This content explores the rich and complex history of Islamic Spain (Al-Andalus), highlighting its significant contributions to European civilization and challenging the traditional narrative of a solely conflict-driven relationship between Islam and Christianity. It argues that the suppression and subsequent erasure of this history by Christian powers have led to a distorted understanding of European development.
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christopher columbus is about to embark
on his world shattering voyage to the americas
americas [Music]
[Music]
and on his way to the coast he stops off
he's the honoured guest of a ceremony
hosted by the king and queen of spain
ferdinand and isabella [Music]
[Music]
they are celebrating a grand victory
up until this day granada had been ruled
but isabella has managed to wrestle
ferdinands and isabella's victory marks
a turning point for spain and for europe
the middle ages are over and the west is
about to embark on a new epoch of power
we tend to think of this as the
beginning of an era in fact it's the
climax of a forgotten chapter in
european history
[Music]
it was rudyard kipling who wrote east is
east and
west is west have never between shall meet
and it's a world view that still has
currency today
islam and christianity seem to have
become ideological monoliths
citadels whose gates are firmly closed
to one another [Music]
but they haven't always lived such
separate lives
in the year 711 a.d muslim forces
invaded spain and created a society so
rich and so powerful it was the envy of
the known world
this wasn't the rigid ferocious islam of
our imaginations
but a progressive sensuous intellectually
intellectually
curious culture that for a number of
spine tingling years
look set to sweep through the whole of europe
europe
it is an incredible story but one that
has been systematically
written out of history [Music]
after the catholic monarchs took over
the city of granada
they began to destroy all evidence that
the muslims had ever been in spain
in the following century the spanish
authorities persecuted and expelled
300 000 muslims and burned as many as a million
million
arabic books
was an astonishing act of ethnic
cleansing it put an end to a
civilization which had flourished in spain
spain
these people have become known as the moors
[Music]
propaganda sparked by the crusades has
given us an enduring image
the diabolical moor of dark-skinned
but this character is a complete
invention and tells
us nothing about who these people really were
were [Music]
[Music]
now archaeologists and historians are
starting to piece together the real
they're uncovering the remains of hidden
cities discovering the role of muslims
in the revival of the classics
and decoding the meaning of islamic buildings
buildings
a fascinating picture has emerged
i'm going to use this new research to
explore what happened when east met
if there is one place which challenges
the stereotype of the treacherous
bloodthirsty moor it's here the alambra
palace in granada [Music]
the alambra is one of the most complete
medieval islamic palaces
in the whole world it was built by the
muslim kings of granada in the 14th
century at the height of their power [Music]
[Music]
its name means the red one because the
dark surrounding soil has given its
stones an earthy reddish hue [Music]
[Music]
the marvel of the alambra is its mystery
not a single account of life here survives
survives
all its archives were incinerated in the
fires of the inquisition [Music]
[Music]
but the catholics couldn't bring
themselves to destroy this place
the alambra is one of the wonders of the
medieval world
and by preserving it they've kept a box
of secrets that
we can use to decode the civilization
inside the palace walls the architecture is
is breathtaking
although the athletic of this courtyard
is quite cool and minimal now
in its heyday it would have been a riot
of color
grenada was very famous for producing
silks we've had silk hangings
billowing and debris and silk cushions
and silk rugs
where people laid out to eat their
dinner and so listen to music
in fact it's only when you get down to
rug level that you appreciate one of the
bits of
magic of the place because from down
here this pool
acts like a kind of infinity mirror and
the whole of the palace just looks as if
[Music]
every detail of the palace decoration
seems to be part of a scheme
row upon row of intricate geometric
patterns are carved into the woodwork of
the walls and windows [Music]
[Music]
this is the throne room it was the
symbolic center of the palace and
here the sultan had a kind of
psychological advantage over his subjects
subjects
whereas he'd have stood here an eerie
silhouette they'd have been blinded by
the light that came streaming in through
[Music] windows
windows [Music]
the 19th century writer washington
irving observed
it's impossible to contemplate this
abode of oriental manners without
feeling the early association of arabian romance
one almost expects to see some dark eye
sparkling through the lattice
the abode of beauty is here as if it had
been inhabited
[Music]
but this is far more than just a
beautiful building
there's a specific reason why it feels
so harmonious
the men who built it had a knowledge of
complex geometry which had originated in
the ancient world
the first man to set down these
mathematical principles was the greek
philosopher of pythagoras
pythagoras saw numbers everywhere in the universe
universe
but his brilliance was to understand the
importance of the ratio between them [Music]
[Music]
professor antonio fernandez puertas has
spent his life studying the alambra
he's discovered that the whole of the
building from the ground plan to the
wall decoration
is based around one single ratio [Music]
[Music]
i think everything is so perfect because
everything is under control of the
proportion and
very very simple you notice that there
is something
magic about these buildings there is something
something
it's very very simple is the relation
between the
ground and the elevations of the buildings
buildings
it's as simple as that
the king ordered a new palace he has a limited
limited
area to build the palace to west
east and south he was limited then
he did something genius ingenious and beautiful
beautiful
the king of granada asked his architects
to harmonize each and every space within
the palace
according to a single set of proportions
a family of rectangles
if you want to get proportional rectangle
rectangle
you have the same base take the diagonal
put it up yes and though
you've got successive rectangle
proportional rectangle
the key to the ellambras design is the
simple relationship between the side of
a square
and its diagonal if we use the diagonal
to make a rectangle
and then the diagonal from that
rectangle to make another
the fourth rectangle is double the size
of the first
and the diagonals in this sequence are
in fact the square roots of two
and are they doing all this just with
two set squares and a piece of string
yes that's very clever yes
every part of the intricate network of
spaces all the courtyards
hallways the placement of every column
was designed
using inspired variations of this
proportional system
proportion is also in the elevation
you have the kiosk here you build
a square and with the diagonal you
swing it up
nothing violated this incredibly
elaborate system
the alambra is a triumph of mathematics
as much as it is of aesthetics
mathematical ingenuity
is the root of its beauty [Music]
but no one talks about this everyone
looks at the alambra just as
an aesthetic experience
when you go to a concert and you
listen mosta you listen
a bit of them you listen verdi
you don't know perhaps music
but you notice that there is something
magic yes
the alambra is so enchanting it's all
too easy to view it as a fairy tale palace
palace
isolated from history but
that is romantic nonsense
this palace was the product of a very
real very
gritty history the alambra was built by
a religious empire
which at the pinnacle of its power
dominated land
from china to africa an empire which had
the wealth and intellect to build such masterpieces
masterpieces
an empire whose history goes back to the deserts
deserts
of 7th century arabia
the alambra was the creation of the
richest most intellectually
the roots of this cultural and religious
explosion lie not in spain
but in the deserts of arabia [Music]
at the beginning of the seventh century
in saudi arabia
something happened which was to change
the religious makeup of the world forever
forever [Music]
[Music]
a merchant called muhammad asserted that
he had been visited by the archangel gabriel
gabriel
who had revealed to him the true words
of god
these revelations which came to muhammad
throughout his life
became known as the quran
this is a time when people were
experimenting with all sorts of
cults and religions many of which fell
by the wayside
but the prophet muhammad and his
followers made an important move
they traveled to a desert oasis where
with a foothold in medina islam was no
longer just a nomadic
desert cult it had an urban centre with
a social structure
as the religion grew bigger so it grew
territorial expansion was a
characteristic of nomadic arabs
well before the arrival of muhammad
tribal leaders would initiate
ratzia or raids on their neighbors and
with the advent of
islam these gained some kind of spiritual
spiritual
significance this is what one commander
was reported to have said in one of the
earliest ever arabic chronicles
this land is your inheritance and the
promise of your lord
you've been tasting it and eating from
it you have been killing its people
and taking them into captivity
you are arab chiefs and notables
if you renounce this world and aspire to
the hereafter
god will give you this world and the hereafter
hereafter
they believed they were inspired by the
power of god [Music]
[Music]
within decades islamic arabs had reached
as far as persia
in the east in the west they'd conquered egypt
egypt
jordan and much of north africa and were
but islam wasn't only interested in
territorial expansion
it was also a faith committed to the pursuit
pursuit
of learning [Music]
[Music]
among the prophet's first revelations
was the instruction
seek knowledge [Music]
[Music]
this meant that from the very earliest
days of islam literacy and religious
study went hand in hand
whereas a number of other religions of
the day preferred to keep literacy the
privilege of a clerical elite
in the ancient muslim city affairs in morocco
morocco
there are many examples of this unique
this is the carowind mosque in fez and
it's still the heart of religious life here
it was founded in 859 by a woman
both as a religious and as an
[Applause]
mosques were used for teaching grammar
[Music]
in time colleges known as madrassas were set
set
up this is the madrasa
its walls are covered with the rich
rhyming prose of the quran
is only part of the complex which
contains both it
and the madrasa when the sultan abu anan
founded the place
he built the mosque alongside madrasa it
as you can see there is no separation [Music]
[Music]
when the quran was given to the prophet
who was illiterate
these inscriptions carved onto the walls
are verses of poetry
and can be found throughout the madrasa
but i think the most important section
what it says in arabic is i am the
apogee of knowledge
come you muslims
and learn because with knowledge you can become
become
what you want to be in the future
the medieval period knowledge was high
on the agenda
in the islamic world muslim societies
produced many books in the various
spheres of knowledge
and these books came to be known worldwide
worldwide [Music]
it wasn't just an enlightened attitude
to reading which placed learning at the
heart of the islamic world
necessity was also the mother of invention
invention [Music]
[Music]
because the arabs were nomads and desert
traders who often had to travel in the
cool of the night
they were well versed in using the stars
as guiding devices
this developed into a very sophisticated
study of astronomy
then with the establishment of islam
that knowledge was applied in a new way
whenever a mosque was built the pranish
had to be orientated in direct relation
to mecca
and there were a number of religious
festivals that had to fall on certain
days in the lunar year
these were complex mathematical problems
for which the muslims devised
precise solutions islam became a culture
which naturally embraced scientific and
this uninhibited attitude towards
learning meant that
when muslims encounter the teachings of
in the very early days of islam muslims
came into contact with a body of
knowledge which had been
ignored by most of northern europe for centuries
the works of the ancient greeks
it's once you look at a globe that it
becomes particularly easy to understand
why the arabs were such natural
inheritors of greek learning
from the bronze age onwards there'd been
a constant exchange of artifacts and information
information
all across the eastern mediterranean and
in fact a number of greek ideas stem from
from
eastern and egyptian influences the bulk
of this knowledge
was preserved in the great schools and
library at alexandria
and then in 641 a.d the arabs
take over the city and at a stroke
have direct access to this precious learning
learning [Music]
[Music]
many of these texts found their way to fez
this is an arabic translation of
aristotle with an additional commentary
by the muslim scholar avarois the
translation is done in iraq and then
avarois does this
commentary in al-andalus there's even an
that's extraordinary isn't it arabic's
like the lingua franca
and everybody's writing in arabic even
the bible
and thus ends the gospel of mark the apostle
the contrast with europe at this time
could not have been
greater here ancient greek texts and the
rational investigation they contained
were often feared as blasphemous
when the prophet muhammad was born
christianity had already been battling
with paganism for 600 years
trying to persuade believers to turn
away from their old gods
to the one new god and because of that
christians were often
suspicious of greek and roman pagan texts
texts
for instance in 529 a.d the
christian emperor justinian closed down
the athenian schools of philosophy [Music]
[Music]
set against this vibrant islamic culture
europe can appear an introspective and
intellectually cautious place
after the fall of rome there was a power
vacuum in europe
with rival tribes squabbling for territories
territories
it was the start of what later christian
scholars would describe
as the dark ages [Music]
[Music]
while europe lay unprotected and
vulnerable islam was consolidating land
by the beginning of the eighth century
the arabs had converted the berber
tribes at the very tip of north africa
and before long troops were gathered on
the coast their eyes
this little stretch of water between
spain and morocco is only nine miles wide
wide
but it's come to represent some kind of
cultural chasm
between europe and africa but in the
eighth century
when sea travel was the way to get
around that wasn't a barrier
it was a highway [Music]
in july 7-eleven seven thousand berber tribesmen
tribesmen
stormed across the straits of gibraltar
and invaded europe [Music]
[Music]
the muslims then began an incredible
in just four years they'd colonised
almost the whole of spain
had crossed the pyrenees and were only
were it not for this reverse an army
which had swept across two continents
might easily have crossed the english
the muslims called the country they came
to al andalus
the land of the vandals this refers to
the germanic tribe who ruled spain at
the time
the visigoths
spanish historians have traditionally
seen the muslim invasion of spain
as a terrible and violent attack an assault
assault
on christian europe [Music]
[Music]
in fact here at the visigothic site of
rocopolis near madrid
archaeologists have found evidence which
offers a rather different explanation
the city of rocopolis in fact
was the royal city founded by the vici gods
gods
in order to demonstrate the power of the
new state dimensions were spectacular
for this period
and this complex is the the most important
important
discovery in western europe what was it
at the time that the the muslims were invading
invading
but what was the state of the city then
they founded not only here
in this part of liberia but in
everywhere of the
alandalus they funded a
social crisis of urban crisis
the traditional explanation is this idea
that when the arabs
came the society collapses and the
citical asset
is not is not true the collapse of the city
city
started during the division period [Music]
[Music]
if you read the orthodox spanish
histories then you'll learn that
predatory muslim hordes forcibly
appropriated visigothic spain
and there certainly were some invasion
battles but at many places
like here at recopolis it seems the
newcomers were actually welcomed with
open arms
we even have treaties where the
visigoths enthusiastically
hand over their land in return for
effective muslim protection
when you're excavating did you find any
evidence of violence
at the time of the arab invasion we
don't have evidence of violence
not not at all in in this area was a peaceful
peaceful
and archaeology in showing another
landscape no
the muslims started to build a new society
the enthusiasm for learning that the
islamic world had spent years nurturing
was about to be transmitted to europe we
went into spain
not to fight against the people there
but to save them from the tyranny of the latins
latins
when the arabs changed location change geography
geography
this is the secret of how such a great civilization
civilization
came to be born [Music]
[Music]
the foundations of a new society had
been laid
a self-confident progressive and
sophisticated civilization
had arrived among the failing states of europe
europe
and the continent's history was about to
be transformed
the muslim invasion of spain had been
swift and effective
but it lacked a strong leadership
the first wave of invaders were north
african tribesmen
only recently converted to islam and
without connections to the power base of arabia
arabia
but this was about to change [Music]
in the capital of the muslim world a
political coup left all the members of
the ruling dynasty
massacred all that is
except for one a prince called abdal rahman
abdul rahman was in his late teens when
his family was massacred
he managed to escape the slaughter and
fled to the hills west of damascus [Music]
[Music]
his mother had been from north africa
and abdar akhman must have grown up hearing
hearing
and so he made a dangerous journey
across the nile and the deserts of egypt
heading for those distant lands [Music]
abdar rahman brought culture and
learning from the center of the islamic
world straight to the heart
when abdar rahman arrived in spain he
came here to cordoba
where the city was in complete disarray
that roman bridge had collapsed into the river
river
but abdal rahman said to rebuilding the city
city
you have to remember that it's in this
context that the arabs arrive
not as marauding destroyers but
abdar rahman brought cutting-edge
technology for irrigation to spain
almost immediately the landscape was [Music]
[Music] transformed
transformed [Applause]
[Applause]
palm trees lemon and orange groves
avocados artichokes and pomegranates
none of which had been seen in europe
because of abdar rahman's sophisticated
trade network
this new agriculture created huge wealth [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
and these riches were used to build one
of the greatest
while the inhabitants of london were
still living in wooden houses
the people of cordoba had built a
cosmopolitan city with a population
of over 100 000 the largest settlement
reports from european visitors to
cordoba describe a city with 70 libraries
libraries
the accounts tell of houses with running
water and roads
illuminated by streetlights
you often have to take medieval sources
with a fairly substantial
punch of salt because then chroniclers
were extremely fond of exaggeration
but in fact the new excavations here at
cordoba are actually revealing a city
that was
just as rich as the one that they
described these monumental palace walls
belong to a muslim
aristocrat and this channel over here is
part of the water system that brought
cordoba its famously
effective sewage works as well as the
fountains and the baths
that so impressed all those european visitors
[Music]
cordoba was described by a 10th century
german visitor
one of the reasons it's been so
difficult to investigate islamic cordoba
is that the city's been built up on
itself like a kind of layer cake
but here the archaeologists have taken
away the modern level
to reveal that islamic layer there and
then down at the bottom
abdal rahman built quarterback on top of
what had been one of the largest cities
in rome and spain
and his greatest achievement was this
the great mosque of cordoba [Music]
[Music]
with a floor space the size of four
football peaches
this is the largest mosque in western islam
the forest of 600 marble columns
disappear into the distance
on the columns arches balance on top of
its shell-shaped prayer niche has an
extraordinary acoustic
making any words spoken inside audible
when the mosque was first built these
archways would have been opened
to allow people and light to stream in
and out and this courtyard was a central
part of the complex
people would come here to richly purify
themselves before they worshipped or
abdar rahman's original mosque was only
a fraction of the size of the building
that stands today
over a period of 200 years rulers would
extend the mosque
three times it's been suggested that the
mosque was enlarged because
each new ruler of the city wanted to
but there's also a more straightforward explanation
the kaudaba mosque had to accommodate
the burgeoning number of worshippers
the muslim population of spain was growing
fast [Music]
[Music]
modern spain has been reluctant to
acknowledge that its indigenous
population converted to islam
in droves
standard history books present the
muslim occupation of spain as something
it was superficial just a surface
colonization by an arab elite
not a presence that had any kind of
lasting impact on the bulk of the population
population [Music]
[Music]
new archaeological evidence is turning
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
