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Jun 4th

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON A NEW BEGINNING (Obama’s full speech) Cairo University – Cairo, Egypt – June 4, 2009

Cordoba:

It was captured in 716 by the Muslims, and Cordoba became capital during the Umayyad Caliphate, the period of its apogee [...] Cordoba – called قرطبة (Qurţuba) in Arabic –was one of the most advanced cities in the world, as well as a great cultural, political and economic centre. The Cordoba Mosque dates back to this time. In 1236 it was captured by King Ferdinand III during the Spanish Reconquista. (From Wikipedia)

Inquisition:

The Spanish Inquisition was an ecclesiastical tribunal started in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the medieval inquisition which was under papal control. The new body was under the direct control of the Spanish monarchy. It was not definitively abolished until 1834, during the reign of Isabella II.

The Inquisition, as an ecclesiastical tribunal, had jurisdiction only over baptized Christians. (From Wikipedia)

By the way, Barack Obama also mentions “Turkey’s leadership in the Alliance of Civilizations“. Tsk … tsk…, someone’s got ahead of Zapatero.