Al-Andalusian Nobility

[kiarasayre]

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

Comments

Managed to find some sources for you!

[randomstasis]

AFAIK, the taifas were less feudal than opportunistic kingdoms carved out of a dissolving empire- the same situation that created feudalism, in fact. So, although they were technically part of the empire and under that rule, in fact, they were independent, neither controlled nor supported by it.
Here's a slew of links for you-

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Taifa
from a historical background of El cid: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-lecid/hist.html
background info: http://www.islamicspain.tv/Andalusi-Society/index.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=f1HJjUB8FhIC&pg=PA94#v=onepage&q&f=false
Googling medieval estate management came up with this, which discusses good sources that would have been available, i.e. common wisdom, in that period- I definitely recommend Varro, as his observations would have been most relevant to the area:)
http://books.google.com/books?id=SaJlbWK_-FcC&pg=PA11&dq=medieval+estate+management&hl=en&ei=0cU4TO6hD42gnwe7zOHbAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=medieval%20estate%20management&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=f1HJjUB8FhIC&pg=PA94#v=onepage&q&f=false

You might think Charlemagne's empire is not relevant, but these were neighbors who fought, allied and traded, and they all agricultural kingdoms that faced the same practical problems, so there was a LOT of cultural bleed back and forth.
Also, you might find his daughters interesting:)- what he did, what they did, what the gossip was and he said about them - something to the effect of "They won't be marrying and going off to ornament some other court- I didn't raise brilliantly educated daughters for anybody else's benefit but mine."
All these areas had huge legacies of Roman technology on established farms, so I don't know how you want to handle that re your questions about irrigation, etc. in your fantasy world
The Caroligian Chronicles are easy to find- standard med. hist text.
http://books.google.com/books?id=RQVXHgbngswC&pg=PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=bQlJP9O9hKkC&pg=PA146#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbasid%E2%80%93Carolingian_alliance

sorry, can't fix the formatting that goes off the page!

[randomstasis]

third try, giving up now:(
oops! forgot one- too many windows open:(

http://books.google.com/books?id=7blNe7VXfUwC&pg=PA29
forgot one, hell- I completely forgot about the cookbooks/household management books! These are incredible sources for daily life and practical matters on large estates, and you'll find links to arabic sources and the Spanish books posted by Spanish universities here, as well as great illustrations, translations and modern articles- I suggest you concentrate on the tools, (technology and architecture) remedies (seasonal issues, folk wisdom and medicine), preserves(saleable products, local agriculture and planting/harvest times, marketing) and sections that describe items that need to be bought or imported (economic issues)
for example-AUTHOR: Villena, Enrique de Aragon, marques de, 1384-1434.
TITLE: Arte cisoria;
PUBLISHED: Barcelona, 1948.
LCCN NUMBER: 49-26974

A carving manual, but it contains more than just instructions for
cutting up dead animals. There is a long chapter listing foodstuffs
eaten in Spain which require carving, and which includes fish,
birds, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Although there are no recipes,
per se, the author does comment on various methods of preparing
food. For example, he says that one cuts carrots in this way if
they are to be fried or pickled, but *this* way if they are to be
roasted in the ashes. ... This
particular edition does include a glossary, which explains some of
the more archaic terms and odd spellings.
have fun!
http://books.google.com/books?id=q6hrD5A-t_kC&dq=medieval+spanish+cooking&printsec=frontcover&source=in&hl=en&ei=Mtg4TIClHsPvngeFzNSNBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=12&ved=0CD8Q6AEwCw#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://www.justfoodnow.com/2010/06/23/medieval-spain-adafina-and-pelota/
http://www.oldcook.com/en/medieval_cookery.htm
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~sroczyns/food.html
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/food_wn.html
http://www.thousandeggs.com/links.html
and I should definitely give you project Gutenberg, in case you can't find any of these primary texts. It's a great resource, but most helpful if you have the title or author name.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16400/16400-h/16400-h.htm

and btw, forgot Three! and my bad, I meant to paste in the De Re Rustica by Columella, not the one by Varro, which is less about Spain than Italy
http://books.google.com/books?id=3pHzmK5v-R4C&pg=PA190&dq=medieval+estate+management&hl=en&ei=0cU4TO6hD42gnwe7zOHbAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=medieval%20estate%20management&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=SaJlbWK_-FcC&pg=PA11&dq=medieval+estate+management&hl=en&ei=0cU4TO6hD42gnwe7zOHbAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=medieval%20estate%20management&f=false

Re: sorry, can't fix the formatting that goes off the page!

[kiarasayre]

Holy crap, this is amazing! Thanks so much! :D