all over spain cities like cordoba were established
established [Music]
[Music]
even madrid was founded by muslims
the original arab walls still stand
behind the royal palace
how far did muslim communities spread
through spain
we see remains dating from the time of
the landlords almost everywhere
not only in the south of spain but also
in other parts of spain
they are emerging lots of sites fortresses
fortresses
villages and cities almost everywhere
people were arabians
losing the form of latin they were
speaking unto them and they were
islamized in the sense that they dropped christianity
christianity
and converted to islam in massive
numbers really
were these forced conversions or was the
idea of
islam particularly attractive it's
always very difficult to say why someone
converts to another religiousness
but uh i think there's no evidence
of any force force forced conversion at all
all
in a way the uh islamization and
analyzation of
territories like landlords is very
similar to what happened to the
roman empire when people wanted to
convert to the values
and to the cultural values to the
religious values and to the way of living
living
of what seemed to be a civilization
which have lots of advantages i think
it's very easy to forget that that at
this moment in time
islam is a culture of innovation isn't
it you said it's drawing in ideas from
the east
it's a culture of uh phenomenal innovation
innovation
the opportunities of living because of
the market because of the trade
relations and so on
the islamization of spain did more than
change the name of the god that people worshipped
worshipped
people converted because this was a
religion which had something to offer them
them
it had wealth it had social structure
and it had intellectual power [Music]
[Music]
the arabs brought in one innovation that
did more than
any other to change the cultural makeup
of europe
and it's this paper
the idea almost certainly came from the
chinese via trade exchange
and it is revolutionary technology
unlike parchment and vellum it's cheap
and it's easy to mass produce
and when the arabs come to spain they
paper allows you to do three things very effectively
effectively
you can gather information you can
analyze and develop ideas in a very
precise way
and then you can disseminate your
newfound knowledge to a wider world
and in the 10th century that was a
cordoba's love of books became legendary
whilst the royal library of france contained
contained
900 books in this period just one of
cordoba's 70 libraries amassed over half
a million
these books contain some of the most
sophisticated studies of astronomy in
the world
in northern europe at this time there is nothing
nothing
but there is nothing that can be considered
considered
the result of sophisticated astronomy
why do you think muslim scholars were
particularly interested in in the
heavens and the revolution of the stars
i think they were interested in science
in general
terms for example
calculating the sacred direction if you
have to say your prayers
you must face towards mecca
calculating the direction of mecca from
a given place is not so easy
it is a complicated mathematical problem
for which the arabs had exact solutions
from the 9th century one of the ways in
which the muslims solved these problems
was by developing a greek instrument
called the astrolabe
this is a calculator for telling the
time of night or day
if it's lined up on a star above the
horizon the angle could be registered
with a movable needle
the measurement is then transferred to
the reverse side of the astrolabe
where a base plate represents the
geographical location
and a star grid like a map of the
heavens shows the position of the stars
by aligning the needle to the grid using
the measurements the time can be read
off the face of the astrolave
the astrolabe enables nighttime
navigation which helped to advance sea travel
travel
and this in turn set the stage for the
coming era
of worldwide exploration and discovery [Music]
[Music]
cordoba and scientists were streets
ahead of the rest of europe
especially when it came to medicine
this account comes from an islamic
physician who encountered a christian
doctor at work
they brought me a knight who had an
abscess on his leg and a woman
suffering from consumption i made a
plaster for the night and the swelling
opened and improved
for the woman i prescribed a diet to
revive her consumption
but then the frankish doctor arrived and objected
objected
bring me a strong night with a
well-sharpened battle axe he said
the night struck a blow the marrow of
the leg spurted out
as for the woman their doctor affirmed
the devil must have entered her head
then he grasped a razor and cut an
incision in the shape of a cross
exposing the bone of the skull and
rubbing salt into the wound
the woman died in the instant i returned home
home
having learned much about the medicine
of the christians [Music]
[Music]
the hospitals of cordoba were performing
operations which wouldn't be seen in the
rest of europe
for hundreds of years
the city's most famous surgeon was a man
called abu kassis
he spent 40 years compiling a hugely
influential medical compendium
chapter 30 dealt with surgery and these
are just
some of the instruments that were
this is a specialist device used by eye
and these two over here were employed
to perform successful tracheotomies and
in fact the ibukasis method was still
as well as large scientific collections
more everyday documents have survived
from islamic cordoba
these give a detailed insight to the
society that was created here
what kinds of things are being recorded
on these bits of paper in this document
it was written everything absolutely everything
everything
so does that mean that people in the
lower classes of society could read
yes there are poor people with a very
good education
education is a way to be a better muslim
so being a better muslim is means that
you know the quran
and you know everything of the law the law
law
is not a king law it is the god
law divine law divine law have you got any
any
physical examples of these yes i have i
have one
well it is a contract about plowing the lands
lands
for two years we have to plant it
with wheat and food and he gets
from this this proportion of the production
production
the muslims give a new thing the land is mine
mine
i rent user land and you give me a part
people are interested not in having
hunting lands
like lord or squire in england the landlord
landlord
rent his land and it's empowering as
well because if you're the lowest run of society
society
and yet you have some rights to your own
land and you can keep a lot of the produce
produce yes
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
every piece of evidence from cordoba
adds to the picture of a civilized and
highly sophisticated city
it had medical centers an organized
legal system
and libraries full of academics and
scientists working on ideas which were
light years ahead of anything else in europe
europe
by the 10th century cordoba had become
the official capital
of al andalus [Music]
[Music]
people flocked here to work either in
the city's shops and markets
in the year 912 a new ruler came to power
power
he was to take cordoba to even greater heights
heights [Music]
[Music]
abdar rahman iii was only 21 when he
with a resounding statement of
self-confidence he declared himself the
khalif the commander-in-chief of the faithful
faithful
with that title he claimed to be the
supreme leader of the islamic world [Music]
[Music]
at a stroke he repositioned muslim spain
so it was no longer
a western outpost but instead a key
and to complement his role as khalif
abdal rahman iii
built himself one of the biggest royal palaces
palaces
in the world [Music]
while the english kings of the same
period were living in modest wooden halls
halls
abdar rahman iii needed
000 workmen to construct this enormous
palace complex
which was decorated with african white [Music]
marble
the alabaster palace surrounded by acres
of date palms was described
as a concubine lying in the arms of a
it was called madina al-zakhra after
archaeologists have reconstructed barely
10 percent of the original site
the idea here is that the caliph dominates
what he's really doing with the
landscape is demonstrating that medina alfara
alfara
peninsula excavations reveal the city to
be at the cutting edge of technical
now to do this on such an enormous scale
requires incredible sophistication
nothing like this existed in the world
at the center of the complex lies abdal
rahman's throne room [Music]
[Music]
what do you think drove abdar rahman to
[Music]
built during the last year of his life
it was a symbol of consolidation
seated in this throne the caliph must
have felt himself
visitors from all over europe were
received here a monk from germany called
john of course
left a record of his trip you have to
try and imagine the impression this
place would have made on don of course
the walls were studded with tiles made
of silver and gold
and on the roof there was a massive
representation of the heavens
mechanical lions roared in the corridors
and in the rafters there were mechanical
birds that twittered away
here in the center of the room there
were two bowls filled with mercury
that would catch the light and then send
it shattering back out to dazzle the visitors
this is what was written about the
climax of his visit
when john arrived at the dais where the
caliph was seated alone
almost like a god head he saw everything
draped with rare and costly coverings
they do not use thrones or chairs as
other people do but recline on demands
or couches when conversing or eating
their legs crossed over one another
there is actually one detail at this
account misses out the caliph
did have a throne a mechanical throne
that raised and then descended
as if he was levitating among his subjects
subjects [Applause]
[Applause]
a refined court culture developed in the
palace of madina al-zaja
and this was to have an unexpected
influence on the rest of europe
what would the soundscapes of the
palaces have been in the 10th century
perhaps the most basic level would be
the sounds of all the different fountains
fountains
and small running currents artificial
[Music]
on top of that we could have heard layer upon
upon
layer of different types of music and singing
singing
a variety of different professional instrumentalists
instrumentalists
we could easily have heard a loot player
sitting in a corner or in
[Music]
there would be a slightly more formal presentation
presentation
what were these singers expected to do
were they concubines as well
well in some sense we're doing an
injustice by just referring to them as singers
singers
these women were entertainers at every level
level
they had to be able to converse they had
to be able to discuss intelligent
subjects they had to be able to
for arabs poetry is the single
most important art of their culture if
we look at
a picture of the entire world there are
only three cultures that we know of
that had developed end rhyme by the 7th century
century
this early arabic love poetry directly
influenced the development of literature
one of the primary characteristics of
this poetry
is a constant focus on the feelings of
the lover
