Empire at Dawn | The Muslim Rule of Christian Iberia скачать в хорошем качестве

Empire at Dawn | The Muslim Rule of Christian Iberia

An Arab administrator, newly appointed in the 730s to oversee revenue collection in a largely Christian district of al-Andalus, must balance Islamic legal ideals with the economic and political realities of governing a Christian-majority society whose institutions—especially the Church—remain intact and influential. CENTRAL QUESTION Can an empire built on religious conviction survive if it governs through compromise? CHARACTER PROFILE Name: Abd al-Malik ibn Yazid Origin: Syrian Arab, connected to the governor’s circle in Cordoba Role: Fiscal administrator (amil) responsible for land tax and poll tax in a district near Toledo Conflict: Torn between ideological pressure to assert Islamic authority and the practical necessity of maintaining Christian institutions to ensure revenue and stability Inner Struggle: Does justice mean enforcing religious hierarchy—or preserving peace? OUTLINE Part 1 – Arrival in a Christian Land Part 2 – The Ruins of the Visigothic Order Part 3 – Counting Souls: Tax and Reality Part 4 – The Bishops of Toledo Part 5 – Jizya and the Weight of Silver Part 6 – Arab Against Berber Part 7 – The Quiet Autonomy of the Church Part 8 – A Village Revolt Part 9 – Letters from Cordoba Part 10 – The Franks at the Frontier Part 11 – A Christian Notary’s Bargain Part 12 – Law and Accommodation Part 13 – The Price of Pragmatism Part 14 – The Umayyad Coup Part 15 – The Administrator’s Reckoning Part 16 – Empire and Memory THEMES & MORAL QUESTIONS Is governance an act of faith or survival? Can coexistence be genuine if it is rooted in taxation? Does stability justify compromise? Is empire strongest when it bends?