emirate · Iberia
Second Taifa of Murcia
Origins
Muhammad ibn Mardanish, of a family of Muwallad origin from the Valencia region, took power in Murcia in 1147 amid the collapse of the Almoravids, soon adding Valencia, Jaén, Dénia and other eastern towns to his domains.
Rule and society
Known to Christians as Rey Lobo, he made treaties with Castile, Barcelona, Genoa and Pisa, hired Christian mercenaries and minted gold coins widely used in Christian Iberia. He built palaces such as the Castillejo de Monteagudo near Murcia and kept a sophisticated court while fighting the Almohads.
Decline and legacy
After losing allies and territory, Ibn Mardanish died in 1172, and his sons submitted to the Almohads, who married into his family. Murcia later revived as the Third Taifa of Murcia.
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Second Taifa of Murcia paid tribute to Kingdom of Castile1147 CE – 1172 CE
- Taifa of Jaén was part of Second Taifa of Murcia1159 CE – 1169 CE
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Second Taifa of Murcia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/second-taifa-of-murcia
- MLA
- “Second Taifa of Murcia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/second-taifa-of-murcia. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Second Taifa of Murcia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/second-taifa-of-murcia.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Second Taifa of Murcia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/second-taifa-of-murcia (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