Moonlight in a Jar: An Al-Andalus Timeline

So, I guess it's pretty fair to say that the Andalusians are sort of behaving like the Dutch IOTL? They don't really prioritize settlement or forcing conversion upon the newfound peoples, ignoring Cawania for now, and they instead subsidize economic expeditions into foreign lands, importing the sweet, sweet fruits of the Gharb al-Aqsa, the tasty spices of the Indian nations and Nusantara and some slaves they picked up along the way (well, the Dutch weren't known for the latter, I guess). I can't wait for the Europeans to find Muslim Amerindian Emirates in Anawak and Brazil, the Northern one.

I can't say it often enough, amazing timeline.
Replace windmills with watermills and swap speculaas and Black Forest torte for orange cake and almond-and-honey pastries, and you're on your way to an Al-Andalus-as-the-Dutch picture that's not too far off.
 
I have an objection!!!!!!
Hope you brought mitts and a toque, eh.

I0WAw.jpg
 
Banks in Senegal, that's big. That region is going to have a legacy of urban industry/finance instead of "biggest slave markets in Africa". Also, the African preachers in the Algarves are mostly from Dahab, right? Given the proximity to South America they could be the Portugal to Andalus's Spain.

Nice to step back and take account, but it feels like a setup for something big next chapter. Can't wait.
 
Cholula survived as a key Otomi-Andalusi site, and the Great Pyramid itself largely still stands, though it was modified with the addition of a minaret and steadily stripped of pagan iconography as the Otomi and their Andalusi allies converted it into a mosque

Question: do the Islamized Otomi cover-up the pyramid, or do worshippers have to climb a lot of steps to get to the mosque at the top?
 
Question: do the Islamized Otomi cover-up the pyramid, or do worshippers have to climb a lot of steps to get to the mosque at the top?
The pyramid is absolutely gigantic and in slight disrepair. They are still using it, but not all of it. It's likely that it will eventually fall out of use entirely.
 
The pyramid is absolutely gigantic and in slight disrepair. They are still using it, but not all of it. It's likely that it will eventually fall out of use entirely.
That is the current one, we're talking when was still in use..meaning i think they use the whole place as a open mosque or maybe yes..they've to walk a lot...not bad exercise but older muslim might get tired more.
 
The pyramid is absolutely gigantic and in slight disrepair. They are still using it, but not all of it. It's likely that it will eventually fall out of use entirely.

And then they can just be a local world-renowned landmark and pilgrimage site like the Egyptian pyramids. Works out well for everyone IMO.

That is the current one, we're talking when was still in use..meaning i think they use the whole place as a open mosque or maybe yes..they've to walk a lot...not bad exercise but older muslim might get tired more.

Using it as exercise reminds me of some Hindu mountain temples in South India. The idea of climbing it to get to the mosque at the top could even catch on as a test of devotion?
 
So when Mesquite become Muslim City?

It is just a joke with the name :p, since Mesquita = Mosque, tough the joke wasn't invented by me

Using it as exercise reminds me of some Hindu mountain temples in South India. The idea of climbing it to get to the mosque at the top could even catch on as a test of devotion?

This could turn to be a cultural mark, y'know, prove your devotion by climbing the pyramid-mosque all the way to the top, this would work especially to the youngest to prove themselves. Opportunity to create the tradition is there.
 
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Didn't understand how the pyramid is used as mosque. Did they carve it out?

Nah. Considering this is Cholula, the temple is on top of the pyramid, not within it. Mesoamerican pyramids have their ritual purposes be on top of the structure (though not completely), and they have a tendency to be larger in base and volume than the ones in Egypt, caring less for height (though some of them are pretty tall, such as the pyramids built by the Maya). The topmost parts are made level, and this is where the temples are built. This method of construction comes with the benefit of having a larger 'surface area' to which something else could be built. Think of a structure like this:

Pyramid%20of%20the%20Moon.jpg


But with a mosque plopped on the top heights. The Spanish did this IOTL by building a church on the Cholula pyramid, which is why a full excavation of the site is now almost impossible, among other things.

Using it as exercise reminds me of some Hindu mountain temples in South India. The idea of climbing it to get to the mosque at the top could even catch on as a test of devotion?
This could turn to be a cultural mark, y'know, prove your devotion by climbing the pyramid-mosque all the way to the top, this would work especially to the youngest to prove themselves. Opportunity to create the tradition is there.

That is... one tradition that could very well fit in here! The pyramid-mosques could also form a stratifying marker of the local society as well. "Commoners? Why should they pray at the top? These levels are for nobles! Common folk pray down there."

Which could add to all sorts of hijinks and drama. XD
 
That is... one tradition that could very well fit in here! The pyramid-mosques could also form a stratifying marker of the local society as well. "Commoners? Why should they pray at the top? These levels are for nobles! Common folk pray down there."

Which could add to all sorts of hijinks and drama
Etto, the thing would be not commoners and nobles(will happen anyway) but mostly men and women praying of course in different place
 
how do you know?

Segregating by class would seem like a call-back to pre-Islamic stratification in religious roles, nobles being expected to make greater sacrifices and all that. Though perhaps the syncretist nobility could adopt the custom for exactly that purpose. Down the line they could be challenged by popular movements espousing the "equality of believers" principle.
 
Segregating by class would seem like a call-back to pre-Islamic stratification in religious roles, nobles being expected to make greater sacrifices and all that. Though perhaps the syncretist nobility could adopt the custom for exactly that purpose. Down the line they could be challenged by popular movements espousing the "equality of believers" principle.
That and Separation was not that done, of course Muslim tends to gravitated those equal lifes(as much i'm closer to conversos and people are colombian and venezuelan natives than the inmigrants/ second generation arab speakers muslims) but formal segregation was never allowed, specially under 'everyman have to spread the message', some might happen as you say among the more nativist roots, but might not be well see and broke up for the Andalusian emigree and others Sheikhs from Andalusia.
 
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