Loyalty and Affiliation of the Andalusian Elites towards Mulūk Al-Ṭawā’if during the Eleventh century /Fifth AH

Abstract

11th century Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula (al-Andalus) witnessed political and military disintegration caused by its division into twenty-two Arab and Berber states. However, there was still cultural, intellectual, and scientific prosperity, prompting scholars and historians to examine the cultural prosperity of the Islamic states in al-Andalus, the domination of Christians in these states as well as the conflict between the Islamic states. This research clarifies the loyalty of Andalusian elites to the 11th century Muslim rulers in the Iberian Peninsula. It delves into the political positions and ambitions of these elites, particularly those of famous poets and jurists since many scholars concentrate on how the political weakness of the Iberian Muslim rulers impacted the cultural contributions of poets and jurists without examining how it impacted their political ambitions and loyalty to these rulers during this century. The methodology of this study is historically centred which analyses several primary sources in the 11th century, thus providing arguments to fill gaps in the existing literature.