Al-Andalus (Deputies of God)

Caliphate of Andalusia ِسَلِفَتُ دا َندَلُسَِ   (Andalusian) خلافة الأندلس   (Andalusi Arabic) َََندَلُزَِﻙُ ﻙَلِفارَِّ   (Basque) Timeline: Deputies of God OTL equivalent: Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar, French Basque Country, Rousillon
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  نُ عَي مَش بانسادُر ﻙا دُِش (translit. "No hay más vencedor que Dios" "There is no victor but God")
Anthem:  ﻙا دُِش دافِاندَ ندَلُسَِ (translit. "Que Dios defienda a Andalucía" "May God defend Andalusia") Royal anthem:  َدجُنتُش دا دُِش (translit. "Adjuntos de Dios" "Deputies of God")
Location of Al-Andalus (Deputies of God)
Capital (and largest city)		Córdoba
Official languages		Andalusian • Andalusi Arabic • Basque
National languages		Aragonese Aranese Asturian Balearic Barranquenho Benasquese Berber Caló Cantabrian Castilian Castúo Catalan Eonavian Erromintxela Extremaduran Galician Ladino Leonese Mirandese Murcian Portuguese Ribagorçan Xalimego
Ethnic groups		Andalusi Arabs Aragonese Aranese Asturians Balears Barranquenhos Benasquese Berbers Cantabrians Castilians Catalans Eonavians Extremadurans Galicians Gascons Leonese Mirandese Murcians Occitans Portuguese Ribagorçans Roma Sephardi Jews Xalimego
Religion		91.68% Islam 4.07% Judaism 3.24% Christianity 0.01% Other
Demonym		Andalusi Andalusian (uncommon)
Government		Islamic feudal theocratic absolute monarchy
-	Caliph	Qarlo IV
-	Crown Prince	Isidro Alasiri
-	Head of the Supreme Council	Manrique Albareda
Legislature		None
History
-	Emirate of Córdoba	15 May 756
-	Caliphate of Córdoba	16 January 929
-	Surrender of the Kingdom of Galicia	24 August 1171
-	Renamed to Caliphate of Andalusia	5 September 1504
Population
-	2022 census	114,647,233
Currency		Andalusi diramo (ADR)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.an
Calling code		+34

Andalusia (Andalusian: ََندَلُسَِ, translit. Andalucía; Andalusi Arabic: الأندلس, translit. al'andalus; Basque: اندالوزيا, translit. Andaluzia), officially the Caliphate of Andalusia (Andalusian: ِسَلِفَتُ دا َندَلُسَِ, translit. Califato de Andalucía; Andalusi Arabic: خلافة الأندلس, translit. khilafat al'andalus; Basque: َََندَلُزَِﻙُ ﻙَلِفارَِّ, translit. Andaluziako Kalifatua) and also known as Al-Andalus (Andalusian: َل-َندَلُش, translit. al-Andalus; Andalusi Arabic: الأَنْدَلُس, translit. al-Andalus; Basque: الأندالوس, translit. al-Andalus) and Hispania (Andalusian: عِشبَّنَِ, translit. Hispania; Andalusi Arabic: هيسبانيا, translit. Hisbania; Basque: هيسپانيا, translit. Hispania), is a state in Southwestern Europe, with additional territory in the Atlantic Ocean. Its only land border is with France to the north.

Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 42,000 years ago. The first cultures and peoples that developed within the current country's borders were pre-Roman peoples such as the ancient Iberians, the Celts, the Celtiberians, the Vascones, the Turdetani and the Occitans (the latter of whom still live today). Later, foreign Mediterranean peoples such as the Phoenicians and ancient Greeks established trading colonies on the coast, and Carthage assumed control over much of the Mediterranean coastline. From the year 218 BCE, the Romans began colonizing Hispania; with the exception of the Atlantic cornice, they quickly controlled most of the Peninsula. The Romans had driven the Carthaginians out of the Iberian Peninsula by 206 BCE, and divided it into two administrative provinces, Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Citerior. The Romans laid the foundations for modern Spanish culture and identity, and was the birthplace of important Roman emperors such as Trajanus, Hadrianus and Theodosius I.

