‘Abd al-Rahman III (891-961) was the greatest of the Umayyad rulers of al-Andalus
(Islamic Spain and Portugal) and the first of them to take the title of Caliph. A
strong leader and an astute politician, he conducted campaigns against Muslim
rebels within his own realm, fought the Christian Kings in the north of the Iberian
Peninsula, confronted the Fatimids in North Africa and founded the palatine town of
Madinat al-Zahra. By the time of his death in 961, ‘Abd al-Rahman III had pacified
the whole of al-Andalus and made Cordoba a capital city to rival the greatest of the
age. This book is the first biography of this fascinating and hugely influential figure
to be published in English.
Accessible yet authoritative, it also feature a comprehensive guide to further
reading, and will prove an indispensable resource for readers of all backgrounds.
(Islamic Spain and Portugal) and the first of them to take the title of Caliph. A
strong leader and an astute politician, he conducted campaigns against Muslim
rebels within his own realm, fought the Christian Kings in the north of the Iberian
Peninsula, confronted the Fatimids in North Africa and founded the palatine town of
Madinat al-Zahra. By the time of his death in 961, ‘Abd al-Rahman III had pacified
the whole of al-Andalus and made Cordoba a capital city to rival the greatest of the
age. This book is the first biography of this fascinating and hugely influential figure
to be published in English.
Accessible yet authoritative, it also feature a comprehensive guide to further
reading, and will prove an indispensable resource for readers of all backgrounds.
