The Andalusians Strikes Back

PROLOGUS
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La Ressureccion, a popular painting by Abu Jawf Muqaddas, a popular Gholitsan(1)-born painter, painted on 1655 AD.

Islam is dying. The golden age is over. The Islamic grip on Andalusia is gone. From what is a regional powerhouse that could even envy the franks-now is merely small taifas-fighting each other for power, with them being on the eyes of the Christians, eyeing them as targets, with a clear sight of a Christian Iberian kingdom at their minds. It a irony, on how a great power eventually met its end with such manner. Broken up into small taifas, the Andalusian dream is gone-yet, not in the eyes of Abd'Rahman Jahwar Bin Muhammad, the current Wali of Cordoba of that time, when he decided for something else, after his father invested all of the state's power on him(POD). Abd'Rahman managed to avoid his brother's jealousy, with his last ditch attempt to consolidate his power-by giving Abd'Al-Malik the promises of a position-in the future, upon a promised "Victory" over the "Traitors". Abd'Rahman was no ordinary man. Well-educated on statesmanship and historical affairs, Abd'Rahman knew that the only way to save themselves is ending the dependency that the other Taifas had towards the Christian kingdoms, or even the Caliph. Abd'Rahman knew, that there must be a uniting force-yet not driven by matters of faith-but regionalism-in order to save the Taifa-and uniting Al-Andalus, and consolidating the Islamic grip on Hispania. For a better tomorrow it seems, but for Abd'Rahman, its purely for survival. Because he knew, that without this grand masterplan, the Taifas-and eventually Islam itself, will be erased from the region.

The Birzalids are weak. With one move, the Birzalids could meet their end. There, Abd'Rahman swore that the Taifa wont fought for the Arabs-or the Caliph anymore. There, Abd'Rahman swore that there will be only greatness in the future, for the Taifa. There, Abd'Rahman cuts his ties, as the Taifa of Qurtubah is gone-replaced by a new state that he proclaimed. A state that speak, fights, and serves for the people who lives in there. There, the Majlis'akl(2) of Qurtubah is born. Possibly the progenitor of the Islamic take of the European republican form, the Majlis'akl of Qurtubah is something that is foreign to the world, yet, serves as a big step for the world, proving the flexibility of the concept of democracy-with the actions of the Majlis'akl in the future eventually will shape the future of the world, up until today. This, is the story of how one man's innovation led into a chain reaction, and butterfly effects that shaped our world today. This, is when..

The Andalusians Strikes Back
A Timeline By TheTimeRanger
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(1).Spanish (Called as Gholitsan) language became the second biggest language on the region, with the Andalusian Union-adopting it as the second official state language on 1620.
(2).Councilate.
(POD). That's the POD. OTL, Abd'l Malik was the one who ascends, and managed to twists and screws things up by allying with the Sevillans, causing the decline of the Taifa of Cordoba.​
 
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A Taifa era POD, very interesting...I look forward to how this goes :) I assume your going with a decentralised successor state to the Caliphate of Cordoba, that ends up as a Republic?
 
Majlis'akl of Qurtubah, Taifa of Qarmunah
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A drawing of a regular Moorish armymen, enjoying their sparetime.

Abd'Rahman, perhaps, being the progenitor of the return of the Islamic power on Hispania, made his first move by making numerous amount of reformations first-in his nation, with such reformations immidiately seen as "Radical", or even "Heretical", by its neighbors. These reformations, first announced in a friday prayer sermon on Qurtubah. The second time the announcement is heard is none other during a public speech by Abd'Rahman himself on Medina Azahara, which is his own personally-built Emiratial residential complex. These reforms, dubbed as the "Three Tenets of the Majlis", is made by the Majlis's permission, and the announcements itself is witnessed by the people of Cordoba, and the members of the Majlis itself. The reforms Abd'Rahman are chronicled below.

