الناصرية
Volume 17, Numéro 1, Pages 284-305
2026-06-15
The Naval Fleet Under Umayyad Rule In Al-andalus: A Study Of Infrastructure
Authors : Titah Nassira .
Abstract
This study foregrounds the Umayyads’ contribution to the emergence of an Andalusi fleet. Umayyad rulers grasped the strategic weight of Al-Andalus’s geographical position: its coasts and frontier ports faced the western basin of the Mediterranean, one of the most consequential maritime theatres of the period. In light of changing geopolitical conditions and persistent external threats, the Umayyads devoted sustained attention to naval power (stolos), treating it as a central concern of policy and warfare. They therefore invested in the infrastructure and organization required for an effective navy. They built facilities for ship construction, established naval bases, and equipped the fleet with weaponry and specialized clothing. The Andalusi fleet also operated through a dedicated administrative apparatus marked by strict regulation and orderly coordination, designed to ensure the proper functioning of its vessels. These measures elevated the Andalusi navy to the rank of a major maritime force and shifted the balance of power vis-à-vis medieval Christian fleets in the Mediterranean, especially when it confronted the danger posed by the Byzantines and the Normans (Vikings). Its victories, in turn, affirmed its conspicuous presence alongside the fleets of Islamic maritime jihad, working to uphold the banner of Islam.
Keywords
Fleet; ; Umayyad State; ; Al-Andalus; ; Naval bases; ; Normans; Vikings.
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