January 2, 1492: Granada day. When the Moors were finally expelled from Spain by Catholic Monarchs.
La Alhambra: Moorish fortress/castle (red clay) in Granada. One of the largest tourist attractions in Spain today. Begun in the 1300’s.
La Mezquita: Moorish Mosque, built in Córdoba, southern Spain. Begun in the 700’s. Known for “candy cane” arches inside. Place of worship.
La Reconquista: the Reconquest of Spain. Begun in 718 under King Pelayo of Asturias. Took nearly 800 years (718-1492).
Los Infantes de Carrión: Princes of Carrión. “Scoundrels” Married El Cid’s daughters. Were defeated. Whipped wives, revenge
Los Reyes Católicos: the Catholic Monarchs, Fernando of Aragón and Isabel of Castilla, united Spain upon marriage in 1469, expelled the last Moors of Spain in Granada, Jan. 2, 1492.
May 29, 1099: El Cid dies in battle defending Valencia.
Minaya Alvar Fáñez: one of El Cid’s “right-hand” men.
Moors: Muslims, Arabs from northern Africa, invaded Spain in 711. Zealous, fierce, complete domination within 7 years.
Mozarab: Christians living in lands dominated by Moors. Also refers to architecture style, buildings containing both Christian and Moorish features built in Moorish dominated lands.
Mudéjar: Moors living in lands dominated by Christians (north). Also, architectural styles, containing both Christian and Arab features, built in northern lands.
Navas de Tolosa: battle, 1212 A.D., which marked the beginning of the end of Moorish domination in Spain.
Pedro Bermúdez: El Cid’s nephew and standardbearer, another of his “right-hand” men in battle.
Pilgrimage: a religious journey. In Spain, the Camino de Santiago in the northern part of the country, begun in the early 800’s, taken to Santiago de Compostela.
Raquel y Vidas: two Jewish moneylenders, lent El Cid money for his exile, troops.
Renaissance: a period of time, “rebirth,” literature, architecture, 12-1500’s. Renacimiento
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar: El Cid, real name, from Vivar, near Burgos.
Romanesque: short, plain, rounded arches (doors,windows), few windows, dark inside, thick walls, 1000-1200.
Gothic: tall, lots of windows, “flying buttresses,” very ornate, decorative, 1200’s-1400’s, high steeples,
Romans: colonizers of Spain, 200 B.C. 400 A.D., left money, roads, amphitheatres, colosseums..., aqueducts
Sancho II: Alfonso VI’s older brother, killed, by Alfonso??
Santiago de Compostela: City in Galicia, pilgrimage route, legendary remains of St. James (Santiago)
Santiago Matamoros: “St. James, the Moorslayer” appeared on white horse and helped in the Reconquest, inspired the continuation of the Reconquest.
Siglo doce: 12th century, El Cid dies 1100’s
Siglo quince: 15th century, 1400’s, Spain takes world stage, “new world” discoveries
Spanish Armada: 1588, under Felipe II, Spain is defeated by England’s Navy under Queen Elizabeth I.
Spanish Civil War: 1936-1939, Francisco Franco, Spain’s dictator (1939-1975)
Spanish Inquisition: brought about by Catholic Monarchs, torture, convert, leave. Jews and Muslims
Tales of the Alhambra: Washington Irving wrote this in the 1800’s, Ambassador to Spain
Treason: what El Cid was accused of by Conde García Ordoñez
Umayyad: first Moorish dynasty in Spain, Calipate was in Córdoba, relatively accepting of Christians and Jews
Valencia: important coastal city, El Cid lives here, falls to Moors again in 1102, back to Christians in 1234.
Visigoths: disorganized rulers, 400-711, came from north
Washington Irving: Ambassador to Spain in 1800’s, wrote Tales of the Alhambra.