Hisham III of Córdoba facts for kids

Hisham III (Arabic: هشام الثالث in full المعتد بالله” هشام بن محمد) was a very important ruler in a part of Spain called Al-Andalus a long time ago. He was the very last leader from the Umayyad family to hold the title of Caliph of Córdoba. This was a powerful position, like being a king or emperor, but also a religious leader. He ruled from 1026 to 1031.

Who Was Hisham III?

Hisham III was born in the year 973. He was part of the Umayyad family, which had ruled Al-Andalus for many years. His brother was named Abd ar-Rahman IV, who was also a Caliph before him. Hisham III's full name was Hisham bin Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Malik.

Becoming the Caliph

After a lot of talking and planning, Hisham III was chosen to be the new Caliph. This decision was made by leaders from different parts of the country and the people of Córdoba. Córdoba was the capital city at that time.

However, Hisham III could not enter Córdoba right away. The city was controlled by armies from a group called the Hammudids. These armies were mostly made up of Berbers, who were people from North Africa. It took until 1029 for Hisham III to finally enter Córdoba and officially begin his rule.

Challenges During His Rule

When Hisham III became Caliph, he tried to make the Caliphate strong again. The Caliphate was the area he ruled. He wanted to bring all the different regions together under his power.

To do this, he needed money. He decided to raise taxes, partly to pay for new mosques and other important projects. But this decision caused a lot of problems. Many Muslim clerics, who were religious leaders, strongly disagreed with the higher taxes. They thought it was unfair.

The End of His Reign

Things got even worse for Hisham III. His main advisor, called a Vizier, was named al-Hakam. The Vizier was like a prime minister. Al-Hakam was murdered by a group of powerful people in Córdoba. This group was called the Cordoban Patricians.

After his Vizier was killed, Hisham III was put in prison. But he managed to escape! He had to leave Córdoba and live in another place called Balaguer. He died there in 1036, away from his home and his former power.

After Hisham III

When Hisham III was overthrown in 1031, the Caliphate of Córdoba officially ended. The land that the Caliphate controlled had already become much smaller than it used to be. After Hisham III, this large area broke up into many smaller kingdoms. These smaller kingdoms were called taifas. They were often weak militarily but were very advanced in culture and arts.

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