Andalusia remained under Roman rule until its territory was lost by the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, which ushered in Germanic tribal confederations from Central and Northern Europe. During this period, Andalusia was divided between several different Germanic ethnic groups, mostly the Suevi, Alans, Vandals and Visigoths. The latter maintained an alliance with Rome via foedus, while part of Southern Andalusia belonged to the Eastern Roman Empire. Eventually, the Visigoths emerged as the dominant faction by the sixth century, with the Visigothic Kingdom spanning the vast majority of the Iberian Peninsula, and established its capital in the city of Toledo. The creation of the code of laws, Liber Iudiciorum, by King Recceswinth deeply influenced the structural and legal bases of Andalusia and the survival of Roman Law after the fall of the Roman Empire.

In 711, the Visigothic Kingdom was invaded and conquered by an Arab and Berber army from Morocco, which crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. At the Battle of Guadalete, the Visigothic king Roderic was killed in combat, and the kingdom quickly collapsed. The Arabs established Al-Andalus, which later became the Emirate of Córdoba after the collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate. Under Islamic rule, by the "Moors" as they were called, Andalusia became a major economic, cultural and intellectual center, with the city of Córdoba being among the largest and richest in Europe. Several Christian kingdoms emerged in the northern periphery of Iberia; chiefly León (Which grew from Asturias, founded by a Visigoth noble), Castile, Aragón, Portugal and Navarre. Over the next seven centuries, an intermittent southward expansion of these kingdoms — metahistorically framed as a reconquest, or Reconquista — began penetrating deep into Al-Andalus.

The tides turned definitively with the rise of Muhammad III in the 12th century, spelling the end of the Christian kingdoms, even after a brief civil war in the mid-11th century that led to the capture of Badajoz and the foundation of the Kingdom of Extremadura. Muhammad's reforms and the military competence of his successors definitively endangered the Christian kingdoms. In the mid-12th century, the Caliphate overpowered and annexed all of the Christian kingdoms on Iberia. In most cases, the kingdoms were allowed to continue their existence as vassals and subjects of the Andalusi caliph who paid him tribute and were loyal to him, while also allowing him the right to intervene if needed. Most kingdoms accepted this settlement and later converted to Islam peacefully between the 13th and 18th centuries.

As one of the only Muslim-majority countries Europe (along with Bosnia, Albania, Sicily and Naples), Andalusia has historically been at near-constant warfare with its neighbours. The Andalusis battled the Romans, Italians and French (formerly the Franks) virtually continually from the High Middle Ages onwards, and also had to deal with the several Christian kingdoms in northern Iberia. By the 13th century, the Arabic upper class of Andalusia began to increasingly adopt local Latin languages, customs and cultures (as well as, somewhat less commonly, names), while still maintaining a significant Arabic flair, eventually leading to a partial assimiliation into the indigenous population.

Andalusia's growing power and influence in southern France and the British Isles was met with fierce opposition by the rest of Europe and counterbalanced by invasions from the Maghreb and constant conflicts with the Italian city-states and Eastern Roman Empire. The latter eventually managed to capture Egypt and the Levant after the Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258, allowing them to block and heavily tax Andalusi trade with the east. This prompted the Caliphate to travel down the coast of West Africa in search of a new trade route to the east, while doubling as an excuse for Andalusia to make war on the various troublesome dynasties in North Africa, dividing and conquering them to increase its own power and influence. In 1414, an Andalusi ship was blown off-course while circumnavigating Africa and wound up in what we now call Faridia.

This kick-started the Age of Exploration, which involved both the Christians and Muslims kingdoms colonizing or otherwise attempting to acquire influence in and / or trade routes around several foreign nations all around the globe, while also spreading their languages and proselytizing their religions. In the 17th century, the Andalusis fought the continental Catholic and Orthodox countries during the European War of Religion.

