Almansur Mohammad bin abi Amir and the Berber Fitna
After the Abbasids dethroned the Umayyads and took over one of the largest empires in history, Abdulrahman, the falcon of Quraysh, regained some of this empire in Alandalus and declared it an Umayyad emirate once again. Slowly but surely, this emirate grew, transforming the land into arable farmland, realizing its bounties, and harnessing its natural resources. Arabs opposing the Abbasids migrated to Alandalus, bringing whole families and branches of tribes, the Umayyad rule strengthened while the Abbasids' influence weakened and diminished. It was the Umayyads' opportunity to reclaim the Caliphate, which they seized. The country flourished under the rule of the first and second caliphates. AlHakam AlMustansir (الحكم المستنصر بالله), the ninth Umayyad ruler and second caliph, was a dedicated scholar who, during his rule, Mohammad ibn Abi Amir (محمد بن أبي عامر), a Qahtanite whose grandfather entered Alandalus with Tariq ibn Ziyad, gained prominence in his court. Mohamad’s intelligence and aptitude in various fields, including politics, linguistics, reasoning, and martial skills, made him unparalleled. His favor with the caliph allowed him to ascend the ranks rapidly. When the caliph Alhakam grew ill, he named his son Hisham as heir, ensuring the continuation of his caliphal legacy and ensured his young son's future by appointing Mohammad ibn Abi Amir as his Hajib (حاجب), or chamberlain, to mentor him in governance until he could rule independently. After AlHakam's death, Mohammad ibn Abi Amir envisioned a different future for Alandalus. He quickly isolated the young Caliph Hisham from his advisors, and sheilded him from the country’s affairs. Mohammad assumed control of the court, and managed the land. Interestingly, he did not usurp the caliphal title, maintaining the title “Hajib”. Despite his deep respect for AlHakam and a promise to protect his son, Mohammad's ambition and belief in his own leadership led him to adopt the title AlMansur/AlManzor (المنصور), echoing AlHakam AlMustansir’s title. Fearing a claim to the caliphate from AlHakam's brother, AlMansur killed him. He then began to marginalize the Arabs from authority, empowering the Berbers (Amazigh), a manageable minority, to weaken potential Arab revolt against him. Gradually, he reformed the army, increasing Berber representation and slowly eliminating Arabs. He constructed Alzahira (الزاهرة), a palatial city akin to AlHakam’s Madinat Alzahra (مدينة الزهراء), relocating the treasury and armaments there. Under his command, Alandalus vastly expanded and he remained undefeated in 52 battles, cementing his military dominance. Yet, this expansion and success belied an underlying instability; Mohammad ibn Abi Amir’s manipulation of the caliphate and marginalization of its main people for personal gain eroded the nation's stability. His political shrewdness preempted any challenge to his authority or governance. However, after his death, Abdulrahman, his second son, rose into power, who then forced Caliph Hisham to name him as the successor caliph, sparking a revolt in Cordoba. The people declared Hisham’s cousin the caliph, reinstating the Qurayshi Umayyads. But the Berbers, emboldened by past triumphs, resisted a return to former rule, igniting the Fitna of the Berbers (فتنة البربر), which cast the region into chaos. In this strife, much of Cordoba, more specifically Madinat Alzahra and Alzahira, lay in ruins. Almansour's disregard for the inherent dignity of the caliphate, reducing it to a mere tool for his ambitions, paved the way for widespread rebellion and turmoil, culminating in a fitna that obliterated any remaining prospects for unity. Alandalus would never again see unity; the discord had fractured the trust among its people permanently.