Western Renaissance
"Spain and not Italy was cradle of the rebirth of Europe. After sinking lower and lower in barbarianism, it had reached the darkest depth of ignorance and degradation when the cities of Baghdad, Cairo, Cordova, Toledo were growing centres of civilization and intellectual activity. It was there that the new life arose which was to grow into a phase of human evolution. From the time when the influence of their culture made itself, began the stirring of a new life."
(Robert Briffault)
Europe in Dark Ages Before Arrival Of Islam
Europe had no culture and civilization in dark ages
learning and knowledge was non existent for long.
The clergy had paralyzed every walk of life.
The corruption and atrocities were norms of clergy.
Religious freedom was in short supply.
Enjoyment and pleasure in life was unknown to human imagination
European Renaissance Due to Muslim Influences:
The nomadic Arabs, who rose from their desert tents, founded in remarkably short space of time, the mightiest empire of the Mediaeval era,
which stretched from the shores of the Atlantic in the West to the Great Wall of China in the East.
they brought about the greatest revolution in all aspectsof human activity.
"It was under the influence of Arabian and Moorish revival of culture", that the real renaissance took place.
Muslims initiated the mighty revolution of culture,civilization and learning in Europe.
All the factors that contributed to bring about renaissance were given birth by muslims in one way or other.Muslim Universities in Cordoba and Granada effected European Renaissance in Following Ways.
Development of Science during Renaissance and muslim Influence.
Influence on the West
The Muslims, who were pioneers in almost all branches of learning led the West in diverse spheres Of mediaeval thought.
The brightest luminaries of the Mediaeval times were Jabir, Kindi, Jahiz and Baytar in sciences;
Zakariya Razi, Ibn Sinaand Zahrawi Khwarizmi, Omar Khayyam, Abul Wafa and Nasiruddin Toosi in mathematics and astrbnomy; Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Arabi and Fakhruddin Razi in philosophy;
They became master of Europeans Students.
Their works were Translated.
Their version became the syllabus of of schools and in Universities.
They have left behind on the pages of history
the imprint of their genius in the respective branches of their activity.
The Arabs were the real originators of sciences in the world.
Discarding the speculative method of the Greeks,
they based their scientific research on observation and experiment.
which gave birth to experimental method.
This experimental method introduced by the Arabs was in fact, responsible for rapid advancement of science during the mediaeval times.
Knowledge and Education:
A large number of educational institutions had sprung up in the four corners of the State including in Cordova, Granada, Toledo Seville,
where learned teachers imparted lessons in the sciences and arts.
Arabic Became Language of Learning
Love for Learning:
Ignorance in Europe had lasted long .
It had suppressed love of learning.
Muslim sciences ,inventions influenced them and revived love of learning
Education Institutions:
University of Granada.
Educational institutes of Cordoba.
Baitul Hikmahin Baghdad
Nizamiyyah University Baghdad
Darul Hikma at Cairo
University Of Kairowan
The Islamic universities of Nizamiyah and Mustansariya at Baghdad, the Al-Azhar of Cairo, and the universities of Cordova and Salerno diffused knowledge to students composed of all communities who flocked to these seats of learning from distant parts of the world including Europe.
These Islamic institutions of Muslim Spain and Sicily were the cradle of modern European civilization and
the training ground of persons like Roger Bacon and Gerbert Aurillec who ultimately paved the way for the renaissance of Mediaeval Europe.
The Christian students enjoyed absolute religious tolerance,
troops of students from Germany, France, England, flocking to the Moorish seats of learning'.
In spite of the strict restrictions imposed by the orthodox Christian missionaries.
who after completing their studies in Moorish Schools went back to their native places and
taught new theories to astonished people.
A great civilization:
The Muslim State of Spain had cultivated a great civilization and a high degree of culture. Its well planned cities and well organised public works including the well laid out
streets,
parks,
gardens
schools,
colleges
hospitals
made it a model State in the West whose phenominal cultural, industrial and social progress was viewed with wonder by the Christian visitor.
The Moors had introduced beneficial irrigation systems and new crops in Spain.
The high class fabrics manufactured in their textile factories were used in the Royal Houses of Europe.
Cordova
Cordova, the Capital of Moorish Spain was the most cultured city of Europe.
It had acquired international reputation. With its
4 Major Factors that contributed towards Renaissance of West.
1 Discovery of Greek Classics:
Arabs patronised and saved Classics them from total extinction.
Hence the Greek classics existed in Arabic version only,
lost works of Aristotle reached Western Christendom,
IBN rushd and other muslim philosophers
revived and revitalized the true spirit of classical learning.
These classics later became harbinger of renaissance in Europe.
2 Decline of church authority.
Rebirth of reasoning faculty in Europe overthrew church dominance.
People of Europe began to understand life and its problems from a rational perspective.
Blind observance of illogical and dogmatic beliefs became moribund.
All this change and development of thought would not have been possible witout the vigour and force of reason derived from the modern and scientific learning of muslims.
3 Discovery Of America
This spirit of discovery acquired was outcome of renaissance .
The spirit was inculcated in mind of Europeans when they acquired knowledge at muslim universities.Discovery Of America was practical manifestationof this spirit.
4 Printing Press
The fourth factor namely the invention of the Printing Press is also indirectly connected with the introduction and large scale production of paper in Europe by the Arabs.
Without paper there would have been no Printing Press.
Translations at Toledo
Toledo, after its fall into Christian hands in 1085 A.D.
became an important centre for the transmission of Arabic literary treasures to the West..
Under the guidance of Archbishop Raymond I (1126--51 A.D.)
there arose a regular translation deparment in which
Michael Scot,
Robert Chester and
Gerard of Cremona
made valuable translations of important Arabic works.
