Valencia
Valencia is a great symbol of the thoroughness and diversity of Muslim legacy, affecting literally every form and manner of civilization. The rest of Europe was influenced by many contributions found there. We find engineering demonstrated in dam construction and irrigation; there is a rich scientific legacy, particularly in medicine, and there were vital new industries. For example in the city outskirts were the depository of the main and first paper factory, at Xativa. Besides these aspects Valencia was also the center of a thriving ceramics industry[1] . The city of Valencia was preeminent, with Jativa (Xativa) the lesser rival, south of the Jucar River, the insular Alcira always important in the center, and the crusader-founded Castellon eventually the heart of the north. This eastern region of Islamic Spain, called Sharq al-Andalus in Arabic, briefly conquered by the Christian warrior El-Cid in 1094 and recovered by the Almoravids in 1102, was a semi-autonomous province of the disintegrating Almohad Empire when James the Conqueror (1218-1276) took it by a crusade from 1232 to 1245.[2] There after, it was lost to the Muslims, after a presence of over seven centuries. This Muslim legacy can be seen at the time of the re-conquest by James the Conqueror. The whole region bristled with fifty major castles or walled towns, arranged for protection in depth. A series of intensely irrigated plains (huertas) dotted its coastal sectors and bustling port cities linked it in trade with North Africa, the Balearics, and southern France.[3] The city also boasted many scholars. Here we will look in particular at Ibn Jubayr and Arnau of Villanova Ibn Jubair Born in Valencia, Ibn Jubair (Ibn Jubayr) (12th century) began his long travels in 1183, offering good accounts of the life of Muslims and their surroundings in both East and West at a crucial period of Islamic history, when Islamic power was on the retreat, attacked in both Spain and Sicily, and further East by the Crusaders.[4] Extracts from the English version of his travels include reasons for his travels.[5] A secretary for the ruler of Granada in 1182, he was forced by that said ruler to drink seven cups of wine. To expiate his godless act, Ibn Jubayr decided to perform the duty of Hajj to Mecca. He left Granada in 1183 on an itinerary with all the stops well marked by two maps, one for the East, the other for the West. One of the places he reaches, Alexandria in Egypt, impresses him greatly, especially its famed giant lighthouse: `One of the greatest wonders… which Great and Glorious God had erected by the hands of those who were forced to such labour as `a sign to those who take warning from examining the fate of others' [Qur'an 15:75] and as a guide to voyagers, for without it they could not find the true course to Alexandria.' Another glory of the city, Ibn Jubayr notes, are the colleges and hostels erected for students by the Sultan (Salah Eddin al-Ayyubi), where students find lodging and tutors to teach them the sciences they desire; and the benefit of baths, hospitals, and the appointment of doctors. Ibn Jubayr ends his travels in Sicily, recounting the life of Muslims under Norman rule. The Muslims then were on the point of being eliminated, and Ibn Jubayr was deeply moved by some parent who offered him his little daughter to take back to a Muslim family to raise her in Spain.[6] Whilst traveling in the Near East in the years 1183-5, Ibn Jubayr noted one or more hospitals in every city in the majority of the places he passed through, which prompted him to say: that hospitals were one of `the finest proofs of the glory of Islam,' (and the madrassas another).[7] Arnau of Villanova Born during the Valencian crusade, Arnau of Villanova (ca. 1240- 1311) took up residence at Valencia some time after the conquest; his daughter later became a nun there. He mastered Arabic, and in his enthusiasm for Islamic medicine translated a series of its important medical works into Latin, including Al-Kindi's Risala fi maarifat quwa'l adwiya al-murakkaba (De medicinarum compositarum gradibus); Qusta ibn Luqa: de Physics ligatures; Ibn Sina's De viribus cordi; Abu-l-Ala Zuhr's De Conservatione corporis et regimine sanitatis; Abu Salt's Kitab al-adwiya al-mufrada.[8] Professor at Montpellier, he was physician-regular to three kings of Aragon and three popes, thus highlighting the scope of his impact in spreading such Islamic learning. The discoveries and innovations that came from the city of Valencia cannot all be listed. Thus, here we have only a brief outline of some of its greatest achievements. Like most Islamic cities, Valencia was a great center for makers of astronomical instruments of all sorts, one illustration of this is, father Ibrahim ibn Said al-Wazzon and his son Mohammed in 1081, who completed a metal celestial globe that was 209 mm in diameter.[9] It represented the celestial sphere as given by Ptolemy, but with increases to the longitudes of all the stars by 140 10'; the names of the constellations are also in Arabic Kufic characters.