the poet is always complaining of the
pangs of love and the distance of the beloved
beloved
and we quite frankly almost never hear
from the beloved
love is a welcome malady
those who are free of it want not to be immune
immune
and those who are stricken want not to
be cured [Music]
[Music]
the pain of separation and unrequited
love are concepts that are very familiar
to us
and there is a direct connection to that
early arab poetry [Music]
in england some of our earliest and most
enduring stories
are romantic tales of knights and
damsels a courtly love tradition
brought here by travelling french poets
called troubadours [Music]
[Music]
and those troubadours were inspired by
the singing slave girls of al
andalus the courtly love tradition has
it came to form the basis of the western
concept of romantic love
but this cornerstone of our culture originated
originated
in islamic spain perhaps one of the most
exciting moments the transfer if you
will of
arab music and poetry from the south to
the north happens in the year 1064 in
the city of barbastro [Music]
[Music]
neighbouring french knights besiege the
city which falls
its booty includes hundreds of singing
girls who go to the second in command
william viii of aquitaine [Music]
[Music]
he already received a large number of
moorish singing girls
which he then took back with him to france
france
he died at a fairly young age and his heir
heir
william the ninth inherited this
household at age
15 and william ix is known to us in
literary history
as the first troubadour [Music]
[Music]
so it's almost positive that william ix
would not only have grown up
as a child in a household in which there
were arab singing girls
at the age of 15 he actually became
it's one of the few moments where we can
say that there's a transfer
of singing girls from this point to that
point and then
the point of reception is precisely
where the first
[Music]
but the glorious court of madina
al-zakra was not to last forever [Music]
[Music]
within the palace was sown the very
[Music]
abdal rahman iii had invested much of
his money and interest in art and culture
culture
and had paid very little attention to
the military
there were no generals at court and
citizens didn't have to serve in the army
this is important the mere fact that the
army can't recruit from its own citizens
means that it has to recruit more and
more foreigners effectively
mercenaries this is part of the reason
for the conflict
which led to the ultimate collapse of
when an ambitious courtier usurped the
caliphate the court split into factions
once the 300 year old dynasty cracked
it didn't take long for the palace to
come under attack [Applause]
madina al-zakra was quickly smashed and plundered
plundered [Music]
[Music]
these are the telltale signs that the
palace was violently destroyed
their scorch marks on the marble made
when the molten lead that supported the
joists in the roof
melted as the palace was burnt to the ground
of course the history of spain would
have been very different [Music]
[Music]
unique dynasty had come to a terrible end
end
and in the north of the country another
religious power was eyeing up the rich
lands of al andalus
its name was christendom [Music]
arlandalus's golden age was over by the
beginning of the 11th century
abdal rahman's dynasty in cordoba had
collapsed into chaos and disorder
but what happened next was even more devastating
devastating [Applause]
[Applause]
in 1095 pope urban ii made a call to arms
arms
he ordered a war to remove islam from
the holy lands [Music]
[Music]
popeurban speech is ajit prop at its finest
finest
when an armed attack is made against an
enemy let there be
one resounding cry from the soldiers of god
god
it is the will of god it is the will of god
god
the crusades had begun it didn't take
long for this
zealous warrior mentality to rouse the
christians of northern spain
and what followed was as treacherous as
any of the crusades in the holy lands [Music]
[Music]
the christians had always held on to the
far north of the country
and now they were gaining ground
al-andalus had fragmented into a
suddenly muslim spain found herself
under attack
her palaces were raided and her cities
laid to siege
between the 11th and the 13th centuries
an army of
christian kings took over the lands of
every year this conflict is re-enacted
this the victor's version of history
glamorizes what was actually a
dishonorable and dirty war
when the christian comes they break everything
everything
they come in summer when it is almost dry
dry
they put it fire after that
they cut the trees
the agriculture of alandalus was very sophisticated
sophisticated
the more sophisticated something the more
more
fragile is so the more easy
is to break it irrigation
so for some years people are starving
so it's a scorched earth policy soon
a brutal system of protection rackets emerged
emerged
there is an alternative you pay me
i don't destroy i don't
burn your house how much you give me
i don't cut your trees uh how much do
you give me
this one it is a it is a way of the
mafia in chicago
for one century all the 11th century
all the christians spain lives
one by one the fragmented city-states of landaloos
landaloos
their solution was to fight fire with fire
fire
this is the capital from the top of a
column in cordoba
it's a buzzing little scene you've got
four musicians two who are playing pipes
but at some point the faces of the
musicians have been
smashed in this wasn't perpetrated by
christian raiders but by the new muslim power who had come
but by the new muslim power who had come to help al andalus
the troops who came as military support were strict fundamentalists with a
were strict fundamentalists with a fierce and fighting reputation
fierce and fighting reputation they were called the amaravids
the amaravids were a tribe of nomads from the sahara
from the sahara they had black skin and wore veils that
they had black skin and wore veils that covered everything apart from their eyes
covered everything apart from their eyes when they went into battle they rode
when they went into battle they rode light-footed versatile little horses and
light-footed versatile little horses and took with them
took with them camels and elephants but they were
camels and elephants but they were fiercest of all when it came to religion
fiercest of all when it came to religion they preached a return to basic muslim
they preached a return to basic muslim values
values and when they came to al-andalus they
and when they came to al-andalus they were shocked by what they found
were shocked by what they found there are people from the desert there
there are people from the desert there is people newborn
is people newborn to the religion so they have a hard
to the religion so they have a hard feeling of it
feeling of it evangelical islam yeah absolutely not
evangelical islam yeah absolutely not accustomed to civilization
accustomed to civilization yeah what did they think had gone wrong
yeah what did they think had gone wrong with islam here
with islam here they felt they have to purify things
they felt they have to purify things they said
they said this is people very accustomed to
this is people very accustomed to civilization to science
civilization to science they're talking with christians with
they're talking with christians with jews this is a mix that we don't like it
jews this is a mix that we don't like it we
we we want purified people
with the barbaric christian raiders on one side and these new fundamentalist
one side and these new fundamentalist muslims on the other
muslims on the other al andalus was crushed it descended into
al andalus was crushed it descended into corruption
a christian king would provide military aid to a weak
aid to a weak muslim king in return for a substantial
muslim king in return for a substantial payment of gold
payment of gold coin
the whole of al-andalus was subjected to this system of extortion
the trouble is modern spain chooses to remember this war rather differently
la reconquista the re-conquest is presented as a valiant crusade
presented as a valiant crusade in which spain is returned to its
in which spain is returned to its rightful christian owners
rightful christian owners this pantomime version of history is
this pantomime version of history is personified in many of spain's national
personified in many of spain's national heroes
heroes the greatest of whom is a knight called
the greatest of whom is a knight called guzman
guzman el bueno
every town in spain has a street named after guzman albueno
after guzman albueno he's one of the country's best-loved
he's one of the country's best-loved historical figures
historical figures the story of when guzman defended the
the story of when guzman defended the town of tarifa from muslim raids
town of tarifa from muslim raids is well known in spain
guzman's descendants the medina cedonia family became one of the richest
family became one of the richest landowners in the country
landowners in the country the duchess of medina cedonia has
the duchess of medina cedonia has discovered something
discovered something remarkable about her illustrious
remarkable about her illustrious ancestor
is the first of the guzman family we know about he is the founder of the
know about he is the founder of the family
family he came here and lived in this very
he came here and lived in this very [Music]
[Music] house
house this is a family archive although it's
this is a family archive although it's more than that
more than that it is a rich source of documents from
it is a rich source of documents from the medieval period and later
the medieval period and later was it right that one of your ancestors
was it right that one of your ancestors was involved in the spanish armada
was involved in the spanish armada the seventh duke was involved in that
the seventh duke was involved in that campaign
campaign [Music]
[Music] this document dates from 1288
this document dates from 1288 we know my ancestor was in al-andalus
we know my ancestor was in al-andalus a year before because he bought a farm
a year before because he bought a farm and this document mentions it it's a
and this document mentions it it's a permit for him to export 300
permit for him to export 300 bushels of wheat
look you can see the word weed and what it says is that he is allowed
and what it says is that he is allowed to take this overseas
to take this overseas to where he is from
to where he is from so because of the grammar you can tell
so because of the grammar you can tell that he comes
that he comes from overseas not that he was just
from overseas not that he was just visiting from overseas
yes probably it refers to a place which was part of morocco
was part of morocco much larger than than now a place where
much larger than than now a place where neither wheat nor hay could grow
neither wheat nor hay could grow [Music]
[Music] the duchess had discovered that her
the duchess had discovered that her ancestor the great
ancestor the great christian knight guzman albueno was
christian knight guzman albueno was actually a muslim
actually a muslim [Music]
[Music] this is really a piece of human history
this is really a piece of human history it dates to 1297.
