Al-Hakam II facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al-Hakam IIالحکم الثاني |
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| Khalifa al-Mustanṣir bi-llah |
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| 2nd Caliph of Córdoba | |||||
| Reign | 15 October 961 – 16 October 976 | ||||
| Predecessor | Abd-ar-Rahman III | ||||
| Successor | Hisham II | ||||
| Born | 13 January 915 Córdoba |
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| Died | 16 October 976 (aged 61) Córdoba |
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| Spouse | Subh | ||||
| Issue | Abd al-Rahman (962–970) Hisham II (966–1013) |
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| Dynasty | Umayyad | ||||
| Father | Abd-ar-Rahman III | ||||
| Mother | Murjan | ||||
Al-Hakam II was an important ruler, known as the Caliph of Córdoba. He was the second Umayyad Caliph in Al-Andalus, which was a Muslim-ruled area in what is now Spain. Born on January 13, 915, he was the son of Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III. Al-Hakam II ruled from 961 to 976, and his time as caliph was a period of great learning and building.
Contents
A Peaceful Start to His Rule
Al-Hakam II became Caliph after his father, Abd-ar-Rahman III, passed away in 961. He worked hard to keep peace with the Christian kingdoms in northern Iberia (modern-day Spain and Portugal). This peace allowed him to focus on making his land better.
He helped farming by building new ways to bring water to crops, called irrigation systems. He also made the economy stronger by making streets wider and building new markets for people to trade goods.
A Great Lover of Books and Knowledge
Al-Hakam II was very smart and loved many different subjects. He had books bought from far-off cities like Damascus, Baghdad, and Constantinople. His love for learning was so famous that even books written in Persia were dedicated to him.
During his rule, a huge project began to translate books. Many important works from Latin and Greek were turned into Arabic. He even set up a special team of Muslim and Christian scholars to do this work together.
His personal library was incredibly large. Some stories say he had more than 600,000 books! The list of all these books was so long it filled 44 volumes. Al-Hakam especially loved history and even wrote a history of al-Andalus himself. Sadly, after his death, some of these valuable "ancient science" books were destroyed by a powerful official named Almanzor.
Al-Hakam II also hired talented people. Lubna of Córdoba, a brilliant mathematician, was his private secretary. People said she was amazing at solving difficult math problems. The famous doctor and surgeon Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi also worked in Al-Hakam's court.
Amazing Building Projects
Al-Hakam II was also a great builder. He made the main mosque in Córdoba, known as the Mezquita, much bigger between 962 and 966. He also finished building the amazing royal city of Medina Azahara in 976. His father had started building this city in 936.
Keeping Control in North Africa
While a chief minister named Al-Mushafi managed things inside the country, a general named Ghālib ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān became very important in leading the army in North Africa. General Ghalib had to deal with the last attacks from the Normans (around 970). He also fought against other powerful groups in northern Morocco.
Al-Hakam II's forces defeated the Fatimids in Morocco in 974. This helped him keep his caliphate strong and in control over the Christian kingdoms of Navarre, Castile, and León.
His Family Life
Al-Hakam II married Subh of Cordoba. She was a very influential woman in the royal court. They had two sons. The first, Abd al-Rahman, was born in 962 but sadly died young in 970. Their second son, Hisham II, was born in 966 and later became the next caliph.
Death and Who Ruled Next
Near the end of his life, Al-Hakam II had a stroke, which is a serious medical event that affects the brain. This made it hard for him to do his work and prepare his son for leadership. He passed away in October 976.
His son, Hisham II, became the next caliph. Hisham was only 11 years old when his father died. Because he was so young, a group of important people helped him rule. This group included General Ghalib al-Nasiri, Al-Mushafi (who was his father's chief administrator), and his mother, Subh. They were also helped by Subh's secretary, Almanzor.
See also
In Spanish: Alhakén II para niños
