History History

First settlement of Andalusia as evidenced by the tooth of Orce, province of Granada (1.4 million years old). He also saw the appearance of rock paintings, all located in the province of Malaga, including those of Nerja, which could be the first known work of art in humanity (42,000 years old). In the Neolithic period, the village of Los Millares, province of Almeria, and its considerable deposit in copper-age Europe can be distinguished. Later, the Tartessians, heirs of the Andalusian civilization of the megaliths, would occupy the area between the present-day cities of Huelva, Seville and San Fernando.

Many Mediterranean, Phoenician and Greek sailors founded colonies on the Iberian coast, the interior of which was occupied by the Iberians, the first inhabitants of the peninsula. In Andalusia, they founded them in Gadir (Cadiz), Malaca (Malaga) and Onuba (Huelva). Using this territory as a compulsory crossing point for the trade route between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

Scipio the African, a Roman general, began the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula to cut off supplies to the Carthaginians. The latter were gradually replaced by the Romans who founded Itálica, a few kilometres from Seville, in 205 BC, as well as Guadix, a province of Granada. At the end of the conquest, Hispania Ulterieur covered almost the entire Andalusian territory.

Under the reign of Emperor Augustus, the Romans created a new administrative division, the province of La Bética, named after the Betis River (now Guadalquivir), with Corduba (Cordoba) as its capital. It will make a valuable economic contribution to Rome by providing wheat, oil, wine and precious metals (gold, silver, copper and lead). But also political by giving him two emperors, from Itálica. This domination lasted until 409 AD and also brought great prosperity to Andalusia. It will leave the language, the roads, the irrigation techniques and the cultivation of olive trees, vines and wheat.

Declared optimus princeps, the best of the emperors, by the Roman Senate, he succeeded Nerva at the age of 45 and reigned for 20 years. Under his reign, the Roman Empire underwent its greatest expansion, and also undertook major works.

He succeeded Trajan and reigned until his death. Breaking with his predecessor, he focused on structuring the Empire. But like Trajan, he was generous to his native city, continuing the construction of a nova urbs including a 2,500-seat amphitheater, one of the 5 largest in the Empire.

It is now the Visigoths who dominate the entire peninsula, after the decline of Roman rule and the installation of the Vandals in Andalusia. They assimilated Hispano-Roman culture by converting to Catholicism before giving way, in part, to the Byzantines who settled in Betica and on the Mediterranean coast.

After crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, Moorish troops, composed of Arabs and Berbers and under the command of Tariq ibn Ziyadh, would win the battle of Guadalete, in the south of the peninsula, thus giving victory to the Umayyads and precipitating the fall of the Visigoth kingdom. These troops very quickly conquered Andalusia, which came under the domination of the Caliph of Damascus and the Umayyads.

A year after landing in Andalusia, Abd al Rahmann I founded an independent emirate in Cordoba. This marks the beginning of what has been called "Al-Andalus". Period during which the Andalusian territory will be the main political centre of various Muslim states.

It is the maximum flowering of the Hispano-Muslim civilization and culture of Al-Andalus that culminates in the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba, founded in 929 under the reign of Abd al Rahmann III. He proclaimed himself Caliph of Islam and undertook major works, such as the extension of the Great Mosque of Córdoba, which had begun to be built in 786. Córdoba was then the capital, the most populous city and one of the main cultural and economic centres of the time. It was also during this period that the construction of Medina Azahara, the "brilliant city", built 8 km from the capital, began. The other axis of Muslim power in the Peninsula is the Guadalquivir Valley and in general, Andalusia is experiencing a period of great prosperity

When Caliph Al-Mansur died, succession problems led to the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba and the division of Al-Andalus, which was gradually divided into several small kingdoms, the Taifas. With Seville, Almeria and Granada as capitals. It was at the end of the 11th century that the brilliant Umayyad dynasty was replaced by the Almoravids and then the Almohads, at the beginning of the 12th century, two dynasties of Berber origin. This division will facilitate the recovery of the territory by the Christian troops of the north, who have been conquering the Iberian Peninsula since 722, the date of their victory at the Battle of Covadonga in Asturias.

