Maribel Fierro is Investigador Cientifico at the Departmento de Estudios Arabes, CSIC, Spain.

• Foreword 1 THE FOURTEEN DAYS OF HAPPINESS OF ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN III (r. 912–61) 2 AL-ANDALUS BEFORE THE SECOND UMAYYAD CALIPHATEWhat was al-Andalus?Arabs and Berbers, the Muslim tribesmen who conquered al-AndalusThe conquered population and the process of conversionThe Umayyad emirs: centralization, law, and clientageExternal enemies 3 THE COLLAPSE OF UMAYYAD POWER AND ITS RECOVERY BY ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN III (912–28)Muslims against Muslims: the Umayyad confrontation with Arabs, Berbers, and MuwalladsUmayyads against Umayyads: the reign of emir ‘Abd Allah (r. 888–912)A new beginning: ‘Abd al-Rahman III becomes emir (912)Securing the central lands and the defeat of the Hafsunids (912–28)The frontier regions 4 CALIPHATE AND CONSOLIDATION (929–61)The adoption of the caliphal title and the minting of goldExtending Umayyad power in the frontier regions: the fall of Toledo and ZaragozaBetrayal: the battle of Simancas-Alhandega (939)Relationships with the Christian politiesConflict with the Fatimids and North African policies 5 THE CALIPH’S FAMILY AND HIS MENThe caliph’s familyMen of the sword and men of the penSlaves and eunuchsHierarchies and egalitarianism among the Muslim populationChristians and Jews 6 BUILDING THE CALIPHATE: STICK, STONES, AND WORDSThe carrot and the stickCordoba and Madinat al-Zahra’The writing of historyScholars and men of lettersReligious policies and the Maliki identity 7 ‘ABD AL-RAHMAN III’S LEGACY APPENDIX: How do we know what we know about ‘Abd al-Rahman III? BibliographyIndex