Wallada: The Rebel Princess-Poet of Al-Andalus

In this video, we explore the fascinating life and poetry of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi, an Umayyad princess who broke norms in 11th century Andalusia, as well as her love affair with the famous poet Ibn Zaydun.
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Music by:
Filip Holm
Feras Charestan
Sources/Recomended Reading:
Lytle, Molly (2022). "“By God, I was made for Glory” -Wallada bint al-Mustakfi:
How Women Exerted Agency in the Umayyad Dynasty of Al-Andalus". Master's Thesis. University of Chicago.
Menocal, María Rosa; Raymond P. Scheindlin & Michael Sells (eds.) (2000). "The Literature of Al-Andalus". Cambridge History of Arabic Literature. Cambridge University Press.
Omran, Doaa (2022). "Wallāda Bint al-Mustakfi: A Muslim Princess Speaking Passionately and Persistently in the “Palimpsest” of al-Andalus". WOMEN’S STUDIES, 2022, VOL. 51, NO. 2, 120-136.
#wallada #andalucia #spain

[@nafise440]

Thank you for making videos about forgotten part of history especially Islamic world. I learn a lot from your channel🙏

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Thank you! 🙂

[@jonstfrancis]

If the World is a peacock then Al Andalus is the tail.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Love that!

[@TempehLiberation]

That palm tree line is fire lol - like an ancient rap battle.

[@MoE-fs8zk]

Arabic war poetry always had diss lines harder than most rap songs on average, as well as motivational poetry were sung before battles mixed with drums play flexing and representing the tribal reputation and swagger.

[@zlotamaska1]

As an Arabic language student, I must say that this is one of the best of your videos.

[@AbdoZaInsert]

والله انك سنع يوم تعلمت العربية, اختيار موّفق وتحياتي لك من الجزيرة العربية.

[@zlotamaska1]

@@AbdoZaInsert هههههه، ألف شكر أخي تحياتي من بولندا ❤️

[@pkphohog]

To hear the sound of a womans voice speaking these poems of the Real in Arabic is elating and enlightening. Opening. God Willing

[@AbuSous2000PR]

25 years ago, I visited Cordoba and stumbled on the monument you finish the video with by accident. It took me a while to recognize what it was, but finally, my mother recognized it. Many thanks.

[@nzofhull]

You are incredible. The Lost Garden is one of my favourite albums of any music genre of all time - Wallada is one of the most fascinating characters and your dedication and presentation style all make it into a beautiful culmination of top class content. Great Job, Philip.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Thank you very much!

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

There are many love stories in Arab history, but the most important are: 1. The story of Majnun Laila, in the city of Laila in Najd’, His name is Qais قيس و ليلى 2. The story of Jamil Buthaina in the Al-Ula oases جميل بثينة 3. The story of Kathir Azza in a village between Mecca and Medina كثير عزّة 4. The story of Antar and Abla, whose tribe was Abs in the Hail region عنتر وعبلة 5. The love story of Al-Buraq bin Rouhan and his love, Laila البراق بن روحان وليلى 6. The story of Tawba bin Al-Himyar and his lover, Laila Al-Akhailiyya توبة بن الحمير وحببته ليلى الأخيلية 7. The story of Majnun Lubna, His name is also Qais. Their love story took place near Mecca. قيس و لبنى

[@hababalmahi5684]

Yesssss

[@affanshaikh8492]

Thank you! I'll now be doing intensive research on all of these 😅😂 I only knew about Laila majnun

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

@@affanshaikh8492 Majnun means crazy, the name of the poet Qais and his beloved Laila. Meaning crazy with love for Laila Because I think in all of human history, he is the man who lost his mind and became crazy because he lost his lover and she married another man. More than half of these stories deserve a movie.

[@alvarobarcala]

@@user-kj8yl6sn2z In some way I guess you can interpret it like that. Though in the sufi story the main "meaning" of that craziness is being "crazy" for God, only caring for God and not worldly things, so that to the eyes of other people you are "crazy". Thanks for the list by the way, it is really interesting! I will search for some of those titles.

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

@@alvarobarcala The stories are from Arabs before Islam and Arabs at the beginning of Islam. There was no Sufism, and these people do not know Sufism. Developing the earth is one of the teachings of Islam, so Sufi methods conflict with the Muslim methodology of balancing between developing the earth and working for the afterlife to enter Paradise.

