4.24 Europe: a.d. 1001 to 1100  (Page 5/11)

Switzerland

A portion of present day Switzerland, along with part of the Kingdom of Burgundy, was added to the Salic Frank Empire of Conrad II, early in the century.

Western europe

Western Europe was the chief contributor to the 40% population increase in Europe in this an the first half of the next century. The Cluniac reforms raised the western monasteries beyond their previous level, so that they became oases of peace, learning and stability. (Ref. 113 )

Spain

Early in this century Jews of wealth and culture everywhere soared to positions of influence in Spain. Samuel ibn Bagrela, skillful Hebrew poet, superb Talmudist, master stylist in Arabic and astute military strategist and political administrator, rose to be vizierate of Granada in the Moslem area from 1030 to 1056. When the tables were turned and anti-Semitism returned, however, he was massacred. (Ref. 8 ) Thee were four main principalities in Spain, which can be described as follows:

Moslem Spain in the south As previously noted this had been an area of great prosperity and culture, but in this century civil wars between Arabs and Berbers became endemic, with the latter proclaiming independence in the south and west. They were joined soon by some of the eastern seaboard people so that only a shell of the Omayyad Caliphate remained in central Spain and even it collapsed about 1031. The great Al Hakim library (see page 487) was dispersed or destroyed. Several petty dynasties were founded on the ruins of the Omayyad Caliphate but after Alfonso VI of Castile took Seville, Ysuf-ibn-Tashfin, of a new Almoravid power in North Africa, was called to help and he did – inflicting great losses on the Christians at Zalacca in 1086. Ibn-Tashfin then returned to Africa because of pressing problems there, but he was called back again in 1090 an that time he made himself lord of Spain. As is apparent from the remarks above, part of the Moslems' troubles was the presence of so may diverse, often antagonistic factions, such as Yemenites, Syrians, Persians and Berbers. In spite of their difficulties and eventual withdrawal, the Moslems greatly influenced Spanish institutions, character and psychology, culture and language. (Ref. 137 , 15 , 196 )

Castile in the northwest Upon the death of Sanche the Great (originally from Navarre) Ferdinand I of Castile assumed the crown in 1035, conquered Leon in A.D. 1037 and then reconquered a good deal of Portugal from the Moors. Alfonso VI captured Seville and Toledo and installed in son-in-law as the Count of Portugal in 1093.

The iberian peninsula

NOTE: Insert of the Iberian Peninsula 1037 and c.1100

Maps taken from Reference 97.

It was the aggressiveness of Alfonso VI that precipitated the Moslems' call for help to the Almoravids in North Africa with their alleged 150,000 horse and 3,000 foot soldiers. A Castilian, Rodrigo (Ruy) Diaz, called "Cid" by the Moslems, initially was in the service of the Castilian kings, but after trouble with Alfonso VI he was exiled twice and finally went over to serve the Moslem king of Saragosa, which was an independent emirate in northwestern Spain