An 11th Century Love Story from al-Andalus

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In 1059 the governor of Shilb (modern-day Silves in Portugal), Prince Muhammad ibn Abbad, was visiting Seville. He was taking a walk along the river Wad al-Kebir (the modern-day Guadalquivir) with his friend, the renowned poet Ibn Ammar. The prince came to a stop, and improvised the first part of a verse: Sana’ al-rihu min al-ma’i zarad (The wind has made of the water a coat of mail) and he suggested that his companion, the poet, should complete the verse. Ibn Ammar’s mind went quite blank, but suddenly a young washerwoman on the riverbank called out: Ayyu dir’in li-qitalin law jamad (What battle-armour that would make, if it should freeze!) The prince was so impressed with the young woman's words that he purchased her from her master, and they married. He went on to inherit the kingdom of Seville from his father. She became a famous poet, Itimad Arrumaikiyya. In the end, after many years of enlightened rule, an Almoravid sultan deposed him, and he was imprisoned for the rest of his life. Itimad visited him in jail every day, and when she died, he followed in her footsteps just a few days later. ---------------------------------------------------- The above is a true story. The photo is my own, of the Castle of Silves, one of the best preserved Moorish fortifications in Portugal.