[@antoniovittorio4686]

Thank you for this romantic story . What I love most in this romantic affair is the mystical, spiritual, highly colored and poetical environment in which it took place. If the mystical atmosphere of their epoch was taken out, such an affair would leave me almost indifferent. It is the poetical realm that gives such an intensity and immortality to this ❤story.

[@30secondsflat]

Having a voice actor recite her poetry was a great touch.

[@yaraalmostafa8173]

I guess he is the reader but AI his voice I guess , Arabic reader would read that a bit better , but still a great touch any way

[@RedRose-cn8ln]

Proud to be Arab ❤ and proud of the great Ummayed dynasty history and contributions , Proud to be Muslim 😊

[@devidaughter7782]

what a beautifullly made video- so immersive in the aesthetic, architecture, poetry and personalities of this time and place - thanks for taking us on a journey, and for your focus on the herstory of such an amazing woman!

[@dakhilaf]

Ibn Zaidun wrote a seething sarcastic letter to one of Walladas many suiters (ibn Abdous, a minister) scolding him for even thinking that he is good enough for her. Ibn Zaidun wrote the letter as if by Wallada. It is one masterpiece of literature.

[@aaronmoore3050]

Their civiliazation fell, so in the end he was wrong, then, and it did not matter.

[@richnothnagel]

​@@aaronmoore3050 what are you talking about?

[@alexanderwhite1171]

Every civilization falls. No exceptions

[@dakhilaf]

@@aaronmoore3050 their civilization is why millions go to visit Spain today. It matters to those who read and understand Arabic ( richest and most eloquent language) it is a masterpiece in literary craftsmanship and above the threshold of those who can’t appreciate the Beauty of language

[@wewenang5167]

@@aaronmoore3050 wtf are you talking about????

[@dlbwoodbury]

Thanks for re-igniting my love for the glorious city and culture of Cordoba, where I spent (or misspent) part of my youth❤

[@methoali]

Love and poetry - two things that may seem like a rarity these days - but they are not - thanks to people like you! May Allah bless you for your efforts and bless your channel. Beautiful work! Keep going ❤ ما شاء الله

[@MasoudJohnAzizi]

Great presentation! This reveals that Wallada obviously suffered from what modern psychology refers to as "psychopathic grandiose narcissism".

[@SleepyGuitarPedals-pb6si]

That beard looks good on you +thank you for this master piece

[@aserderthy]

Agrèed 😊

[@ThothAdam]

Thank you for presenting this! I love studying this period being a student on the path (Ruhaniat). This story is spicy 😊 What a great movie this would make ❤

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Definitely!

[@hababalmahi5684]

This is the best video on the internet, thankful to you, Philip

[@yasinhassani5631]

Why

[@halima4621]

One of my favorites videos from you. The poems were very spicy indeed. Thanks for sharing

[@avicrane113]

Inspiring video. Thank you for all your valuable work on KZbin

[@philipoulton7730]

Wow! This video is one of your best, Filip...Your music, videography, writing, choice of art oh! and the spiciness! 🌶🌶🌶 Stunning effort. I'll be sharing it with many friends.

[@Perozes-gh4lx]

Possibly one of your best videos yet, Filip, great job, beautiful shots, beautiful music, beautiful atmosphere and as always, a beautiful breakdown!

[@yahyae420]

By far one of your most amazing videos. Love the music too

[@user-gr7wd4kg3e]

Amazing video & I loved the way you did Wallada's poems...

[@LetsTalkReligion]

I had help from a friend. She did an amazing job!

[@AbdoZaInsert]

@@LetsTalkReligion Glad you told us, Thought it was you whom did the voice over 😜 Great video as always !

[@jtdavis6937]

I'm a hard-core atheist but I found this a lovely gem of history about people I'd never heard of previously - well researched, produced and presented.

[@Theshamanman130]

Thank you so much for Al- Andalus videos they have opened my heart and my mind to Pastlife memories from these times ❤❤❤

[@Notethos]

Thank you so much for this video! I have enjoyed your videos in the past year that I've known about your work. I was moved by your video of al-Shushtari, but the cinematography, music, and storytelling in this video is incredible, thank you! And as you introduced me to the poetry of Rumi (which I'm enjoying very much), thank you again.

[@MrIexperience]

Tenderly crafted, thank you Filip

[@Ameroff1982]

Fascinating video; I had known of Wallada but have now learnt a lot more about her. She also fostered female education in Al Andalus.

[@someofmyvideos774]

These poems sound to me like playful jibes among poets. People who’ve gotten over it but still enjoy these exchanges. Thank you for this video.

