Al-Andalus (World of Sultans)

The Republic of Andalusia (Mozarabic: La Jumurijah de Al-Andalus, Arabic: جمهورية الأندلس, Al-Jumhūrīyah al-Andalus, Spanish: La República de Andalucía) also known as Al-Andalus or Andalusia is a country located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula in western Europe with two islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Andalusia is located within a close proximity of Morocco's northern border. Al-Andalus is one of three Muslim countries in Europe, the other two being Albania and Turkey.

Andalusia has a rich history and culture, having a blend of Western European, Middle Eastern and North African influence.

Most Andalusians speak Mozarabic as well as Andalusian Arabic and Spanish.

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 ''Lusitania. ''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 various states 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 Visogothic 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.

Morisco Revolt
When the Muslims lost control of Spain, King Philip signed a treaty with the Muslims allowing them religious freedom for sovereignty. However, due to Moorish and other Muslim revolts, the Kings of Spain retracted and began a period of assimilation for the Arabs, Jews and Berbers of Andalusia. These converts to Roman Catholics were known as Moriscos, and were prohibited from ever following Arab culture. A Morisco general by the name of Aben Humeya, his correct Arabic name Ibn Umayyah (Arabic: بن أمية), led a revolt in the Alpujarras Mountains. Aben Humeya eventually seized control of the Alpujarras Region of Spain, defeating Castilian and other European forces. King Ferdinand II of Aragon was defeated, he and his forces retreated to the northern parts where they were chased by the Morisco armies. However, Ferdinand II and the united Christian armies of the north were able to fend off the invading Moriscos.

Treaty of Andalusia
After several failed invasions and incursions into the southern Iberian Peninsula by the Spanish Christian armies, Aben Humeya signed the Treaty of Andalusia with the northern Catholic kings. This would promise that each one another would stay away from each other's territories. The Treaty of Andalusia divided the Iberian Peninsula into a Morisco-controlled south, and a Spanish Christian-controlled north.

Afterwards, Aben Humeya proclaimed himself sultan. However, this resulted in a civil war with his cousin Aben Aboo, commencing the Morisco Civil War. Aben Aboo emerged victorious and Aben Humeya was killed. Aben Aboo proclaimed himself the new undisputed ruler of Al-Andalus, adopting the titles Sultan and Emir.

However, Aben Aboo treated his deceased cousin with respect, holding a proper funeral for him, and promising to continue Aben Humeya's policies. One of these policies was the re-opening of trade with North Africa, as more Muslims were brought in from North Africa, many of them searching for new job opportunities.

Rule of Fajad Aben Aboo the "Muslim Reconquista"
Fajad Aben Aboo, a grandson of Aben Aboo, converted to Islam and established a sultanate in Al-Andalus. Fajad Aben Aboo, wanted to avenge the expulsion of the Moriscos, by instigating what is known as the "Muslim Reconquista". Castilian-speaking Catholics, who had lived in Al-Balansiya, underwent deportations, many were deported to the Christian nation of Spain up north.

Second Andalusian-Spanish Wars
In the 1500s, the Spanish Empire had grown powerful. Waleed, the Sultan of Al-Andalus saw Spain's growing power as an imminent threat, and feared that the Imperial Spanish Army would launch a ground invasion of Al-Andalus in an act of vengance for Aben Humeya's victory against them.

The Spanish Empire wanted to convert the natives of its conquered territories to Roman Catholicism. Knowing this, Sultan Waleed built massive foritications and military defenses in northern Al-Andalus. He sent scouts to spy on Imperial Spanish activity. In addition, Sultan Waleed purchased weapons from the British Empire, an enemy of Spain - knowing that his military's equipment was outdated compared to the superior weaponry of the Imperial Spanish Army. In addition, Sultan Waleed ordered civilians to remain heavily armed, and keep weapons, ammunition and anything that could be used to fight back.

