Abstract

The fifth/eleventh century is a decisive period in the history of al-Andalus. The end of the Umayyad Caliphate forced Muslims to confront the problem of community leadership. It also led to territorial division giving rise to the so-called Taifa kingdoms. They often confronted each other while reaching agreements with the Christians that frequently entailed the payment of tribute (parias). In this situation of uncertainty and political weakness, the beginning of the Christian conquering expansion produced the definitive loss of cities such as Coimbra (456/1064) and, above all, Toledo (478/1085). A complete alteration of the relationship of forces until then current in the Iberian Peninsula between Muslims and Christians ensued, opening the way for the intervention of the Berber empires formed on the other side of the Straits.