Taking place in the north of present-day Andalusia, in the province of Jaén, the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa marks a decisive step in the reconquest of Al-Andalus, by accelerating the disintegration of the Almohad dynasty. Ferdinand III, King of Castile and Toledo, conquered Cordoba in 1236 and then Seville, where he established his court in 1248.

In the Battle of Salado or Tarifa, victory gave Christian troops control of the Strait of Gibraltar. Throughout Spain, only the Nazi kingdom of Granada remains a Muslim state, whose capture in 1492 will put an end to the Christian reconquest. All of Andalusia having then integrated the kingdom of the Crown of Castile.

The marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile brings together the two most powerful kingdoms of Spain. This reign of the Catholic Monarchs contributed to the greatness of Spain, which became the first world power after the discovery of America on October 12, 1492.

After having been king of Spain, Sicily and Naples, Charles I, a descendant of the Catholic Kings and Emperor Maximilian of Austria, became emperor of the Holy Germanic Empire (Germany and part of Austria). He was then the most important sovereign in Europe, also possessing the immense colonial empire of South America. It was during this 16th century that Andalusia took full advantage of its geographical position by centralizing trade with the New World through the creation of the Casa de Contratación, based in Seville, which became the most populous capital of the Spanish empire. Other Andalusian ports such as Cadiz or Sanlucar de Barrameda, which saw the first round-the-world voyage initiated by Magellan leave, will benefit from this prosperity. And this until the end of the 16th century. Charles V abdicated in 1556 in favour of his son Philip II.

After the expulsion of 150,000 unconverted Jews and more than 350,000 Moors upon the reconquest of Granada, the war in the Alpujarra led to the expulsion of the vast majority of the Moriscan population, Moors converted to Christianity, who had been living on these lands for generations. First spread within Castile and then totally expelled from Spain, from 1609 to 1614. These considerable losses for Andalusia will only be compensated by the repopulation policies of the 17th century and will also lead Spain into a deep economic crisis

The death of Charles II, a Habsburg without descendants, opened the war of succession which pitted Bourbons and Habsburgs against each other, each wishing to bring one of their own to the Spanish throne. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht between the European powers involved in this conflict confirmed the access to the throne of Philip V, a Bourbon, a lineage still in place today. In return for this concession given to the Bourbons, the same treaty provides for Gibraltar to remain under British authority after its capture in 1704.

The appointment of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, as King of Spain in 1808 marked the beginning of the War of Independence. Refugees in Cadiz, the Cortes (Parliament) met regularly and in 1812 adopted a draft constitution, the Pepa, which provided for the abolition of the Inquisition, censorship and serfdom and above all stipulated the king's submission to the authority of Parliament. It was rejected by Ferdinand VII, who was restored to the throne in 1814.

The death of Ferdinand VII raised new problems of succession to the Spanish throne and marked the beginning of a civil war, punctuated by three Carlist wars that ended in 1840. Opposing supporters of Don Carlos, Ferdinand's brother and supporters of Isabelle II, Ferdinand's daughter. Despite military victories, the Carlists, a conservative and anti-liberal current, will not exercise power.

The First Republic was proclaimed, but in the absence of a stable government, a pronunciamiento restored Queen Isabella's family. This ephemeral republic lasted only one year.

At war with the United States, Spain lost its last American colonies, Puerto Rico and Cuba. This loss is particularly damaging for Andalusia, which no longer plays a central role in the economic and commercial circuits. Even if at the end of the 19th century it remained the second most industrialized region in Spain (food, metallurgy, chemistry and ceramics, in particular).

To fight a political situation considered catastrophic, General Primo de Rivera launched a coup d'état, supported by King Alfonso XIII, and established a dictatorship. In the absence of political results, he was replaced by General Berenger in 1930. Which, like him, will pave the way for the Second Republic.

