Edad Media: Islam y Reinos Cristianos Exhibition at Casa de la Moneda Museum – A Journey Through Medieval Numismatic History

This exhibition delves into the numismatic history of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, exploring the coinage of Islamic states and the Christian kingdoms. It highlights the transition of coinage from Roman and Germanic influences to Islamic currencies without imagery and later Christian coins featuring rulers and heraldic symbols.

The 'Edad Media: Islam y Reinos Cristianos' exhibition traces the evolution of coinage in the Iberian Peninsula from the fall of the Western Roman Empire through the Middle Ages. It details the monetary landscape shaped by successive political entities, including the continuation of Roman tradition by the Byzantine Empire and the establishment of Germanic kingdoms. A significant portion focuses on the period from the 8th century onwards, when the western frontier between Christian and Islamic worlds lay within the peninsula. The exhibition showcases the development of Islamic coinage, noting its inheritance from Byzantine and Sasanian traditions, and its notable absence of figurative imagery. It covers the gold dinar, silver dirham, and copper felús minted by Islamic states, including the fragmented taifa kingdoms and the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties, highlighting specific currency types like the quirate and the dobla. The section on Christian Kingdoms illustrates the reintroduction of figurative representations on coins, such as rulers' portraits and heraldic symbols, alongside inscriptions, showcasing the distinct monetary emissions of various Christian states by the late 11th century.