[@r.a.8582]

Your most beautiful video so far :-) Amazing stuff!

[@YU-mj6qb]

I love this format 🙏❤️

[@jkellner3]

Nice work! Both poets are new to me - glad to have come across this

[@honisoitquivole]

AND you incorporated your beautiful music…bravo!

[@giorgi-b5f]

Excellent video, as always ❤.

[@unironicallyunfunny6789]

Celebrity gossip has never been this interesting

[@maiacorbin7879]

Extremely here for this content

[@nadilene789]

This is fascinating, great video!

[@BenMearsFromTheLot]

I am going on a roadtrip straight through Andalucia in a couple of weeks...I wanted to thank you for your channel...it's content will greatly enhance my experience while visiting Al-Andalus!

[@geordiejones5618]

I really enjoy learning about places that were occupied by those that seem so distant from what existed before or after or cultures that moved very far and then were taken over. Arab Spain, Roman-Greek Anatolia/North Africa, Hellenistic Persia, Viking England, Gothic Southern Europe, the Vandals, the Huns, the Normans, the Mongols, the Phonecians and of course the many iterations of Sicily. Very cool human to learn about.

[@souria25]

great video, I was sort of shocked when she was writing about sensitive topic, I never heard such thing before in poetries.

[@Ziad3195]

@@souria25 That kind of thing was much more common than you think it is. Especially in the Islamic Golden Age.

[@makhalid1999]

Man the back and forth poems are a whole rap battle

[@Ziad3195]

@@makhalid1999 such "battles" were quiet common. Some were even improvised on the spot live. The tradition goes back to the Jahilyya period. Also, this love of poetry and improvisation and sheer passion manifests in Arabic music too of course. Like, in the mawwal genre, you are given a poem and you sing and recite it however you like. You can sing any notes you want and even remove and add lines and you are expected to come up with clever poetic stanzas on the spot. The most famous mawwal is of course Layali, which is the "Ya leily, ya einy" thing.

[@SleepyGuitarPedals-pb6si]

😂😂😂 i literally enjoy it so much sass

[@GreaterAfghanistanMovement]

@@Ziad3195 Afghans are the same, we love poetry.

[@Ziad3195]

@@GreaterAfghanistanMovement beautiful, I didn't know.

[@Ziad3195]

What incredible and beautiful video and channel(s). Thank you.

[@easily12]

Alhamdulillah!☝️👸🕊️ Thanks for sharing a glimpse of the brilliance💎 of Islamic history in Europe!🌍

[@yaraalmostafa8173]

I just finished the novel : Garanada trilogy, by Radwa Ashour tilling the life of an arab familiy after the falling of Arab rulling of the Iberian peninsula, it was heart breaking and came after that immediately to this video.

[@nostalgicsighs5933]

Hello. First of all I´d like to say that I love your content and that I would really love a video of you showing us the diferents lectures or books that you consider the best or most interesting, those that have marked you as a person.

[@GilTheDragon]

Id always heard a similarity between flamenco singing & the adhan but the historical territorial link in al andaluz hadnt clicked until just now

[@Darkest_matter]

i like old arabic, persian, chinese and urdu/hindi love songs. one of my favourite songs is 'marjan kavire de'

[@craigdelaney8737]

Thank You for this Insight and Revelation to a Personally unknown aspect of the mideastern culture..👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Fascinating!😳💕🤔

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Thank you so much!

[@marcbrasse747]

Very nice. Thank you. It is high time I visit El Andalus. Somehow I feel very connected to it.

[@zacharyowens6664]

Another classic!

[@alaraab67Hu-nb5xw]

للغتي عربية ... مواضيعك رائعة ايها "الموسوعي الرائع =صاحب القناة " ...تصحيح لصدرالبيت الثاني ..يحسبن من "لين" الكلام فواحشا

[@cindchan]

Quite an interesting couple! And, oh my, that poetry! You weren't kidding when you said "spicy"! The backdrop in your video was beautiful! Where was this video made?

[@tariqyousaf9948]

It's a wonderful presentation.

[@jeraldbaxter3532]

Thank you!

[@StoneHerne]

😍 Beautiful! 😍

[@ecod7r]

excellent channel, one of the best in the world. Accurate information, no hiddin agendas.

[@user-yj6zs4ze1z]

Very nice video 🙂

[@Imaginary.Dragon]

Nice!