Born in Casares, in the province of Málaga, this jurist, essayist and politician is considered the father of the Andalusian homeland. During the reign of Alfonso XIII, he saw himself as the heir to the republican and federalist movements of the ^19th century. His aim was to rebuild Andalusia and regenerate Spain, as expressed in his main work, Ideal Andaluz. With the victory of the Popular Front, the Andalusian movement regained strength, and the Seville assembly acclaimed him honorary president of the future regional junta of Andalusia. He was shot without trial at the very start of the Civil War. He is honored every year on February 28, Andalusia Day.

Several times repelled by the First World War and the dictatorship of General Rivera, the Ibero-American exhibition opened its doors on May 9 in Seville. Considered as the cradle of the discovery of the New World by a Spain that wishes to renew links with this continent after the loss of the colonies. For Seville, which will focus on art, culture and historical heritage, this one-year event will be the most important of the early 20th century. While it has increased the city's debts, it has also helped to make it a modern city. With the construction of emblematic sites such as the Plaza de España, by Anibal González, but also the Hotel Alfonso XIII or the Plaza de América and the Prado de San Sebastián.

The Republicans won the municipal elections and proclaimed the Second Republic, which led to the exile of King Alfonso XIII without abdication. It will focus on social reforms and also grant women the right to vote. It lasted until the military coup led by General Franco in 1936.

From the short victory of the Popular Front in the 1936 general elections, multiple plots involved Generals Mola and Franco in particular. And it was on July 17, 1936 in Melilla (Morocco) that the first military garrison rose up, preparing the offensive of the national movement and the beginning of the civil war between nationalists and republicans, until 1939. In 1936, Seville and Granada fell into the hands of the nationalists and the Poet Federico García Lorca was assassinated. In 1937, Andalusia was also particularly affected by the bombardments of German ships in Almeria and the Battle of Malaga, republican and nationalist opponents, supported by Italian black shirts.

From early 1939 to November 1975, the dictatorship set up by General Franco after the victory of the nationalists lasted 36 years. Depleted by a very autarchic model, Spain then took advantage of the Cold War to break its isolation by joining the United Nations (1955). In the 1960s, the regime moved away from the phalanx and opened the country to tourist and industrial development.

The death of General Franco marked the beginning of the country's democratic transition, a process that essentially ran from the governments of Adolfo Suárez until the Socialists came to power in 1982. With some key dates: the legalization of the Communist Party in 1977, the adoption of the Constitution in 1978 (still in force) and the failure of the attempted coup d'état of 23 February 1981.

Ratification by the King of the Statute of Autonomy of Andalusia after its approval by the Andalusians in the referendum of 21 October 1981. It is the third Spanish region to accede to this status that allows the exercise of the right to self-government. Modified in 2007, it maintains the Junta de Andalucia as a public entity with self-government powers.

Manuel Chaves, PSOE, is elected head of the Junta de Andalucia. He held this position for a record 19 years before joining the Zapatero government. In total, the PSOE will lead the Junta from 1982 to 2018.

The revelations of covert financing of the PSOE, but above all the suspicions of financing the actions of the LAGs (Anti-Terrorist Liberation Groups) in their fight against ETA, led to many resignations within the González government and led it to call early elections. They will allow the return to power of the Spanish right (PP), led by José María Aznar, who, given his small majority, must deal with nationalist parties, particularly Catalan ones. In 2000, he won the national elections for the second time, but by an absolute majority. In a few years, it has recovered the country's economy with a growth rate of 4% and unemployment of 15% compared to 24% in 1994, the best result since 1979 in this area.

Perpetuated by Al-Qaida, the attack on Atocha station in Madrid killed 193 people and wounded nearly 2,000. Its catastrophic management in terms of media and politics led to the fall of the Aznar government, which was still winning a few days earlier, in view of its good economic results. After two right-wing mandates, the left returned to power. Elected on March 14, José Luis Zapatero is implementing one of his campaign commitments, the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the Iraq war. Re-elected in 2008, he held power until 2011 and legalized same-sex marriage in 2005.

