the beginning of the barf
Gaelyn McGhee
Shan Harward
Honors Contract
16 July 2012
The Reconquista:
How the Internalized Strife in Both Sides Affected the Reconquest as a Whole
To look at Spanish history and simplify it is a nearly impossible task. Since the beginning, Spain has been a many-colored tapestry of different regions, cultures, and ideals – many of which are still very much so present in current times, and still feature heavily in the country's politics. The different influences these regions had and then subsequently instilled on others have brought Spain (and their many old holdings) to what we see today. Perhaps one of the most defining events in Spain's history, however, is the Reconquista. While perhaps at its forefront a religious battle – and even a crusade of its own right – the reconquest and its affects were far greater than just the differences between religions. And, even with all of the strife during it and continuing since its completion, this "crusade" ultimately ended up in the formation of Spain as a whole country for the first time in many centuries.
Even with the end meaning the solidification of a country, it is the differences during the Reconquista that perhaps stick out the most, and draw the eyes to the many layers of difficulties faced during the time. The varying and distinct Christian kingdoms to the north give one aspect, with their own origins and dominions. They contrasted greatly with the Islamic kingdoms once to the south – which brought their own influences to Spain, and to the formation of the culture within its once diverse borders. Throughout the Reconquista, these varying kingdoms and cultures merged – albeit a bit unwillingly on many parts – into the one, whole Spain. But, during the time of the reconquest itself, Spain was even more fractured on the surface and deep within. The internalized strife on both sides greatly affected the flow and sway of the kingdoms and the varying powers involved in the slow, oftentimes painful, war down the peninsula. Yet, without these numerous troubles, there would most likely a very different Spain before us today.
Spain has never really been "one" being – an aspect that is still very true to this day. While one country on a whole, Spain is in reality a mix of many histories and people – with influences reaching as far as the Greeks and the Celts, to the all too present Romans, and later (and featuring importantly in the Reconquista) the Visigoths. With the slow fall of the Roman Empire, Spain was not saved from the spread of the many Germanic tribes that began to reach across the continent, all coming to fill in the void left by the once great imperial power. The old Roman province of Hispania turned into a confusing battleground as the Visigoth tribe moved in, throwing the peninsula into the chaos surrounding much of medieval Europe. The Visigoths did manage to take a strong root, establishing many of the royal families with Spain, and – perhaps most importantly – a strong presence of Christianity. But, despite their claims in the peninsula, the Visigoth nobles were prone to fighting amongst each other, leaving the scattered people of the peninsula without much order – and without much protection from new invaders.
Even at the beginning, the initial invasion of the Berber tribes encountered little resistance, mostly due to the internalized fighting of the Christian kings. An exploratory raid instead turned into a surprise chance in favor of the invading forces: with the Visigothic King of Spain engaged in a campaign with the Basques, a sudden battle between a tired outpost of his forces and the Berber forces resulted in their first victory. This preliminary victory ended with the overtaking of the peninsula by Berber forces, leaving the Visigothic kings with very little power left. And soon after, with the western expansion of Islam reaching northern Africa, the Berber tribes that had started the successful campaign in Spain were brought under the control of the last of the Umayyad house. This new power in the Iberian Peninsula brought about an entirely different influence – as well as a whole other source of strife for the land. Instead of just the paltry battles between nobles, a very strong, unified force had taken control, shoving the last of the Visigoths and their kingdoms still in the peninsula to the far north, sheltered amongst the mountains.
But, even a common enemy was not enough to unite the kingdoms together, or at least to ally properly with each other long enough to drive the forces back very far. In fact, in the early days of the control of the Moorish kingdoms, the Christian nobles had all but given up.
Gaelyn McGhee
Shan Harward
Honors Contract
16 July 2012
The Reconquista:
How the Internalized Strife in Both Sides Affected the Reconquest as a Whole
To look at Spanish history and simplify it is a nearly impossible task. Since the beginning, Spain has been a many-colored tapestry of different regions, cultures, and ideals – many of which are still very much so present in current times, and still feature heavily in the country's politics. The different influences these regions had and then subsequently instilled on others have brought Spain (and their many old holdings) to what we see today. Perhaps one of the most defining events in Spain's history, however, is the Reconquista. While perhaps at its forefront a religious battle – and even a crusade of its own right – the reconquest and its affects were far greater than just the differences between religions. And, even with all of the strife during it and continuing since its completion, this "crusade" ultimately ended up in the formation of Spain as a whole country for the first time in many centuries.
Even with the end meaning the solidification of a country, it is the differences during the Reconquista that perhaps stick out the most, and draw the eyes to the many layers of difficulties faced during the time. The varying and distinct Christian kingdoms to the north give one aspect, with their own origins and dominions. They contrasted greatly with the Islamic kingdoms once to the south – which brought their own influences to Spain, and to the formation of the culture within its once diverse borders. Throughout the Reconquista, these varying kingdoms and cultures merged – albeit a bit unwillingly on many parts – into the one, whole Spain. But, during the time of the reconquest itself, Spain was even more fractured on the surface and deep within. The internalized strife on both sides greatly affected the flow and sway of the kingdoms and the varying powers involved in the slow, oftentimes painful, war down the peninsula. Yet, without these numerous troubles, there would most likely a very different Spain before us today.
Spain has never really been "one" being – an aspect that is still very true to this day. While one country on a whole, Spain is in reality a mix of many histories and people – with influences reaching as far as the Greeks and the Celts, to the all too present Romans, and later (and featuring importantly in the Reconquista) the Visigoths. With the slow fall of the Roman Empire, Spain was not saved from the spread of the many Germanic tribes that began to reach across the continent, all coming to fill in the void left by the once great imperial power. The old Roman province of Hispania turned into a confusing battleground as the Visigoth tribe moved in, throwing the peninsula into the chaos surrounding much of medieval Europe. The Visigoths did manage to take a strong root, establishing many of the royal families with Spain, and – perhaps most importantly – a strong presence of Christianity. But, despite their claims in the peninsula, the Visigoth nobles were prone to fighting amongst each other, leaving the scattered people of the peninsula without much order – and without much protection from new invaders.
Even at the beginning, the initial invasion of the Berber tribes encountered little resistance, mostly due to the internalized fighting of the Christian kings. An exploratory raid instead turned into a surprise chance in favor of the invading forces: with the Visigothic King of Spain engaged in a campaign with the Basques, a sudden battle between a tired outpost of his forces and the Berber forces resulted in their first victory. This preliminary victory ended with the overtaking of the peninsula by Berber forces, leaving the Visigothic kings with very little power left. And soon after, with the western expansion of Islam reaching northern Africa, the Berber tribes that had started the successful campaign in Spain were brought under the control of the last of the Umayyad house. This new power in the Iberian Peninsula brought about an entirely different influence – as well as a whole other source of strife for the land. Instead of just the paltry battles between nobles, a very strong, unified force had taken control, shoving the last of the Visigoths and their kingdoms still in the peninsula to the far north, sheltered amongst the mountains.
But, even a common enemy was not enough to unite the kingdoms together, or at least to ally properly with each other long enough to drive the forces back very far. In fact, in the early days of the control of the Moorish kingdoms, the Christian nobles had all but given up.
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