The Moors Facts & Worksheets

“Moorish” refers to the medieval Muslim people who lived in al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula, which includes modern-day Spain and Portugal), the Maghreb, and western Africa. The ancient Maure tribe and their kingdom Mauretania are where the term “Moors” originates. Under Muslim dominion, Andalusia established a civilization that valued study, culture, and the sciences.

See the fact file below for more information about the Moors, or you can download our 29-page Moors worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

• In 711 BCE, the Moors, led by the African Berber General Tariq ibn-Ziyad, invaded Visigoth, Christian Hispania. Over the course of an eight-year struggle, they subjugated the majority of the Iberian Peninsula to Islam. 
• At the Battle of Tours in 732 BCE, the Frankish general Charles Martel, however, foiled their effort to cross the Pyrenees and expand to the northeast.  
• The Moors ruled in the Iberian peninsula, except for some areas in the northwest and Basque regions and North Africa, for several decades, gaining converts and territory.
• The invasion was seen as an act of aggression from the perspective of Christians in Europe. 
• However, the actual story of the invasion is more complex. It involved alliances and cooperation with locals, including Jewish advisers and peaceful treaties with some regions.
• The Umayyad sultanate (756 – 929 CE) and later the caliphate of Cordoba (929 – 1031 CE) in Andalusia (modern Spain) became an example of a flourishing Islamic society with scholarly pursuits and inter-community exchange. 
• As Christian states in the north and west extended their power, the process of Reconquista began, leading to the gradual decline of Moorish rule.
• Under the Caliphate of Cordoba, the initial rule of the Moors in the Iberian peninsula was relatively tolerant towards Christians, Muslims, and Jews living in the same territories. 
• However, there were periods of Jewish expulsion and Christians being relegated to a lower status.
• The Caliphate of Cordoba eventually collapsed in 1031, and the Islamic territory in Iberia came under the rule of North African Moors from the Almoravid Dynasty. 
• This second stage shifted towards more orthodox Islamic practices and less tolerance.
• Despite the complexities of political changes and conflicts, Moorish Iberia was renowned for its sophisticated city planning and impressive architecture. 
• Cities like Cordoba boasted numerous mosques, public baths, houses of nobles and ordinary people, and a vast water distribution network. 
• The height of the Caliphate of Cordoba made the city one of the major capitals in Europe and a highly cosmopolitan center.
• In 1212 CE, a coalition of Christian kings led by Alfonso VIII of Castile drove the Muslims from Central Iberia. 
• However, the Moorish Kingdom of Granada thrived in the southern Iberian peninsula for three more centuries, known for its architectural wonders like the Alhambra. 
• The remaining Muslim stronghold in Granada was conquered by a united, Christian Spain on January 2, 1492, following the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.
• In order to stay in Iberia, the surviving Muslims had to convert to Christianity.
• In 1480, Isabella and Ferdinand established the Inquisition in Spain, targeting Jews and Muslims who had converted to Christianity but were suspected of practicing their original faith in secret, known respectively as morros and moriscos, as well as other heretics.
• This led to the expulsion of significant populations from various territories, affecting around 300,000 out of the total population of 8 million.
• While Islam spread westward to Iberia, it expanded eastward through India, the Malay peninsula, and Indonesia, reaching the Philippines, which the Spanish explored in the early 16th century. On the island of Mindanao, the Spanish referred to the Islamic people they encountered as Moros, which continues to be used in the modern Spanish language in Spain.
• Córdoba’s library was among the largest in Europe, containing approximately four hundred thousand volumes, with extensive catalogs spanning 44 books. The Libraries and Academies of Cordoba and Toledo attracted scholars from Europe and other parts of the Muslim world.
• These centers facilitated the translation of various works in philosophy, science, and medicine into Latin, including Arabic versions of Greek texts and those authored by Muslim scholars. This period in Andalusia is characterized by “convivencia,” signifying a fruitful coexistence, though some Christians initially held negative views of Islam.

EARLY CHRISTIAN OPPOSITION

•  In the early Moorish period in Spain, a group of Christians interpreted their Bibles to identify Muhammad as the beast of Revelation 13 and the Little Horn of Daniel 7:8. 
• They calculated that Islam would prosper for 245 years, marked by three and a half periods of 70 years each, leading to the Day of Judgment. 
• Bishop Eulogius of Toledo and his companion Alvarus encouraged around 48 Christians between 850 and 859 to publicly insult Muhammad and Islam, seeking martyrdom to hasten the end. 
• They intentionally made offensive statements about Muhammad outside mosques or in Islamic courts, resulting in their death sentences and subsequent martyrdom, known as the martyrs of Cordoba. 
• Their actions were based on a Latin text, the Istoria de Mahomet, which they preferred over Arabic sources, as they believed it would help them distance themselves from Islam.

