JEWEL OF THE WORLD

PHILIP K.HITTI
 ABD-AL-RAHMAN-I

• Full name : Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiya ibn Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik
ibn Marwan
• Born : 731 AD, Palmyra, Syria
• Died : September 30, 788 AD, Córdoba, Spain
• Successor : Hisham I of Córdoba
• House : Umayyad Dynasty
• Grandson of the tenth caliph of Damascus.
 MAIN POINTS
• The Umayyad's were the first Muslim dynasty—that is, they were the first rulers of
the Islamic Empire to pass down power within their family. Under their rule, which
lasted from 661 to 750 AD.
• 750 AD – Umayyad dynasty in Damascus overthrown by Abbasid’s.
• Abd-al-Rahman I – A striking young man, tall, lean, with sharp aquiline features and
red hair – escaped from Damascus.
• Appearance of horsemen of the Abbasids.
• 13 year brother and he dashed into the river.
• Younger brother heeded the reassurances shouted from bank and was killed.
• Abd-al-Rahman set out south-westward, towards Palestine and then westwards.
• Barely escaped assassination in North Africa.
• Five years later, he finally reached Ceuta.
 MAIN POINTS
• Maternal uncles of Abd-al-Rahman were Berbers and offered him refuge.
• South of Spain, some Syrian troops from Damascus accepted him as their
leader.
• It took him some years to bring all of Spain to subjection ;but he persisted.
• Abbasid caliph in Baghdad appointed a governor of Spain to contest his rule.
• Head of the Abbasid caliph’s governor was sent as a gift, two years later.
• Caliph’s immediate reply was:
“Thanks be to Allah for having placed the sea between us and such a
foe!”
 PROGRESS OF ABD-AL-RAHMAN’S
REGIME
1. Disciplined, High trained army of 40,000 Berbers.
2. 773 AD – Discontinuation of Friday sermon hitherto in name of Abbasid caliph.
3. First province to refuse the authority of recognized caliph in Islam.
4. Beautified the cities of his domain
5. Built an aqueduct for supply of pure water to capital.
6. Erected a palace and a garden outside Cordova.
7. Brought water and many exotic plants: Peaches, Pomegranates etc.
8. Founded the great mosque of Cordova. Started its construction in summer of
786 AD.
9. Commerce and agriculture flourished.
10.Sources of income for state were multiplied.
11.Royal revenue amounted to 6,245,000 dinars.
 CALIPH’S COURT AND AL-ZAHRA
• COURT:
1. Most glorious in all Europe.
2. Received envoys from Byzantine emperor and monarchs of Germany, Italy and France.
• CORDOVA:
1. With half a million inhabitants, 700 mosques and 300 public baths, it yielded in
magnificence to Baghdad and Constantinople.
• AL-ZAHRA:
1. The royal palace stood Northwest of the town.
2. Had 400 rooms housing thousands of guards and slaves.
3. Its construction and marble was brought from Numidia and Carthage.
4. Columns, basins from Constantinople were received as a gift.
5. 10,000 workers and 1500 beasts laboured on it for a score of years.
6. Slaves surrounded the caliph in Al-Zahra as bodyguards numbered 3,750.Headed his
standing army of a hundred thousand men.
 ABD-AL-RAHMAN III
• A Great Reformer.
• Agricultural Reforms.
• Beautification. 
• Industrial Reforms.
• Economical Reforms.
 AL-HAKAM
• 27 Free Schools.
• A University.
• A Library.
 QUESTIONS?
1. Give an account of the early career of Abd-al-Rahman I, his dramatic escape
and his adventures in Africa?
In 750, after the defeat of the Umayyad family, once when he was in Bedouin
camp, the Abbasid soldiers came to kill him and his brother, he saved his life by
diving into the river and swam away from the reach of the Abbasid army. He
bore much hardship and reached Spain.
2. What did Abd-al-Rahman do to make himself strong and to beautify his
capital?
To make himself strong, he trained a well disciplined army of 40,000 of more
Berbers and to beautify his capital,. he introduced a system of pure water. He
built up a palace for himself and a garden by its sides. He founded the great
most of Cordova.
Thank You!
Presented By

Zeeshan Jehangir
Muhammad Sadiq