Heaven Can't Wait ۞ Baldwin IV

Context + Maps

This is an optional reading, recommended for those who are only just getting into this subject and may be interested in gathering their bearings a little, to follow along more easily and bear with parts that may be too courtly and political, and could possibly get boring without a passion for these aspects. Fact-check and research on your own, if you have the time.

Context:
Al Andalus, Iberian Peninsula (711-1492)

We will not be spending much time in Al Andalus, but it is pertinent to have some context of where the MC comes from and how it may affect her journey.

Al Andalus refers to any part of the Iberian peninsula controlled and ruled by Muslims. In most cases, conquerors. In some local cases, there might be Muslims who were once Iberian Christians but converted for convenience and to keep/obtain power and not be taxed (Muladis). These territories were ever-changing. The native Spanish were on a constant crusade of their own, at least spiritually, against the invaders. Though most were assimilated in zones of high Muslim density and control.

In this era, Al Andalus is controlled by the Almohad Caliphate. This dynasty was of Amazigh (Berber) origin, so mostly North African, rather than Arabic. In fact, most of the Muslims in this context will be African, and so is the genetic influence they left. That is not to say that there weren't any Arabs or levantines. (One of the first to come and rule in the 8th century was Abd Al-Rahman I, of the Umayyad dynasty, fleeing the overthrowing Abbasids. He founded the Emirate of Cordoba. This motivated later Arabs to visit Al-Andalus, either temporarily for studies or to stay.) The Almohads overthrew the previous rulers, other Amazigh rulers, the Almoravids.

The Almohads were more strict, whereas previous rulers had become more lax in Shia laws and more tolerant of non-muslims "People of the Book". Still, either way, Al Andalus was very diverse and open to other cultures, as they were interested in all sorts of learning from science and medicine to the arts and philosophy. They read texts from old cultures, like the Ancient Greeks, because no matter what, they knew the value in collecting knowledge from all the known world.

Our protagonist comes from Balansiyyah (Valencia; the original name is Valentia in Latin from the Romans. Hence the MC's name. Her Islamic name is Qamara Al Balansiyyah bint Al Mualim Shaar). Though they have various homes, the original home from their ancestors (some of them were early settlers) is a little to the South from the capital in what would be modern-day Alzira (Al Jazirah). Many of these names have stayed in our country, their spelling often romanized but not heavily altered.

Valencia was always a very important trade stop because of its location. So it was a cultural center where many of them converged and many exotic goods were traded. Especially the most luxurious fabrics silks. The llotja de la seda, from the 15th century, still exists today.

I am a strong advocate for the heritage other parts of the Al Andalus territories, not just modern Andalusia, which kept that name because it was the last territory to survive before the Christians finally won the Reconquista. Other parts of Spain retain the heritage too, and while in Valencia the reconquistadores destroyed Moorish edifications when they reclaimed it :(, we retain some of the art like tiling, music/instruments. As well as so much genetic influence. My Spanish side's family is referred to with the term "moro/a" (Moorish) often because of how dark and Moorish looking most of them are (my dad and brother for example. I got our Brit mom's fair features lol although I can tan despite being a redhead, and my eyes are Mediterranean light hazel like my dad's)

I did not only choose Al Andalus as a starting point for the MC because of my heritage, but simply because I see parallels in some ways to the Holy Land (once more, refer to the Spanish crusades). And our region in Spain is called the Levant too. The experience with the collision and convergence of multiple cultures and faiths will give Lluna a bit of an advantage in a strange new land.