[10] Capital of Paper Manufacturing Valencia remained the capital of paper making, at Xativa. The adoption of cotton as a material for the fabrication of this article of commerce is said to be due to the practical genius of the artisans of Xativa.[11] It came as a result of Muslim experimentation with this material which was more available than materials used initially by the Chinese from whom paper making was initially taken. The paper manufacturing was described by the Muslim geographer al-Idrisi.[12] Shatiba (Xativa), presently called "San Felipe" in Valencia, produced in the 12th century, finer paper than anywhere else, and exported it both to the East and West. [13] At a time when the scribes of Christian Europe were reduced to the necessity of erasing the works of classic authors to obtain parchment for the preservation of pious homilies and monkish legends, the mills of Xativa were producing great quantities of paper, much of which, in texture and finish will compare not un-favourably with that obtained by the most improved processes of modern manufacturing.[14] The demand for this product, indispensable among a people of intellectual tastes like the Hispano Muslims, was enormous.[15] From Xatiba the industry spread to the rest of Europe, and eventually impacted on printing. Crown mechanizing of the celebrated Islamic paper industry at Jativa (perhaps ca. 1270) was significant in spreading the use of paper in Christendom; and when printing came, the city of Valencia became Spain's publication center (the first Bible in a Romance language appeared here in 1478).[16] Irrigation Systems Valencia is the living proof of the ingenuity of the Muslim irrigation system, which has been well described by Glick. The distribution of water among the eight canals of the Valencian huerta is a particularly useful example because the underlying principles of the distribution arrangements are well documented and quite easily associated with a specific Islamic model. The river, now called by its Roman name the Turia, but in Islamic times known as the Wâd al-Abyad (Guadalaviar, "White River"), was considered to be divided into successive stages, each stage representing the point of derivation of one main canal which drew all the water at that stage, or of two canals, dividing the water among them. At each stage the river was considered to hold twenty-four units of water. This twelve base system, several other examples of which are noted below, is standard in many areas of the Islamic world and is clearly related to the hours of the day. A system, so structured, would envision a river divided into 168 units (representing the hours of seven days and nights, or 144 if a day of rest was customary). The units were not, however, expressed in hours, but as simple proportions of a whole. Thus, in times of abundance, each canal drew water from the river according to the capacity of the canal; in times of drought, the canals would take water in turn, for a commensurate number of hours or a proportional equivalent. The same was true of individual irrigators (and herein lies the genius of the Valencia system): when the canal ran full, each irrigator could open his gate as he pleased, but when water was scarce, a turn was instituted; each irrigator, in turn, drew enough water to serve his needs (this style of irrigation was by submersion of the field, typically to a standard depth of an ankle). But he could not draw water again until every other irrigator in the system had his turn. Thus a relatively equal distribution was ensured, both in times of abundance and of scarcity, and no measurements of time or orifice of delivery were needed.[17] Europe's First Psychiatric Hospital The rest of the Valencian Muslim legacy is indicated by there being in the city Europe's first psychiatric hospital, the Casa dels Folls (also known as Hospital d'lgnoscents, 1409). [18] It must be here noted that although Smith holds that the lunatic asylum of Cairo was founded in 1304, a century before anything similar appeared in Europe, and that the rest of Europe copied Spain [19] , centuries before that time, the first hospital established in Cairo by the Turkish governor, Ibn Tulun, in 872, [20] already included a ward for the insane, and there are delightful anecdotes about the place and the kindness of the governor (Ibn Tulun).[21] Centre for Numerous Crafts The Christians also continued the Muslims' traditional leather and ceramics crafts; Manises and Paterna plates won international fame. Textiles and shipbuilding were among the crafts that multiplied the capital's guilds to over 100. [22] The role of Muslim craftsmen in carrying Islamic techniques and skills has been abundant in every trade, and with regard to the skills of ceramics, following relations being established between Manises and Avignon (during the years 1362-64), we hear in 1382-85 of a certain Jehan de Valence who was employed in the service of the Duc de Berry and who produced painted faience tiles in Poitiers and in Bourges. [23] Poetry competitions brought together rival professionals: in 1474, forty from every class contended and printed the results. This was a brilliant culmination to a long tradition in Valencian (Catalan) literature, beginning almost with the conquest.