On this occasion we will analyze a fragment of his famous “Muqtabis” in a translation and study by Joaquín Vallvé and Francisco Ruiz-Girela:  The first decade of the reign of al-Hakam I, according to Muqtabis II, 1 of Ben Hayyan of Cordoba.

This thrilling novel dares to tell the story of the first Umayyad emir of Al-Andalus, one of the most exciting cultures in the Arab and Western worlds, based on painstaking historical documentation, to vividly recreate the odyssey that would lead to the birth of the most powerful kingdom in the West.

Summary: The demise of the great caliph Hisham and his controversial decision to bequeath power to his reprobate nephew al-Walid seem to have opened up a deep wound within the Umayyad dynasty, which has ruled the fated of Islam’s vast empire for a century. With the caliphate in crisis, the Banu al-Abbas—an ancient rival lineage descended from an uncle of the Prophet—are facing the actual possibility of seizing the throne, and so they spread the flame of rebellion from the eastern regions, with the support of groups who oppose the Umayyads.
Unaware of the imminent war, Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu’awiya—grandson of the late caliph—enjoys a life of luxury with his brothers in the Palace of Rusafa, but soon everything he knows and loves will be threatened, and he must embark on a harrowing, aimless flight through a world full of dangers, with no other help than the freeman Badr.

Meanwhile, as Al-Andalus grows increasingly oblivious to the government in Damascus, Syrian forces which come to quash the Berber revolt take control and turn the rich territory into a stage of battle as part of their ancient tribal disputes, threatening the fragile détente between Arabs, Baladis, Berbers and natives.

Daniel Valdivieso (Cordoba, 1983) has a degree in Psychology and is professionally dedicated to historical documentation and publishing, collaborating with the Utopia Books and Almuzara publishing firms. His main work consists of studying medieval sources from Al-Andalus—above all from the Umayyad period—, which has led him to become a consultant for Sexto Mario Patrimonio y Educación, a heritage interpretation entity that holds many official activities for the Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Ensemble and is a regular contributor at Casa Árabe. Out of his interest in increasing awareness on these topics came his first book, La Córdoba de Ibn Hazm (Ibn Hazm’s Cordoba, Utopía Libros, 2016), a bestseller described by critics as “The finest historical recreation of this ancient capital of the caliphs to have been written so far in the twenty-first century.” He is now debuting this prose work with a tale as thrilling as that of the first Umayyad emir of Al-Andalus.

The information session will be held on September 23, and the reading workshop on October 27, in both cases at 6:00 p.m. in an online format.

Summary of the work: In 976, upon al-Hakam II’s death, a violent struggle broke out to decide who would be heir to the throne. The late caliph had arranged for his son Hish to succeed him despite the fact that he was only eleven years old, but several personages at court were determined to prevent a child from sitting on the Umayyad throne. Backed by powerful dignitaries, Yubl, young Hish’s mother, managed to defeat his opponents, getting her son appointed caliph. Predictably, those who had sided with Hish began to dispute the position of regent of the young new lord of Al-Andalus. Prominent among them was one of Yubl’s menservants, who, in the opinion of some, was also his lover. After some time, the servant managed to foil his former allies and exercise governance alone on Hish’s behalf. This historical figure was eventually to become the famous Almanzor (a name based on the honorific title al-Mansur, the Victorious, to extol his triumphs over the Christians).