Between Coexistence and Dominance: Muslims under Military Orders in the Medieval Iberian Peninsula

• Applicant: Dr. Clara Almagro Vidal, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Medieval History
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 337290382

Muslims under Christian rule are usually analysed within the parameters of one kingdom or one limited geographic area. For this reason, it is difficult to perceive which characteristics and dynamics were common to all of these communities, and which were particular to only some of them. The objective of this project is carry out a comprehensive analysis on the topic of Muslim individuals and communities related to military orders in the four Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. Although designed to fight Muslims, the military orders soon became experts in dealing with them, and their domains were usually cultivated by Muslims. As military orders did not restrict their presence to just one kingdom, and were similar but not identical to each other, their territorial domains provide a good case-study to look into Muslim communities under Christian rule. This allows comparing Muslim communities beyond kingdom borders. This approach will contribute to a holistic interpretation of how and why Muslims stayed in Christian lands. It will also challenge assumptions about coexistence among communities from different religions, and about how Christians exerted their dominance on religious minorities. For example, the presence of Muslims under the rule of military orders contradicts the assumed goal of these institutions which was fighting against non-Christians. Furthermore, this analysis will show that Muslims under Christian rule were not a homogeneous group and that their actions depend not only on the characteristics of the Muslim communities themselves, but also on those of their Christian lords.This analysis will follow two complementary perspectives. On the one hand, the characteristics (location, size, legal and tax status, economic profile, etc.) of Muslim groups under the rule of military orders will be studied. On the other hand, the regulations and actions carried out by military orders with regards to Muslims will be analysed. This dual approach will show the strategies adopted by both military orders and Muslims. These strategies allowed the existence of Muslims under the rule of these institutions. It will also demonstrate that interactions between these actors were defined not only by their own attitudes and actions, but that also external actors and kingdom wide circumstances (geostrategic, social and economic factors) played important roles. Written records will be used from over ten archives located in Spain, Portugal, State of Vatican City and Malta. They contain documentation to examine the presence of Muslim communities in relation to each military order and in each kingdom. The outcome of this project will be the publication of a monograph, various articles in peer reviewed journals and a conference organised by the applicant. A collective volume stemming from the conference will be edited.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants