Spain: what are your views regarding Andalucia?

Obviously we study this in Spain's History as it was, great development in the beggining, a disaster later that made possible that the christians would conquer it.

About what you said.... Al Andalus was never an empire but a Caliphate. The Caliphate of Cordoba, since Al-Andalus was the name the muslims gave to the peninsula, but not the actual name of any country.

800 years? No.

As an unified country it only lasted from 756 to 1039. After that we'd be talking about Taifas. What are Taifas? Basically, the Caliphate collapsed and every important noblemen decided to be a king in his region, so Al-Andalus split in 32 Taifas or independent kingdoms that would fight against each other. Is then when the christian kingdoms started their expansion.

This Taifas period lasted half a century until the Almoravids expanded their empire into Al-Andalus. As in the time of the Caliphate, the economy and the arts flourished, but this time the rulers did not accept the tolerance policy towards other religions, and established an strong apartheid system, closing churches and discriminating jews and christians.

Because of this intolerance christians in the islamic area decided that living in an islamic Spain was no longer safe and asked for help to the christian kingdoms, but they don't succeed and are defeated, even though the get a little bit more of land.

By mid XII century the almoravid empire collapse and the almohads take over their empire. Their strong military skills helped keeping their empire, but their integrism would push people to press on christians to conquer Al-Andalus.

In 1212 in Navas de Tolosa the Almohads are defeated. From then on islamic Spain would split in Taifas again, being Granada the last survivor.

We study this...... obviously with a little bit more of detail........

Summary.... great time with the Caliphate. The Almoravids try to restore peace and economic prosperity after the Taifas period, but they do not keep at all the religious tolerance. The Almohads stablish an integrist regime.

When people think about Al-Andalus and how great it was they think about the first 200 years and think that the 800 years of muslim presence in Spain was like that..... nope....... is the integrism and the corruption in 600 of the 800 years that they stayed that made possible the Reconquista.

I spent last week visiting Moorish architecture and historical sites. It was the most fantastic experience. The architecture was simply awe inspiring. So were the mosques. In Cordoba, there is the Mezquita which is a mosque with a cathedral built in the middle of it. It is difficult to tell you how vast this amazing building is. If you are interested in history, look up on Google "Medina Al Azahara". That was a lost city which is now being rediscovered.

Andalucia is beautiful province, stunning scenery and a diverse economy. Andalucia is a great growing area. Much of Spain's fruit crop was introduced into Spain by the Moors.

Over a thousand years ago the Muslims, Jews and Christians all lived in harmony. Cordoba was one of the richest and largest cities in Europe. Spain was very prosperous in the Moorish reign, but as we all know. Distrust of each religion, eventually everything fell apart, not just in Spain, but throughout the world.

I'm Spanish, I grew up in San Sebastian and then Madrid (just for a little background). My parents live in Sevilla now, and I love it! I love the culture that they have there, it's so different from the rest of Spain. The vibrancy that they have there, is hard to describe, but it's unique from Madrid or Barcelona. I like it a lot, and I'm always happy when I can spend time there.

As I look around town, it does not appear that the Muslim occupation of Spain has diminished.

I was taught almost nothing about Spanish history at school. Why should I have been? I was not educated in Spain.

I think it made for what is now one of the most beautiful places in the world. It wouldn't be what it is without the past that built it.