Andalusian Scientists

I am stuck on Chapter 4 of my thesis. The motivation is slowly building, so I am forcing myself to devote this weekend to it as much as possible. I have classical on in the background (Music Choice Channel 440 via Bright House Cable). It’s a relaxing way to research and write for me personally. A good friend of mine prefers jazz. I tried. It’s just a little too upbeat for what I am doing. But I do love me some great jazz otherwise!

Anyway, I am currently gathering notes on Andalusian scientists. In my preliminary research for this chapter, I found some scientists/scholars that looked promising, although not necessarily from Andalusia. BTW, did you know that Andalus is Arabic for “land of the vandals”? I didn’t until beginning the chapter. Very cool! I digress…

There are several scholars of varying importance to Andalusia during the Middle Ages. The few that I have come across so far are:

Abu Ishaq Ibrahim an-Naqqash, aka al-Zarqali or Azarquiel. His name is derived from the Arabic term for “blue” or “the blue-eyed one” – zarqa. I wonder if that means he had blue eyes? I guess my research will guide me to his vitals.

Ibn Mu-adh al-Jayyani (spherical trigonometry)

Maslama ibn Ahmad al-Majriti (mercuric oxide or HgO)

As I discover more, I will add to this post.

I also found that Alfonse X "The Wise" founded a school for translators called The Translators School of Toledo. I am planning to incorporate this into Chapter 4 as it pertains to the translation movement in the West. 

Final Semester....Here I Come!!!

It's almost that time again! Time for a new semester at Vermont College of Union Institute & University. I am so ready for this one to begin. If all goes as planned, it will be my LAST! Yay!!! Ok, I won't party too soon 'cause ya never know. But I am sure all will go well enough.

This being my last semester, I have to put much more effort into completing my thesis. I have 2 and a half chapters to write. The half chapter is the remainder of the Introduction (Chapter 1). I have already begun researching for Chapter 4: The House of Wisdom in the West (or something to that effect). I am looking closely at Andalusia for much of the chapter and will pan out from there for a few pages. I say Andalusia because this is where the Caliphate in the West was located under the Umayyads. I am currently reading a chapter in Scott Montgomery's Science in Translation and making notes of scientists listed within. Here are a few that I am planning to look into a bit more:

• Gerbert of Aurillac
• Adelard of Bath
• Gerard of Cremona
• John of Seville
• Hugh of Santalla
• Dominicus Gundissalinus
• Michael Scot
• Petrus Alfonsi
• William Moerbeke

I am sure I will find others along the way, but this is a start for now.

In other scholarly news, Ovation networks recently aired a special called "Paradise Found: Islamic Architecture and Art".

I caught a little bit of it, more than half way through the program, where the narrator was talking about Cordoba and the Umayyad Caliphate. I am hoping to catch the whole thing sometime in the near future, through the Google link I bookmarked (lol). Apparently, this documentary is a few years old.

Looking at the Ovation website, I did find another program scheduled to air Apri1 11 at 8pm called "Andalusia: The Legacy of the Moors". I will be watching that show, but the following week on April 17 at 9pm.

Ideas for Final Document/Masters' Thesis

After all of the studying I have done on the Middle East, during my undergraduate program at Michigan State University and now during my graduate program, I am finding myself more and more with the Caliphates (another way of saying dynastic rule). I especially like the time when there was a great transition in the Middle East from pre-Islam to the first couple of Caliphates: the Umayyads and the 'Abbasids.

One of my ideas for my final document is an historiography of the two caliphates, concentrating on their religious influence as well as the arts and architecture of the caliphs. Last semester I wrote a paper on the historical significance of the Arabian Nights and that really sparked my interest to lean more towards the arts and letters of the Middle East. So that's one idea.

As you can see by the maps, the Umayyad Caliphate covers a vast territory from the East at Damascus to the West at Cordova (al-Andalus). This territory is divided into two separate Caliphates as the Umayyads were pushed out of Damascus by the 'Abbasids and relocated (those that survived - which were very few) in what would become their second caliphate at Cordova. The 'Abbasids, on the other hand, occupied territory primarily in the vicinity of Iraq, Syria, and parts of neighboring areas. Their capital was moved to Baghdad and remained there for much of the time they ruled.

Another idea is to concentrate only on one of the caliphates: the 'Abbasids. This would allow me to be more detailed about the glory of their caliphate and especially of Baghdad. I am really interested in the history of Iraq before and during the middle ages, so this is another avenue I may pursue.

Of course, there is so much to research on this time period and so many possibilities for my final document. One thing that will remain unchanged is that I intend to do an historiography in the form of a more traditional thesis. And as always, I am open to suggestions on other possible topics.