Hafsa bint al-Hajj al-Rukuniyya facts for kids
Ḥafṣa bint al-Ḥājj ar-Rakūniyya (حفصة بنت الحاج الركونية) was a very famous poet from Granada in a region called Andalusia long ago. She was born around the year 1135 and passed away in 1190 or 1191. Many people consider her one of the most celebrated female poets from that time.
Hafsa's Life Story
We don't know much about Hafsa's early life or exactly when she was born. Her father, al-Hajj ar-Rukuni, was from Granada and came from a wealthy and important family. This means Hafsa grew up in a noble and rich household.
Around 1154, when a group called the Almohads became powerful, Hafsa started a relationship with another poet named Abū Jaʿfar Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Malik Ibn Saʿīd. It seems Hafsa was the one who began their friendship. This relationship helped her become more known in history. Their connection continued until 1163, when Abū Jaʿfar was sadly executed. This happened because he sided with his family against the ruler of Granada at the time.
Later in her life, Hafsa became a respected teacher. She worked for Caliph Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur in Marrakesh, helping to educate his daughters. She died in Marrakesh in 1190 or 1191.
Hafsa's Amazing Poetry
About 60 lines of Hafsa's poetry still exist today, spread across nineteen different poems. This makes her the most well-known female Moorish poet from the Middle Ages, even more famous than other poets like Wallada bint al-Mustakfi.
Her poems covered many different feelings and topics. She wrote:
- Love poetry: About feelings of love and affection.
- Elegy: Poems written to remember and honor someone who had died.
- Panegyric: Poems that praised important people.
- Satirical verse: Poems that made fun of things in a clever way.
This wide range of topics shows how talented and versatile Hafsa was as a poet.
See also
You can read more about Hafsa in Spanish here: Hafsa bint al-Hayy al-Rakuniyya para niños
