preview

Essay On Cordoba

Good Essays

In pre-Islamic period, Cordoba was an important political centre because of its geostrategic condition opened a new page in its history with being captured by Umayyad Arabic in 711. Abd al-Rahman El-Takati who was the fifth governor of the Umayyad Dynasty in Damascus carried government centre from Seville (İşbiliyye) to Cordoba in 716. Thus, Cordoba became one of four centres during the management of early Andalusia Umayyad (Hillenbrand, 1994: 112-113). With the moving of the central government, the first urban studies were started in Cordoba. In addition to city public works, the population of the city increased and the southern districts of the city were established as the new settlements (Akyüz, 2005: 238-239). Cordoba's spectacular rising …show more content…

At the same time, river accessing to the city centre was the main factor that leaded to the development of commercial life because of arranging the ship's transportation. On the other hand, fertile land and mineral deposits that were around riverside and the city were factors which increased the city’s geostrategic importance (Hildenbrand, 1994: 113-115). Urbanism requirements of period played a vital role in being chosen Cordoba city as capital during the period of the Andalusia Umayyad Empire. Cordoba, showed suitability to both Medieval urban structure in Europe and Ibn Haldun’s suggestions for city planning, was established near the riverside which facilitated the trade and the security of the …show more content…

Real splendour of this era could be seen on the developments being achieved in the science, culture and art fields rather than political space. Cordoba University which was founded by Abd al-Rahman III, was the biggest university of the medieval period, attracted students from both the Christian world and the Muslim world to itself. In this period, even there were a complete ignorance within Western Europe; the rate of literacy was very high in Cordoba and Andalusia cities (Bal, 2008: 68). Cordoba palace library that was founded at the time of Abd al-Rahman II, was one of the richest libraries of the Middle Age. Libraries that were established by each sultan were combined at the time of Hakem II and emerged a giant 600,000-volumes library (Yıldız, 1987: 483). In this era when there was a complete ignorance in Europe, Andalusia and its capital Cordoba were at the highest level in many fields such as religious as well as history, geography, philosophy, law, mathematics and medicine. Cordoba and the Andalusia’s knowledge and civilization created a principle for Europe's awakening and Renaissance thanks to transferring to Europe through both the Christian kingdoms of Spain and

Get Access