Al-Andalus (World of Sultans)

''This article is about Al-Andalus or Andalucia following the Andromeda timeline. In the Milky Way Timeline (the one we currently live in), Andalucia is a southern Spanish province.''

Andalusia (Andalusian: اندلسيا, Arabic: الاندلس Al-Andalus, Spanish: Andalucia) officially the Kingdom of Al-Andalus or Kingdom of Andalusia is a country located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula in western Europe with two islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Al-Andalus is the only majority-Muslim inhabited country in Europe, especially for a western European country. Andalusians speak their own version of Arabic known and officially registered as Andalusian. Andalusia is bordered by Spain to the north and Portugal to the west.

History
Andalusia's history mirrors that of Spain and Portugal's. Human-like remains have been found in what is now Andalusia and Spain that date back to 1.2 million years back.

Roman Era
During the Second Punic Wars, the Romans extended their territory to conquer what is now Andalusia and Spain around 210 BC after defeating Hannibal. The peoples of Iberia eventually began speaking the Latin language. The Iberian Peninsula was known as Hispania which is the ancient Latin-Roman name for this state. Eventually Portugal became ''Lustiania. ''Around 409 AD is when the Roman Empire would eventually decay, this is when the Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula would start.

Moorish Muslim Era

In 711 AD, Spain and Portugal were conquered by the Moors, a Muslim Empire from North Africa. This is where Andalusia's name stems from. Al-Andalus was not a "unified empire". Several different Muslim empires would emerge in Andalusia. The three types were emirates, caliphates and sultanates (the most common). Caliphates and emirates are Muslim kingdoms of a certain dynasty. Sultanates are more loosely-ruled. Different Arab and Muslim armies also fought for control over Al-Andalus. The Moors formed the Sultantate of Al-Andalus which covered nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula. Córdoba became the capital of the Al-Andalus Sultanate. Other large cities included Granada and modern-day Seville which were caliphates and emirates. The Moors built many structures, include one made from the remains of an old Roman temple and Visiogothic church. They also built the Alhambra Palace which housed the Sultan and his queen and those of the royal status. Christians were allowed to remain practicing their faiths of course to pay an extra tax. This self-competition amongst the Arabs and Muslims themselves would prove to be a great disadvantage for them as this allowed Spanish, Portuguese and French soldiers to successfully re-capture the Iberian Peninsula and revert the people to Catholicism.

The Reconquista
Starting in 722 AD, would be the Reconquista. This is a Spanish and Portuguese word meaning "the recapturing" in which European forced would re-capture the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslim rule. Europeans such as the Franks also helped in this invasion. In 1492, Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in southern Spain was destroyed and taken over. Muhammad XII refused to surrender himself, he said, "I would rather die fighting for God than to submit to Spain." Muhammad XII fought to the last bit of energy before bleeding to death in battle. Thus, Spain, Andalusia and Portugal remained under European and Catholic control. Following the Reconquista, much of the Arabic architecture remained intact in Spain. But they were converted to Catholic churches. Many of the majority former Muslims were reverted to Roman Catholicism. For a while, former Muslims were allowed to keep speaking Arabic and follow their traditional culture. Eventually that was eliminated and many speakers of Arabic were expelled from the kingdom. The reason the Arabs could not hold the Spanish forces back were due to the lack of a "unified" army between the Arabs. This allowed the Europeans to reconquer the Iberian Peninsula.

Spanish Occupation
Andalusia then became a territory of Spain, known as ''Andalucia. ''The Arabic and Islamic influence in the region simply became a remnant for a short while. Most of the population converted to Roman Catholicism. It isn't until 1540 that the Second Reconquista began.

Second Arab Invasion - 1541
In 1541, a fleet of 10,003 Arab soldiers crossed the Mediterranean Sea north onto Andalusia. The Arab general Ahmed al-Akbay said, "We have been planning this for a long, long time." Spanish and Portuguese soldiers caught the upcoming invasions from the Mediterranean Sea. Spain did not expect such an invasion, and at the time was very busy with their newly acquired territores elsewhere such as Mexico and Philippines (who to had a Muslim population). A force of 400 Spanish soldiers was available in Andalusia. This force came to re-siege Granada. Granada was easily recaptured by the Arabs. Not many soldiers escaped to warn the Spanish government in Madrid that Andalusia was being reconquered by Muslim armies. Ahmed al-Akbay travelled to Portugal and made a deal with the King of Portugal of African territory if he helped the Arabs attack Spain. The Portuguese agreed.

