Government Monarchy Established 1027 Founded 1027 Currency Dirham | Historical era Middle Ages Preceded by Succeeded by Capital Silves, Portugal | |
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Languages Arabic, Mozarabic, Hebrew Religion Islam, Roman Catholicism, Judaism | ||
The Taifa of Silves was a Muslim taifa kingdom that existed in what is now southern Portugal for two distinct periods: from 1027 to 1063, and again from 1145 to 1150, when it was finally conquered by the Almohads.
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The taifa occupied the westernmost part of the presently Portuguese region of Algarve, near Cape St. Vincent, with its capital in Silves. Starting from 1048, the power was held by the family of the Banu Muzayn, including three emirs: Isa II al-Muzaffar (1048–1053), Muhammad II al-Nasir (1053–1058), and Isa III al-Muzaffar (1058–1063). Under the latter the kingdom was conquered by the more powerful taifa of Seville, led by Abbad II al-Mu'tadid.
During the so-called second taifa period, which followed the fall of the Almoravid Empire, Silves was the seat of a second, ephimeral taifa, which lasted from 1145 to 1150, when it was conquered by the Almohads.