#ALANDALUS

[along-the-silkroad]

The classical Kufic script of the Blue Quran, by unknown, North Africa or Southern Spain, 9th or 10th Century CE. 

[planet-gay-comic]

🌿 Romeo & Jamil - Gay Love Story in Andalusia 1100 AD 💖 🎶 Watch the Video: https://youtu.be/3iBkzEKmg2M

Around the year 1100, Europe was deeply divided. While the north was dominated by religious rigor and feudal violence, the southern Iberian Peninsula—Al-Andalus—was experiencing a remarkable period of cultural and intellectual flourishing.

🔸 In cities like Córdoba, Seville, and Granada, the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty from North Africa, had unified Al-Andalus under their rule. Though religiously conservative, they proved remarkably tolerant in practice—allowing Muslims, Christians (Mozarabs), and Jews to coexist in relative peace.

🔸 Between the Islamic south and the Christian kingdoms in the north, there was no open war at this time—more a tense equilibrium, a kind of "cold peace".

📚 Córdoba: A Beacon of Knowledge

Córdoba was considered one of the most advanced cities in Europe, with libraries, medical schools, translation centers, and breathtaking mosques. Its legendary library reportedly held over 400,000 manuscripts—an unimaginable number for the time.

➤ Ironically, the conservative Almoravids helped preserve and translate ancient Greek philosophy into Latin, particularly works by Aristotle and Plato, which would later inspire the European Renaissance.

Alongside science, poetry, music, and courtly culture flourished—full of sensual and aesthetic sophistication. The muwashshaha, a poetic form blending Arabic and Romance language elements, is just one example of this cultural fusion.

💗 Homoerotic Expression in Andalusian Culture

An often overlooked but fascinating aspect of this era is the presence of homoerotic relationships and culture.

Islamic law officially forbade same-sex intercourse, but romantic affection between men—especially in literature and poetry—was widespread and deeply rooted.

➤ Poets like Ibn Hazm, al-Muʿtamid, and Ibn Quzmān wrote about the beauty of young men with a candidness that would be unthinkable in many Islamic societies today.

➤ Ibn Hazm’s classic work “Tawq al-Hamama” (The Ring of the Dove) explores both heterosexual and homosexual love with remarkable sensitivity.

The contradiction between religious doctrine and cultural practice created a kind of tolerated ambiguity: homoerotic themes were acceptable—as long as they remained poetic, symbolic, and discreet.

Even under the stricter Almoravid regime, this tradition persisted, revealing just how deeply embedded homoerotic aesthetics were in the culture of Al-Andalus.

🛡️ Christian Spain: Repression and Hypocrisy

In contrast, Christian northern Spain was far more rigid. Homosexuality was often punished harshly by both church and state.

And yet, close male bonds flourished within monasteries and knightly orders—relationships often disguised as "brotherly love" that may have had deeper layers.

The ideology of the Reconquista further stigmatized anything perceived as “Moorish,” even when those cultural practices were secretly admired or emulated.

🌍 Bridging the Divide

The idea that in 1111, two young men—a Christian from the north and a Muslim scholar’s son from the south—could form a bond, is not just poetic. It’s historically plausible.

➤ Encounters did happen—along trade routes, in border zones, through diplomacy, or even educational exchanges. Christians did sometimes study in Al-Andalus despite the tensions.

Figures like Ibn ʿAmmār, or certain noble intermediaries between the two worlds, show that cross-cultural friendships and romances weren’t mere fantasy—they were part of history.

✨ A Complex Legacy

Al-Andalus was no utopia. Political power struggles, inequality, and religious tension existed. But for a brief time, it was a place where knowledge, art, and human connection transcended barriers.

The fact that homoerotic poetry and aesthetics flourished in such a conservative religious context reminds us that medieval history was far more nuanced and layered than many modern narratives suggest.

Text supported by Claud 3.7 Sonnet, GPT4o Images: FLUX1.1 Image to video: Kling AI 1.6, Hailuo Minimax Sound: SUNO AI v4.5

[davidstanleytravel]

The Torre del Oro on the left bank of the Guadalquivir River was constructed by the Almohad Caliphate in 1220 at a time when Seville, Spain, was the Moorish capital of Al-Andalus.

