Final answer:
The Caliphate of Cordoba differed from Germanic kingdoms by encouraging cultural diversity and intellectual advancements, attracting a diverse population, and focusing on administrative, cultural, and commercial prosperity instead of solely militaristic conquests.
Step-by-step explanation:
In what ways was the Caliphate of Cordoba different from Germanic kingdoms? The most accurate answer is option b) It encouraged cultural diversity and intellectual advancements. Unlike Germanic kingdoms, the Caliphate of Cordoba was a multicultural society that sustained diplomatic and commercial ties with a vast network extending across the Mediterranean and into sub-Saharan Africa. The Caliphate of Cordoba was known for its tolerance of diverse cultures and religions under the concept of convivencia, or living together, where Christians and Jews were considered 'protected' and were able to contribute to the intellectual and cultural flowering of the era.
The Caliphate of Cordoba was characterized by a vibrant urban life, with Cordoba being a populous city famed for its scholars, craftspeople, and merchants. The caliphate's focus on administrative prowess, learning, and arts, along with their emphasis on trade and commerce, attracted a diverse population of Spaniards, Arabs, Berbers, Christians, and a flourishing community of Jews. This contributed to the development of a hybrid culture that became a beacon of prosperity and intellectual achievement in medieval Europe.
Furthermore, the Caliphate of Cordoba sought to control and influence regions through cultural and religious leadership rather than through military conquest, distinguishing it from the often more militaristic Germanic kingdoms. It engaged in significant architectural, agricultural, and infrastructural developments, differentiating it in sophistication and reach from its contemporaries in the Germanic north.