In 1532, Sultan Waleed's fears had come to fruiton. Andalusian scouts had sent tried to send warnings to the sultan of the coming Spanish invasion, but were killed. On the night of September 3, 1589, Spanish armadas pounded the western coasts of Al-Andalus. On September 5, there was another attack, this time in the north. Thanks to Sultan Waleed's implementation of civilian armament, the Spanish attack was decisively repulsed.

Third Andalusian-Spanish Wars
During the 1800s, the Spanish Empire would again make an attempt subdue Al-Andalus to avenge for Aben Humeya and Aben Aboo's successful liberation against the Catholic Spanish monarchs in the 1500s. Tired of Spain's constant threats, Sultan Ibrahim formed an alliance with Napoleon Bonaparte of France, inviting French troops into Al-Andalus and allowing them to pass through the territory.

Successfully conquering Spain, Bonaparte gave a share of land to Sultan Ibrahim, extending the northern borders of Al-Andalus north into including all of Toledo, 142 km north beyond the borders set forth by the treaty signed by Aben Humeya and the Catholic monarchs.

Eventually, Sultan Ibrahim embarked one of the biggest pogroms of Andalusian nationalism. While not "officially" banning Spanish in Al-Andalus, Sultan Ibrahim commanded that all the cities and geographic names of Al-Andalus be changed to their Arabic and pre-Reconquista names. In addition, Sultan Ibrahim made Arabic the language spoken in the courts, and commanded that children be educated in Arabic in the same way that King Ferdinand of Aragon forced children of the Moriscos to be educated by priests, and in Spanish.

Sultan Ibrahim actively promoted Arabic language, and it studies. Berber may have also been promoted.

World War II
During the wake of the Second World War, Spain's government turned increasingly socialist. Its dictators, Francisco Franco eventually formed an alliance with Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy.

Fearing that the Spanish regime would use its alliance with Hitler for another major war with Al-Andalus, Sultan Omar established defensive bridges in the northern borders of Al-Andalus. Though Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler both assured Sultan Omar that Al-Andalus would be kept out of their sights.

However in 1941, the Spanish forces, supplied by Nazi Germany, invaded nothern Al-Andalus using Nazi-style blitzkriegs, what the Spanish Army referred to as "Relámpagos" literally meaning "lightning".

Modern Day Politics and Administrations
Today Andalusia is a presidential republic. Andalusia's elections take place on a five-year term, and is a unicameral legislature.

Andalusia has been under the powerful influences of the Assad and Saab families. Andalusia's current president is Fernando Assad who has been the president of Andalusia ever since 1967. His niece, Ximena Assad-Murad is the current vice president of Andalusia.

Its prime minister is Francisco Saab.

Ethnic Groups
About 85% of Andalusia's people are Mozarabs, who are also known as Moorish people. The word Mozarab comes from the Arabic term "Musta'arab" meaning "one who adopts Arab ways". The Mozarab people actually come from a mixture of Arab, Berber and native Iberian descent, many who are of pure Arab or Berber descent. A handful of the Mozarabs still speak the Arabic or Berber toungues of their ancestors, others code-switch in between both.

Ethnic identity is often a point of contrevoursy, as many Mozarabs consider themselves to be Arab, and pan-Arab sources consider them as so. Other sources label them as a separate ethnic group, that evolved from a mixture of North African and Iberian people. Palestinian nationalist Yasser Arafat refers to them as "fully Arab".

Andalusia contains many Sephardic Jews, who comprise 10% of the population. Aben Humeya allowed them into the region after the Morisco victories over the Castilian armies. The Ben Maimon family is the prominent Jewish family, acclaimed descendants of Maimonides.

