Muslim conquest of Majorca explained

Partof:the Reconquista
Date:902 or 903−910 or 911
Conflict:Muslim Conquest of Majorca
Place:Majorca, Byzantine Empire
Territory:Majorca conquered by the Emirate of Córdoba
Image-Size:150px
Result:Muslim victory
Combatant1:Byzantine Empire
Combatant2:Emirate of Córdoba
Commander1:Unknown
Commander2:Issam al-Khawlani
Strength1:Unknown
Strength2:Unknown
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:Unknown

The Conquest of Majorca by Muslim troops took place in 902 or 903. It was fought by the Emirate of Córdoba[1] and the Byzantine Empire who were besieged by the Muslims in the Castle of Alaró for eight years and five months.[2]

The emir Abdullah of Córdoba recognized the conquest and named Issam al-Khawlani governor of the island, a position he held from 904 to 912.The historiography debates about who were the rums that offered resistance, due to the polysemy of this word; on the one hand it could refer, in a restricted sense, to the Byzantine Empire or, in an extended sense, to the Christians, given that in 897, a papal bull made the islands dependent on the bishopric of Girona, showing the great weakness of the power structures, which have been greatly weakened by successive Muslim attacks.[3]

Muslim rule

The Muslim rule in Majorca (902-1229) began when a powerful man from the Emir of Córdoba, Issam al-Khawlani, traveled on his way to Mecca on pilgrimage with more ships. Faced with a great storm, the emir and his entourage took refuge in Majorca. He discovered an island that he did not know and when he returned from his pilgrimage he tried to find out more about it and inform his lord, the emir Abdullah of the defensive conditions and incite him to conquer it.

Issam al-Khawlani informed his lord that Majorca belonged to an archipelago of islands that the old Romans called Baleària. Soon the emir sent many ships towards the archipelago, mainly the largest one to achieve its conquest. Despite the opposition, the natives held out for eight years and five months. Once reintegrated into the Emirate of Córdoba, the arrival of Saracens was constant.

Governors of Majorca

Lords of Majorca of the Emirate of Córdoba (902-1012)

Lords of Majorca of the Taifa of Dénia (1009-76)

Independent Emirs of Majorca (1076-1115)

Almoravid lords of Majorca (1116-1203)

Almohad lords of Majorca (1203-1229)

Notes and References

  1. Book: Amengual i Batle, Josep . 1997 . 847490434X . 10 . Encuentro . Guía para visitar los santuarios marianos de Baleares .
  2. Web site: 9 April 2020 . 25 January 2020 . J. C. . Palos . El puig d'Alaró, estendard de la resistència dels pobladors de Mallorca . Ara Balears.
  3. Book: Barceló Perelló, M.. La pretesa al·lusió a Mallorca i a Menorca en unes butlles dels papes Formòs (892) i Romà (897) al bisbe Servusdei de Girona. Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Gironins, vol. 23. 11 December 2010. Institut d'Estudis Gironins. Girona. 1976. 247-255. 0213-6228.