Battles of Seville and Merida
Another force of Arab warriors with horses arrived from the Kingdom of Morocco to siege Seville and drive the Spanish garrison out of the city. The retreating Spanish soldiers were attacked by Portuguese soldiers. Catholic priests were slain across the way. The Spanish garrison in Merida also faced an onslaught by Portuguese soldiers. As the Spanish were about to gain a bare victory, the oncoming Arab forces sieged Merida.

Spain Lets Go of Other Territories - General Legazpi Returns
On February 21, 1567, Legazpi arrived in Spain through northern Portugal having travelled through Mexico and British America. Legazpi had originally been the Spanish general of the Philippines, who too had been dealing with Muslim armies until his capture. The Spanish government begged the Arab, Chinese and Malay armies in the Philippines to sent Legazpi back in return for that, independance to the Philippines. General Miguel Legazpi was one of Spain's most best and skilled generals. By this time the Arab and Portuguese armies had already conquered southern Spain and were on their way to reaching central Spain. Legazpi was pretty skeptical and quite scared since he had fought and lost against an Arab army in the Philippines. Nonetheless, Legazpi agreed to fight. He said, "I failed to defeat them in the Philippines, but I won't fail to here in my Spanish homeland."

Battle of Valencia
Legazpi assembled a force of 2,000 Spanish soldiers in Valencia. A force of 3,000 Spanish soldiers armed with cannons waited west until given the green lights to attack. On February 25, 1567 Muslim armies arrived in Valencia. The Spanish soldiers attacked with their crossbows and cannons. As the Arabs penetrated up north, the force of 4,000 Spanish soldiers ambushed the Muslim armies in Valencia. As reinforcements of Arab soldiers attempted to counter-pincer the Spanish soldiers, they were struck back when Spanish soldiers on horses attacked the Muslims from Madrid and Las Hurdes. Legazpi also sent a force of Spanish navy to the Balearic Islands. Meanwhile on land, the Spanish soldiers advanced south to prevent and block any help from coming to the Balaeric Islands. This marked the first Spanish victory in the Second Reconquista.

Battle of Córdoba
Legazpi's forces did not stop. Legazpi's Spanish forces kept pushing the Moorish armies further south until they got to Córdoba. Here the Arab soldiers stopped retreated and fought with every inch that they coould. Portuguese forces also aided the Arab soldiers in the battle. Legazpi's garrison back in the Balearic Islands sent a force of 2,000 Spanish soldiers to cross the Mediterranean Sea and attack the Arab-Moorish strongholds in southeastern Andalusia. This enabled the surrounding of Arab armies and garrisons in southern Andalusia who were becoming pushed west towards Portugal. Unfortunately, Legazpi would lose his life in this battle despite very early success. On February 30, 1567 reinforcements from Morroco, Tunisia and Egypt drove the remaining Spanish forces out of Córdoba. General Legazpi was captured once more, but this time Legazpi wasn't spared. Shortly before his death and beheading, Legazpi said, "Where have I been through this before? This isn't the first time, it eventually has to happen." He was referring to his previous capture in the Philippines. His severed head was sent to Madrid where the king and queen had been praying inside a church. The Arabs also advanced and attacked the Spanish soldiers in southwestern Andalusia who had surrounded Arab soldiers, this reconquering continued to the Balearic Islands where the Spanish soldiers surrendered.

