Al-Andalus

 Islamic rule in Spain, known as Al-Andalus, lasted from 711 to 1492 and had a profound and lasting influence on the Iberian Peninsula. Here's a concise overview:

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📜 Timeline of Islamic Rule in Spain

• 711: Muslim forces, mostly Berbers and Arabs, led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, crossed from North Africa and defeated the Visigothic king Roderic.

• 756–1031: The Umayyad Emirate and later Caliphate of Córdoba became a major cultural, scientific, and political center in Europe.

• 1031–1492: Decline into smaller kingdoms (Taifas) followed by gradual Christian reconquest (Reconquista), ending with the fall of Granada.

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🌟 Key Features of Islamic Spain

🏛️ Cultural and Scientific Flourishing

• Al-Andalus became a center of learning, especially in Córdoba, which rivaled Baghdad.

• Advances were made in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, and agriculture.

• Classical Greek and Roman texts were preserved and translated into Arabic, later into Latin.

🕌 Religious and Ethnic Diversity

• Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted in a system known as dhimmi status: non-Muslims paid a tax (jizya) but could practice their religion.

• This period of relative tolerance, especially during the Caliphate of Córdoba, is sometimes called La Convivencia (The Coexistence), though this varied over time and place.

🏗️ Architectural Legacy

• Islamic rule left a rich architectural heritage, including:

  • The Great Mosque of Córdoba

  • The Alhambra in Granada

  • The Giralda in Seville

⚔️ Political Fragmentation and Decline

• After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Spain fractured into many Taifas (city-states), weakening Islamic power.

• Christian kingdoms in the north (Castile, Aragon, León) gradually reclaimed land in the Reconquista.

🏴 End of Islamic Rule

• In 1492, the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, conquered Granada, the last Muslim stronghold.

• Soon after, Muslims (and Jews) faced forced conversions, expulsions, or persecution under the Spanish Inquisition.

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📚 Lasting Impact

• The Islamic presence deeply influenced Spanish language, agriculture, architecture, philosophy, and science.

• Words of Arabic origin remain in modern Spanish (e.g., almohada, aceituna, azúcar).It's estimated that over 4,000 Spanish words have Arabic roots.

  Here are some key examples:

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  🏡 Everyday Words of Arabic Origin

  Spanish Word	Arabic Origin	Meaning
  aceituna	zaytūn (زيتون)	olive
  azúcar	as-sukkar (السكر)	sugar
  almohada	al-mikhaddah (المخدة)	pillow
  alcalde	al-qāḍī (القاضي)	mayor (literally “judge”)
  almohada	al-mikhaddah	pillow
  albahaca	al-ḥabaqa (الحبق)	basil
  azul	lazaward (لازورد)	blue (via Persian too)
  naranja	nāranj (نارنج)	orange (fruit)

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  🛠️ Technical and Scientific Terms

  Spanish Word	Arabic Origin	Meaning
  álgebra	al-jabr (الجبر)	algebra
  cero	ṣifr (صفر)	zero
  algoritmo	from al-Khwārizmī	algorithm (named after Persian mathematician)

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  🌾 Agricultural and Architectural Terms

  Spanish Word	Arabic Origin	Meaning
  acequia	as-sāqiya (الساقية)	irrigation ditch
  alhaja	al-ḥājah (الحاجة)	jewel, valuable thing
  alcázar	al-qaṣr (القصر)	fortress or palace

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  Why So Many Arabic Words?

  • Arabic became the language of administration, science, trade, and daily life in many parts of medieval Spain.

  • Many terms persisted even after the Reconquista due to their practical use and the blending of cultures.