raw a ▁in ▁North ▁Africa ▁against ▁F at im id ▁expansion ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁the ▁Um ay y ad ▁C ali ph ate ▁of ▁C ór dob a . ▁ ▁His ▁ ▁half ▁a ▁century ▁reign ▁( 9 1 2 – 9 6 1 ) ▁of ▁al - And alus Mus lim ▁I ber ian ▁Spain ▁ ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁religious ▁toler ance . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Abd ▁al - R ah man ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁C ór dob a , ▁on ▁ 7 / 1 1 ▁January ▁ 8 8 9 / 9 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁grand son ▁of ▁Abd ul lah ▁ibn ▁Muhammad ▁al - U ma wi , ▁sevent h ▁independent ▁Um ay y ad ▁em ir ▁of ▁al - And alus . ▁His ▁parents ▁were ▁Abd ul lah ' s ▁son ▁Muhammad ▁and ▁M uz na ▁( or ▁M uz ay na ), ▁a ▁Christian ▁conc ub ine . ▁His ▁pat ernal ▁grand m other ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁Christian , ▁the ▁royal ▁inf anta ▁On ne ca ▁Fort ú nez , ▁daughter ▁of ▁the ▁capt ive ▁king ▁Fort ún ▁Garc és ▁of ▁Pam pl ona . ▁Abd ▁al - R ah man ▁was ▁thus ▁nep hew ▁in ▁the ▁half - blo od ▁of ▁queen ▁Tod a ▁of ▁Pam pl ona . ▁He ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁having ▁" white ▁skin , ▁blue ▁eyes ▁and ▁attract ive ▁face ; ▁good ▁looking , ▁although ▁somewhat ▁st ur dy ▁and ▁st out . ▁His ▁legs ▁were ▁short ,