1. The Lay of the Land Geography Roman and Visigothic Spain

2. Spain: Geographical diversityGeographical diversity

3. Verdant Galicia

4. Meseta = high central plain

5. Mountainous south

6. Maritime Mediterranean

7. Geography: Rivers Rivers run east-west, not north-south Ebro = exception

8. Beginnings: Hispania

9. Beginnings: Jews in Hispania Evidence of Jews in Hispania – Diaspora – Letters of Paul – material evidence – Council of Elvira (305/6CE?)

11. Beginnings: Visigoths

12. Visigoths today

13. Early Visigoths Arian – Arius (250-336) Hispania endures, so does Latin

14. Visigoths consolidate Politics – Kingdom of the peninsula – Toledo – No hereditary monarchy

15. Visigoths convert Recared (586-601) Sisebut (612-621)

16. Visigoths legislate Roman tradition of law’s origin Sixth Council of Toledo (638) Lex Visigothorum (653)

17. Lex Visigothorum “that whoever in time to come shall attain the highest authority in the kingdom shall not ascend the royal throne until he shall have sworn, among the other provisions of his oath, not to permit [the Jews] to violate the Catholic Faith; he shall not favor their infidelity in any whatever.”

18. Context Christian conversion efforts – Paul John Chrysostom (347-407AD) – Discourage Christian participation in Jewish rituals “Judaizing” Christians

19. Muslim Invasion The Muslim context Visigothic weakness?

20. Rise of Islam Arabian peninsula Mohammed (570-632) Revelations and preaching Mecca, Medina

21. Religion of Islam Allah Koran (651) Monotheism Islam

22. Religion of Islam Practical ethical and legal guidelines Pillars of Islam

23. Expansion of Islam Arabian peninsula Byzantine and Persian empires North Africa Spain

25. Muslim Invasion The problem of evidence Christian narrative, Chronicle of 754 Muslim administrative document

26. Muslim invasion: events Raids Musa ibn Nusayr, Tariq Roderic

27. Muslim domination

28. Muslim invasion Why so swift and successful? Visigothic strength and weakness Disposition of Jewish communities

29. Muslim Iberia Berbers from North Africa Roman North Africa Why expand?

30. Aftermath of Conquest Land Immigration Gaul Asturias – Pelayo

31. Muslims: Global and local Berbers and Umayyads Umayyads v. Abassids – Abd al-Rahman – Córdoba

32. People of the Book “Our God and your God is One.” Dhimmi Mozarabs