Today, Andalusia is — just as it has been historically — a major commercial, cultural, intellectual, economic and financial hub in Europe, easily on par with Constantinople, Paris, Bruges and Rome. After Constantinople, the city of Córdoba, the country's capital, is Europe's largest, sporting a population of over 10 million people (roughly a tenth of the country's population). Andalusia is Europe's second most populous country with 114 million inhabitants, exceeded only by the Roman Empire, and has one of the world's largest Muslim populations, at 105 million people, or 91.68% of the population. Sunni Islam is the most professed demonination of Islam. Jews account for the country's second largest religion at 4.07%, followed by Christians (predominantly Catholics and Cathars) at 3.24%. 0.01% professes another religion. Irreligion is very uncommon in the country. Andalusia's econonomy is one of the world's largest and most diverse, and its culture and arts are highly acclamimed worldwide.

Andalusia is a member of the Council of Europe and Organisation for Islamic Cooperation. Its currency is the Andalusi diramo.

Names in native languages

Official languages

• Andalusian:
  • ََندَلُسَِ, translit. Andalucía
  • ِسَلِفَتُ دا َندَلُسَِ, translit. Califato de Andalucía
• Andalusi Arabic:
  • الأندلس, translit. al'andalus
  • خلافة الأندلس, translit. khilafat al'andalus
• Basque:
  • اندالوزيا, translit. Andaluzia
  • َََندَلُزَِﻙُ ﻙَلِفارَِّ, translit. Andaluziako Kalifatua

National languages

• Catalan
  • َندَلُشَِ, translit. Andalusia
  • سَلِفَت د'َندَلُشَِ, translit. Califat d'Andalusia

• Portuguese
  • َندَلُزَِ, translit. Andaluzia
  • سَلِفَدُ دَ َندَلُزَِ, translit. Califado da Andaluzia

• Asturian
  • ََندَلُسَِ, translit. Andalucía
  • ََسَلِفَتُ دا ل'َندَلُسَِ, translit. Califatu de l'Andalucía

• Aragonese
  • َندَلُزَِ, translit. Andaluzía
  • ََسَلِفَتُ دا َندَلُزَِ, translit. Califato de Andaluzía

Demographics

Andalusia is a very ethnically and linguistically diverse country, and an effective melting pot between Western and Eastern culture. The self-identified Andalusis are the largest ethnic group in the country, followed — in this order — by Andalusi Arabs, Berbers, Castilians, Leonese, Portuguese, Aragonese, Catalans, Asturians, Galicians and Basques. Other ethnic groups in Al-Andalus include Extremadurans, Cantabrians, Aranese, Balears, Barranquenhos, Benasqueses, Eonavians, Mirandese, Ribagorçans, Sobrarbians, Roma, Xalimego and Sephardi Jews. With the exception of the Sephardi Jews, who have a Jewish majority, most of these ethnic groups are predominantly Muslim.

  Islam (91.68%)

  Judaism (4.07%)

  Christianity (3.24%)

  Other or None (0.01%)

Politics

Al-Andalus is the only European country to still practice feudalism. This means that much of the country's land is owned and administered by vassal monarchs known as fiefs, who may rule autonomously in return for loyalty to the Caliph, taxes and military support, while also being subject to resident-generals reporting to the Crown. The Caliph holds full power in the Crown Domain, where he rules directly. The Caliph may also freely dismiss his fiefs as he sees fit and seize their lands, after which he can either rule them directly or pass them on to someone else.

Al-Andalus, along with all of its fiefs, is an absolute monarchy; the Caliph and various Sultans, Emirs and Kings hold unlimited power and can do virtually as they please, even when ruling along with the Supreme Council, a parliament of ministers founded to assist the Caliphs. The power of the Caliph is such that he may disband the Supreme Council at will and freely repopulate it.

Constituent states

The Caliph oversees the following fiefs, as shown in the table below. Some fiefs have fiefs of their own. Most large states are headed by a sultan. Several smaller states use the title of emir for their sovereign instead. Some southern Arabic states whose dynasties descend from Muhammad use the title sharif for their monarchs. Other fiefs throughout the caliphate use sheikh or a local translation for their monarch. A tiny few states still use secular titles like count and king.

Andalusian and Andalusi Arabic are official in all fiefs; the table only lists the unique regional languages recognized within the states.