it dates to 1297. the king refers to guzman as my vassal
the king refers to guzman as my vassal because he is a foreigner
if it wasn't written here i wouldn't believe it
believe it [Music]
[Music] it was very common for muslims to ally
it was very common for muslims to ally themselves with christian factions
themselves with christian factions especially when christians were warring
especially when christians were warring with each other
with each other it must have been quite a surprise to
it must have been quite a surprise to discover that your your ancestor was a
discover that your your ancestor was a muslim
muslim see he was something yes a great
see he was something yes a great surprise
surprise this is because there had been a
this is because there had been a chronicle which dated back to the 16th
chronicle which dated back to the 16th century
century in which the guzman family had cleaned
in which the guzman family had cleaned up its political
up its political and ethnic past
they didn't just do this with the goodman family
goodman family but with all the families that had
but with all the families that had doubtful ancestors
doubtful ancestors ancestors of doubtful race
ancestors of doubtful race they cleaned it all up
they cleaned it all up have a whole load of documents here from
have a whole load of documents here from the spanish register
the spanish register and they turn everything we know about
and they turn everything we know about spanish history
spanish history upside down
the spanish are simply inventing history they have turned history into a fable
the idea that the christians and the muslims were fighting a holy war
muslims were fighting a holy war was created in spain long after the
was created in spain long after the reconquest
reconquest actually took place
even spain's most famous hero the swashbuckling el cid
swashbuckling el cid is caught up in this fantasy
in films and books el cid is celebrated as a kind of
as a kind of christian pinup
a crusader in the fight against the terrible moor
terrible moor but el cid spent his life like albueno
but el cid spent his life like albueno as a mercenary
as a mercenary fighting for whomsoever would pay him
fighting for whomsoever would pay him the name
the name sid means the master in arabic so else
sid means the master in arabic so else it's an arabic name yes
it's an arabic name yes in fact he was the king of valencia when
in fact he was the king of valencia when valencia was
valencia was an islamic city and he didn't change
an islamic city and he didn't change anything there
anything there so he had muslim allies let's see that's
so he had muslim allies let's see that's not the story you hear is that
not the story you hear is that no i think the the history is much more
no i think the the history is much more interesting that
interesting that the history you hear so he was a
the history you hear so he was a christian king but he didn't force
christian king but he didn't force the muslims that he controlled to
the muslims that he controlled to convert no no he
convert no no he it was in fact we cannot see
it was in fact we cannot see the reconquist as a processive of
the reconquist as a processive of conversion
conversion this is a process of trial and error of
this is a process of trial and error of people
people gaining lands and people gaining
gaining lands and people gaining prestige it's just
prestige it's just real politics it's all about getting
real politics it's all about getting that's it we are painting now
that's it we are painting now everything with an um religious ideology
everything with an um religious ideology but it's not
but it's not so religion's a kind of convenient
so religion's a kind of convenient excuse rather than the driving force
excuse rather than the driving force absolutely religion is always an excuse
elsie and guzman al bueno weren't simply christian soldiers
christian soldiers fighting a muslim enemy if anything this
fighting a muslim enemy if anything this was a civil war
was a civil war with both sides desperately scrabbling
with both sides desperately scrabbling for land and wealth
the idea that the reconquest was something cut and dried
something cut and dried black and white something that cleaned
black and white something that cleaned up society is absurd
up society is absurd i don't know who came up with that idea
i don't know who came up with that idea the spanish historian palencia who said
the spanish historian palencia who said that the reconquista
that the reconquista was nothing but a civil war between
was nothing but a civil war between spaniards of two different
spaniards of two different faiths
faiths [Music]
spain is full of dazzling reminders of how the righteous christians
how the righteous christians won the country back from the diabolical
won the country back from the diabolical war
war the country's most popular saint is
the country's most popular saint is called santiago matamoros
called santiago matamoros st james the moore slayer
but this romanticized version of history distorts the true nature of this
distorts the true nature of this conflict this
conflict this was not a holy war
al andalus was destroyed in a dirty grab for land
for land which lasted for over 300 years
and in this conflict the more refined society
society was the one least equipped for war
it was the christians who had little to lose and most to gain
and what happened when the christians began to take over exposes a curious
began to take over exposes a curious respect
respect for muslim culture
for muslim culture when the christian king peter took
when the christian king peter took control of seville in 1248
control of seville in 1248 this is what he had made
this is what he had made [Music]
[Music] it is a beautiful building it was built
it is a beautiful building it was built for a christian
for a christian and yet in every way it resembles
and yet in every way it resembles an islamic palace
an islamic palace [Music]
[Music] on the walls there are inscriptions from
on the walls there are inscriptions from the quran
the quran and above the door there are dedications
and above the door there are dedications to its owner calling him
to its owner calling him khalif rather than king
the conqueror has been conquered by the culture
it's a tiny bit unexpected that when this christian king
this christian king rebuilt this palace he made it appear so
rebuilt this palace he made it appear so arabic
arabic it feels as if we're in the alambra here
it feels as if we're in the alambra here well this
well this palace has many relations with the
palace has many relations with the alambra especially with the
alambra especially with the court of lions both builders king
court of lions both builders king muhammad v
muhammad v of granada and king peter the first of
of granada and king peter the first of castile were friends
castile were friends you have to consider that in europe at
you have to consider that in europe at this time
this time there was not an architecture of such a
there was not an architecture of such a splendor
splendor comparable to london and this made a
comparable to london and this made a very big attraction for the christians
very big attraction for the christians and this is why this architecture was
and this is why this architecture was used by the christian
used by the christian to show to the nobility of the kingdom
to show to the nobility of the kingdom the power the authority
the power the authority this room covered with this marvelous
this room covered with this marvelous dome
it symbolizes the power because it's the the heavens that turns
because it's the the heavens that turns around
around the king
the king [Music]
[Music] but the legacy of al andalus was to
but the legacy of al andalus was to affect more than the architecture of
affect more than the architecture of europe
in the midst of this terrible struggle something incredible was to happen
something incredible was to happen which would fire the minds of europeans
which would fire the minds of europeans and expand our intellectual horizons
at the same time that it was being splintered by christian encroachment
splintered by christian encroachment alan de luz was at the center of one of
alan de luz was at the center of one of the most influential shifts in thinking
the most influential shifts in thinking that europe has ever seen
that europe has ever seen [Music]
between the middle ages and the modern era europe underwent a massive
era europe underwent a massive intellectual and cultural revolution
this shift known as the renaissance transformed the human experience
transformed the human experience it prompted the exploration of science
it prompted the exploration of science and the arts and changed the way that
and the arts and changed the way that men and women saw themselves in relation
men and women saw themselves in relation to god
to god the renaissance and the scientific
the renaissance and the scientific revolution that followed were critical
revolution that followed were critical stages
stages in the development of europe
in the development of europe [Music]
[Music] the origins of the renaissance are
the origins of the renaissance are generally believed to lie in italy
generally believed to lie in italy where a renewed interest in the classics
where a renewed interest in the classics had a huge impact on art and culture
had a huge impact on art and culture but the foundations of the renaissance
but the foundations of the renaissance were laid much earlier
were laid much earlier and not in italy but in a town called
and not in italy but in a town called toledo
toledo in islamic spain
[Music] toledo was one of al-andalus's
toledo was one of al-andalus's vulnerable city-states
vulnerable city-states and in 1085 the christians seized
and in 1085 the christians seized control of it
unusually the handover went very smoothly and as a result the muslims
smoothly and as a result the muslims already living in toledo were allowed to
already living in toledo were allowed to remain as citizens and their mosques
remain as citizens and their mosques were left untouched
were left untouched [Music]
[Music] the city that emerged accommodated both
the city that emerged accommodated both muslim
muslim and christian spain at this time is a
and christian spain at this time is a paradox
paradox on one hand tensions between muslims and
on one hand tensions between muslims and christians are becoming unbearable
christians are becoming unbearable and yet on the other there is a hugely
and yet on the other there is a hugely beneficial intellectual evolution
beneficial intellectual evolution that is only possible because muslims
that is only possible because muslims and christians
and christians are living side by side
when toledo fell to the christians its doors were opened to travelers and
doors were opened to travelers and intellectuals from all over europe
intellectuals from all over europe these people mixed with the muslims in
these people mixed with the muslims in the city learning their language and
the city learning their language and reading their books
reading their books [Music]
[Music] many of the adventurers came from
many of the adventurers came from england
england in the late 1100s an englishman known as
in the late 1100s an englishman known as daniel
daniel morley traveled to europe to study
morley traveled to europe to study but as his autobiography reveals he was
but as his autobiography reveals he was disgusted with what he found there
disgusted with what he found there i stopped a while in paris and there i
i stopped a while in paris and there i saw
saw asses rather than men pretending to be
asses rather than men pretending to be very important
very important they had desks in front of them heaving
they had desks in front of them heaving under the weight of two or three
under the weight of two or three immovable tomes
immovable tomes but because they did not know anything
but because they did not know anything they were no better than marble statues
they were no better than marble statues i did not want to get infected by a
i did not want to get infected by a similar petrifaction
similar petrifaction but when i heard that the doctrine of
but when i heard that the doctrine of the arabs was in fashion in toledo
the arabs was in fashion in toledo i hurried there as quickly as i could so
i hurried there as quickly as i could so that i could hear
that i could hear the wisest philosophers in the world
the wisest philosophers in the world just as the fall of alexandria had made
just as the fall of alexandria had made a massive body of greek knowledge
