Covering the entire eight centuries of Islam in Spain, from Tariq bin Ziyad's landing to the expulsion of Muslims in the 17th century, this book discusses the history, culture and contributions of this Golden Era.Known as Al-Andalus, the achievements of that society including religious tolerance, technological achievement, civic organization and education are well presented. The Arabo-Spanish language and literature are also discussed, along with the competing forces that lead to a strong Muslim presence and eventual eradication