Alfonso, had established schools at Toledo for the translation of Arabic works.
The Christian Scholars who had studied in the institutions of Muslim Spain translated several important works of Arab writers
into European languages which provided the firm ground on which the stately edifice of Western learning was raised.
Gerard of Cremona
Gerard of Cremona was one of the greatest exponents of Arabian learning.
He spent more than 50 years in Muslim Spain devoting himself to the pursuit of Arabic learning and
translated more than ninety Arabic works including
Ibn Sina, Al Qanoon
Tasrif of Al-Zahrawi,
Al-Razi works
AlHaitham astronomy.
Al-Hawi, the well-known medical work of Al-Razi .
Europe is chiefly indebted for its knowledge of Arabic medicine to Constantine,
Gerard of Cremona whose translations paved the way for the growth of medical science in the West.
He brought a large number of books from Cordova, which he translated and popularised in England.
Michael Scot (1236)
who is considered as one of the founders of Latin Averroism later became the court astrologer of Frederick II of Sicily.. He translated Ibn Rushd's commentary, and many Arabic works on zoology.
His translations of Ibn Rushd's works greatly influenced the later European philosophers.
Robert Chester:
Made the first translation of Al-Khwarini's algebra in 1145 A.D.
AlKhwarizmi, the astronomical tables
astronomical and mathematical treatises.
great work of:-Al-Khwarizmi on algebra.
His translated works greatly influenced later writers,
hence he is considered the founder of modern mathematics in Europe..
John of Seville translated among others the medical and philosophical works of
al-Farghani, Abu Mahsar,
Al-Kindi and
Al-Ghazali.
Plate and Tivoli translated the astronomy of
AlBattani as well as other mathematical works.
Roger Bacon (1214-94 A.D.) is considered the father of the European renaissance.
He was educated by Jewish teachers in the Oxford School which was established, for the propagation of Muslim science by Jews who had been driven out of Spain by the Christians and had reached England along with William of Normandy.
Rager Bacon was profoundry versed in Arabian learning and derived from it many of the germs of his philosophy."The influence of Ibn Haitham (Alhazen) on Roger Bacon is clearly visible in his works. As a reward for his love of Arabic science, Roger Bacon was thrown into prison as a sorcerer and he died shortly after his release from 10 years imprisonment.
Ways & Means By which Islamic Culture and Civilization Transferred to Europe:
Spain and not Italy, was the cradle of the rebirth of Europe.
After sinking lower and lower in barbarism, it had reached the darkest depths of ignorance and degradation when the cities of the Saracenic world Baghdad, Cairo, Cordova, Toledo, were growing centres of civilization and intellectual activity.
It was there that the new life arose which was to grow into a new phase of human evolution.
From the time when the influence of their culture made itself felt, began the stirring of a new life".
Another great orientalist Philip K. Hitti, acknowledges the greatness of Arab culture when he writes in his History of the Arabs "Moslem Spain wrote one of the brightest Chapters in the intellectual history of mediaeval Europe”.
Between the middle of the 8th and the beginning of the 13th centuries, as we have noted before, the Arab speaking peoples were the main bearers of the torch of culture and civilization throughout the world.
Sicily stands next to Spain in the diffusion of Arab culture.
Muslim learning was transmitted to Europe from Spain and Sicily.
Frederik II, the Emperor of Italy and Sicily:
Frederik II, the Emperor of Italy and Sicily was accused of being a Muslim due to his patronage and love of Islamic learnings.
Even after the fall of the Muslim State, the Norman kings of Sicily continued to patronise Muslim learnings, for which they were condemned by the Pope.
Jews as Ambassadors and Translators of Arabian:
Jews, after Muslims,were the great exponents of Arab learning and founded schools along Spanish lines at Bari, Salerno, Tarentum and other places.
4,000 Jewish scholars scattered all over southern and western Europe who had imbibed Arab civilization and culture and were well versed in Arabian learning.
Arabic sciences and arts reached Europe
Gradually the Arabic sciences and arts made their way into Europe,
opening of a number of institutions in France, Germany and even in .
England where Arabian sciences were taught by teachers who had learnt them in Muslim Spain and Sicily.
France
During the 12th and 13th centuries A.D.
the process of the diffusion of Arab sciences assumed massive scale and
there were several centres in southern France for the dissemination of Arabian Culture.
Montepellier in the 14th century A.D.,
was the principal centre for the teaching of Arabian medicine and astronomy in France.
Raymond prepared planetary tables based on those of Toledo in Marseilles, a French port on the Mediterranean that in 1140 A.D..
Germany
As early as the 1Oth century A.D. Arabian sciences were introduced in Lorraine,
which after two centuries grew into an important region for scientific study.
"From Lorraine it radiated into other parts of Germany Cities like Liege, Cologne,
provided the most congenial atmosphere for the growth of Arabian knowledge.
and was transported into Norman England by men born or educated in Lorraine.
The Westerners learned many Muslim and Oriental ways
"The Westerners learned many Muslim and Oriental ways and developed a taste for the luxuries of the region.
All this promoted a demand for Eastern goods and accelerated the growth of commerce.
The Italians, who had acted as transporting agents for the Crusaders,
took full advantage of their opportunities to build up trading relations with the East.
Conclusion:
"By the close of the 13th century", writes Philip K. Hitti, "Arabic science and philosophy had been transmitted to Europe, and Spain's work as an intermediary was done.
The intellectual avenue leading from the portals of Toledo through the Pyrenees wound its way through Provence and the
Alpine passes into Lorraine, Germany, and Central Europeas well as across the Channel into England".
The translated works of Arab scientists in botany, zoology, physics and alchemy were taught in European universities specially those of Northern Italy and France.
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