The History of Spain Podcast

Today I’m announcing the cancellation of The History of Spain Podcast, and instead I’m making […]

This is episode 46 called al-Hakam II, the cultivated caliph, and in this episode you […]

This is episode 45 called Umayyad interventions and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - A brief overview of the history of Catalonia of the 950s and 960s - Muslim expeditions against the Kingdom of León during the reign of Ordoño III - The Umayyad interventions in North Africa and Umayyad-Fatimid conflict in the 950s - Civil war during the reign of Ordoño III of León and its aftermath - The coup d’état against Sancho the Fat - The trip of Toda of Pamplona and Sancho the Fat...

This is episode 44 called Slavery and Jews of al-Andalus and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Introduction to slavery in the Islamic world and al-Andalus - What’s the difference between a captive and a slave - Captivity for women and the social problem that captivity supposed - Which were the occupations and jobs performed by slaves in al-Andalus - Captivity and slavery in the context of the campaigns of Almanzor - What determined the price of a slave and how were...

This is episode 43 called Fernán González, Count of Castile, and in this episode you […]

This is episode 42 called Battle of Simancas and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Who Ramiro II of León was - The pompous parade of departure of the campaign of Osma of 934 - The first revolt of Muhammad ibn Hashim of the Banu Tujib clan and the tactical declaration of the Kingdom of Pamplona as vassal of the Caliphate - The campaign of Osma itself - The rebellion of Muhammad ibn Hashim, the offensives of the Christians, and the submission of Zaragoza - The treaty of...

This is episode 41 called Caliphal Córdoba and Medina Azahara and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - An introduction to Caliphal Córdoba - How Córdoba evolved over time, from being a Roman foundation to the Caliphal era - Key elements of Córdoba and areas of expansion - Why the Andalusi capital grew to become a great metropolitan city during the 10th century - What did the Emirs and Caliphs of Córdoba build to expand Córdoba and improve the living conditions of its...

This is episode 40 called Economy of al-Andalus and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - European and Islamic context of the Medieval economy - Two misconceptions related to the economy of al-Andalus: the static image of al-Andalus and the image of al-Andalus as an urban and commercial economy - Muslim contributions to the agriculture of Spain and Europe, and the development of agriculture as a necessary condition to develop other sectors - Brief overview of how the Arabs...

This is episode 39 called Towards the Caliphate of Córdoba and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - The victorious Cordoban campaign of Muez as a punitive expedition against León and Pamplona - The Pamplonese conquest of La Rioja in 923, including Nájera, along the incorporation of the County of Aragon - The destructive punitive campaign of 924 against Pamplona (and to extend Umayyad authority in al-Andalus) and how Sancho Garcés I of Pamplona minimized the potential...

This is episode 38 called Umayyad Resurgence and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Who Abd al-Rahman III was and the difficult situation that he faced in 912 - How could the Emir suppress the revolts that plagued al-Andalus, including his political strategy and the recruitment of mercenaries and slaves - An example of the diplomatic approach of Abd al-Rahman - The bitter Monteleón campaign against Umar ibn Hafsun and the reconquest of Seville - The sudden and tragic end...

This is episode 37 called Umayyads in peril and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - The short reign of Emir al-Mundhir - The personality of Emir Abd Allah and the big picture of his reign - The qasi-Taifa states of Murcia and Seville, respectively ruled by Daysam ibn Ishaq and the Banu Hayyay clan - The story of the maritime Republic of Pechina, in Almería - The Muslim conquest of the Balearic Islands under Isam al-Hawlani - The Berber and Messianic movement that ended up...

This is episode 36 called Birth of Catalonia and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Why the title of the episode is misleading - The chaos within the Carolingian Empire, like in the Emirate of Córdoba, and the government of Odalrico and Hunifredo - The traditional, legendary story of how Wifredo the Hairy, of the House of Barcelona, seized power - The real story of how Wifredo the Hairy became Count of Barcelona and how Wifredo’s family monopolized both secular and...

This is episode 35 called Christians vs Muladis and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Announcement of the social media plan I’m executing this May - Recap and main characters of Christians vs Muladis - The consolidation of the Kingdom of Asturias, with the repopulation of Zamora - The foundation of Burgos in the County of Castile and the temporary division of Castile - What happened in the Kingdom of Pamplona of the Aristas, from 860 to 905 - The last two great Banu...

This is episode 34 called County of Castile and Portugal and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - The repopulation of León, Astorga, Tuy and Amaya Patricia under King Ordoño I of Asturias - Who was the first Count of Castile - What do we know about primitive Castile, the County of Castile and County of Álava - The role of Count Rodrigo of Castile as a military leader - The troubled accession of Alfonso III - What kind of king Alfonso III of Asturias was - Neogothicism and...

This is episode 33 called Muladis in Revolt and in this episode you will learn: […]

This is episode 32 called Vikings in Spain and Mozarabs and in this episode you […]

This is episode 31 called Banu Qasi and in this episode you will learn: Show […]

This is episode 30 called Reforms of Abd al-Rahman II and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Global context of the first half of the 9th century - A background of Emir Abd al-Rahman II - The early dynastic and territorial revolts of his reign - How Abd al-Rahman II reformed and reorganized the administration of the Emirate of Córdoba, in emulation to the centralized model of the Abbasid Caliphate - The sophistication of the Cordoban court and the economic and fiscal...

The History of Spain Podcast Q&A #1 answers some important questions related to Spanish history, identity, culture and more. These include questions from the Visigothic period to Franco and contemporary Spain, questions such as when did Spain become Spain, or my views on bullfighting. To discover all the questions and answers, listen to it!

This is episode 29 called Kingdom of Pamplona and County of Aragon and in this episode you will learn: SHOW NOTES - Why Vasconia has always been subject to external attacks - How the Carolingian Empire and Emirate of Córdoba fought to control Iberian Vasconia and how that led to the emergence of pro-Frankish and pro-Umayyad Basque parties - The assassination of the Banu Qasi governor of Pamplona, led by Velasco the Basque who represented the pro-Frankish party - How Íñigo Arista,...