{{otherpeople2|Abd-ar-Rahman}}
'''Abd-ar-Rahman III''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: عبد الرحمن الثالث) was the [[Emir of Cordoba|Emir]] and [[Caliph of Cordoba]] ([[912]]-[[961]]), and a prince of the [[Ummayads|Ummayad]] dynasty in the [[Al-Andalus]] ([[Moors|Moorish]] [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]]). He ascended the throne when he was twenty-two years of age, and reigned for half a century as the most powerful prince of the Ummayad dynasty in Spain.<ref>[http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197605/the.golden.caliphate.htm The Golden Caliphate]</ref> The blond-haired, blue-eyed ruler, called al-Nasir or the Defender (of the Faith), was born at [[Cordova]] on January 7, 891, the son of Prince Muhammad and a Frankish slave.<ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/Abd-ar-Rahman_III Abd-ar-Rahman III Summary]</ref> His life was so completely identified with the government of the state that he offers less material for biography than his ancestor [[Abd-ar-Rahman I]].
== Background ==
Abd-ar-Rahman III was the grandson of his predecessor, [[Abdallah ibn Muhammad|Abdullah]], one of the [[Andalusian]] [[Umayyad]]s. Although under his rule, people of all creeds enjoyed tolerance and [[freedom of religion]], he repelled the Fatimids, partly by supporting their enemies in [[Africa]], and partly by claiming the title [[caliph]] (ruler of the [[Muslim world|Islamic world]]) for himself. On January 16, 929, Abd-ar-rahman III declared himself as the Caliph of Cordoba, effectively breaking all ties with the [[Fatimid]] and [[Abbasid]] caliphs.<ref>[http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/abd-ar-rahman-iii.htm Abd-ar-Rahman III]</ref> His ancestors in Iberia had been content with the title of [[emir]]. The caliphate was thought only to belong to the prince who ruled over the sacred cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]]. But the force of this tradition had been so far weakened that Abd-ar-Rahman could proclaim himself caliph, and the assumption of the title gave him increased prestige with his subjects, both in Iberia and Africa. Abd-ar-Rahman based his claim to the caliphate on his Umayyad ancestry who held undisputed control of the caliphate until they were overthrown by the Abbasids. After declaring the caliphate, Abd-ar-Rahman built a massive palace complex known as the [[Medina Azahara]]. The Medina Azahara was modeled after the old Umayyad palace in Damascus and served as a symbolic tie between the new caliph and his ancestorss.
== Related subjects ==
Unfortunately, while there is copious [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[Arabic literature]] on this period, little appears to have been translated into English. Coope, Scales and Woolf provide important social and historical overviews of Christian/Muslim relaations within the Caliphate of Cordoba during its history that may provide historical context for this subject.
*[[Umayyad|Banu Umayyad]]
*[[Banu Quraish]]
*[[Abdallah ibn Muhammad|Abdallah]]
*[[Umayyad|Umayyad Leader]]
*[[al-Hakam II]]
*[[Emir of Cordoba]] after 929 as [[Caliph of Cordoba|Caliph]] 912–961
*[[al-Hakam II]]
== Quotations ==
"I have now reigned above fifty years in victory or peace; beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot: they amount to Fourteen: - O man! place not thy confidence in this present world!"
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
*Jessica Coope: ''Martyrs of Cordoba: Community and Family Conflict in an Age of Mass Conversion'': Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press: 1995: ISBN 0-8032-1471-5
*Maribel Fierro: ''Abd-al-Rahman III of Cordoba'': London: Oneworld Publications: 2005: ISBN 1-85168-384-4
*Peter Scales: ''Fall of the Caliphate of Cordoba'': New York: EJ Brill:1994: ISBN 90-04-09868-2
*Kenneth Wolf: ''Christian Martyrs in Muslim Spain'': Cambridge: [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] Press: 1988: ISBN 0-521-34416-6
{{start}}
{{s-hou|[[Umayyad|Banu Umayyad]]|||||[[Banu Quraish]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Abdallah ibn Muhammad]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Emir of Cordoba]]|years=912 – 929}}
{{s-non|reason=Became caliph}}
|-
{{s-new|reason=[[Caliphate of Cordoba]]<br>created}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Caliph of Cordoba]]|years=[[929]] — [[961]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Al-Hakam II]]}}
{{end}}
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Abd-ar-Rahman III}}
[[Category:Umayyad caliphs of Cordoba]]
[[Category:912 births|Abd-ar-Rahman III]]
[[Category:961 deaths|Abd-ar-Rahman III]]
[[Category:Andalusian people]]
[[ar:عبد الرحمن الناصر لدين الله]]
[[ca:Abd al-Rahman III]]
[[de:Abd ar-Rahman III.]]
[[es:Abderramán III]]
[[fr:Abd al-Rahman III]]
[[gl:Abd ar-Rahman III]]
[[id:Abdurrahman III]]
[[it:Abd al-Rahman III]]
[[ja:アブド・アッラフマーン3世]]
[[pt:Abderramão III]]
[[ru:Абд ар-Рахман III]]
[[sk:Abdarrahmán III.]]
[[sv:Abd ar-Rahman III]]
[[zh:阿卜杜勒·拉赫曼三世]]