Languages
Currently Mozarabic, Arabic and Spanish are the official languages of Andalusia. Mozarabic, an Ibero-Romance language, is spoken as a native vernacular by most of the people. The name comes from the Arabic word musta-arab meaning "one who adopts Arab ways". The Mozarabic language contains a heavy infusion of Arabic, Persian and Turkish words, as well as some of other Romance languages such as Spanish and Portuguese. Mozarabic is often jokingly known as "Muslim Spanish" or "Iberian Arabic-Spanish". Mozarabic is currently written in the Latin script, it was historically written in the Arabic script, and there are plans to re-introduce the Arabic script into official usage. In 1995, the Andalusian government tried to re-introduce the Arabic script into usage. However, most students and elders had difficulty learning it. In 2010, then-president Abdulla Aboo Jamza approved the official use of the Arabic script for the Mozarabic language.

In the same year, Arabic was officialized by President Aboo Jamza in order strengthen Andalusia's ties to the Arab World, as many elites had been fluent in Arabic, particularily the Moroccan and North African dialects. While Standard Arabic was the official dialect in 2010, in an act of Andalusian nationalism, President Aboo Jamza changed it to Andalusian Arabic in June 6, 2011. Andalusian Arabic is an extinct dialect currently undergoing revival. Aboo Jamza paid scholars and linguists to educate the public, and use Andalusian Arabic as official medium. As of right now, there are 421 recorded fluent speakers of Andalusian Arabic.

Spanish remained an official language of Andalusia, and Andalusian Spanish is spoken as a second or third language by at least 79% of Anadalusia's population.

Other languages spoken in Andalusia include Berber and Ladino.

The Jews of Andalusia speak Judeo-Arabic, Hebrew and Ladino. There are several Ladino-speaking communities, primarily in Cordoba and Granada, along with Judeo-Arabic speaking communities.

Religion
About 63% of Andalusians are Muslims, particularily the Sunni branch. Many are also followers of Ibadi Islam, a Sunni section originating from North Africa. The City of Al-Qurtubah contains an independent Archdiocese, known as the Archdiocese of Al-Qurtubah (Mozarabic: Alkanizát de Córdoba, Arabic: أبرشية قرطبة, Spanish: Arquidiócesis de Córdoba), where it is under the jurisdiction of Bishop Hernán Abdulaziz. Historically, much of its clergy consisted of Castilians. However during the rule of Fajad Aben Aboo, Moriscos and North African Christians slowly began to integrate and infilitrate into the clergy. By the 1700s, the entire clergy of Andalusia's Catholic churches were of Middle Eastern, North African or Morisco background.

The rest of Andalusians follow Roman Catholicism or Judaism, the Roman Catholics are descendants of the Moriscos, as well as Castilian community.

Following the Morisco victory, most Moriscos did not convert back to Islam, keeping Christianity with elements of Islam as cultural practices those that remained Muslims were the Crypto-Muslims and Crypto-Jews who were no longer obligated to keep practicing Islam or Judaism in secret.

However starting with the reign of Aben Aboo, massive trade with North Africa encouraged mass migration of Muslims to Al-Andalus, in which they would again, form the majority.

Aben Aboo's grandson, Fajad converted to Islam and eventually established the Sultanate of Al-Andalus. King Fajad re-introduced the Islamic politics into the kingdom. However, he also created freedom of religion for Christians and Jews, and lowered the jizyah taxes they had to pay.

The Jewish Andalusians claim in having descent from Maimonides, the Ibn Maymun family forms one of the most prominent families of Andalusia.

The Christians of Andalusia are known as Moriscos, the Muslims are known as Moors and the Jews are known as Sephardis.

Immigration Issues
Because of northern Morocco and southern Andalusia's close proximity, Andalusia is prone to entrants of illegal migrants from Morocco, most tend to be Muslim.

In 2012, about 10,003 illegal Moroccans living in Malaga were deported back to Morocco.

Ethnic Issues
There has also been ethnic issues in Andalusia, regarding people of Castilian ancestry which had persisted through ever since Aben Aboo established his rule.

People of partial or notable Castilian ancestry in Andalusia undergo ethnic discrimination, and the teaching of Castilian as a native language is highly discouraged, the use of the term "Spanish" to refer to Andalusians is seen as social taboo in Andalusia.