Cordoba…Geographical Location and History

Sunday, 02 January 2011

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Written by Dr. Ragheb Elsergany

Introduction

"Cordoba, which outclassed all European cities in terms of the civil life in the 10th Century, was in fact catching scientists' eyes just like the city of Venice in the eyes of Balkan nations. Tourists coming from the North have been hearing of Cordoba that was home for 70 libraries and 900 public baths. Cordoba was the only powerhouse of surgeons, engineers, architects, dressmakers and musicians when needed by rulers of Leon, Navarra and Barcelona in Europe. They had never been finding their needs except in Cordoba"[1]. That was the description given by a Western figure, John Brand, of the Andalusia City of Cordoba in the 4th Hijri Century (10th Calendar Century)      

As an extension of a human Islamic civilization in terms of knowledge, values and glory the star of Cordoba rose to fame as a live evidence of the progress and advancement of Muslims' civilization and might of Islam at that point of human history; the mid-4th Hijri Century, when Europe was living in darkness.         

Cordoba a name has been resonated with special impact in souls of every Muslim, and even in the souls of those Europeans who believed in human civilization and progress.  

Geographical Location and History

Cordoba is located on the al Wadi al Kabir River – aka Guadalquivir River - southern Spain. Cordoba was mentioned in Al-Mawrid modern encyclopedia, which says: "Cordoba was probably established by Carthaginians and later ruled by it was later ruled by Romans and Visigoths."[2] Cordoba was conquered by Tariq Ibn Ziyad, a famous Muslim general and military commander in 93 AH – 711 AD. Since then, the City of Cordoba has been taking a new direction to become worldwide renowned landmarks in the history of humankind. It started rising to fame as a world civilizational city in 138 AH-756 AD when Abdul Rahman ad-Dakhil (best known as the Falcon of the Quraish) established the Umayyad State in Andalusia, after its collapse in Damascus at the hands of the Abbasids.

Under Abdul Rahman an-Nasser (the first Umayyad caliph in Andalusia) and later under his son al-Hakam al-Mustansir, Cordoba's progress, glory and civilization reached their peak, specifically when the city became the capital for Mustansir's powerful state and his main headquarter. He was the Muslims' caliph in the West. It was converted into a hub for sciences, culture and civilization, rivaling al-Qustantiniya (Constantinople), the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasids in the East as well as al-Qairawan and Cairo in Africa. The Europeans used to refer to Cordoba as "the Jewel of the World".           

The Umayyads' paying attention to Cordoba covered all aspects of life; agriculture, industry, fortress construction, magazines and others. They dug waterways and canals, established drainages and brought to Andalusia types of trees and fruits never been conventional in Andalusia.            

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