Al-Andalus

is the name used to refer to the Muslim controlled areas of the Iberian Peninsula, which included much of modern-day Spain and Portugal, during the Medieval era. According to legend, Islamic forces invaded Spain at the request of a father who was angry after the Visigoth King Rodrigo seduced his daughter. Historians believe this legend was made up after the fact, the Muslim conquest of Spain and their rule in an area that became known as Al-Andalus was enormously significant for the medieval world. Learn about Al-Andalus, how it came to be the major power in the Iberian Peninsula, and how it fell.