GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2001-06 > 0992615842


From: Marin-Guzman <>
Subject: Re: Mohammed the Prophet
Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2001 00:37:22 +1000
References: <01c0f4c1$a7241880$LocalHost@fti/62hzcyc>, <3B295FB8.4E064EA1@interfold.com>



Todd, since the quote on Zayda (Zoraida) came from 'yours truly', perhaps I
can clarify the original sources of that information.

You're right about the inscription being a fairly recent one.

Zayda is originally reported to have been interred in the Monastery of
Sahagun.

Much later she was removed and placed in Leon, and it is then the
inscription - "H.R. Regina Elisabeth, uxor regis Adefonsi, filia Benabet
Regis Sevillae, quae prius Zayda, fuit vocata" - was placed upon her tomb.

My information on Zayda being the daughter of the king of Seville,
Aben-Abeth (aka Ben Abad III, Abu Nabeth, Benabet etc) and widow of Fat el
Mamun (aka Abu Nasr al-Fath al-Mamun) king of Cordoba and son of Muhammad
Abu I Kasim al-Mutamid, came from a number of sources.

The first is "La familia de los Tellez de Meneses" which - as Maria Emma
Escobar says - is full of errors, albeit stupid 'literal' errors rather than
(as far as I know) fundamental errors.

Another source is Fr. Henriques Florez "España Sagrada", Madrid 1860, who in
fact claims Zayda's christian name was to have been Maria but on preference
of king Alfonso she changed it to Isabel.

"Diccionario Universal de Historia y Geografia", Mexico 1855, quotes Fr.
Prudencio Sandoval's "Historia de los Reyes de Castilla y Leon, desde 1037 a
1134". I believe this one was written in the 16th century, so not many
contemporary sources, I know.

They all acknowledge the king of Seville's dote of the towns of
Cuenca,Huete, Consuegra, Ocaña, Mora, Ucles, Alarcos etc.



Pedro Marin-Guzman

----------------------------------------------------------------------------



> If Zaida was daughter of Muhammed, which she wasn't, she wouldn't
> be from Denia. That represents a separate theory, proposed by
> Menendez Pidal, that Zaida was niece of "Aven Alfage", who he
> interpreted to be al-Hajib of Denia. However, this
> identification is far from certain, and even were it correct,
> that does not mean that she herself hailed from the Kingdom of
> her uncle.
>
>> Problems with Zaida (alias Elizabeth, Isabela in Spanish) were discussed on
>> this list in January, 2001, but not very conclusively...
>>
>> Main questions remaining would be as to her father, 16 Muhammad III Abu I
>> Kasim Al MUTAMID b:1040 + I'Tamid (exSLAVE) b: ABT. 1045,
>
> Certainly not, as she was widow of his son Abu Nasr al-Fath
> al-Ma'mun (as testified by two independent muslim sources), and
> Islam prohibits the marriage of siblings.
>
>> or Abu Nabeth, King of Yspalensis,
>
> (no evidence whatsoever - could this be a corruption of Abu Nasr
> al-Fath?)
>
> . . . or (unknown), heaven forbid.
>
> taf

This thread: