Why Tudela is so different

Tudela is, in some ways, the black sheep of Navarre. Despite being the second biggest city in this northern region, it has very little in common with its big brother Pa[mplona](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/the-citadel-of-pamplona-the-most-impressive-fortress-in-spain-fl32), and is often overlooked by visitors in favour of Navarre's capital and mountainous rural areas where one can find traditional Basque culture, green mountains, dense forests and waterfalls. However, those who are adventurous enough to make the day trip to Tudela from Pamplona are treated to quite a unique experience and often mention being overcome by the feeling of having visited another country. So what exactly is it that makes them feel this way? Why is Tudela so different from the rest of Navarre?

Aside from the fact that the warmer and drier climate in Tudela is vastly different from the rest of Navarre, which is often chilly and never shy of rain, the city did in fact once belong to another country. From 747 to 929 AD, Tudela was the capital city of the Banu Qasi territory, which was a small Muslim state that was independent of the Christian Kingdoms to its North as well as the Muslim empire to its south. Even after the fall of the Banu Qasi, Tudela remained a Muslim city until the Christian invasion of 1119.

Navarre is more than often viewed as a traditionally Basque place, part of the greater Basque region, and home of the historical Kingdom of Navarre. It is, of course, all of those things. But little is ever mentioned of the fact that the south of Navarre, where Tudela lies, remained separate from that identity for centuries. In the land of Banu Qasi, Jews, Arabs and Mozarabs (Iberian Christians who lived under Muslim rule and spoke Arabic) lived side by side speaking a mixed bag of languages while the rest of Navarre, which was Christian, would have seemed like another world. How did that happen? Well, it was all down to a man known as Count Cassius.

Count Cassius was a nobleman who was believed to be of Visigothic descent (the Visigoths were a Germanic tribe that ruled the Iberian Peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire). In 714, just three years after the Muslim conquest of Spain began, Count Cassius converted to Islam in Zaragoza and founded the Banu Qasi. It is also said that after his conversion, he travelled to Damascus to swear his allegiance to the Muslim empire.

The Banu Qasi territory, nevertheless, remained largely independent from that empire and enjoyed relatively good diplomatic relations with both Muslim and Christian powers surrounding it, in spite of some skirmishes. In fact, Banu Qasi nobility frequently intermarried with Christians and did so to such an extent that their leader, at one point, Musa ibn Musa was the maternal half-brother of King Íñigo Arista of Pamplona. Imagine that; two brothers, one Muslim and one Christian, ruling over neighbouring kingdoms with totally different cultures. 

"Today in Tudela, you will find a city that feels like it's still not part of Navarre; a city that belongs to a place that time has forgotten."