The Islamic Defensive Complex of Calatayud: New Perspectives for Study

Abstract

Between the eighth and eleventh centuries, Calatayud was one of the most important cities of the Marca Superior, since all the valleys that converge there, or in its immediate surroundings, provided natural routes of communication between the Meseta, the Ebro Valley, the Levante and the northern regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Although its privileged location brought considerable wealth during the Muslim period, its geophysical position also meant that its inhabitants had to assume the role of a gateway to different regions and kingdoms. In a sense, it can be argued that, regardless of who held power over it, its defense was always a priority for the ruling elites. This would explain the fact that the city possessed a defensive system unique in al-Andalus, described by Ibn Abī Zar, in his work Rawḍ al-Qirṭās, as the strongest stronghold in the eastern part of al-Andalus. This study aims to examine the fortified complexes of Calatayud from the dual perspective provided by written sources and the analysis of the material evidence that has survived to the present day, in order to establish construction sequences that are as clear and well-founded as possible.