Full name of state Native name	Flag	Capital	Head of state	Formation	Languages * Official status	Fief of
County of Araba َرَبَﻙُ ﻙُندارَِّ   (Basque) سُندَدُ دا َلَبَ   (Castilian)		Gasteiz	Count Flaminio III	c. 860	Basque* Castilian*	Navarre
Sultanate of Aragon شُلدَنَتُ د'َرَغُن   (Aragonese)		Zaragoza	Sultan Genís II	c. 802 (county) 1035 (kingdom) 1646 (sultanate)	Aragonese*	Crown domain
Emirate of Asturias امِرَتُ د'َشتُرِاش   (Asturian)		Uviéu	Emir Herminio II	c. 718 (kingdom) 1827 (emirate)	Asturian* Eonavian*	León
Emirate of Catalonia امِرَت دا سَتَلُنيَ   (Catalan)		Barcelona	Emiralamura Absaló II	c. 1117 (principality) 1484 (emirate)	Catalan*	Crown domain
Lordship of Bizkaia بِزﻙَِﻙُ جَُرارَِّ   (Basque) شانُّرُِ دا بِزسَيَ   (Castilian)		Bermeo	Lord Joanikot	c. 1040	Basque* Castilian*	Navarre
Sultanate of Cantabria شُلتَنَتُ دا سَنتَبرَِ   (Cantabrian)		Santander	Sultan Xabier III Torrente	c. 574 (duchy) 1689 (sultanate)	Cantabrian*	Castile
Sultanate of Castile شُلتَنَتُ دا سَشتِللَ   (Castilian)		Valladolid	Sultan Sancho VII	c. 860 (county) 1065 (kingdom) 1614 (sultanate)	Andalusian* Castilian*	Crown domain
Crown Domain of Andalusia دُمِنُِ دا لَ سُرُنَ دا َندَلُسَِ   (Andalusian)		Córdoba	Caliph Qarlo IV	756	Andalusian* Andalusi Arabic*	/
Sultanate of Extremadura شُلتَنَتُ دا اشترامَُرَ   (Extremaduran) شُلتَنَتُ دَاشترامَدُرَ   (Xalimego)		Badajoz	Sultan German II Ligüerre	1048 (kingdom) 1209 (sultanate)	Extremaduran* Xalimego*	Crown domain
Sultanate of Galicia شُلتَنَتُ دا غَلِسَِ   (Galician)		Lugo	Sultan Xeronimo III	409 (kingdom) 1658 (sultanate)	Galician* Eonavian*	Crown domain
Sultanate of León شُلتَنَتُ دا للُِن   (Leonese)		León	Sultan Ilyas III Saporia	910 (kingdom) 1656 (sultanate)	Leonese* Mirandese	Crown domain
Kingdom of Navarre نَفَرَُّﻙُ ارّاشُمَ   (Basque)		Pamplona	King Henrike V	824	Basque*	Crown domain
Sultanate of Portugal شُلتَنَتُ دا بُّرتُغَل   (Portuguese)		Guimarães	Sultan Dinis IV	868 (county) 1139 (kingdom) 1642 (sultanate)	Portuguese* Barranquenho	Crown domain
Emirate of Ribagorça امِرَتُ دا رِبَغُرزَ   (Ribagorçan)		Benavarri	Emir Sancho III	872 (county) 1631 (emirate)	Ribagorçan	Aragon
Sultanate of Sobrarbe شُلدَنَتُ دا شُبرَربا   (Aragonese)		L'Aínsa	Sultan Fortún IV	724 (kingdom) 1767 (sultanate)	Aragonese	Crown domain
Emirate of Tarragona َمِرَت دا تَرَّغُنَ   (Norman)		Tarragona	Emir Robert XII d'Aguilo	1129 (principality) 1617 (emirate)	Norman* Catalan*	Catalonia
Xalimego Emirate امِرَدُ دا شَّلِماغُ   (Xalimego)		Valverdi du Fresnu	Emir Duarte IV	1324	Xalimego*	Extremadura

Notes

^[a] The Supreme Council has binding legislative and executive power, but the Caliph may freely disband it at will, dismiss individual members and appoint new ones in their stead. Andalusia has condified laws in place, but no constitution that explicitly restricts the power of the Caliph. Therefore, the country is a de facto absolute monarchy.

^[b] OTL South America.