Islamic Influences in Southern Europe
By Mia Veal
Southern Europe has seen various rulings throughout its history, such as the Visigoths and the Romans, however, the Islamic rule of the region has brought the most obvious influence, which began when the Moors commenced their rule of Southern Europe in 711 CE which continued all the way to 1492 in Spain. The Islamic influence in Southern Europe is apparent in various mediums including architecture and language. There were over 800 years of territory control in the Iberian Peninsula, which directly impacted the culture of the region.
The most outward sign of Islamic conquest in Southern Europe is the architecture. Common features in Islamic religious buildings are the horseshoe and trefoil arch, which can be seen in the famous Mosque of Cordoba in Spain and the Palazzo dei Normanni in Italy. The trefoil arch went on to be used in Gothic architecture as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Other choices of design that demonstrate this legacy include ribbed vaults to support the ceiling or weight of walls, which was important because it allowed for easier construction and was stronger in supporting a building. This feature was seen in the Cordoba Mosque and later pronounced the most perfect example of geometry– as it remarkably has not once needed restructuring in its thousand years of existence. The use of ribbed vaults in the Cordoba predates the use of Gothic-ribbed ceilings by a century. The design of buildings in Southern Europe during Islamic rule was notably advanced compared to that of other areas of Europe at the time.
An additional prominent area of this legacy is found in language. Language is what often connects groups and can be a symbol of power. When Moorish rule took place Arabic was the language of the empire, Arabic became the language of science during the medieval period. The Latin spoken in the pre-Islamic Iberian Peninsula was profoundly influenced by the Moorish invasion of 711 CE, with the Spanish language as we know it today borrowing over 4,000 words from Arabic, while modern Portuguese has about 1,000 words from Arabic. While in Sicily, the Moorish rule only lasted from the 9th to 10th century so in turn there are only 300 Sicilian words that are known to borrow from Arabic.
The influence of Islamic culture in Europe is undeniable. As scholar Edward Said stated “Islam had defined Europe culturally”. Moorish rule led to cultural and architectural advancements in Europe. However, this has been forgotten by many and the modern relations between the European and Islamic worlds have been contentious to say the least. There is a loss in memory of the cultural rise brought upon by the Islamic world and it should not be forgotten.