49. Al-Muzaffar, the Continuator of the Amirid Regime
19/05/2026 | 22 min
Episode 49 explains the brief six-year rule of Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar, son and successor of Almanzor. I discuss his military campaigns and the achievements and challenges of his rule between 1002 and 1008. His untimely death was the first step towards the destruction of the Caliphate of Córdoba and the end of Andalusi hegemony and Islam in the Iberian Peninsula. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com Or Twitter/X: https://x.com/newhistoryspain YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:34 Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar's Rise to Power 03:29 Conspiracies Against al-Muzaffar 05:42 The Battle of Albesa and the Campaign of Montmagastre 09:40 The Battle of Torà: Al-Muzaffar's Defeat 13:17 Campaigns Against the Kingdom of León 16:17 The Campaign of Saint Martin 17:54 The Death of al-Muzaffar 20:02 The Verdict: An Assessment of al-Muzaffar's Rule 21:44 Outro
48. Almanzor, the Christians' Worst Nightmare
16/05/2026 | 35 min
León, Barcelona, and Pamplona: no kingdom was safe from Almanzor's reach. In episode 48 you will discover how he forced kings to their knees and built a military machine that brought al-Andalus to its peak of power. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com Or Twitter/X: https://x.com/newhistoryspain YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:37 Exploiting Christian Division: León, 981–985 03:59 The Barcelona Campaign of 985 08:20 Relentless Pressure on León, 986–995 12:15 The Submission of the Christian Kingdoms 14:50 Almanzor's Military Reform 19:36 The Subh Crisis of 996 24:23 The Santiago de Compostela Campaign of 997 27:47 The Battle of Cervera: When Almanzor Nearly Lost 31:21 Almanzor's Final Campaign and Death 33:28 The Verdict: The Legacy of Almanzor 35:13 Outro
47. Almanzor, the Usurper of Umayyad Power
25/04/2026 | 25 min
Episode 47 explains the rise to power of Almanzor, the fearsome hajib who became the true ruler of al-Andalus, replacing the Umayyads. I explain how he eliminated various political rivals, what circumstances allowed the usurpation of Umayyad power, and how the Amirid dynasty of Almanzor and his sons was legitimized. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com Or Twitter/X: https://x.com/newhistoryspain YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:45 Almanzor Before His Seizure of Power 03:34 The Decision That Doomed a Dynasty 05:48 The Enthronement of Hisham II of Córdoba 09:51 Almanzor Against al-Mushafi 12:46 The Legitimization of the Amirid Dynasty 18:47 Almanzor Against Ghalib 24:03 The Verdict: An Alternative Succession to al-Hakam II 24:46 Outro
46. The Hegemony of the Umayyads of Córdoba
11/04/2026 | 28 min
In episode 46 we explore the story of how the Umayyads of Córdoba pulled the strings of Iberia during the reigns of Abd al-Rahman III and al-Hakam II, including how that hegemony worked in practice and its limitations. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com Or Twitter/X: https://x.com/newhistoryspain YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:30 The Political Landscape of Mid-Tenth Century Iberia 02:23 The Umayyads as Kingmakers: Sancho the Fat and Ordoño IV 10:07 The Legacy of Abd al-Rahman III of Córdoba 12:06 Al-Hakam II, the Cultured Caliph 15:42 The Fatimid-Umayyad War for the Maghreb 20:55 The Return of the Vikings 23:34 The Battle of Gormaz of 975 26:59 The Verdict: The Forgotten Vassalage of the Christians to the Umayyads 28:09 Outro
45. Rebel, Ruler, Legend: Fernán González, Count of Castile
28/03/2026 | 21 min
In episode 45, I explain the founding myths of Castile and whether Count Fernán González was truly the one who liberated Castile from the Kingdom of León. SUPPORT NEW HISTORY OF SPAIN: Patreon: https://patreon.com/newhistoryspain Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/newhistoryspain PayPal: https://paypal.me/lahistoriaespana Bitcoin donation: bc1q64qs58s5c5kp5amhw5hn7vp9fvtekeq96sf4au Ethereum donation: 0xE3C423625953eCDAA8e57D34f5Ce027dd1902374 Join the DISCORD: https://discord.gg/jUvtdRKxUC Follow the show for updates on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/newhistoryspain.com Or Twitter/X: https://x.com/newhistoryspain YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@newhistoryspain Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-history-of-spain/id1749528700 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hstfgSYFfFPXhjps08IYi Spotify (video version): https://open.spotify.com/show/2OFZ00DSgMAEle9vngg537 Spanish show 'La Historia de España-Memorias Hispánicas': https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriaespana TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Hook 00:18 The Foundational Myths of Castile 07:45 The Reunification of Castile under Fernán González 12:08 Fernán González at the Head of Álava and Castile 16:47 Did Fernán González Make Castile Independent from León? 20:06 The Verdict: Fernán González in Popular Memory Today 20:48 Outro
In New History of Spain, you will learn about Spanish history in chronological order, covering every era from Prehistory to the present day. This includes the Visigothic Kingdom, al-Andalus, the medieval Christian kingdoms, the Spanish Empire, the Spanish Civil War, or Franco's dictatorship. Every two weeks, I delve into Spain's political history, enriched with diverse historical perspectives, to bring you a vivid and comprehensive understanding.
Learn history critically with the latest research, free from antiscientific and nationalist biases. Prepare to be surprised and challenged as we go beyond dates, kings, and battles to truly understand the forces that shaped Spain's history.
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