[illalmusalliin]

Here are the bus and metro systems for this portion of the Al-Andalus neighborhood. The main thoroughfare is Al-Andalus Road / Paseo Al-Ándalus (Spanish/Castilian) / Passeio Al-Ândalus (Portuguese) / Passeig Al-Àndalus (Catalan). This road carries a few bus routes and covers at least three different metro lines at some point.

[arabiancultures]

Ce chef d'oeuvre d'art nasride surplombe la ville de Grenade, ou Gharnata en arabe. Les Nasrides sont la dernière dynastie arabe à régner en Al-Andalus, jusqu'en 1492.

[arabicfornerds]

Are there TV shows in Classical Arabic with English subtitles? TV shows in Classical Arabic (Fusha) with English subtitles are rare. Omar about the famous Caliph and the Imam about Ahmad bin Hanbal are two good examples. https://arabic-for-nerds.com/history/tv-shows-classical-arabic-english-subtitles/?feed_id=5441&utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=geralddrissner&utm_campaign=FS%20Poster

[travel-kat]

Im Hammam al Andalús in Granada.

[vaciena]

I love these books so much but holy shit does carthak’s worldbuilding drive me crazy

[sapaq4]

تمويل عقاري في السعودية – خطوات سهلة مع Alandalus-Homes

لو كنت تبحث عن طريقة سهلة لامتلاك عقار، يقدم موقع Alandalus-Homes:

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شراكات مع بنوك معتمدة

استشارات مجانية لاختيار الأنسب لك

ابدأ تجربتك العقارية بثقة: 🔗 https://alandalus-homes.com/

[jemasmckae]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/

[jounsmeth]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/

[doreskiena]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/

[estharwillkar]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/

[ginawilsoun]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/

[illalmusalliin]

#7: Al-Andalus (الأندلس)

Here we have the large neighborhood of Al-Andalus. Doesn't look big here because the lake takes up most of this sheet, but the neighborhood sprawls over several sheets. It's the second largest neighborhood in the city--after Filastin (Palestine).

Al-Andalus or Muslim Iberia--which, for the purposes of this neighborhood, includes Muslim Sicily--is a massive interest of mine. The Muslims took control of most of the Iberian Peninsula which today comprises Spain, Portugal, and Andorra. Saying that, most of the streets in this vast neighborhood are named after Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian (Sicilian) places and people that have a history of being part of the Muslim world at some point. Their names are in one of four languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Catalan.

We have the likes of Rua Lisboa (الأشبونة), Calle Alhambra (الحمراء), Calle Gibraltar (جبل طارق), Carrer Dénia (دانية), Calle Avempace (ابن باجة), Calle Mulhacén (مولاي حسن) (the highest point on the Iberian Peninsula), Calle Avenzoar (ابن زهر), Rua Albufeira (البحيرة), Calle Calatañazor (قلعة النسور), Calle Almería (المرية), Calle Granada (غرناطة), Calle Qasmuna Bat Ismael (קסמונה בת אסמאעיל), Calle Zaragoza (سرقسطة), Rua Aljezur (الجزيرة), Calle Los Moriscos (الموريسكيين), and many more. There is so much to this neighborhood. I had a lot of fun creating this sheet and the others that make up the neighborhood. I had to do a lot of research to make sure I was matching up the current city or person with the old Arabic, and even Hebrew, names.

[aeroungaigir]

Dive into the inspiring journey of Ahmed Al-Tlemceni, a North African scholar whose teachings transcended borders and bridged cultures during the golden age of Al-Andalus. From the serene gardens of Sevilla to the vast skies of astronomy, discover how his writings fostered unity and preserved knowledge amidst political strife. 📚✨ Join us in exploring a legacy that shaped both East and West! #Scholar #AlAndalus #Knowledge #History #Inspiration Ahmed Al-Tlemceni: A Beacon of Knowledge in Al-Andalus 🌟 published first on https://www.youtube.com/@TheTop10FactsClub/