-The government centralizes all bureaucratic affairs, however, major changes is made on the "Government form" itself. A Majlis-comprised of the Khabir(1) of State Affair(2), Khabir of Diplomatic Relations(3), Khabir of Economy(4), Khabir of War(5), Khabir of Islamic Matters(6), Khabir of Christian Matters(7), and Khabir of Judaistic Matters(8)-with three Qadis for the three separate courts for the different religions, with five wakils-elected by the people of Cordoba democratically-in order to become the voice of the people on the Majlis. The power of the Emir, however, is relatively unchanged, with the Emir being capable to remove a mayor and the Khabirs freely.-

-Religious freedom instantly became the state's central core, with the freedom of the Christian and Jews being more strengthened, as laws that spoke of prosecution against the latter two religions-is now called as a offense. Any attempts to disrupt even the simplest of a religious activity is punishable by law, with "forceful conversion"(9) being known as the most harshly punished offense.-

-The last one, is none other than the state's official endorsement of education-and the faith, with encouragement of a syncretization on science and philosophical matter-with a clear goal of shedding the "Arabic" identity that the Taifa had-and creating a independent true Andalusian identity-clearly seen from how Abd'Rahman pours the funds to those sectors.-


Yet, despite all of this, Abd'Rahman had also made overtures to the generals of the state, trying to build a army-all in the name to knock, and finally destroy the doors of Carmona, with a projected target of a decade-of successful millitary build-up, with Abd'Rahman himself even managing to invite foreign mercenaries from different religion. Within a decade, news of Qurtubah's "Revolution" began to make itself to the ears of the northern Christian kingdoms-where their most fatal blunder(10) happens. Ironically using the tribute money paid by the northern Taifas-to kept them safe from the northern kingdoms's wrath, the kings of Castille, Aragon, Leon and Barcelona-all channeled their funds, equipments-and some even volunteers, on what they called as a "Proxy war" that will help them unify the region under a Christian rule. Such move were made in secrecy, in order to keep their name safe-and avoiding any chances of Abd'Rahman seeing the truth. However, Abd'Rahman himself is fully aware, and played along, continuing to build, and improve his army-and by 1076, the Cordobans is ready to lay waste on the Taifa of Carmona-with a casus belli-newly heard on the world, as Abd'Rahman claimed that "The Emirs of Carmona grew decadent, and such acts endanger the people of the Taifa of Carmona"-on which is, according to the papers, could be simply summarized as a mere conquest.
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Ukhuwah albashar, another famous painting by Abu Jawf Muqqadas, that serves as a testament of the long-running friendship between the foreign mercenaries-and the Majlis'akl during the unification era.

Hell, eventually had its fury towards the Carmonites, as north, east, and southern region of the Taifa is invaded at the dusk of 14th December, 1076, where the armies of Cordoba made its advances towards the Taifa of Carmona, spending no to little time to rest, with is most grueling battle being the Siege of the gates of Seville-with it being the catalyst of the Carmonian surrender-yet-also being the sole reason of why the war was prolonged into from Abd'Rahman's projection of a one-year war, into the war having ended on mid January 1078-forcing Abd'Rahman to plunder the wealth of the recently conquered Taifa-with the Birzalids fleeing to the Almoravids-leaving their treasury behind-with Abd'Rahman using it to pay the foreign mercenaries and levies that he used during the war. Spending no time further, the armies of Cordoba is moved towards the Taifas of Moron and Ronda, with the other Taifas-especially the Malagans and Sevillans did not flinch a single move-after the conquest of Carmona. During the reconstruction-and integration of Qarmuna, however, Abd'Rahman eventually made one of the most controversial-yet world-changing decision that is ever happened to the Islamic world, as Abd'Rahman, using the Surah Al-Mumtahina(11) as his basis, enacted a reform that will shook the Islamic world to the core, as its revolutionary nature soon began to act as a basis for the upcoming events that will happen in the other Taifas(12).

