Page "Abd-ar-Rahman III" Paragraph 3

Emir Abdallah died at the age of 72.

Despite the fact that four of his sons ( Aban, Abd al Rahman, Muhammad and Ahmad ) were alive at the time of his death, all of them were passed over for succession.

Abdallah instead chose as his successor his grandson, Abd al-Rahman III ( the son of his first son ).

This came as no surprise, since Abdallah had already demonstrated his affection for his grandson in many ways, namely by allowing him to live in his own tower ( something he did not allow for any of his sons ), and allowing him to sit on the throne on some festive occasions.

Most importantly Abdallah gave Abd al-Rahman his ring, the symbol of power, when Abdallah fell ill prior to his death.

Abd al-Rahman succeeded Abdallah the day after his death, 16 October 912.

Historiographers of the time, such as al-Bayan l ' Mogrib and the Cronica anonima de Abd-ar-Rahman III, state that his succession was " without incident ".

At the time, Abd al-Rahman was about 21 or 22 years old.

He inherited an emirate on the verge of dissolution, his power extending not far beyond the vicinity of Córdoba.

To the north, the Christian Kingdom of Asturias was continuing its program of Reconquista in the Duero valley.

To the south in Ifriqiya, the Fatimids had created an independent caliphate that threatened to attract the allegiance of the Muslim population, who had suffered under the harsh rule of Abdullah.

On the internal front the discontented Muladi families ( Muslims of Iberian origin ) represented a constant danger for the Córdoban emir.

The most powerful of the latter was Umar ibn Hafsun, who, from his impregnable fortress of Bobastro, controlled much of eastern Al-Andalus.