Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/228

1 88 THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE cated almost exactly in the center of Spain, so that an Arabian geographer described it as nine days' journey alike from Lisbon on the west coast, Cordova in the south, the Christian pilgrim shrine of St. James at Compostella in the north, and from Almeria and Valencia on the Mediterra- nean coast. Through the ninth century it was usually at war with the Sultan at Cordova and in alliance with the Chris- tians of the north. Around Toledo in central Spain various Berber tribes were often at war with one another. In the south, in Andalusia, the real home of Arabic civilization in Spain, extending from Lisbon on the Atlantic almost to Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast, all was in revolt against the government of. Cordova during the latter half of the ninth century. Bandits abounded and many nobles had turned brigands, so that a trip across Spain was a perilous undertaking. By the beginning of the tenth century the Fatimites were menacing Spain from North Africa. Abd-er-Rahman III (912-961) restored the power of Cordova, put down the rebellious nobles, held Ceuta oppo- The great site Gibraltar against the Fatimites, drove back the'^enth the Christians of the north, took Toledo, and century amassed a treasure of twenty million pieces of gold. His police maintained perfect order throughout the land; prices were low and almost every one could dress well and afford a mule; Abd-er-Rahman assumed the title of caliph and built a new city just outside Cordova with a splendid palace for his harem of six thousand beauties. His successor, Hakam II, was the most learned of the Spanish Moslem rulers. He patronized scholars regardless of their nationality, religion, or irreligion, and founded many free schools for poor children in Cordova. The catalogue of his library is said to have filled two thousand pages. The next caliph was a mere figurehead and the government was managed by his minister, Almansor, until his death in 1002. Almansor is credited with over fifty campaigns against the Christians of northern Spain, where he made the Kingdom of I^on tributary and utterly demolished its capital. He