Hans Kortner Solingen

Mursiya Foundation of Medina in the ninth century by Abd al -Rahman II marks the beginning of a period of Muslim glory that extends to the Christian reconquest in the thirteenth century. From that moment becomes a strategically important border kingdom.

Made by the Integra Foundation

A DAY IN THE LION KING MURCIA
In one of my last Internet incursions to hunt for information on medieval Murcia, I discovered two things exciting. One, the video on the rebuilding of its walls and another, a paper by Julio Navarro and Pedro Jiménez Castillo Palazón entitled A Day in the Murcia del Rey Lobo .
give explanations about the interest of the video is not necessary because, to him carefully enough. Talking about the aforementioned document, yes. The authors provide in fictionalized form, the results of his experiences as archaeologists familiar with the remains found in the city and are complemented by testimonials written by Muslim travelers who described our city, such as Al Yaqubi, Al-Idrisi, Al-Qazwini and many others who left a testimony of their experiences.
This document tells the story of a young Genoese, an apprentice merchant who made his first business trip to take him to the coast of Murcia and, days later the Madinat Mursiyya populous.
This is his compelling story ...
"On October 17 the year of Our Lord 1160, we finally reached the great city of Mursiya, capital of the famous King Lobo.
The appearance of the city was impressive: a solid wall around it, topped with battlements, which is at least thirty-five cubits high and was strengthened by numerous towers runs very close to each other. From where we were was reached within sight of several doors, most of which was sitting in front of the pontoon bridge. Over some palm trees protruding walls and ends of many minarets. To the right of the great palace door was a solid reinforced by a huge tower impregnable aspect, consisting of eight towers linked in frame. In the river, a huge Ferris wheel rising water was channeled into the city. {...}
Once there, we walked a short drive north to reach a door allowing access to the medina in the east, and Arrixaca suburb of the west. We walked
the Arrixaca where was the house of Ansaldo, our agent. This was a thriving neighborhood, well-stocked and equipped with some of its own. The first impression gave me was that of a suburb mainly artisanal pottery were concentrated there, the glassworks, foundries, blacksmiths working there and braziers, dyers, tanners and tanners.
However, as we moved north, they became more abundant almunias calls residences and gardens, was a recently developed neighborhood that had no space problems of the medina.
got deep there for a less and less busy streets to access to a narrow parapet end, the bottom of which was the door of the house of Ansaldo. This character was a Genoese who came very young to the city and that lived on trade and not thinking of leaving that city he regarded as his. It also had relatives who worked as sales agents. A few years later he married a girl, the daughter of a family of Pisa, which was born in Mursiya. In addition, under the rule of King Lobo had increased significantly the perks for Christians, who even got up a hermitage in the Arrixaca where Genoese, Pisan and Sicilian worshiped Santa Maria.
[...] at that time there was a strong demand for Mursi lustreware in Italy, where he was used to decorate the steeples and church facades. "

http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/13870/1/navarro_jimenez_rey_lobo.pdf