Al-Andalus is the name given to Islamic Spain following the conquest of Visigothic Hispania in AD 711. At its greatest extent, shortly after the conquest, the Moorish political entity covered most of Iberia and the area of Septimania in southern France. Over the following 750 years the geographical boundaries were reduced as the Christian Reconquista advanced from the north. However, within the Caliphate of Córdoba there was cultural interchange between Muslims, Christians and Jews, and the city of Córdoba became a leading educational and economic centre. Al-Andalus provided a conduit for Islamic scientific learning to enter medieval Europe, and has bequeathed a unique legacy of architectural, artistic and cultural influence.
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