[@broximus4550]

Suggestion: I would love an episode about Oud or Qanun, including taqasim with different maqams. It would be interesting to take a detour into music.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Check out my other channel "Filip Holm" for music content like that.

[@Ziad3195]

​@@LetsTalkReligionhey, can you please talk about your favourite maqam music albums? I would be very, very interested in that. Especially of it was some Islamic Golden Age music, ah yes! Also, just a video about different types of maqams played on different instruments, their connotations, history, where and when they originated if we know etc would be super interesting!

[@schmules101]

That hand statue is beautiful

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Agreed!

[@kuroazrem5376]

Going through some love-related termoil I feel the poetry man.

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Hope the turmoil isn't too long lasting!

[@kuroazrem5376]

@@LetsTalkReligion it has lasted for the past 6 months!

[@kuroazrem5376]

Those dis-tracks are quite heavy man!

[@Aanandlahar]

Very wonderful teaching from Al Andalusi master Ibn Arabi *_Wahadat Al Wujood_* Everything derives it's *wujood* from the same Divine source

[@jaif7327]

Though Wallada is a celebrated poet i think she seems to be some sort of symbol for the general decadence of the Umayyad nobles during their twilight years.

[@9516cesar]

beautiful video, on time with me going through breakup

[@magickmagazine7675]

Beautiful

[@miguelmontoya]

Wonderful. Maravilla.

[@glenncbjones]

Professor Holm, Your lovely words, and your beautiful music, and your gorgeous visuals, are both compelling and also beguiling… Easily and solidly of such a rarified nature as to give an old “infidel” much serious pause… My breath returns only with great reluctance… - Namaste! Glenn Jones

[@nasirfazal5440]

Thanks!

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Thank YOU!

[@wissalmetir7840]

They were going for each other’s necks back then lol the palm tree line was hilarious

[@MhamadAlHaj]

Hello Philip, it was one thing when you read the Arabic text, we know you are doing your best and this is lovely in some sense. Though we might be more critical of the person reciting in this video as they can talk proper Arabic, though they didn't convey this in the recitation, a lot is missing in their reading.

[@Ziad3195]

Hey, as an Egyptian, I am wondering what are the faults in her readings you found.

[@MhamadAlHaj]

@@Ziad3195 its not faults in reading but more of a boring narration as if this is the first time they are reading this poem

[@Ziad3195]

@@MhamadAlHaj Actually, it turns out there are many faults. I didn't pick up on such faults though because sadly Arabic is weak :( Yeah, the narration is too passionless. Maybe she tried to come off more sensual.

[@MrNenai]

A Woman ❤ thanks for that sooooo much!!!

[@blancadominguez1268]

Thank you for this great video. 🙏 Could you share the name of the singer whose voice appears in the opening scene? I’m interested in flamenco and I love the way he mixes the arabic singing with flamenco cadences.

[@saint_gales]

when watching for the first time i legitimately thought that maybe this video was a way for you to tell us indirectly that you had found love with an arab woman, since wallada’s poems are recited in arab and his lover’s you voice yourself in english, which would fit the theme of their poetry, the intermingling of cultures, the courtly secrets, etc etc

[@flamencoprof]

This made me think of other literary scenes such as Henry Miller and Anaïs Nin, or Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group, or even the Laurel Canyon musical scene.

[@user-gr7wd4kg3e]

I'd love to learn more about this poetic diss battle... Can you recommend any sources with both the original Arabic and an English translation

[@LetsTalkReligion]

There are some articles in the list of sources in the description.

[@prairieelr]

@@LetsTalkReligion Thank you.

[@t0uchme]

Oh my god, that intro

[@MrEHD-fj1bz]

19:50 let me make something clear the name Walada in arabic means approximately : woman who give berth repeatedly or multiple times in the fist verse she said "Walada ,you become a walada" really sarcastic

[@rtbinc2273]

Wonderful video, I learned a lot. I wonder about the art that is shown. It is always in the same style but is not credited. Is it AI generated?

[@LetsTalkReligion]

It is not! In this video, I used a lot of paintings by Rudolf Ernst.

[@rtbinc2273]

@@LetsTalkReligion Thanks. You just don't know these days. I've been caught out by AI generated art and even KZbin shorts. I wish more KZbinrs would credit public domain art. I'd like to track some of it down and learn more. It can be very hard.

