Editing Almanzor (section)

{{About|the Al-Andalus ruler|other Muslim rulers with this name|Al-Mansur (disambiguation)}}
{{otheruses}}
{{Short description|Andalusian military leader and statesman (c. 938–1002)}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Al-Mansur
| image        = Busto de Almanzor en Calatañazor (cropped) 3.png
| caption      = Bust of Almanzor, [[Calatañazor]]
| title        = [[Hajib]]
| succession1  =
| predecessor1 =
| successor1   = [[Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar]]
| reign1       =
| succession2  =
| reign2       =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2   =
| succession3  =
| house        = [[Amirids]]
| birth_name   = Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Abi ʿĀmir al-Maʿafiri
| birth_date   = {{circa}} 938
| birth_place  = [[Turrush]], [[Caliphate of Córdoba]]
| death_date   = August 8, 1002 (aged 64)
| death_place  = [[Medinaceli]], Caliphate of Córdoba
| burial_date  =
| burial_place = Medinaceli, Spain
| religion     = [[Islam]]
}}
'''Abu ʿĀmir Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Abi ʿĀmir al-Maʿafiri''' ({{langx|ar|أبو عامر محمد بن عبد الله بن أبي عامر المعافري}}), nicknamed '''al-Manṣūr''' ({{langx|ar|المنصور}}, "the Victorious"),{{sfn|Fletcher|2000|p=91}} which is often Latinized as '''Almanzor''' in Spanish, '''Almansor''' in [[Catalan language|Catalan]] and '''Almançor''' in Portuguese ({{circa}} 938 – 8 August 1002),{{sfn|Bariani|2003|p=52}} was a Muslim Arab [[al-Andalus|Andalusi]] military leader and [[politician|statesman]]. As the [[chancellor]] of the [[Caliphate of Córdoba|Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba]] and ''[[hajib]]'' (chamberlain) for Caliph [[Hisham II]], Almanzor was effectively ruler of Islamic Iberia.

Born in [[Turrush]] to a family of Yemeni Arab origin with some juridical ancestors, ibn Abi ʿĀmir left for [[Córdoba, Spain|Córdoba]] when still young to be trained as a ''[[faqīh]]''.{{sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|pp=335–39}} After a few humble beginnings, he joined the court administration and soon gained the confidence of [[Subh of Córdoba|Subh]], [[Umm al-walad|mother of the children]] of Caliph [[Al-Hakam II]].{{sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=42}} Thanks to her patronage and his own efficiency, he quickly expanded his role.{{sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|pp=46–48}}

During the caliphate of Al-Hakam II, he held several important administrative positions, including director of the [[Mint (facility)|mint]] (967), administrator for Subh and her children, administrator for intestate inheritances, and quartermaster for the army of General [[Ghalib ibn Abd al-Rahman]] (973).{{sfn|Cañada Juste|1992|p=373}} The death of the caliph in 976 marked the beginning of the domination of the Caliphate by this functionary, which continued beyond his death with the government of two of his sons, [[Abd al-Malik al-Muzaffar]] and [[Abd al-Rahman Sanchuelo]], up to 1009.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=11}} As chamberlain of the caliphate (from 978), he exercised extraordinary power in the al-Andalus state, throughout the [[Iberian Peninsula]] and in part of the [[Maghreb]], while Caliph Hisham II was reduced to near-figurehead status.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|pp=11–12}}

His portentous rise to power has been explained by an insatiable thirst for dominance, but historian Eduardo Manzano Moreno warns that "it must be understood within the framework of the complex internal struggles that developed within the Umayyad administration."{{sfn|Manzano Moreno|2018|p=245|ps="Nuestro hombre no realizó su escalada hacia el poder en solitario, sino apoyado por una compleja red de relaciones familiares y políticas en las que se agrupaban algunas de las grandes familias de dignatarios que durante generaciones habían ostentado los principales cargos de la administración omeya. (…) Tan pronto como desapareció al-Halkam II, las grandes familias de la administración cordobesa decidieron resarcirse apoyando el encumbramiento de Almanzor. Su dominio puso fin a la influencia que los funcionarios eunucos y eslavos habían desarrollado hasta entonces"}} Deeply religious, he received the pragmatic support of Muslim authorities for his control of political power, though not without periodic tensions between them.{{sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=222}} The basis of his power was his defense of ''jihad'',{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=18}} which he proclaimed in the name of the Caliph.{{sfn|Echevarría Arsuaga|2011|p=174}} His image as a champion of Islam served to justify his assumption of governmental authority.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=18}}

Having monopolized political dominance in the caliphate, he carried out profound reforms in both foreign and domestic politics.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=12}} He made numerous victorious campaigns in both the Maghreb and Iberia.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=15}} On the peninsula, his bloody and very destructive incursions against the Christian kingdoms temporarily halted their advance southward.{{sfn|Valdés Fernández|1999|p=15}}