Toledo, Spain is a city and municipality just south of Madrid. In the 16th century Toledo was the capital of the Spanish empire. The city has been ruled or settled by several cultures, the first of which was the Iberian Celts.
Romans were the next rulers of Toletum, as they called it, and archaeologists have unearthed sections of an immense Roman arena, complete with seating for upwards of 13,000 spectators.
Once the Roman empire began to lose its luster, Toledo was invaded by the barbaric Visigoths and they claimed it as their capital while ruling the entire Iberian Peninsula.
According to legend, the Visigoths ruled until 711 AD and were only ousted from dominance through the lust of their leader, Rodrigo. It is said that he raped a maiden along the banks of the Tagus river who turned out to be the daughter of a noble Spanish family in North Africa. The maiden’s enraged father sent an army of 700,000 Moors across the Strait of Gibraltar and ransacked the Visigoth capital. Historians refer to this as the Battle of Guadalete near Cadiz.
Tolati-Tola, as the Moors referred to it, remained under Muslim rule for the next 300 years, a colorful and surprisingly peaceful mixture of Arabs, Christians, and Jews.
The 11th century was witness to Alfonso the VI wrestling Toledo from the grasp of the Muslims. Tolerance of Jewish and Moorish communities continued and Toledo blossomed into a political and cultural capital. It was Spain’s first Hebrew city, boasting more than 12,000 Jewish residents.
This period in Toledo’s history was followed by a major cultural revival in the 13th century. The School of Translators was established by King Alfonso the 10th, also know as El Sabio (the wise one). Important works of academia were translated there from Arabic and Hebrew into Latin, exposing Europe to some impressive — and previously unknown — stores of knowledge.
1492 saw the Jews being expelled from Toledo. Catholic monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella gave this order and are directly responsible for the Spanish Inquisition.
Toledo in the 16th century was home to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles the V and his court. Its location there didn’t last long, with the city proving to be too small to administer the vast resources of the Spanish Empire. The court was eventually moved to Madrird, a city which had previously been little more than a military post utilized to protect Toledo. Though the city will never regain its former luster or political importance, its melding of cultures and colorful past are remarkably preserved in its architecture.
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Thinking about visiting Europe. I think I definitely should include Spain in my list. It’s so beautiful! I also heard that Barcelona is probably one of the most beautiful cities in the world.