Economy of al-Andalus

The History of Spain Podcast

This is episode 40 called Economy of al-Andalus and in this episode you will learn:
SHOW NOTES
- European and Islamic context of the Medieval economy
- Two misconceptions related to the economy of al-Andalus: the static image of al-Andalus and the image of al-Andalus as an urban and commercial economy
- Muslim contributions to the agriculture of Spain and Europe, and the development of agriculture as a necessary condition to develop other sectors
- Brief overview of how the Arabs and Berbers settled in the Iberian Peninsula and how were the Andalusi lands exploited
- Which agricultural products were produced in al-Andalus, and the limitations of the “prosperity” of a pre-industrial economy
- Stockbreeding in al-Andalus
- Mining in al-Andalus
- Brief overview of the fiscal system of Umayyad Spain and the first Taifa period
- The growth and development of cities in Muslim Spain, including the estimated population of several Andalusi cities
- Manufactured products of al-Andalus
- Lengthy discussion about commerce and international trade, including town markets, the role of al-Andalus as a bridge between the East and the West, and the main exports and imports of al-Andalus
- The economic and commercial importance of Almería, and brief summary of the key points of the episode
- A comparison between the economy of Roman Hispania and al-Andalus