Reshaping Toledo: Transformation of the Medieval City after the Christian Conquest - Essay Example

This paper not only concentrates on the physical patterns that underwent changes during the transitional period but also focus on the several changes which cast their strong influences on the human psyche of this place. It talks about the history of the city itself, the quintessential aspects of its transformation through the centuries, the effect of repopulation of the al-Andalusia region during the long years of the Reconquista, and the people representing a large melting pot of various cultures and creeds, namely Christians, the Muslims and the Jewish minorities, who inhabited the city.

The city being one of the most happening centers of physical, religious, and cultural transformation has been the interest of a large number of archaeologists and historians, who tried to bring out the subtle tones of color representing the gradual change in the nature of the city, the outlook of the people and their social standing with respect to each other. This is a fact that these changes affected a long period of time throughout the reign of Alfonso VI and continuing aftermath slowly imparted the final tones of color to the city whose traces can be linked even today.

If we retrospect the entire history of medieval Spain and not just the city of Toledo, which was an integral part of the al-Andalus governed by the Islamic supremacy and the Berber regimes of Almohads and Almoravids, we would procure a tale of both oppression and tolerance throughout the entire period of change from the Islamic supremacy to a Christian power. The chronicles that record this transformation also speak of the slow change in the lives of the people, the Christians, and the Muslims along with the minorities, mostly the Jews, because reshaping of the city was also brought about by the changes in the religious and social scenario.

It led to the mingling of different ritualistic practices among the Spanish population. This paper will focus on the Spanish medieval history when all these transformations took place giving birth to the multicultural milieu of Toledo. Reshaping Toledo is the main subject of this paper. Throughout the discussion, we shall try to examine in what sense the city was reshaped. There are different schools of thought who have said different things on whether the Muslim era in Toledo had its serious effect.

This paper will also throw some light on whether the Christian era after Reconquest in the city was able to bring valuable changes to the city scenario. Regaining power over Spanish states was a great achievement for the Christians, but our discussion will try to evaluate this reign's actual influences on the physical, religious, and symbolic aspects of Toledo. It might be noted that Medieval Spain went through several torments as the Christians showed up in a constant fight to clinch power from the hand of Muslims.

The Spanish battlefield remained a happening place throughout the medieval era and the crusade started at the point when the Muslims had their control almost all through Western Europe. The European continent was ruled by the Muslims from the beginning of the 8th century and they continued spreading until hindered by the exploits of Charles the Hammer.