Spanish Failed Attempts to Retake Andalusia
With the Portuguese on their side, the Arabs kept defeating Spanish soldiers. Eventually Spain had to get help from France to attempt to defeat the Arab forces. The king of Spain was horrified at losing his best general. For three more years, Spanish and French soldiers would attempt to fight with Arab and Portuguese soldiers for control of Andalusia. The retreating Spanish soldiers reached the garrison at Valencia. The Spanish soldiers tried their best to hold off the Arab armies who were scared to fight without such a bright general like Legazpi. A Spanish soldier of an unknown name said, "We could not hold them off. What is the use of a strong army without a strong leadership? It like, a big strong body without a head, fighting against another big strong body with a head. I am not going to lie, the Arabs are too strong for us." The Arabs were also skilled astronomers and mathematicians. This allowed them to use their insights to obliterate the Spanish garrison at Valencia who after holding off the Arab armies for two days, finally retreated towards Madrid where the Arab soldiers chased them. Several more battles occured at the Spanish-Andalusian borders in Toledo, Cuidad Real and Cacares. These battles lasted less than a day and were "no-contests" having the Arab forces manhandle the Spanish forces.

Spain Submits Once More and Surrenders Completely
Knowing that Andalusia, just like the Philippines, couldn't be reconquered; the Spanish Crown surrendered and gave up Andalusia. King Phillip II of Spain said, "We are losing too much men. Abandon Andalucia at all costs." Phillip II made a deal with the Arab forces, that divided the borders between Spain and Andalusia. The Treaty of Sevilla was signed between Andalusia's sultan and Spain's king. This handed over all of Andalusia to the Arabs while the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula that wasn't Portugal was Spain. On March 2, 1580 the indepnedance from Spain was made nationawide in Andalusia.

Muslim Missionaries Revert Andalusians to Islam
When Spain and Portugal reconquered the Iberian Peninsula, the Muslim populations were converted to Roman Catholicism. Muslim missionaries from North Africa reverted the peoples to Islam, whether they be of Arab or Iberian descent. The Arabic language re-emerged as the national language of Andalusia. Much like the Philippines, the buildings that the Spanish coverted to Catholicism were reverted and converted to mosques. Catholic priests and those who chose not to convert fled to Spain up north.

Modern Day Politics and Administrations
Today Andalusia is a monarchy like Spain to the north, known as the Kingdom of Andalusia and the Caliphate of Al-Andalus. Andalusia is ruled by a Caliph, a Muslim king who is a descendant of Muhammad. The difference between sultanates and caliphates is that caliphates are ruled by a person who must be a descendant of Muhammad. The political capital of Andalusia is Córdoba although the house seating the Sultan is located in Granada in a beautiful imperial house known as the Al-Hambra formerly known as the Alhambra with the Spanish. Andalusia was once a province of Spain, but Andalusia itself has been broken up into a total of 10 provinces. The current Caliph of Andalusia is Yaacob bin Yousef.

Culture, Language and People
Andalusia's culture is a very distinct type of Arab culture. There is Spanish and much other Iberian influence since Andalusia was once part of the Roman Empire and Kingdom of Spain. Andalusian architecture retains its fushion of Moorish and Visiogothic style architecture. Andalusia's cuisine also bears much resemblance to Spain's, although no pork or alcohol is ever present in Andalusian cuisine. The national language of Andalusia is Andalusian, and official languages include Spanish and Standard Arabic. Andalusian is the national register of Arabic spoken in Andalusia. Andalusian is also its own version of Arabic which contain big differences from Egyptian Arabic and Eastern Arabic. Andalusian contains Latin and Spanish loanwords. In Andalusia, it is important to differenciate Andalusian from standard Arabic. When one refers to the language as Arabic, Andalusians will know if the person is from the Middle East. Andalusian Arabic is also referred to the version of Arabic spoken in Andalusia. Standard Arabic however is well-understood and declared an official language in Andalusia. Spanish is also an official language since there are many people in Andalusia who can still speak the Spanish language. Many of these Spanish speakers are descendants of Castilians who settled in Andalusia during the Reconquista. Islam makes up 98% of the religion in Andalusia. Historically the people had been Roman Catholics, converted to Islam by the First Moorish Invasion, reverted to Catholicism during the Reconquista and reverted to Islam in the Second Reconquista, or the Second Moorish Invasion. Two percent of Andalusians still follow Roman Catholicism. Arabs and Spanish people make up the predominant ethnicities in Andalusia. Andalusia is also home to a majority Spanish Muslim population.