View Message

meaning of andalusia
The name refers to the Vandals who established the first kingdom in this region of Iberia. The name Vandal comes from the German word "wandeln", which means 'wandering' or 'walking around', from which the Spanish word is probably derived. The lusia part refers to the mythological hero Lusus, whose companions were the Lusiades. This mythology was adopted by the Portuguese when they formed their nation (cf. Os Lusiados by the poet Camoens) and is reflected in the name Lusitania for the region. The medieval ancestors of the Portuguese were the Suevi, who came to Iberia with the Vandals. The name Andalusia is of course also found in north-western Africa, as the Vandals abandoned Iberia after c. AD 430 and conquered the Roman colonies - hence Al-Andalus occurs in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia as well as Spain.
vote up1vote down

Messages

meaning of andalusia  ·  lawrence  ·  3/6/2017, 12:47 AM
Re: meaning of andalusia  ·  Felie  ·  3/23/2017, 8:05 AM