a massive body of greek knowledge available to the arabs
available to the arabs 400 years previously now the christian
400 years previously now the christian conquest of toledo
conquest of toledo passed this storehouse of knowledge onto
passed this storehouse of knowledge onto europeans who flocked here in their
europeans who flocked here in their hundreds
hundreds at the backs of shops and in courtyards
at the backs of shops and in courtyards groups of men
groups of men started to gather together christians
started to gather together christians muslims and jews
muslims and jews to work on texts that have been stored
to work on texts that have been stored in the archives of mosques and churches
in the archives of mosques and churches these were extraordinary manuscripts
these were extraordinary manuscripts translations of aristotle and plato and
translations of aristotle and plato and euclid as well as original works by
euclid as well as original works by arabic mathematicians astronomers and
arabic mathematicians astronomers and alchemists
alchemists this was a resource like no other in the
this was a resource like no other in the rest of europe
rest of europe it was intellectual dynamite
people came from all over europe all these
these works that were lost in europe could be
works that were lost in europe could be found in toledo
found in toledo there was lots of wisdom here how did
there was lots of wisdom here how did the translators work together here in
the translators work together here in toledo
toledo in the first period uh there was usually
in the first period uh there was usually two people working together
two people working together and then another person who was learned
and then another person who was learned in latin would write it down in latin
in latin would write it down in latin and that was i think the target of
and that was i think the target of working together and it was very clear
working together and it was very clear i think it really made it more accurate
i think it really made it more accurate uh because it was a teamwork
how were these manuscripts been kept in toledo
toledo well most of the translations were
well most of the translations were carried out in the 12th
carried out in the 12th and 13th century that means for almost
and 13th century that means for almost 900 years
900 years most of them
most of them [Music]
[Music] and here we have the preface in red
and here we have the preface in red that's where we learn about the process
that's where we learn about the process of translation
of translation in this case we read that this book was
in this case we read that this book was translated by
translated by jared of cremona it is a medical
jared of cremona it is a medical treatise by
treatise by even cena by david cena and it was
even cena by david cena and it was translated up arabic from arabic in
translated up arabic from arabic in latin
latin into latin in toledo yeah it's a very
into latin in toledo yeah it's a very rich document isn't it you get a sense
rich document isn't it you get a sense of how valued these things were
of how valued these things were and there is all these little glosses on
and there is all these little glosses on the right hand side
the right hand side people have been adding comments or
people have been adding comments or explaining
explaining words that were not clear
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] is this a looks like it's a work of
is this a looks like it's a work of aristotle
aristotle yeah this is the rhetorica by aristotle
yeah this is the rhetorica by aristotle rhetorica aristotle
rhetorica aristotle and here we are look his man is working
and here we are look his man is working on it hermanos
on it hermanos yeah herman de german manager yeah even
yeah herman de german manager yeah even germans came
germans came all the way to tula to find all these
all the way to tula to find all these texts
texts in this case it is uh a commentary
in this case it is uh a commentary by alberous on the text of aristotle
by alberous on the text of aristotle and both are translated together so it's
and both are translated together so it's got added value because you've got new
got added value because you've got new arabic thought coming into the classical
arabic thought coming into the classical yeah they are adding they are
yeah they are adding they are supplementing they are
supplementing they are completing what was uh transmitted from
completing what was uh transmitted from the ancient world
knowledge really is power at this time in history yes having a book
in history yes having a book was something very very valuable do you
was something very very valuable do you find during this process that words
find during this process that words slip from one language to another
slip from one language to another absolutely
absolutely that word came into western languages as
that word came into western languages as chemistry
chemistry but we have another word alchemy that
but we have another word alchemy that comes originally from greek
comes originally from greek through arabic they added the article in
through arabic they added the article in arabic
arabic al and that gave alchemy
english is full of words which came into the language from arabic in this way
the language from arabic in this way [Music]
many of them describe mathematical concepts which were
concepts which were completely new to europe
algorithms are named after an arabic mathematician
mathematician and the concept of zero comes from the
and the concept of zero comes from the arabic
arabic which means empty it's where we get our
which means empty it's where we get our word cipher from
word cipher from but of course the most obvious and
but of course the most obvious and lasting impact
lasting impact is the use of arabic numerals and in
is the use of arabic numerals and in this spanish latin text which
this spanish latin text which dates from around about 986 a.d we have
dates from around about 986 a.d we have the first
the first example of arabic numerals written in
example of arabic numerals written in europe
europe here they are one two
here they are one two three four five six seven
three four five six seven eight nine
eight nine imagine trying to do something like
imagine trying to do something like multiplication with roman numerals
once the numbers get above a certain amount they are
amount they are ridiculously unwieldy
ridiculously unwieldy this new agile numerical system made
this new agile numerical system made everyday things like bookkeeping and
everyday things like bookkeeping and accounting more accessible
accounting more accessible mathematics developed and the
mathematics developed and the construction of complex architectural
construction of complex architectural projects
projects became much easier
became much easier recently archaeologists renovating the
recently archaeologists renovating the roof timbers of salisbury cathedral in
roof timbers of salisbury cathedral in england
england made a discovery which clarifies this
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] on some of the beams that support the
on some of the beams that support the roof there were a series of numbers
roof there were a series of numbers that were carved in around 1200 a.d when
that were carved in around 1200 a.d when the cathedral was built
the cathedral was built now that's a three and obviously it's
now that's a three and obviously it's familiar to us today
familiar to us today but in its time it was a curious and
but in its time it was a curious and progressive symbol
progressive symbol at this time everyone in england was
at this time everyone in england was still using the clunky old roman
still using the clunky old roman numerals
numerals but here in the rafters of one cathedral
but here in the rafters of one cathedral a new trend appears to have caught on
a new trend appears to have caught on these numbers the numbers that we use
these numbers the numbers that we use today the fact that they're here is
today the fact that they're here is proof that the ordinary craftsmen who
proof that the ordinary craftsmen who carved them
carved them benefited from an explosion of knowledge
benefited from an explosion of knowledge that started in arabia
that started in arabia and spread through europe via islamic
and spread through europe via islamic spain
and the travellers from toledo brought more than just practical knowledge back
more than just practical knowledge back to england
to england after a number of years daniel of morley
after a number of years daniel of morley returned from toledo
returned from toledo his cases crammed with documents and
his cases crammed with documents and volumes
volumes and when he arrived in england he made
and when he arrived in england he made an appointment to hand this precious
an appointment to hand this precious booty over to his patron who was a
booty over to his patron who was a bishop
bishop this benefactor was one of a team of
this benefactor was one of a team of scholars who wanted to establish their
scholars who wanted to establish their town as a center of learning
town as a center of learning and the name of the town was oxford
and the name of the town was oxford [Music]
[Music] the universities that were founded in
the universities that were founded in paris bologna and oxford at this time
paris bologna and oxford at this time based their new curriculum on the
based their new curriculum on the radical ideas which were pouring out of
radical ideas which were pouring out of toledo
toledo one of daniel of morley's compatriots a
one of daniel of morley's compatriots a man called adelaide of bath
man called adelaide of bath published this volume just after he got
published this volume just after he got back from toledo
back from toledo and it's a collection of 76 very basic
and it's a collection of 76 very basic questions like why is the sea salty
questions like why is the sea salty why are there tides how does the globe
why are there tides how does the globe hang in the air
hang in the air and do animals have souls
and do animals have souls the questions are seemingly simple but
the questions are seemingly simple but they embody a new spirit of rational
they embody a new spirit of rational inquiry
inquiry where a blind faith in god is challenged
where a blind faith in god is challenged and adelaide of bath admits his debt to
and adelaide of bath admits his debt to the muslims in pursuing this line of
the muslims in pursuing this line of inquiry
inquiry he writes from the arabs i have learnt
he writes from the arabs i have learnt one thing
one thing to lead by reason i will detract
to lead by reason i will detract nothing from god but very carefully
nothing from god but very carefully listen to the limits of human knowledge
listen to the limits of human knowledge only where this utterly breaks down
only where this utterly breaks down should we refer things to god
should we refer things to god [Music]
[Music] the muslims developed a massive program
the muslims developed a massive program of translations
of translations in which they translated from greek into
in which they translated from greek into arabic
arabic everything that had reached them
and this was something that was promoted but the whole society and the result of
but the whole society and the result of this
this is that they translated practically all
is that they translated practically all greek knowledge
there's the first period in which they translate
translate and they learn they assimilate
and they learn they assimilate later they had learned enough and they
later they had learned enough and they began
began to produce original works by themselves
to produce original works by themselves and to criticize greek science
and to criticize greek science and of course one cannot say that the
and of course one cannot say that the arabs were mere transmitters
arabs were mere transmitters of greek science they were the
of greek science they were the people that continued the work of greek
people that continued the work of greek scientists
scientists until they led all these
until they led all these research into a final crisis
research into a final crisis and this final crisis was the crisis
and this final crisis was the crisis that brought
that brought the renaissance and the scientific
the renaissance and the scientific revolution
if they had not done this renaissance and scientific
and scientific revolution would have been impossible
revolution would have been impossible it would take time for these
it would take time for these groundbreaking ideas to become
groundbreaking ideas to become assimilated into christian europe
