Taifa

The Arabic term mulūk al-ṭawāʾif means "kings of the territorial divisions" or "party kings". Muslim historians originally used these terms to refer to the Parthian Empire and other regional rulers that succeeded Alexander the Great. That period was treated as an interlude between Alexander's conquest of Persia and the formation of the Sasanian Empire. The negative portrayal of the Parthian period by Muslim historians may have been inherited from Sasanian propaganda. In the 11th century, Ṣāʿid al-Andalusī first applied the term to the regional rulers who appeared after the collapse of Umayyad power in Spain, "whose condition was like that of the mulūk al-ṭawāʾif of the Persians". The phrase implied cultural decline. ==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, Muladíes (indigenous Muslim converts, a significant majority) and the Saqaliba, Eastern European former slaves. However, the political decline and chaos was not immediately followed by cultural decline. To the contrary, intense intellectual and literary activity grew in some of the larger taifas. 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==

Observers in al-Andalus in the 1080s did not see a decline as likely, much less imminent or probable. However, by the 1090s, popular revolt became a real possibility as the ulama accusations against taifa kings gained popularity. In the 1100s, the remnants of the taifa dynasties in al-Andalus would join forces with Christian powers as a last attempt to shift momentum back in their favor against the Almoravids. Certain taifas 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, which ironically was also the first of the major taifas to fall, followed (somewhat quickly) by Badajoz, Valencia and Zaragoza. Zaragoza was also very powerful and expansive, but inhibited by the neighbouring 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) After the fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba in 1031 about 33 independent taifas emerged out of the civil war and conflict in al-Andalus. Many of the less tenable taifa kingdoms had disappeared by the 1030s, having been taken over by more powerful neighboring taifas. The strongest and largest taifas in this first period (11th century) were the Taifa of Zaragoza, Taifa of Toledo, Taifa of Badajoz and the Taifa of Seville. The most notable taifa to conquer most of its weak neighbours was the Taifa of Seville under the Abbadid dynasty. Al-Tagr al-Adna (Central Portugal) This region includes the Central and Lisbon region of Portugal and Extremadura region of Spain. • Badajoz 1013–1022/1034–1094 (Aftasid Dynasty); 1027–1034 (to Seville): 1094 (to Almoravids) • Lisbon 1022–1034 (Banu Sabur Dynasty); 1034–1093 (Aftasid Dynasty) Al-Garb (Southern Portugal) This region includes the Alentejo and Algarve region of Portugal. • Mértola 1033–1044 (Tayfurid Dynasty); 1044–1091 (to Seville) • Saltés and Huelva 1012/1013–1051/1053 (Bakrid Dynasty); 1051–1091 (to Seville) • Santa Maria do Algarve 1018–1051 (Harunid Dynasty); 1051–1091 (to Seville) • Silves: 1027–1063 (Muzaymid Dynasty); 1063–1091 (to Seville) Al-Tagr al-Awsat (Central Spain) This region includes the Madrid region and the provinces of Toledo and Guadalajara of Spain. • Toledo: 1010/1031–1085 (to Castile) Southern Spain This region includes the autonomous region of Andalucia in Spain • Algeciras: 1035–1058 (to Seville) • Arcos: 1011–1068 (to Seville) • Carmona: 1013–1091 (to Seville) • Ceuta: 1061–1084 (to Granada) • Córdoba: 1031–1091 (to Seville) • Granada: 1013–1090 (to Almoravids) • Málaga: 1026–1057/1058 (to Granada); 1073–1090 (to Almoravids) • Morón: 1013–1066 (to Seville) • Niebla: 1023/1024–1091 (to Seville) • Ronda: 1039/1040–1065 (to Seville) • Seville: 1023–1091 (to Almoravids) Al-Tagr al-A'la (Aragon and Catalonia) This region only includes the provinces of Huesca, Lleida, Teruel, Zaragoza and Tarragona of Spain. • Albarracín: 1011–1104 (to Almoravids) • Alpuente: 1009–1106 (to Almoravids) • Rueda: 1118–1130 (to Aragon) • Tortosa: 1039–1060 (to Zaragoza); 1081/1082–1092 (to Denia) • Zaragoza: 1018–1046 (to Banu Tujib; then to Banu Hud); 1046–1110 (to Almoravids; in 1118 to Aragon) Al-Xarq (Eastern Spain) This region includes the region of Valencia, Murcia and Baleares. • Almería: 1011–1091 (to Almoravids) • Denia: 1010/1012–1076 (to Zaragoza) • Jérica: 11th century (to Toledo) • Lorca: 1051–1091 (to Almoravids) • Majorca: 1018–1203 (to Almohads) • Molina: ?–1100 (to Aragon) • Murcia: 1011/1012–1065 (to Valencia) • Murviedro and Sagunto: 1086–1092 (to Almoravids) • Segorbe: 1065–1075 (to Almoravids) • Valencia: 1010/1011–1094 (to El Cid, nominally vassal of Castile but allied to Banu Hud) 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: 1144–1150 (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 (to 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 Aragon) • 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 Castile) ==References==