[@abdolmojeebnour9528]

عمل عظيم في قراءة الشعر الفصيح، هو الاصعب خصوصا لمتعلمي اللغة العربية من غير المتكلمين بها، مايزال الجهد مطلوبا لاجادة النطق خصوصا في اماكن التشديد، انصح بسماع الشعر الجاهلي وكتابة الالابيات كتابة صوتية بالحروف اللاتينية

[@abdolmojeebnour9528]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooSzp3WmarB5fNE this is the poem in a voice of an excellent reader, it will help capture the pronounciation and the rythm and melody of the classic arabic poetry

[@khanahsanimam]

Dear i really liked ur videos, Its kind request just make a video about The Martyr poet n Belong to Bahai faith. Tahirih Quratulain, she was killwd n her body was thrown in well in Tehran Iran

[@hmtmth8481]

Video on Tengri in Central Asia please

[@osamaj]

Question, how did they share their poetry back then? Was is at the majlis that they would read their poetry? And someone would tell them that the other responded to their last poem?

[@adamsnow4979]

Poetry used to be spread like newspapers

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

“Córdoba, lejana y sola Jaca negra, luna grande Y aceitunas en mi alforja.” - Federico García Lorca

[@mingfanzhang8927]

😊❤😊❤😊

[@nadie__nadie001]

Nice work! But at 4:01 you got the Arabic lines wrong! It's لين not ليل. The pronunciation of the voice had many mistakes too.

[@user-nu6dw7kl7u]

I think her comparison isn't a racist rather she refers to herself as the moon the full and the most important figure in the night sky and her slave as Jupiter which is considered in that time as a normal and small figure as all planets and stars (which refer to all women in comparison to herself)

[@Chiratalg]

Who is the singer at the start!!!!!

[@samwill7259]

If a woman is creating anger in the male authority figures around her That can only mean she's doing everything right

[@ixxrossorxxi6291]

That's one sick ''logic''.

[@saimbhat6243]

I mean COME ON!!!!!!! You are not even presenting an argument here. And what exactly is your definition of things being right and wrong? Historically, there are more men than women who have been opposed by other men. Women and men are, and should be subject to the same standard of right and wrong. The problem of the modern Muslim world is that onus is put on women to preserve traditions and morality, while as men are let free to live as unleashed p!gs.

[@samwill7259]

@@ixxrossorxxi6291 Stands up to historical scrutiny

[@reconscout2238]

No it doesnt generally women are not rational as men

[@123Jim91]

​@@samwill7259Not really no. Besides you know women with power are as bad as men. It is gender stereotypes and kinda pedestal mentality to...attribute sainthood to women. In fact, one can connect it to how involuntarily celibate guys think, the shattered image of an angel causing bitterness. I accept women are human and as humans are as bad as any human male even if in more subtle ways(though women are also more violent than you know, if they know they can get away with it, while men are less worried about consequences on average which is why men have higher rates of causing our own lack of life due to depression.)

[@InVinoVeratas]

I don't know much about the Moors, than through the game "Age of Empires", specifically "El Cid Spanish campaign" one of my most favorite campaigns. Been years since I played it, so i can't remember much. Interesting culture around the Moors and native Iberian populous, even in that game they spoke specifically how the different cultures worked together in the Moorish culture and side of Spain, compared to how Christian spain was very much a top to down structure society, where the King was absolute wnd everyone else had less and less rights.

[@Benito-lr8mz]

RECONQUISTA .

[@N.N.O.U.]

Why not get age of empires 2 DE, I need more ppl that are my noob level to play with me

[@Ziad3195]

​@@Benito-lr8mzthe reconquesta never happened. It is only a regular conquesta or conquest by people who had no right or business taking over Al-Andalus.

[@interhaker]

the voice actress that recited the poems butchered the prononciation.

[@arifahmed2403]

Ibn Rushd was spot on

[@rajawibisono7528]

I need tv series or drama anime for wallada life

[@madhegelian4816]

there is an Arabic series talking about the taifa period in al-Andalus named "Muluk al-Tawā'if" and a big part of it is talking about Ibn Zaydun political life and his relationship with Wallada.

[@batosato]

This is a wonderful video. This part of the Muslim history shows how open-minded and moderate Muslim Spain was which gave a perfect ground to produce great scholars

[@Kamamura2]

6:25 تنبيه فتاة جميلة!

[@behar225]

15:23 - Roasted!

[@willcwhite]

*provocateuse

[@waelian]

Great video but the two Arabic verses are pronounced wrong. E.g. Yuhsabna, yasudduhunna