assimilated into christian europe but once they were western intellect was
but once they were western intellect was transformed
transformed the works of aristotle were taught in
the works of aristotle were taught in the new universities
the new universities the medical treaties of avicenna were
the medical treaties of avicenna were used in hospitals
used in hospitals and arabic translations of greek
and arabic translations of greek geometry and and those new arabic
geometry and and those new arabic numerals
numerals were passed on to craftsmen and
were passed on to craftsmen and architects
this was a critical stage in the growth of western thought
we should no longer see the renaissance as a rebirth
as a rebirth but the continuation of an intellectual
but the continuation of an intellectual movement which had been nourished
movement which had been nourished centuries earlier by muslims
the italian renaissance is famous for reviving classical learning
reviving classical learning but in fact what's happening here 400
but in fact what's happening here 400 years earlier seems to be just as vital
years earlier seems to be just as vital do you think that muslim scholars aren't
do you think that muslim scholars aren't giving due credit for what they're doing
giving due credit for what they're doing in islamic spain at this time
in islamic spain at this time it is not something that you would learn
it is not something that you would learn about in school probably
about in school probably even at university it was probably
even at university it was probably conscious process of neglect and
conscious process of neglect and now we are still suffering from that
now we are still suffering from that extremely selective history writing
extremely selective history writing that's right
it is due to the conflict that existed between the two worlds
these remarkable ideas were leaching out of al andalus
of al andalus at precisely the same time that the
at precisely the same time that the christians were flooding in
the frontier which had started far north of madrid was gradually pushing
of madrid was gradually pushing southwards
southwards then in 1236 cordoba fell followed by
then in 1236 cordoba fell followed by valencia and seville
valencia and seville until by 1250 only the kingdom of
until by 1250 only the kingdom of granada remained muslim
from now on spain would concentrate on cleaning the muslim presence from its
cleaning the muslim presence from its country the islamic influence on europe
country the islamic influence on europe has been
has been quietly laid down but when it came to
quietly laid down but when it came to the physical expulsion of the muslims
the physical expulsion of the muslims from spain
from spain that would be an act that was anything
that would be an act that was anything but subtle it was shocking
but subtle it was shocking and absolutely
and absolutely the history of al andalus was about to
the history of al andalus was about to take a new and sinister turn
take a new and sinister turn in the city of granada the muslims were
in the city of granada the muslims were to fall victim to one of the most
to fall victim to one of the most shocking acts of ethnic cleansing that
shocking acts of ethnic cleansing that europe has ever seen
europe has ever seen long after the rest of al-andalus had
long after the rest of al-andalus had fallen to the christians grenada
fallen to the christians grenada remained defiantly islamic protected by
remained defiantly islamic protected by mountains and those giant watchtowers
mountains and those giant watchtowers and forts
and forts the 70 000 muslims who lived here
the 70 000 muslims who lived here managed to hold off attack
managed to hold off attack for another 200 years
but time was running out while granada occupied a small territory
while granada occupied a small territory in the south of spain
in the south of spain the rest of the country was now divided
the rest of the country was now divided between
between castile in the west and aragon in the
castile in the west and aragon in the east
east two very powerful kingdoms the king of
two very powerful kingdoms the king of castile
castile was about to be forced to pass his
was about to be forced to pass his kingdom to his niece
kingdom to his niece isabella
isabella was headstrong and passionate but she also had an acute political mind
but she also had an acute political mind in 1469 at the age of 18 she married her
in 1469 at the age of 18 she married her second cousin
second cousin ferdinand the dashing heir to the throne
ferdinand the dashing heir to the throne of aragon
of aragon now the two most powerful catholic
now the two most powerful catholic dynasties in spain were united
dynasties in spain were united and the reconquest was edging ever
and the reconquest was edging ever closer to completion
closer to completion was blocking isabella's vision of a
was blocking isabella's vision of a unified spain
unified spain and so it had to be reclaimed
and so it had to be reclaimed [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] the city was laid to siege for a year
the city was laid to siege for a year before it finally surrendered
on the first of january 1492 ferdinand and isabella
and isabella dressed in elaborate moorish outfits
dressed in elaborate moorish outfits which had especially made
which had especially made with great pomp and circumstance they
with great pomp and circumstance they entered the palace of alambra
entered the palace of alambra and took the keys to the city as the
and took the keys to the city as the muslim ruler bo abdul left in tears
muslim ruler bo abdul left in tears it was said that his mother spat out at
it was said that his mother spat out at him
him do not weep like a woman for that which
do not weep like a woman for that which you cannot defend
you cannot defend like a man
isabella's victory in granada put an end to an incredible society in the 700
to an incredible society in the 700 years that they've been in europe
years that they've been in europe the muslims of al-andalus had built a
the muslims of al-andalus had built a culture which was the very pinnacle of
culture which was the very pinnacle of civilized life
civilized life influencing europe in ways that we're
influencing europe in ways that we're only just beginning to understand
only just beginning to understand and isabella would endeavor to ensure
and isabella would endeavor to ensure that islam in the west
that islam in the west would never enjoy such a relationship
would never enjoy such a relationship again
again [Music]
[Music] a few years after ferdinand and isabella
a few years after ferdinand and isabella came to power
came to power they set up an organization that
they set up an organization that affected the most
affected the most extreme form of religious control that
extreme form of religious control that europe has
europe has ever known the inquisition
ever known the inquisition the purpose of the inquisition was to
the purpose of the inquisition was to track down and eliminate
track down and eliminate anyone who wasn't an orthodox member of
anyone who wasn't an orthodox member of the catholic church
those found guilty of heresy were subjected to a sinister public ceremony
subjected to a sinister public ceremony called an auto defey
called an auto defey in this eerie ritual vestiges of which
in this eerie ritual vestiges of which are still performed today
are still performed today guilty were forced to repent their sins
guilty were forced to repent their sins while their accusers washed on
while their accusers washed on hidden under hooded caps
the sinners were then detained some were burnt at the stake most had their
were burnt at the stake most had their homes and livelihoods
homes and livelihoods taken from them
taken from them in 1526 the spanish inquisition came to
in 1526 the spanish inquisition came to granada
granada to deal with the muslim problem
muslims were labeled heretics and given a stark choice
a stark choice convert to catholicism leave the country
convert to catholicism leave the country or be punished
the muslims of granada were segregated from the rest of the population
from the rest of the population their ghetto survives as the old quarter
their ghetto survives as the old quarter of the city today
of the city today [Music]
[Music] it's a fantastic house
it's a fantastic house many of the houses the muslims were
many of the houses the muslims were forced out of are still standing
it's almost inverted because you don't have any windows looking out onto the
have any windows looking out onto the street but
street but the focus is is in the middle here yes
the focus is is in the middle here yes the courier is the center of the
the courier is the center of the family life so all the doors and windows
family life so all the doors and windows are open to the corridor
are open to the corridor and close to the to the street
and close to the to the street privacy was one of the most important
privacy was one of the most important characteristics of these houses
characteristics of these houses outside the house they were christian
outside the house they were christian they went to the chart
they went to the chart with the prius they celebrate the
with the prius they celebrate the wedding in the
wedding in the christian way but then later they
christian way but then later they came home to celebrate again the wedding
came home to celebrate again the wedding in the
in the muslim style and what happened though
muslim style and what happened though when they when the inquisition came
when they when the inquisition came knocking on the door
knocking on the door well as you see these houses have the
well as you see these houses have the bent entry so from outside even if the
bent entry so from outside even if the door is open
door is open it's not possible to see what happens in
it's not possible to see what happens in the corridor
the corridor the inquisitors went from door to door
the inquisitors went from door to door seeking out those they still suspected
seeking out those they still suspected of being muslim
of being muslim a number of civic leaders had already
a number of civic leaders had already been expelled and so often it was only
been expelled and so often it was only women and children
women and children left they herded them up and held them
left they herded them up and held them in churches by night so they could be
in churches by night so they could be tried the following morning
tried the following morning some of the women cried out that they
some of the women cried out that they were like lambs being taken to the
were like lambs being taken to the slaughter
slaughter and wished that instead they'd been
and wished that instead they'd been allowed to dine their own home
allowed to dine their own home [Music]
[Music] the inquisition was so brutally
the inquisition was so brutally efficient that within 20 years
efficient that within 20 years all muslims in spain had been forcibly
all muslims in spain had been forcibly converted to catholicism
converted to catholicism but this wasn't enough many still
but this wasn't enough many still continued to practice their faith in
continued to practice their faith in private
private and so in 1609 the spanish crown
and so in 1609 the spanish crown ordered the removal of all muslims from
ordered the removal of all muslims from spain
spain [Music]
[Music] perhaps the most shocking thing in the
perhaps the most shocking thing in the expulsion
expulsion is they were not actually expelling
is they were not actually expelling arabs nor were they expelling berbers
arabs nor were they expelling berbers the huge majority of the people that
the huge majority of the people that were being expelled
were being expelled by blood by dna if you will were as
by blood by dna if you will were as iberian
iberian as their christian cousins in the north
as their christian cousins in the north who were kicking them out of the
who were kicking them out of the peninsula
peninsula it's really quite it's an enormously
it's really quite it's an enormously different vision
different vision of what the expulsions were and what
of what the expulsions were and what they meant when we realized that the
they meant when we realized that the people who were being
people who were being thrust out were as native to the
thrust out were as native to the peninsula
peninsula as the christian kings why do you think
as the christian kings why do you think the catholic authorities
the catholic authorities felt they had to expel the moors in
felt they had to expel the moors in 1609.
