What kind of society was Al-Andalus?

The society of Al Andalus was made up of three main religious groups: Christians, Muslims and Jews. The Muslims, though united on the religious level, had several ethnic divisions, the main being the distinction between the Berbers and the Arabs.

What is another name for Al-Andalus?

Al-Andalus,[a] also known as Muslim Spain, Muslim Iberia, or Islamic Iberia, was a medieval Muslim territory and cultural domain that in its early period included most of Iberia, today’s Portugal and Spain.

What is the Reconquista and why is it important?

The significance of la Reconquista in Spain was that it was a period marked by Christian re-conquest of Christian territory that had been seized by the Muslim kingdoms. The idea was to expel the Moors (Muslims) from the Iberian Peninsula ending Muslim rule in the region.

Why are Moors called Moors?

Derived from the Latin word “Maurus,” the term was originally used to describe Berbers and other people from the ancient Roman province of Mauretania in what is now North Africa. Over time, it was increasingly applied to Muslims living in Europe.

How long was Spain ruled by the Moors?

800 years
For nearly 800 years the Moors ruled in Granada and for nearly as long in a wider territory of that became known as Moorish Spain or Al Andalus.

Why is it called Andalucia?

The name “Andalusia” is derived from the Arabic word Al-Andalus (الأندلس). The toponym al-Andalus is first attested by inscriptions on coins minted in 716 by the new Muslim government of Iberia. The etymology of the name “al-Andalus” has traditionally been derived from the name of the Vandals.

What does Reconquista mean in English?

Reconquest
Reconquista, English Reconquest, in medieval Spain and Portugal, a series of campaigns by Christian states to recapture territory from the Muslims (Moors), who had occupied most of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century.