THE ANDALUSIAN PARADIGM

• Some Muslims view the Islam of Andalusia as too influenced by European ideas to be considered an authentic version of Islam that other Muslims might wish to follow.
• Scholars like Sayyid Qutb believe the thoughts of philosophers like Ibn Rushd and Ibn Farabi as essentially foreign to the spirit of Islam. 
• However, others see the Andalusian paradigm as an ideal model for Muslims living in plural societies. 
• Akbar S. Ahmed describes Muslim Spain as a civilized society that encouraged religious and ethnic tolerance, free debate, libraries, colleges, public facilities, poetry, and architecture.
• In Moorish Spain, Jews, Christians, and Muslims coexisted and nourished a culture of tolerance despite their differences and hostilities. This culture of patience may have been rooted in accepting positive and productive contradictions within oneself and one’s culture. 
• Muslims have historically determined their relationship with non-Muslims based on historical circumstances, emphasizing tolerance or intolerance depending on the encounter. 
• The ” continence ” experience in Spain reminds Christians and Muslims to remember history more comprehensively and combat selective amnesia that serves specific agendas.
• While the polity of tolerance in Andalusia could have been pragmatic due to the minority status of Muslims, there are historical examples of minorities ruling over majority populations without showing patience or valuing the cultures and religions of the populace. 
• However, the Muslims in Andalusia likely held a worldview that accommodated tolerance.

THE FALL OF GRANADA

• The Fall of Granada in 1492 had profound impacts not only in Spain but globally. 
• Muslims continue to mourn the loss of Granada, especially its magnificent Alhambra Palace and Gardens, while Spain commemorates the victory through annual festivals. 
• This year marked the end of Muslim rule in Andalusia, along with the expulsion of Jews and Muslims, and it also coincided with Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas.
• In Columbus’s diary, he connected his expedition to the conquest of Muslim Granada by his patrons.
• The success of the Spaniards in their crusade against Islam gave them the motivation and momentum to embark on the conquest of the New World. 
• They saw themselves as wielding both the sword and the Bible, drawing inspiration from their recent triumph over the Muslims as they set out to explore and conquer new territories. 
• This historical event had a significant impact on shaping Spain’s global ambitions and exploration of the Americas.

HISTORICAL IMAGES

• The Roman term “Maur” referred to the native inhabitants of North Africa west of present-day Tunisia. 
• Historical accounts and portraits from ancient to modern times depict them with diverse features, similar to the contemporary population. 
• They were distinguished from other groups such as the “Aethiopes,” or Ethiopians, who lived further south, and the Egyptians, or “Aegyptus.”
• In ancient Egyptian portraits, the surrounding cultures of Nubians, Libyans, and Asiatics were often depicted. The Libyans were shown with light hair and fair skin.
• During the Islamic period in Iberia from the 7th to the 15th centuries, the Moors were portrayed, with few exceptions, as looking similar to the native Iberians, with the only distinction being their dress. 
• People with dark skin and from East Africa were called “Zanj.”
• When the Arabs arrived in North Africa in the 7th century CE., they used various terms to describe the Berbers of the region. 
• However, the area south of Egypt and the Berber populations were called “Bilad-al-Sudan” or “land of the blacks,” not the coastal regions.

The Moors Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about The Moors across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Moors. The ancient Maure tribe and their kingdom Mauretania are where the term “Moors” originates. Under Muslim dominion, Andalusia established a civilization that valued study, culture, and the sciences.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. The Moors Facts
2. Different Meanings
3. What’s Your Answer?
4. Fact Check
5. Defining Terms
6. Leo Africanus
7. Fall of Granada
8. War Report
9. Movie Time
10. Moorish Architecture
11. Moors Legacy

Frequently Asked Questions

Who were the Moors?

The Moors were a group of diverse Muslim peoples of North African origin who established a significant presence in the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Spain and Portugal) during the Middle Ages, particularly between the 8th and 15th centuries.

When did the Moors first arrive in the Iberian Peninsula?

The Moors first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD when they, led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and defeated the Visigothic king Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete. This event marked the beginning of the Islamic rule in the region, which lasted for centuries.

What impact did the Moors have on the Iberian Peninsula?

The Moors had a profound impact on the Iberian Peninsula in various fields. They introduced advanced knowledge in science, mathematics, philosophy, and medicine to the region, significantly contributing to the European Renaissance. They also left a lasting architectural legacy with the construction of magnificent buildings like the Alhambra in Granada and the Great Mosque of Cordoba.

When did the Reconquista lead to the expulsion of the Moors from Spain?

The Reconquista was a long process of Christian kingdoms gradually recapturing territory from the Moors. It officially concluded in 1492 when King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile captured Granada, marking the end of Islamic rule in Spain. This event also led to the expulsion or forced conversion of Muslims in Spain.

Did the Moors only inhabit the Iberian Peninsula?

No, the Moors’ influence extended beyond the Iberian Peninsula. They also established emirates and caliphates in North Africa and had significant cultural, economic, and intellectual contributions in other parts of the Muslim world, including the Maghreb and parts of the Middle East during different periods of history.

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