The Taifa of Málaga () was an Andalusī

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

taifa The taifas (from ''ṭā'ifa'', plural ''ṭawā'if'', meaning "party, band, faction") were the independent Muslim principalities and kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain), referred to by Muslims as al-Andalus, that em ...

kingdom located in what is now southern

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. It existed during four distinct time periods: from 1026 to 1057, 1073 to 1090, 1145 to 1153, and 1229 to 1239, when the polity was finally conquered by the

Emirate of Granada The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Emirate, Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western ...

History

First taifa

The taifa was created in 1026 when Yahya I al-Mu'tali, a Berberized Arab of the Hammudid dynasty who had been invited to assume the title of

caliph of Córdoba A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...

, returned to his secure stronghold of

Málaga Málaga (; ) is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 591,637 in 2024, it is the second-most populo ...

and subsequently was banished definitively by the Córdobans. After his expulsion, he united under his rule the coras of Málaga and

Algeciras Algeciras () is a city and a municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain belonging to the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. Located in the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula, near the Strait of Gibraltar, it is the largest city on the Bay of G ...

, initially with the support of the Zirids of

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

, and thereupon declared the independent Taifa of Málaga. He regained the title of caliph, which thenceforth was exclusive to the Málagan rulers. His rule, which lasted until his death in 1035, was characterized by struggle with the Abbadid dynasty kings of the

Taifa of Seville The Taifa of Seville ( ''Ta'ifat-u Ishbiliyyah'') was an Arab kingdom which was ruled by the Abbadid dynasty. It was established in 1023 and lasted until 1091, in what is today southern Spain and Portugal. It gained independence from the Calipha ...

. Yahya conquered the Taifa of Carmona, of strategic importance in the area; it was, however, soon recaptured by the Sevillans. At his death in 1035, the kingdom was divided into two independent entities: the taifa of Málaga proper, under his brother Idris I al-Muta'ayyad, and the Taifa of Algeciras, under his nephew Muhammad ben al-Qasim. Struggle against Seville continued, reaching its climax in the Malagan victory in the 1039 Battle of Écija, thanks also to the support of the taifas of

Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...

, Granada and Carmona. Idris I was succeeded in Málaga by Yahya II al-Qa'im, who lasted only one year, being ousted in 1040 by his uncle Hasan al-Mustansir, in turn overthrown in 1042 by the Saqaliba Naya al-Siqlabi. In the same year Naya was assassinated, and the Hammudids regained the throne with Idris II al-Ali, brother of Hassan, who reigned until being deposed in 1047 by his cousin Muhammad I al-Mahdi. In 1053 or 1053 the latter was replaced by his cousin Idris III al Sami, who was also assassinated after just one year, after which Idris II held the throne until his death in 1054 or 1055. His son and successor, Muhammad II al-Musta'li, was deposed by his brother, Yahya III al-Mahdi, under which the taifa was conquered in 1057 by Badis ben Habus, Zirid ruler of Granada. After Badis' death in 1073 and the division of the Granadan taifa between his successors, Málaga went to Tamim ben Buluggin ben Badis while Abd Allah ben Buluggin gained the taifa of Granada. In 1090, the taifa was conquered by the Islamic

Almoravid dynasty The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...

Second taifa

During the so-called second taifa age, Málaga was self-ruled for eight years starting from 1145, under the Banu Hassun Abu'l-Hakam al-Husayn, who exploited a popular revolt against the Almoravids. His unpopular policies, however, as well as his alliance with the Christians, caused his fall by the hands of the Almohads and his suicide in 1153.

Third taifa

In 1229, in the course of the third taifa period, Málaga became shortly independent in 1229 under Ibn Zannun, from the Banu Zanum dynasty. His fall in 1238 marked the end of the taifa of Málaga, which was incorporated into the

emirate of Granada The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Emirate, Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western ...

List of Emirs

Hammudid dynasty

* Yahya I al-Mu'tali: 1026 or 1027–1035 * Idris I al-Muta'ayyad: 1035–1039 * Yahya II al-Qa'im: 1039–1040 * Hasan al-Mustansir: 1040–1042 * Naya the Usurper: 1042 * Idris II al-Ali: 1042–1047 d. 1054/5 * Muhammad I ben al-Qasim: 1047–1053 * Idris III al Sami: 1053 *Idris II (restored): 1053–1054/5 * Muhammad II al-Musta'li: 1054/5 * Yahya III al-Mahdi (in

Melilla Melilla (, ; ) is an autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. It lies on the eastern side of the Cape Three Forks, bordering Morocco and facing the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of . It was part of the Province of Málaga un ...

1063–1064): 1054/5–1057/8 d. 1064 **To Taifa of Granada: 1057/8–1073

Zirid dynasty

*Tamim: 1073–1090 **To Almoravids: 1090–1145

Hassunid dynasty

* Abu'l-Hakam al-Husayn: 1145–1153 **To Almohads: 1153–1229

Zannunid dynasty

* Ibn Zannun: 1229?–1239 **To

: 1239–1487