[24] And these remind perfectly of what was current in Arabia even before Islam in the competitions which took place between poets. Institutional Legacy The legacy of Muslims of Valencia includes a diversity of other symbols of civilization, for instance, in the institutions, where the Arabic names can still be found. Hence, each of the towns in the Valencia province had its elected executive board (jurats), a legislative council and a magistrate who acted as market and community inspector or consumer advocate (mostassaf). In maritime law, the autonomous court and code of the Consolat de mar flourished from 1283.[25] Valencia, can therefore be seen not only as having been instrumental in the transfer of knowledge in science and engineering to Europe but also in introducing industries, customs of developed culture, systems of elected government administration and dimensions of law. Much work needs to be done to investigate these latter aspects further as there was undoubtedly a considerable influence of Islamic civilization on Europe and the world in legal matters also. Bibliography -S.Athar edt: Islamic Perspectives in Medicine; American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1993. R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; Joseph Strayer Editor in Chief; Charles Scribners' Sons; New York; 1980 fwd; vol 12; pp. 346-0. -T. Glick: Islamic and Christian Spain in the early Middle Ages, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1979. -B. Hetherington: A Chronicle of Pre-Telescopic Astronomy; John Wiley and Sons; Chichester; 1996. -Ibn Jubayr: Voyages, translated with notes by M. Gaudefroy Demombynes, Paris, (1949-65). -The travels of Ibn Jubayr; trsltd from the original Arabic with introduction and notes, by R.J. C. Broadhurst; J.Cape, London, 1952. -A Issa Bey: Histoire des hopitaux en Islam; Beyrouth; Dar ar ra'id al'arabi. -M. Olivar Daydi: La ceramica trecentista en los paises de la corona de Aragon, Barcelona; 1952. -J.Pedersen; The Arabic Book, (1928) translated by Geoffrey French; Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey (1984). -G. Sarton: Introduction to the History of Sciences; The Carnegie Institution; Washington; 1927; 3 vols. -S.P. Scott: History of the Moorish Empire; in 3 vols; The Lippincot Company; Philadelphia; 1904. -R.B.Smith: Mohammed and Mohammedanism; London; Smith Elder; 1876. -John Sweetman: The Oriental Obsession: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
[1] With regard to irrigation see: T. Glick: Islamic and Christian Spain in the early Middle Ages, Princeton University Press, New Jersey, 1979; Concerning the paper industry see: J.Pedersen; The Arabic Book, (1928) translated by Geoffrey French; Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey (1984).For the arts see John Sweetman: The Oriental Obsession: Cambridge University Press, 1987. [2] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; Joseph Strayer Editor in Chief; Charles Scribners' Sons; New York; 1980 fwd; vol 12; pp. 346-0. [3] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0. [4] Ibn Jubayr: Voyages, translated with notes by M. Gaudefroy Demombynes, Paris, (1949-65). [5] The travels of Ibn Jubayr; trsltd from the original Arabic with introduction and notes, by R.J. C. Broadhurst; J.Cape, London, 1952. [6] Travels of Ibn Jubayr, Tr. R.C. J. Broadhurst (London, 1952). pp 359-60 [7] Ibn Jubayr, Travels, op cit, Vol 3, p. 330. [8] G. Sarton: Introduction to the History of Sciences; The Carnegie Institution; Washington; 1927; 3 vols; Vol ii; p.893. [9] Meucci: Arabian celestial Globe; in B. Hetherington: A Chronicle of Pre-Telescopic Astronomy; John Wiley and Sons; Chichester; 1996. p.127. [10] Meucci: Arabian celestial Globe; in B. Hetherington: A Chronicle. p.127. [11] S.P. Scott: History of the Moorish Empire; in 3 vols; The Lippincot Company; Philadelphia; 1904. vol ii; P. 387. [12] Al-Idrisi: In J.Pedersen; The Arabic Book, translated by Geoffrey French; Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey (1984); p. 64. [13] Al-Idrisi: In J. Pedersen, The Arabic Book, op cit, p. 64. [14] S.P. Scott: History; op cit; vol ii; P. 387. [15] S.P. Scott: History; op cit; vol ii; P. 387. [16] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0. [17] T. Glick: Islamic and Christian Spain; op cit; pp 71-3. [18] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0. [19] R.B.Smith: Mohammed and Mohammedanism; London; Smith Elder; 1876 p.254. [20] F.S. Haddad in I.B. Syyed: Medicine and medical education in Islamic history, in S.Athar edt: Islamic Perspectives in Medicine; American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1993; pp 45-56, p. 48. [21] A Issa Bey: Histoire des hopitaux en Islam; Beyrouth; Dar ar ra'id al'arabi; 1981; pp. 112-5. [22] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0. [23] M. Olivar Daydi: La ceramica trecentista en los paises de la corona de Aragon, Barcelona; 1952; p. 135 fwd. [24] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0. [25] R. I. Burns: Valencia: Dictionary of the Middle Ages; pp. 346-0.
by: FSTC Ltd, Mon 22 November, 2004
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