1609. the spanish empire for it was indeed by
the spanish empire for it was indeed by the
the empire simply felt pressed by
empire simply felt pressed by in so many different directions uh they
in so many different directions uh they were very much afraid of the turks
were very much afraid of the turks who were in fact raiding from north
who were in fact raiding from north africa and raiding along the southern
africa and raiding along the southern coast of spain
coast of spain they were fighting wars still in the
they were fighting wars still in the americas
americas it was one internal problem that they
it was one internal problem that they simply could not deal with any longer
simply could not deal with any longer [Music]
[Music] in 10 years over a quarter of a million
in 10 years over a quarter of a million muslims were expelled from spain
muslims were expelled from spain forbidden to take any possessions with
forbidden to take any possessions with them most sought refuge in north africa
them most sought refuge in north africa [Music]
[Music] when isabella and ferdinand died this is
when isabella and ferdinand died this is where they were buried
where they were buried it's a little corner of the alambra and
it's a little corner of the alambra and it's decorated with inscriptions from
it's decorated with inscriptions from the quran
the quran [Music]
[Music] they read there is no true god but allah
they read there is no true god but allah [Music]
[Music] in many ways it's a curious choice for a
in many ways it's a curious choice for a christian entombment
christian entombment but it does speak of that complicated
but it does speak of that complicated relationship that was enjoyed by the
relationship that was enjoyed by the catholics and the muslims
catholics and the muslims on one level it says that isabella and
on one level it says that isabella and ferdinand were still
ferdinand were still half in love with all things islamic but
half in love with all things islamic but on the other
on the other it's a bold and uncompromising statement
it's a bold and uncompromising statement of control
of control [Music]
[Music] and in cordoba the new catholic rulers
and in cordoba the new catholic rulers did something
did something unbelievable in a daring act of
unbelievable in a daring act of what can only be described as inspired
what can only be described as inspired vandalism architects
vandalism architects gouged out the center of the mosque in
gouged out the center of the mosque in its place
its place built one of the most spectacular
built one of the most spectacular cathedrals in spain
the result is a shocking and blasphemous conflation of two of the world's most
conflation of two of the world's most powerful religions
powerful religions it is unnervingly beautiful but
it is unnervingly beautiful but possesses an underlying
possesses an underlying schizophrenia as if a terrible and
schizophrenia as if a terrible and silent battle is being carried out
silent battle is being carried out in the very architecture of the building
in the very architecture of the building [Music]
[Music] spain's troubled relationship with its
spain's troubled relationship with its muslim past continued into the 20th
muslim past continued into the 20th century
century the dictator franco invented his own
the dictator franco invented his own version of his country's heritage
version of his country's heritage franco this period was somehow
franco this period was somehow interrupting
interrupting what was for him a continuum history
what was for him a continuum history he wanted somehow to if not deleted he
he wanted somehow to if not deleted he wanted to forget about it
wanted to forget about it so what he did was to explain the whole
so what he did was to explain the whole muslim or the whole alandalus as a kind
muslim or the whole alandalus as a kind of
of continuum from the physical period to
continuum from the physical period to the catholic kings by
the catholic kings by saying that the muslims in landaloos
saying that the muslims in landaloos were not
were not such big good muslims but much more
such big good muslims but much more christianized
so this is the political use of history he wanted to explain the identity of
he wanted to explain the identity of being a spaniards
being a spaniards and for franco that identity was a
and for franco that identity was a continuation from the visigothic period
continuation from the visigothic period right through to the catholic people
right through to the catholic people yeah exactly
seraphin van gaal is an academic whose books on the history of al andalus
books on the history of al andalus are bestsellers in spain do you think
are bestsellers in spain do you think that spanish people today
that spanish people today are proud at all of the arabic episode
are proud at all of the arabic episode in their history or
in their history or are they ashamed of it no no no no not
are they ashamed of it no no no no not at all
at all strictly speaking it's not our past it's
strictly speaking it's not our past it's the past
the past of other people
i would feel very little connection with the arab past
spanish people don't live like them we don't dress like them
and if i weren't a professor of arabic studies i would have absolutely no
studies i would have absolutely no feeling for muslim culture
[Music] for a very long time people have
for a very long time people have protested and urged that history be
protested and urged that history be truthfully told
truthfully told that they not be fed this nonsense
that they not be fed this nonsense but this is the inheritance of the
but this is the inheritance of the inquisition the inquisition's character
inquisition the inquisition's character is alive and well
is alive and well i can tell you one thing spanish people
i can tell you one thing spanish people have a tendency to prevent others from
have a tendency to prevent others from speaking their minds
speaking their minds a tendency to try and control the way
a tendency to try and control the way others behave and think
others behave and think you can be sure that when you try and
you can be sure that when you try and speak the truth
speak the truth you pay for it
you pay for it and so al-andalus fell east became east
and so al-andalus fell east became east and west became west two distinct
and west became west two distinct cultures
cultures politically and religiously divided
politically and religiously divided and yet what the history of the moors
and yet what the history of the moors shows is that these two cultures
shows is that these two cultures are also linked in ways that we might
are also linked in ways that we might never have imagined
never have imagined [Music]
[Music] the west has been inspired by islam but
the west has been inspired by islam but more than that
more than that it was in the very act of fighting the
it was in the very act of fighting the muslims that europe consolidated its
muslims that europe consolidated its identity
identity [Music]
[Music] when we started christopher columbus was
when we started christopher columbus was setting sail for the new world
setting sail for the new world and as he pointed his boats westwards
and as he pointed his boats westwards spain aligned herself with him
spain aligned herself with him turning away from the east the muslims
turning away from the east the muslims had been fought
had been fought and now they were to be forgotten as
and now they were to be forgotten as time went by
time went by memories of the islamic past were molded
memories of the islamic past were molded until they became a more
until they became a more comforting storybook version of history
comforting storybook version of history but this is a case where truth really is
but this is a case where truth really is stranger than fiction
stranger than fiction the story of al-andalus isn't a simple
the story of al-andalus isn't a simple tale of
tale of good versus bad east versus west
good versus bad east versus west it's intriguing and complicated it's
it's intriguing and complicated it's brilliant and brutal
brilliant and brutal it's very human and it's very messy and
it's very human and it's very messy and it's for precisely that reason that it
it's for precisely that reason that it needs to be remembered
needs to be remembered not written out of the history books
well if you want to know more about the many cultures that have shaped and
many cultures that have shaped and changed britain visit
changed britain visit origination insight at channel 4.com
origination insight at channel 4.com culture coming up next on 4 father ted
culture coming up next on 4 father ted is tempted
is tempted by a saucy novelist
[Music] [Applause]
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