570 CE

Birth of Muhammad

610 CE 

Beginning of Revelation of the Qur’an

622 CE

Prophet’s emigration from Mecca to Medina, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, which counts years from this point (A.H.)

624 CE 

Battle of Badr, first victory of Muslims over Meccans, seen to be a sign of the truth of Islam, Muhammad institutes the Fast of Ramadan (the month in which both the Battle and Muhammad’s Call to Prophethood had taken place).

632 CE              

Death of Muhammad

632-661 CE

Period of the “Rightly Guided Caliphs” (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali). Period of the writing down of the revelations of the Qur’an (c. 632-50 CE) and the beginning of the collection of reminiscences about the Prophet into the Hadith literature, as the basis for following his Sunna (life-example). Also the consolidation of Islamic power in Arabia and the conquests of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, and Persia—all of which would compose the heart of the Islamic Empire

661 CE

Assassination of Ali and the rise of the Umayyad Dynasty, which ruled from Damascus

711 CE

Arab invasion of Iberian Peninsula. Tariq ibn Ziyad attacks southern Spain . Destruction of the Gothic army of King Roderick

721-25     

Battle of Covadonga (718). Traditionally seen as the beginning of the Reconquista. Pelayo en Cangas.

732 CE

Battle of Poitiers (Charles Martel.) Islam repulsed at Battle of Tours (728), gateway to mainland Europe

750 CE - 1258 CE

Fall of the Umayyads and rise of the Abbasid Dynasty. Massacre of the Umayyad family and its high officials. The Abbasid family moves the center from Damascus to Baghad. The period of Abbasid rule marks a golden age of classical Islamic civilization, including contributions to the development of Islamic jurisprudence and theology, and the development of such mystical movements as Sufism.

755-788 CE             

Abd al-Rahman I, since 756 amir of Cordoba, establishes the Spanish Umayyad dynasty (755 - 1031). Unrest through the mutual rivalry of Arab tribes and with newly-converted Muslims.

778 CE

Failure of the expedition of Charlemagne and the destruction of his army under Roland at Roncesvalles .

785-86 CE

Caliphate of al-Hadi. The building of the Great Mosque at Cordoba .

822-52 CE

'Abd al-Rahman II of Cordoba .

830’s CE

First news of the tomb of St. James in Compostela.

912 - 961 CE

Abd-al-Rahman III proclaims himself caliph in 929. The caliphate of Cordoba becomes center of Islam. Islamic civilization in the Peninsula at its zenith during his reign. Struggles against the Fatimids and the Berbers in the Maghrib.

El Collar de la paloma

961-76 CE

Al Hakam II of Cordoba. After his death the Spanish Umayyad caliphate collapses from within.

978-1002 CE           

Al-Mansur lauches military excursions into Christian territories, rules Cordoba as “regent”

1023-91 CE

The 'Abbadids of Seville .

1031 CE   

1031 The Umayyad dynasty in Spain ends as al-Andalus breaks up into small states called “taifas”or petty kingdoms.

??-1037 CE

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) a universal scholar, the most influential philosopher and physician of the Islamic east in the Middle Ages, who interpreted Greek metaphysics in the framework of Islam.

1063 CE

A century before the first crusades, the Pope declares the reconquista to be a holy crusade and many northern knights flock to Spain to fight the Muslims.

1064

Death of Ibn Hazm, Spanish politician, theologian and man of letters.

1085 CE   

Conquest of Toledo by Alfonso VI

1086 CE          

The Almoravids (al-Murabitun) underYusuf ibnTashufin conquer Morocco, founding their capital at Marrakesh in 1062.In 1086 they cross the straits of Gibraltar and conquer Spain. The Almoravid Yusuf ibn Tashufin, after suppressing the petty rulers of al-Andalus becomes sole ruler of Muslim Spain in 1090.

1094 CE   

El Cid conquers Valencia.

1095-1291 CE



  



  

Crusades (Christian warfare with Islam in Palestine). In 1096, beginning of the First Crusade to conquer Jerusalem, instigated by Pope Urban II.  Crusaders (European Christians) capture Jerusalem in 1099. There were seven major crusades from the end of the 11^th to the end of the 13^th centuries.

1099 CE   

Death of the Cid

1102 CE

Almoravids take Valencia

1135-1204

Maimonides (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon; Jewish scholar)

1136 CE   

Invasion of Almohads.

1138-1193 CE

Saladin overthrows Fatimid dynasty in Egypt in 1171 and recaptures Jerusalem from crusaders in 1187

??-1198 CE

Ibn Rushd (Averroes), Andalusian qadi , physician, philosopher in the Aristotelian tradition, and author of important commentaries on the works of Aristotle.

1199-1214 CE

The Almohads in North Africa and Spain .

1212 CE                  

Peter II of Aragon defeats the Almohads in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa. The continued Christian excursions lead to the retreat of the Almohads from Spain

1217-1252 CE          

Rein of Fernando III, King of Castile and Leon.

1235-1492 CE

Nasrid Kingdom of Granada

1236 CE                  

Conquest of Cordoba .

1248 CE                  

Conquest of Seville .

1258 CE          

The fall of the Abbasid Dynasty

1290/1291 CE

Expulsion of Jews from England

1306-1394 CE

Expulsions of Jews from France

1453 CE

Fall of Constantinople (Istanbul) to Ottoman Muslims

1492 CE            

End of the Islamic rule of Spain with the fall of Granada (last Islamic kindgom) to the Christians. The Jews are expelled from Spain.