Wallada bint al-Mustakfi (994–1087 or 1091) was one of the most celebrated women poets of al-Andalus. A passionate and emancipated woman, she fiercely asserted her independence.
The caliph’s daughter
Wallada’s father, Muhammad III, was briefly caliph of Córdoba. Her mother was probably Sukkara al-Mawruriyya, an Iberian slave who was reportedly the real power behind the throne.
Wallada’s father proved to be a weak ruler and reigned for only eighteen months before his death in 1025. However, Wallada inherited considerable wealth and property from him. Free and unmarried, she was thus able to live entirely on her own terms.
The defiant poet
Wallada was a beautiful woman, probably fair-haired or red-haired. She was highly educated and admired as an exemplary poet for her mastery of classical poetry. She also knew how to play the lute.
She was famous for refusing to wear a veil, even in public, and for her taste for scandalously sheer clothing. Wallada also hosted a mixed-gender poetry salon in her home. When she was called a harlot by Córdoba’s chief judge, she responded by asserting her rights and embroidering defiant verses onto her clothes.
On the right shoulder of her cloak were the words:
“I am, by Allah, fit for high positions And am going by my way with pride.”
And on the left shoulder:
“Forsooth I allow my lover to kiss my cheek And bestow my kisses on him who craves it.”
Tempestuous love affairs
Only about ten of Wallada’s poems survive, and most of them deal with love and satire. Like other Andalusian noblewomen, Wallada wrote openly about love affairs and sexuality. In this respect, she was neither an exception nor a product of absent male guardians.
Wallada is best known for her relationship with Ibn Zaydun, one of the major poets of her time, to whom she dedicated poems.
Be ready to visit me as darkness gathers For I believe the night keeps all its secrets best The love I feel for you - did the sun feel it thus - It would not shine, moon would not rise, stars would cease travelling
And:
“Must separation mean we have no way to meet ? Ay! Lovers all moan about their troubles. For me it is a winter not a try sting time, Crouching over the hot coals of desire. If we're apart, nothing can be otherwise. How soon just the very thing I feared Was what my destiny delivered. Night after night And separation going on and on and on, Nor does my being patient free me from The shackles of my longing. Please God There may be winter rains pelting copiously down To irrigate the earth where you now dwell.”
Their affair ended when Ibn Zaydun betrayed her with one of her slavewomen. Fierce in both love and hatred, Wallada retaliated with biting verses:
“They'll call you the Hexagon, an epithet Properly yours even after you drop dead: Pederast, pimp, adulterer, Gigolo, cuckold, cheat.”
Another of Wallada’s loves was a woman named Muhja bint al-Tayyani. Muhja, the daughter of a fig seller, was a member of Wallada’s salon. Recognizing her talent, Wallada became her mentor. The two women eventually became lovers, and the poems Wallada wrote for Muhja were reportedly so explicit that they have been lost. Their relationship later deteriorated, and Muhja composed a poem accusing Wallada of having borne a child out of wedlock.
Wallada continued to write poetry until the end of her long life, in 1087 or 1091. Most of her work, however, has not survived.
If you enjoy this blog, consider supporting me on Ko-fi!
Further reading:
Afsaruddin Asma, “Poetry and Love: the Feminine Contribution in Medieval Spain.”
Amer Sahar, “Medieval Arab Lesbians and Lesbian-Like Women”
Cox-Carstairs Irene, “Fit for High Positions: The Life of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi”
Shamsie Kamila, “Librarians, rebels, property owners, slaves: Women in al-Andalus”
Ulh Patrice, “Les trois vies posthumes de Wallāda bint al-Mustakfi, poétesse et princesse ‘Umayyade”