-Non Muslims can now be appointed in the government-as high on being a Khabir in the Majlis, given the pretext that they wont push any single religious agenda towards the public. By this, Muslims are also forbidden on pushing any religious agendas-if they hold any position of office.-

Made as a quick getaway escape from the upcoming bills from the mercs, Abd'Rahman began to implement this when he appointed Robert the Brave(13) as the first Muhafiz(14) of the recently conquered Carmonian territory-with another prominent noble-also appointed as the Cordoban Muhafiz-effectively placing the Wali as the highest authority on the government. There, with such acts, Abd'Rahman initially garners anger, yet his Majlis began to saw its true motive and reason. In the long run, however, this very act eventually led to what he saw on Andalus(15) today, with Andalus becoming a melting pot of cultures, with its Arabic roots only seen on its language and names-as white-skinned people, praying to Allah-eventually became equally-dominant in numbers when compared to the original elites of Andalus. With Robert's appointment, many mercenaries began to settle, and some even converted to Islam-or Judaism, yet did not shedding their Normanic roots. Some of them also even joined the Majlis'akl, swaring allegiance and loyalty to the Wali and the state. This move, however, made Abd'Rahman to be slightly unpopular on the clerical circles-and even further alienating Cordoba from its neighbors. The heat continues to last, even during the preparation for the invasion of Moron and Ronda, where the armies of Cordoba once again proved their ferocity in the future. With the Majlis'akl now comprised of two Aradi(16)-united under one state, Abd'Rahman's ambition will soon mark his name on the world history.

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(1).Master. Equal to the position of a minister today.
(2).Equivalent to the "Internal affairs" or "Minister of the State" today, yet the Khabir of State Affairs also handles the levies and defensive matters of the state. Education health-and such matters also goes here.
(3).Dealing with external relations, also doing the espionage works.
(4).Dealing with the economy.
(5).Dealing with the warfare, usually his opinion will be overriden by the Wali himself.
(6), (7), (8). Specialized religious matters bodies, made to cater the big three.
(9).Using force to convert someone.
(10).Yes. One of the most fatal blunder of the Christian Kingdoms, where they saw themselves as more superior, leading them to helping the Cordobans, thinking that they could use them as their proxy to weaken the Taifas.
(11).This Surah mentioned about "Justice" and "Equality" for the non-Muslims who cooperate with the Muslims.
(12).I DIDNT tell you about the future of Islam, yes?
(13).Fictional character, ironically converted to Islam later on.
(14).Governor.
(15).I DIDNT tell you that it will dominantly comprised of Moors, yes?
(16).Provinces.
 
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The prologue reminded me of Star Wars... That alone gives you kudos!

Here's hoping they make it!

This will also likely dent the power of the Spaniards and, hopefully, slow the conquest of America, leading to stronger Native American powers.
 
When you reference the Almohads, do you mean the Almoravids? As as far as I know the Almohads did not exist in the 11th century. Also, I like the timeline so far, but ethnic diversity in Al-Andalus was much more important than religious diversity, as Mozarabs and Jews were demilitarised people, which cannot be said about Berbers or Saqilaba, which in terms of military and government were much more important. How do the Berbers feel about this revolution? Are they angered at Dhimmi's gaining formalised equality whilst they are still treated unequal by their Arab Muslim brethren? Same can be said of Muladis.
 
QUESTION TIME!


The prologue reminded me of Star Wars... That alone gives you kudos!

Here's hoping they make it!

This will also likely dent the power of the Spaniards and, hopefully, slow the conquest of America, leading to stronger Native American powers.
There was this OTL legend of a muslim explorer who discovered the Americas...
When you reference the Almohads, do you mean the Almoravids? As as far as I know the Almohads did not exist in the 11th century. Also, I like the timeline so far, but ethnic diversity in Al-Andalus was much more important than religious diversity, as Mozarabs and Jews were demilitarised people, which cannot be said about Berbers or Saqilaba, which in terms of military and government were much more important. How do the Berbers feel about this revolution? Are they angered at Dhimmi's gaining formalised equality whilst they are still treated unequal by their Arab Muslim brethren? Same can be said of Muladis.
I literally left that thread hanging from now.
A Taifa era POD, very interesting...I look forward to how this goes :) I assume your going with a decentralised successor state to the Caliphate of Cordoba, that ends up as a Republic?
Its already a Majlis-based nation from the start.
 
That's good to hear :) I look forward to your next update then, it's shaping out to be a very good timeline.
 
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