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| Hisham II ھشام المؤيد بالله | |
|---|---|
| al-Mu'ayyad bi'llah | |
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| 3rdCaliph of Córdoba | |
| 1st reign | 16 October 976 – 15 February 1009 |
| Predecessor | Al-Hakam II |
| Successor | Muhammad II |
| 2nd reign | 23 July 1010 – 19 April 1013 |
| Predecessor | Sulayman ibn al-Hakam |
| Successor | Sulaymān ibn al-Hakam |
| Born | 966 Córdoba |
| Died | 1013 Córdoba |
| Father | Al-Hakam II |
| Mother | Subh |
| Religion | Islam |
Hisham II orAbu'l-Walid Hisham II al-Mu'ayyad bi-llah (ابو الولید ھشام المؤيد بالله, Abū'l-Walīd Hishām al-Muʾayyad bi-ʾllāh; 966 – 1044) (son ofAl-Hakam II andSubh of Córdoba) was the thirdUmayyad Caliph of Spain, inAl-Andalus from 976 to 1009, and from 1010 to 1013.[1]
In 976, at the age of 10, Hisham II succeeded his fatherAl-Hakam II asCaliph of Córdoba. Hisham II was a minor at the time of his accession and therefore unfit to rule. In order to benefit the Caliphate, his motherSubh was aided by first minister Jafar al-Mushafi to act as regents withAbu ʿĀmir Muḥammad (better known as "Almanzor") as her steward. In 978 Almanzor manipulated his way into the position of royal chamberlain. In an attempt to position himself as a prospective ruler of the Caliphate, Almanzor and GeneralGhalib al-Siklabi sabotaged the brother of Al-Hakam II who was set to succeed his brother and become the next Caliph of Córdoba. Still too young to rule, Hisham II handed the reins of power over to Almanzor in 981, who became thede facto leader of the Caliphate until his death in 1002.[2]
Almanzor perpetuated his position as the omnipotent ruler in charge of the empire while he exiled Hisham II and essentially kept him prisoner for most of his reign as the thirdCaliph of Córdoba. With his countless successful campaigns against Christian powers in the Spanish North such as Barcelona in 985, León in 988, as well as a major strike on the church of St. James in theGalician city ofSantiago de Compostela in 998,[citation needed]Almanzor is known for bringing theCaliphate of Córdoba to its apex of power inIslamic Iberian history.
In 1002, after the death of his father (Almanzor),Abd al-Malik became the ruler of the Caliphate and led successful campaigns againstNavarre andBarcelona. In 1008Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo is said to have poisoned his brother (Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar) which led to his death in October 1008.[3] In February 1009, whileAbd al-Rahman Sanchuelo was waging war againstAlfonso V inLeón,Muhammad II al-Mahdi usurped the throne from Hisham II then held him hostage inCórdoba.
On 9 November 1009, just months after taking control of the Caliphate, Muhammad II was overthrown by a Berber and Castilian army whenSulayman ibn al-Hakam led those forces into the capital city of Córdoba forcing Muhammad II to flee to Toledo. After capturing the city, Sulaymān freed Hisham II from imprisonment and reinstated him as caliph. After a few days, however, Sulaymān deposed Hisham II and was elected caliph by his Berber troops, assuming the title (laqab) of al-Musta'in bi-llah ("He Who Seeks for God's Help"). Hisham II was placed under close guard and removed entirely from the machinery of government.[4][5]
Sulaymān remained caliph only until May 1010 when Muhammad II defeated Sulaymān's Berber army at theBattle of Aqbat al-Bakr. After the battle, Muhammad II advanced to Córdoba where he was once again installed as caliph while Sulaymān withdrew to the southern region of Al-Andalus. Hisham II was not restored to power by Muhammad II but remained a political pawn in the ongoing civil war.[4]
Approximately one month later, Muhammad II was removed from power in a coup by his Chamberlain,Wadih al-Siqlabi. Muhammad II attempted to flee Córdoba, reportedly disguised as a woman. He was ultimately arrested by Wāḍiḥ, put on trial, and executed on June 23, 1010. Hisham II was then restored to his position of caliph and he subsequently appointed Wāḍiḥ as his Chamberlain. So as it had been in the past, Hisham II was only the titular head of the Caliphate with the real power held by others.[4][6]
Approximately four months later in November 1010, Sulaymān and the Berbers began a siege of Córdoba that would last for two and a half years. During that time, Hisham II took a more active role interacting with the people of Córdoba encouraging them to defend the city and themselves. In May 1013, the Berbers accepted the surrender of a weak and desperate city. By that time Wāḍiḥ had been executed for treason. Sulaymān was once again appointed Caliph. Hisham II's fate is unclear. Some historians believe that he was killed by the Berbers. Other historians believed he escaped and went into exile.[7][8][9]
Due to his disappearance, and hence his possible survival, Hisham II was revived as a symbol of legitimacy by thetaifa kings who appeared following the definitive collapse of the caliphate: in 1035, the ruler of theTaifa of Seville,Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn Abbad, announced that Hisham had reappeared, and declared his allegiance to him. Other taifas falling under Seville's sway during the following years followed suit. It was not until 1060 that the Sevillan rulerAbbad II al-Mu'tadid acknowledged that this supposed Hisham had died in 1044 without a successor, but the "convenient fiction" of his survival lasted until at least 1082–83, when his name still appears in the coins of theTaifa of Zaragoza.[10]
Hisham II Cadet branch of theUmayyad Dynasty | ||
| Preceded by | Caliph of Córdoba 976–1009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Caliph of Córdoba 1010–1013 | Succeeded by |
| Caliphs of Damascus (661–750) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Emirs of Córdoba (756–929) | ||
| Caliphs of Córdoba (929–1031) | ||
[H] indicatesHammudid usurpers | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
