Al-Andalusian Nobility
I'm writing (or attempting to, anyway) a story set in a fantasy world based on Al-Andalus, or Moorish Spain. More accurately, in one of the taifas, or smaller kingdoms, after the Caliphate of Cordoba fell apart, but before the Reconquista really got going (so somewhere between 1000-1300, I'd say). I've tried googling "daily life in Moorish Spain
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For starters, About.com's say on the subject. My understanding of the time period is that it would have been unusual for a woman to lead, but not unheard of. A general overview can be found here. If you'd like to emphasize your character's scholarship, I'd try looking up Walladah al-Mustakfi, who was a very famous female scholar in the period you're looking at. It's also worth noting that if your character has Berber roots, than either she or her mother would likely be considered the head of household, not her father/brother/husband.
For more general information, I'd take a look at Fordham's Primary Sourcebook. The Ornatment of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rose Menocal is a helpful, if decidedly optimisic, book to read.
It's my understanding that taifas are the result of a failing to have a strong central caliphate, much as fuedal lords in Christian Europe were the result of failing to have a strong central monarchy, although some of the documents I've read refer to taifas as city-states. I hope this helps!
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