Andalusia is the autonomous region of southern Spain, one of 17 of the country's such self-ruling states.  It's capitol is Seville.  The area that Andalusia now occupies was under Muslim rule until the late 15th Century, the region's name, Andalusia, being derived from its Arabic name, Al Andalus.  Andalusia came under Muslim control in the 8th Century when Arab raiders from the East crossed the Straights of Gibraltar, capturing the region from the German Visigoths who had taken it from the Romans hundreds of years before.   

After nearly 300 years of fighting, Christian forces took back Spain from the Arabs in 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, famous for financing Columbus' voyage to the New World, being Andalusia's new rulers.  And it was because of Columbus and his discoveries that Andalusia would become extremely wealthy over the next few hundred years. 

By the 19th Century, however, Andalusia and Spain had lost their monopoly on the New World.  The country's losses in the Napoleonic Wars and the Spanish-American War caused the region to become unstable, opening the door for the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's and the brutal dictatorships of Riveras and Franco which followed it.  Franco ruled Spain until his death in 1975 when the coronation of a new king, Juan Carlos I, sparked the country's current form of government, a democratic monarchy.      

Today much of Andalusia's architecture and culture is reflective of its period of Muslim government, with many former mosques serving as churches. 

The culture of the Andalusia region of Spain was most highly influenced by the Muslim Moors who governed the region for almost 800 years until the late 1400's.  During the time of the Moors' reign, the region flourished culturally with new music, art, and theatre.  Technological advances were made, and a tradition of intellectual growth and nurture was founded.  Many of these cultural advances laid the groundwork for Andalusia's culture today which is known for its art, dance and music in particular.  In 1790 the guitar was invented in Andalusia when innovative musicians added an extra string to a Moorish lute.  Less than 100 years later Flamenco music and ballet was born, showcasing the new instrument.   Andalusia has also been home to  many famous artists including Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. 

The Moors also introduced several new ideas to Europe through their universities in Seville, Granada, and Cordoba including the mathematical concept of zero and several other concepts in physics and medicine that were so influential that they eventually led to the founding of Europe's first universities.