANDALUSIA

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to a gift Abd ar-Rahman was given whilein Malaga. The gift was a beautiful youngslave girl, but Abd ar-Rahman humblyreturned her to her previous master whilesaying, "I will not indulge in any distraction,be it of sight or of the heart, until Spainis within my grasp”.

It was not all that of a simple conquestfor the Emir, Cordova’s then currentUmmayad Governor, Yusuf Al-Fihri, was

not going to give up his right to ruleAndalusia without a fight.

Even before the fight began, dissensionspread through some of Abd ar-Rahman'slines. Specifically, the Yemeni Arabs wereunhappy that the prince was mounted ona fine Spanish steed. The Yemenisscoffed that such a fine horse wouldprovide an excellent escape vehicle fromthe battle. Being the ever-wary politician,

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The Naves & Aisles built by Al Hakeem II

Abd ar-Rahman acted quickly to regainYemeni support, and rode to a Yemenichief who was mounted on a mule.Abd ar-Rahman said that hishorse proved difficult to ride,and offered to exchange hishorse for the mule, a dealwhich the surprised chieftook advantage of. Apossible Yemeni rebellionwas stopped with theswap. The mule's namewas 'Lightning'. Soon botharmies were in their lines onthe same bank of the Guadalquivir.Abd ar-Rahman led the charge towardsAl-Fihri's army. After a long and fight “Abdar-Rahman obtained a most complete

victory, and the field was strewn with thebodies of the enemy.” Rising from hisdefeat Al-Fihri gathered himself againwith an army of 20,000 captivated souls.Abd ar-Rahman defeated the army insmall battles and finally Al-Fihri wascaptured and killed. Al-Fihri's head wassent to Cordova, where Abd ar-Rahmanhad it nailed to a bridge. With this act,Abd ar-Rahman proclaimed himself theEmir of Andalusia.

That was the time when many of Abd ar-Rahman’s relatives flocked from exile tolive in Andalusia as it represented a safehaven for the crushed and exiledUmayyads. The long sought after peacewould not continue for long. Al-Mansour,the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad had long

been planning to depose the Umayyadwho dared to call himself Emir of

Andalusia. In the battle of Carmona,Abd ar-Rahman is faced with

a huge Abbasid army.Allegedly he tells his armyof 700 soldiers “today weconquer or we die.” Histremendous victoryleaves most of the

Abbasid army killed andearns him the respect of his

enemy the Abbasid Caliph ofBaghdad Al-Mansour.

After the aforementioned period of conflict,

Abd ar-Rahman continued in hisimprovement of Andalusia's infrastructure.

He ensured roadways were begun,aqueducts were constructed or improved,and that a new mosque was well fundedin his capital at Cordova. Constructionon the mosque started around the year786. It would in time become worldfamous and deemed a major holy site formany Muslims; later to be known as theMezquita de Cordova.

The mosque was famous for the 1 000pillars made of jade, onyx, marble, andgranite that were adorned in the prayerroom. It is said that Abd ar-Rahmanoriented the Mihrab southward as if hewere still in the Umayyad capital ofDamascus. The mosque was connected

to the Caliph's palace by a raised walk-

way. Also the double arches were a newintroduction to architecture, and helpedsupport the tremendous weight of thehigher ceilings. Other Caliphs came tocomplete what Abd ar-Rahman had

started. Caliph Al-Hakeem II enriched theMihrab and its magnificent antechamber

in 961. Later it was concluded that the

Mihrab was and still is a “masterpiece of

architectural art”. Abd ar-Rahman III

ordered a new minaret. The Mezquita

reached its current dimensions in 987 with

the completion of the outer naves and

orange tree courtyard.

However when the city was later

conquered by King Ferdinand III in 1236,

the mosque was reconstructed into a

Christian church with only 850 pillars

remaining. Two religions, two cultures,

and two dynasties extended from the

Mezquita of Cordova. HT

Caliphal bathes tem perature room

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Draw will be held on 20th of May under the auspices of the Egyptian Olympic Committee

Add 10% Sales Tax

By Dr. Mohamed Elsherbini

THE HORSE’S

Part 5

MENTAL FITNESS(Part 1)

HOW TO BE A TRAINER

52

HORSE MOODS

Fear Boredom & Irritation Happy

53

Nathe - Gag bit