Almeria hosts the fifteenth Mediterranean Games, from June 24 to July 3, in which 21 nations participate.

The global economic crisis is hitting Spain hard and is leading to the implosion of its real estate bubble, with a drop of more than 25% in construction in one year. The country is officially going into recession. With the collapse of the stock market, the unemployment rate exceeds 21% in June 2011 (less than 8% in 2007) and explodes in Andalusia (more than 31%). Despite Zapatero's new policy of rigour, the PSOE will be severely defeated in the 2011 early general elections.

It was on the Puerta del Sol in Madrid that the Indignados movement began, bringing together thousands of people and spreading throughout Spain. He will contribute to the creation of Podemos, which will obtain 5 seats from the 2014 European women. A year later, he conquered cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Cadiz in Andalusia.

After 8 years of socialist government, the right (PP) won an absolute majority in the legislative elections. Mariano Rajoy becomes head of government in a climate of crisis marked by an unemployment rate approaching 23%. In 2012, it implemented a severe austerity policy, but the country is sinking into recession with unemployment rising to over 26% by the end of the year. That same year, market pressure led the government to request the rescue of banks.

Mariano Rajoy (PP) is once again sworn in as head of government after a vote that does not require an absolute majority and thanks to the PSOE's abstention. This inauguration puts an end to a government crisis that lasted nearly a year and resulted in three attempts to inaugurate the government and a new legislative election. This is the beginning of the second Rajoy government that will last until the success of the motion of censure in 2018.

Like all Spaniards, Andalusians are following with interest and concern the holding of the referendum in Catalonia, declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. Here too, from September onwards, many Spanish flags are displayed on the balconies.

This is the beginning of the trial of political corruption in the Junta de Andalucía, known as the ERE case. After seven years of investigation, twenty-two high-level officials were charged, including two former presidents of the Junta, Manuel Chaves and José Antonio Griñán. The charges relate to the embezzlement of nearly 700 million euros from a fund intended for the redeployment of employees of companies in difficulty. In July 2022, the Spanish Supreme Court will confirm the sentences issued by the court of Seville in 2019 sentencing, among others, José Antonio Griñán to 6 years in prison and 15 years of ineligibility and Manuel Chaves to 9 years of ineligibility.

It is also a question of corruption through the condemnation of the PP in the Gürtel Case that will precipitate the end of the Rajoy government. After the success of the motion of censure presented by the PSOE and supported by Podemos and various regionalist parties, Pedro Sánchez became the seventh President of the Spanish Government.

For the first time in 37 years, the PSOE lost its historic stronghold, Andalusia, in regional elections. Elections that also mark the emergence of a new party, Vox (far right) which won 12 seats. A first in Spain.

Election of Juan Manuel Moreno, PP, as President of the Junta thanks to the votes of the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox.

The PSOE came out on top in the legislative elections, but the fragmentation of the Spanish political spectrum, which now includes 5 major parties (PSOE, PP, Ciudadanos, Vox, Podemos), caused Pedro Sánchez to fail in his attempt to be nominated on 25 July. And it is after 8 months of political paralysis that Pedro Sanchez will be invested during the second round, on January 7, 2020, in particular thanks to the abstention of the pro-independence ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia).

With 57 of the 109 seats in the Andalusian parliament, the PP obtained an absolute majority. A historic victory in Andalusia that allows the investiture of Juan Manuel Moreno as president of the Junta de Andalucia in July 2022.

The People's Party wins the early general election with 136 deputies. But even with the votes of Vox (33), it failed to reach the 176 seats needed for an absolute majority. In September, PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo failed in his two attempts to win the party's nomination.

Pedro Sánchez is sworn in as president of the government. With 179 votes, PSOE and Sumar (bringing together various far-left parties) but also the support of regionalist parties including Bildu (Basque) and Catalan independence parties (ERC and Junts). With the prospect of an amnesty for the organizers of the illegal 2017 referendum on Catalonia, a subject that led to numerous demonstrations by opponents of this amnesty.