Moor - who is this? A representative of a cruel and self-willed people or one who has made an invaluable contribution to the development of cultures of different countries? Where is the truth and what is fiction?
Rise of an empire
Moors were called the inhabitants of Mauritania, located in northern Africa. Their history is inextricably linked with the development of Islam.
In the XII century, the city of Medina was founded by the prophet Muhammad in the Arabian desert. After that, the people, who had previously adhered to a nomadic lifestyle, found a permanent place to live. Then they began their development, conquering new lands, preaching Islam to the east and west.
Thirst for knowledge
Moor - who is this? A barbarian for whom conquest is important? Contrary to the generally accepted attitude towards the Moors as uneducated people, it must be said that this is a great delusion. For a Muslim, knowledge was essential. Due to the heat of the day, nomadic peoples moved at night. The result was the emergence of such a science as astronomy. When meeting with representatives of other cultures, the Moors tried to get as much new knowledge as possible. They attached particular importance to books. Their value was very great and a large number of publications were published.their number.
Due to the fact that the crusaders created an unflattering glory for Muslims, many do not know exactly who the Moor is? Thinking it's synonymous with "barbarian".
In fact, Arab culture was open to new knowledge. After the capture of Egypt, the Moors gained access to the Library of Alexandria, which allowed them to seriously expand their horizons. Many works have been translated into Arabic. It should be noted that Muslim Arabs and Berbers were also called Moors.
European civilization tried to protect itself from new knowledge as much as possible, which significantly hampered its development.
Moors in Europe
Breaking Gibr altar in 711, the Moors came to the Iberian Peninsula. For 4 years, capturing a large territory up to France. Considering the fact that Europe of those times was in a deep crisis, many cities were only glad to receive a rather strong patron who could protect against warriors and tribal raids. Despite the fact that Islam was unknown to the population of the Iberian Peninsula, they quite easily began to accept a new religion. Many cities were rebuilt almost from scratch, Cordoba became the main one. Moor - who is this and what is his contribution to the development of Spain? New technologies were introduced: an irrigation system was used to irrigate gardens, water supply and sewerage existed in houses.
Paper, which was recognized in Europe thanks to the Arabs, was of particular importance. No wonder there were 10 libraries in Cordova. In Toledo, the foundations of modern algebra and chemistry were born,only here it was possible to study works on mathematics and astronomy.
The Crusades, which aimed to rid the countries of Europe from the invaders - the Moors, ruthlessly destroyed them, buildings and all technical structures. People were forced to accept Catholicism under pain of death and confiscation of property. Thus, a new, but ambitious culture replaced a more developed one, which gave Europe a lot in the 12th century of influence.
Quite often you can hear the phrase: "The Moor has done his job, the Moor can leave." This is a quote from the play "The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa", written by I. F. Schiller at the end of the 18th century. The phrase is a symbol of the unprincipled use of a person for their own purposes. The attitude towards him was like a tool to achieve the goal, which was no longer needed after the action.
