Taifa of Algeciras

The Taifa of Algeciras (Arabic: طائفة الجزيرة) was a medieval Muslim taifa kingdom in what is now southern Spain and Gibraltar, that existed from 1035 to 1058.

Taifa of Algeciras طائفة الجزيرة (Arabic)
1035–1058
Taifa Kingdom of Algeciras, c. 1037.
Capital	Algeciras
Common languages	Arabic, Mozarabic, Hebrew
Religion	Islam, Catholicism, Judaism
Government	Monarchy
Emir
• 1035–1048	Muhammad ibn al-Qasim
• 1048–1058	al-Qasim al-Wathiq
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Downfall of Caliphate of Córdoba	1035
• Conquered by the Taifa of Seville	1058
Currency	Dirham and Dinar
Preceded by Succeeded by Caliphate of Cordoba Taifa of Seville
Today part of	Spain Gibraltar

History

The taifa was created in 1013, in the wake of the disintegration of the caliphate of Córdoba which began after 1009. When Sulayman ibn al-Hakam took control of the caliphate, he gave Algeciras to the Hammudids, a dynasty who had helped him in gaining the power. The first king of Algeciras was al-Qasim al-Ma'mun, who later was also caliph.

His cousin Yahya al-Mu'tali annexed Algeciras to the taifa of Málaga in 1035. In 1039 Muhammad ibn al-Qasim, son of al-Qasim, was proclaimed emir of Algeciras.

In 1055 al-Mu'tamid ibn Abbad, lord of Seville, appeared under Algeciras' walls, forcing Muhammad to leave the taifa, which was annexed to that of Seville.^[1]

Following its conquest, the kings of Spain (such as Philip IV) sometimes included the kingdom of Algeciras among their titles.

List of Emirs

• Muhammad ibn al-Qasim: 1035–1048
• al-Qasim al-Wathiq: 1048–1058

See also

• List of Sunni Muslim dynasties