Estatua de Ibn Hazam - Cordoba

He was born in 994 in the Muslim quarter of al-Mugira, now San Lorenzo, at a time when Cordoba was one of the most populous cities in the world and, of course , the largest in Europe at the time .

Of Muladi descent, he was brought up in the palatial court of al-Hakem II, for his father was a civil servant. At the age of fourteen he began to study with the best masters of the time. He also visited a minority group of young men from the upper classes of Cordoba, who devoted themselves entirely to literature. This environment would change when civil war broke out in Al-Andalus, due to the death of his father and the destruction of the city, to which he would return only on rare occasions. After his political struggle against the illegality of the Taifas of Al-Andalus, he retired to his village of Montija (Huelva), where he died in 1064. I bn-Hazm maintained a prolific literary activity.

He wrote more than 400 works ranging in subject matter from political, theological, historical and literary nature. His most important work is undoubtedly The Necklace of the Dove, of great literary importance, as it influenced medieval amorous productions and gave rise to the theme of courtly love.

Willem Vandenameele