Aneta

Al-Andalus means “land of the Vandals.” This name was given to the area of the Iberian Peninsula that was occupied by Islam from the 8th century to the end of the 15th century; so for approximately 8 centuries. This era was known as the Golden Age when Al-Andalus was the center of global civilization. Many of the greatest scholars and explorers did their work in Cordoba. This was the place where the European Renaissance began. New irrigation techniques and crops were introduced; the culture represented a new way of life. Some new crops were sugar cane, cotton, Asian rice, citrus fruits, bananas, watermelons, and spinach. When it comes to irrigation techniques, the aqueduct, along with the watermill was introduced in this age. These two agricultural machines made life a lot easier for the Muslims. There was also an enormous contribution to the sciences during the Muslim conquest. In Medicine some famous names are: Avicinna, who was the first to describe meningitis, Rhazes, the first to use alcohol for medical purposes, Albucasis, the first surgeon to use silk thread for stitching wounds, and Muhammad Ibn al-Baitar who was one of the greatest scientists of Muslim Spain and one of the greatest botanists and pharmacists of the middle Ages. Al-Baitar had a profound influence on Eastern and Western botany and medicine. In Mathematics Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi was the founder of modern algebra and Ghiyath al-Din al Kashani wrote on how to approximate sin(1) by solving the cubic equation. In Science, Abu Abdullah al-Battani introduced the accurate 365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes, 24 seconds. Abu al-Hassan al Haitham was the first to discover the principle of inertia. Ibn Majid invented the compass. In Philosophy, Ibn Sina was the first to develop a complete philosophical system in Arabic. Ibn Rushd influenced Medieval and Renaissance European History more than he did the Islamic World. During the first years of the occupation, many famous monuments were built that are still standing today. Such as the Mezquita in Cordoba which was built sometime around 787 and the Alhambra in Granada which was built in 1354. The Islamic art exists even today and in all parts of Andalucia. Its’ obvious origin is Mecca. There are palaces, patios, houses, mezquitas, and Arab baths. There are used for protection, housing, prayer, and purification. The longest lasting Islamic Dynasty in the history of Al-Andalus was the Nasrid Dynasty that ruled from the mid 13th century to the 15th century. Some of the most prominent members of the dynasty were Ibn al-Ahmar, Yusuf I, Muhammed V who was the builder of the royal palace in Granada and the last ruler was Boabdil. On the 2nd of January in 1492, the Moors surrendered to Spain and the Islamic rule ended.