History Commons^™

Hi-01 The Loves & Controversies Of Wallada Bint Al-Mustakfi, Livingston Hawkins Iii, Ethan G. Birney

SC Upstate Research Symposium

Wallada bint al-Mustakfi (1001-1091) is best known as a poet from the early High Middle Ages. Living in Islamic Spain, Wallada was the daughter of Muhammad III, a Cordoban ruler. Her poetry often discussed love in the abstract, as well as her specific relationships. Nine of her poems have been preserved, and eight of those nine are about Ibn Zaydún, who is often seen as the greatest love of her life. As the sole heir to her father and as a prominent female writer, Wallada transgressed some cultural and societal norms in a variety of ways. However, she also fulfilled …