Since the times of
the first metalworking
(third millenium BC) the land between two oceans and two
continents is a preferred target of many diverse people. The
oldest known monarchy of "Tartessos"
originates in the 11th century in southern Spain influenced by the
Phoenician
and the Greek.
Agriculture and cattle breeding as well as mining industry and
gold processing are the dominating activities of their trading
civilisation. They are followed by the Turdetani,
an Iberian tribe, later the Carthaginias found their own
settlements.
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2500 BC -
First metalworking
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11-6th
century BC - Kingdom of "Tartessos"
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900 BC -
Phoenician settle the Iberian peninsula and found Cádiz
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8th
century BC - Foundation of Hispalis (i.e. Roman name of Seville)
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600 BC -
Greek settlements along the Andalusian coast
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| During the 3rd
Century BC the Romans beat the Carthaginian in the two Punic
Wars, found and dominate for the next 700 years the "Baetica"
province. Andalusia supplies the Roman Empire with food, oil, wine
and metal. The philosopher Seneca
and the first two emperors born outside of Rome come from Italica
(near Seville): Trajan
and Hadrian.
Since the 3rd Century Rome looks more and more to the eastern
world (Constantinople). |
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216 BC -
Hispalis is destructed by the Romans
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19 BC -
Foundation of the "Baetica"
province
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98-117 -
Trajan; Roman emperor, the first to be born outside Italy
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117-138 -
Hadrian, Trajan's nephew and successor as Roman emperor
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3rd
century - Growing influence of the Christian religion
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| With the decline of
Rome the Vandals,
a northern Germanic people, conquer the land and give it its name:
"Vandalusia". Their reign is of short duration, they are
followed by the Visigoth,
who settle leaded by their king Alaric
II on the Iberian peninsula and experience under the Christian
bishops Leander
and Isidore
their prospering period. |
409-429 -
Reign of the Vandals
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476 -
Foundation of the Visigoth Kingdom
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484-507 -
King Alaric II
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589 - The
Visigoth convert to the Catholic
belief
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6-7th
century - The bishops Leander and Isidor are the main protagonists
of the Visigoth reign
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The Moorish
conquest of Spain from 711 to 732. Image taken form here
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| At the beginning of
the 8th century the Arab cross the Strait
of Gibraltar and spread fast on the Iberian peninsula. The
independent Emirate Al-Andalus
and later the Caliphate
of Córdoba (challenging Bagdad) mark the blooming time of the
Umayyad
dynasty and thus the Arab culture in Andalusia. Córdoba
becomes the center and melting pot of different cultures and
religions. Trade, science, handicraft and arts experience a long
succeessful period. Starting from 1031 the Caliphate disintegrates
into small Islamic reigns. Almoravids
and Almohads
(Berber)
alternate their rulership until the 13th Century. After the fall
of Córdoba (1236) and Seville (1248) the Nasrid
kings maintain their kingdom in Granada for two and a half more
centuries. The last Moor
king Boabdil
hands over the city of Granada
to the Catholic
Monarchs Isabel and Fernando in January 1492 and moves to the
Alpujarra mountains. |
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1031 -
Decline of the Caliphate
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Since 1086
- Reign of the Almoravids
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Mid 12th
century - Reign of the Almohads
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1212 -
Christian troops defeat the Almohads close to Las Navas de Tolosa
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13th
century - The Castilian rulers conquer large parts of Andalusia
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1232-1492
- Nasrid Kingdom in Granada
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January
1492 - Capitulation of King Boabdil
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Spain in 910. Image
taken form here
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With the discovery of
the New World
by Christopher
Columbus begins the golden age of Andalusia. Seville becomes
the main place for all trading activities with the West Indies and
the cultural center of Spain. Since 1503 ships loaded with gold
and silver from the New World dock since 1503 in the port of
Seville. Unknown plants and food achieve to Europe and change
agricultural and nutrition habits of the Europeans. Later Cádiz
takes over the trade monopoly from Seville. Under the strong
influence of the Renaissance
and the Baroque
are constructed cathedrals, churches, palaces, public buildings
and many new squares. Political rivalries, economic mismanagement,
the loss of the hegemony on the oceans and the efects of four
epidemic pest deseases mark the beginning of the political and
economic decline of Seville and whole Spain in the first half of
the 17th century.
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1503 -
Seville has the trade monopoly for the New World
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16th
century - Suppression of two Arab revolts
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1609 -
Deportation of the last Moors
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1641 -
Revolts in big Andalusian cities
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1649 -
Seville loses half of its population due to pest desease
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1680 -
Cádiz obtains the trade monopoly from Seville
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Spain does not get
out of the crises. The 18th century begins with the War
of the Spanish Succession, in whose process Gibraltar becomes
British. Philip
V, the first Bourbon
on the Spanish throne, lives a few years in Seville. The ideas of
the French Enlightenment
have a notable influence in the middle of the century. Cádiz
loses the monopoly of the trade with the New World in 1788. The
19th century Andalusia is involved in the Napoleonic
Wars, which impacts the entire continent. At the same time the
Spanish colonial empire declines and the conflicts about the
succession of the Spanish throne are violent as well. In the mid
of the century Spain experience a time of social tensions and
upcoming liberal revolutionary ideas. The First Republic is
restored after two years by the monarchy. At the end of the 19th
century Andalusia suffers again some revolts. The war
against the USA marks the end of the colonial empire. The
Spanish crown loses Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
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1701-1715
- War of the Spanish Succession
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1704 -
Gibraltar becomes British
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1788 -
Cádiz loses the monopoly for the trade with the New World
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1808-1814
- Wars against Napoleon
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1834-1839
- Wars for the Spanish throne
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1892 -
Revolts in Jerez de la Frontera
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1898 -
Lost of the last Spanish colonies
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Hand-drawn flag “I
am an Andalusian”. Image
taken form here
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| In the first half of
the 20th century Spain is afflicted by social and political
conflicts. After the dictatorship of Primo
de Rivera follows the Second
Republic. Spain does not participate in the two World Wars,
but since 1936 the Civil
War destroys large parts of the country. In his consequence
the victorious General
Franco governs the country up to his death in the year 1975.
The coronation of King
Juan Carlos I
and mainly the restauration of the democracy open new
possibilities for the different regions. Andalusia receives the
status of an autonomous region. The economic and social progress
of the sixties and seventies is strengthened in southern Spain by
the boom of the tourism. The membership of Spain in the European
Community/Union also creates new perspectives for the Andalusian
agricultural production. |
1900-1931
- Period of social and economic tensions
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1923-1930
- Dictatorship under General Primo de Rivera
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1931-1936
- 2nd Republic
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1936-1939
- Civil War
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1939-1975
- Dictatorship of General Franco
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1975 -
Juan Carlos I, King of Spain
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1977 -
Free elections in Spain
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1982 -
Andalusia receives the status of an autonomous region; Regional
Parliament elections
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1986 -
Spain becomes member of the European Community (Today's European
Union)
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