788-796 Hisham I (Independent Emirate)

Hisham I or Hisham Al-Reda   was the second Umayyad Emir of Cordoba, ruling from 788 to 796 in the Al-Andalus. Hisham was born in Cordoba, 756. He was the first son of Abd ar-Rahman I and his wife, Halul and the younger half brother of Suleiman who was the first-born. His proclamation provoked a dynastic war, in which Suleiman and another of his brothers, ‘Abd Allah, had to emigrate to North Africa. Hisham died in 796 C.E. after rule of eight years. He was only forty years old at the time of his death. He was a prototype of Umar II, and strove to establish the Islamic way of life. He lived a simple life and avoided regal show and ostentation. He was a God-fearing man and was known for his impartial justice and sound administration. After his death, ‘Abd Allah returned from exile and claimed Valencia and Suleiman claimed Tangiers against Hisham’s son, al-Hakam I.

The building of the Mosque in Cordova.
In planning the Mosque the architects incorporated a number of Roman columns with choice capitals. Some of the columns were already in the Gothic structure; others were sent from various quarters of Spain as presents from the governors of provinces. Ivory, jasper, porphyry, gold, silver, copper, and brass were used in the decorations. Marvellous mosaics and tiles were designed. Panels of scented woods were fastened with nails of pure gold, and the red marble columns were said to be the work of God. The primitive part of the building, reared under the direction of Abd-er-Rahman I., was that bordering the Court of Oranges. Later, the immense temple embodied all the styles of Morisco architecture in one noble composition.  The first Khalif of Cordova did not survive to witness the completion of the Mosque. He died in the Alcazar long before the work was finished, and committed the task to his son Hisham. The prince carried on the work with zealous devotion. Upon his father’s death in 788, the building covered only a small part of the ground now occupied by the Mosque and its later additions. Hisham I. built the tower for the muezzin, and the fretted gallery for the women worshippers, and added much to the Zeca, or House of Purification, erected by Abd-er-Rahman.

                                                                                      Abd ar Rahman I choose his son Hixem as his successor
                                                                                                            Ilustration by José Serra Estellés

The Court of Ablutions was laid out by the first Khalif, and occupied the ground of the present Court of Oranges. In constructing the Mosque, the founders adapted the basilica form of building to the new worship. During the Omeyyad dynasty the original building was constantly enlarged and improved, and fresh decorations were added up to the time of Almanzor. Each Khalif vied with his predecessor in beautifying the temple. The pristine building was finished ten years after the planning under Abd-er-Rahman I., that is, during the reign of Hisham I., who conducted the labour with the utmost expedition. Marbles of spotless white were chosen for the innumerable columns. Arrazi, an Arab writer, speaks of the valuable wine-coloured marble, obtained from the mountains of the district, which was much used in embellishing the naves of the Mosques of Cordova and Ez-Zahra. The solemnity and beauty of the ceremonies in the House of Purification can only be imagined. Every day saw the celebration of the tazamein or purification of the devout, before entering the holy structure, and six times daily the alicama, or call to prayer, was shouted by the muezzin from the summit of the minaret. No shoes were permitted to defile the sanctuary; the worshippers entered barefooted. From its sacred shadow all Jews were excluded, and restrictions guarded the approach of women, except the privileged royal brides. The interior glittered with gold, silver, precious stones, mosaics, and hundreds of lamps of brass. By the side of the priest stood a mighty wax candle, and the scent of the burning aloes, ambergris, and perfumed oils in the lanterns drifted through the tangled arches of the long naves. Some of the brass lamps were made out of bells taken from Christian churches. The pulpit was seven years in the making. It was of ivory, ebony, sandal, aloe, and citron wood, with nails of gold and silver. Eight artists lavished their skill upon the designing and adorning of this pulpit. In the wondrous mih-rab the walls were of pure gold. A copy of the Koran in a gold case, set with pearls and rubies, was kept in the pulpit. It was taken away by Abu-Mohammed on one of his campaigns, and was finally lost to the faithful. The building of the Mosque began in 785 or 786, and throughout the rule of the Omeyyad monarchs there were constant additions to the Zeca of Abd-er-Rahman I .



Tudmir
The two brothers Suleiman and Abdallah, agreed to govern their provinces as absolute lords of the same, in perfect independence of their brother the King of Cordova. Also Said Ben Husein, Wali of Tortosa, resisted the commands of the king, and refused to admit into the city the new Wali whom Hisham I  had appointed to succeed him in this government. Thereupon the Wali of Valencia received orders to proceed without delay to Tortosa and castigate the rebel. Then the Wali of Valencia, Muza Ben Hodeira El Keisi had been wounded to the death. The battle and the death of the Wali of Valencia took place in the beginning of the year 172. Thereupon Hisham I charged the Walies of Granada and Murcia to despatch their troops to the new governor of Valencia, Abu Otman, who should immediateley proceed to the castigation of Said Ben Husein. The army of the king was meanwhile proceeding to punish the disobedience of Suleiman. However, instead of assisting him, the Viziers and the principal generals took armies against him, and pursued by the cavalry of Abdallah El Meruan, Suleiman was compelled to return towards the land of Tudmir by the paths of the mountains. The two brothers were put in sever difficulties and Abdallah had to surrender in Toledo and was forgiven by Hisham I.

The king was meanwhile well aware of Suleiman’s intentions, and knew that he was then in the land of Todmir levying troops an exhorting the towns to rise against their king. He therefore commanded his Walies to prepare forces and proceed to seek the disobedient prince.  The command of the vanguard, Hisham I intrusted on that occasion to his son Alhakem, but as this was the first time that he had led men to war, his father took care that he should have experienced generals at his side. That portion of the army then departed, being composed of the very flower of the cavalry; the day after it had left Cordova, the main body and the remainder of the force prepared to follow.  The troops of Suleiman were in the plains of Lorca, and Alhakem, without awaiting the arrival of his father, with the host he commanded, fell at once upon the rebel army, and by force of numbers, aided withal by the determined energy of his attack, the young general routed the enemy, whom he put to a disorderly flight; but many of his own men as well as of the foes lay stretched upon the field, a welcome festival to the wild beast of the desert and the birds of prey. When Hisham I arrived, therefore, he found no enemy with whom to join battle, nor did he fail to laud the youthful prince and his breve warriors. Suleiman was not with his army on the day of the battle. Shortly thereafter he wrote to the king his brother begging pardon for the past. Hisham I forgave his brother but proposed him to sell his possessions in Spain and to pass over to the West of Africa. All thought that this was a desirable measure for the security of both the brothers. To these therms Suleiman submitted, and the treaty of agreement was made in the year 174/790 .

The first qadi in Tudmir
Tudmir is clearly dominated by families of ulamas. From the founding of Murcia it's not easy to know where to place the activity of the ulamas. We have heard of 32 ulamas from Tudmir and 6 from Lorca. Among them the first that stands out in Tudmir and later in Murcia is the Arab Banû ‘Amîra al-‘Utaqî family we have found in sources from 193/808 until 665/1266, shortly before the Christian conquest. In the case of Banû ‘Amîra we see the first generation of Qadis starting with the appointment of al-Fadl as Qadi of Tudmir at times of al-Hiskam I. He belongs to the kind of Qadis who have a legal background, since he was disciple of Egyptian and Medinese disciples of Mâlik.