Ibn Hafsun Archives - Ronda Today

In 711 AD, an Arab prince named Musa Ben Nusayr conquered most of Iberia and parts of southern France for the Ummayad Caliphate. A captain in the Berber army, Zaide Ben Kesadi El Sebseki, realising the importance of Ronda as a fortress managed to negotiate a peaceful surrender of the city in August of that year, and henceforth Ronda was known as Izn-Rand Onda which in the Arabic of the day meant “City of the Castle”, and became capital of the Cora of Takurunna of the Córdoba Emirate.

Clive Muir

I’ve been living in this lovely area of Western Andalucia for the last 20 years or so and dedicate most of my time to the running of English language tourist information websites for the towns of Cádiz, Ronda, Grazalema, the famous or infamous Caminito del Rey, and also Wildside Holidays, which promotes sustainable and eco-friendly businesses running wildlife and walking holidays in Spain. My articles contain affiliate links that will help you reserve a hotel, bus, train or activity in the area. You don’t pay more, but by using them you do support this website. Thankyou!

rondatoday.com/

The Serranía de Ronda was extensively populated by neolithic and then bronze age people and Juzcar is no exception. A stone structure that could have been a defensive tower on the boundary between Juzcar and Farajan, is proof of ancient peoples living and working in the district. Very little evidence of their activities has been found, though the area has not been excavated to any great extent.

In Roman times, whilst Acinipo and Arunda were thriving, we believe the area around Juzcar was mostly unoccupied but may have possessed a local iron mine. In fact the name Juzcar, terminating in -ar is highly suggestive that Arab invaders in 711 AD encountered either Romanised Iberians or Visigothic people who would have adopted Roman customs.

Clive Muir

rondatoday.com/

Moorish Ronda 711 till 1066

History of Juzcar