World history. History of European countries

[Irina Rybalchenko]

World history. History of Europe. Andorra

The first settlements in the territory of what would later become Andorra began in the Ice Age, but there were no large groups inhabiting this territory until after the retreat of glaciers. Archeological excavations demonstrate that from 3500-2000 BC small groups of people lived in valleys near the Rio Valira and in caves in what would later become known as Andorra. Later, groups of people migrated to the lower mountain levels, where they began to live in small groups or villages. It is a scientifically proven fact that people in those settlements used bronze tools. Worshipping the spirits of nature, forests and lakes, ancient Andorrans constructed megaliths and dolmens. Iberian coins were also found in the territory. It is believed that the name Andorra comes either from Iberian words “ando” (highest) and “ore” (iron), or from Celtic words “an” (blow) and “dor” (wind).

The war between Rome and Carthage for control over the Iberian Peninsula began in 220 BC. In 219-218 BC Carthaginian troops under the direction of Hannibal marched through the Pyrenees to Rome. The second Punic war lasted from 218 to 201 BC. In the resulting victory over Carthage, Romans took possession of Iberia. The Roman Empire gave the citizens of Andorra their language and laws, together with advanced agricultural tools that allowed larger harvests. Andorra was a part of the Roman Empire until 414 AD, when the country came under the control of a German Visigoth tribe that founded their kingdom in Southern France and in Spain. In the beginning of the VIII century theVisigoths’ state was annihilated by Arabic conquerors that marched into the Pyrenean Peninsula from Northern Africa. Today the only visible remnant of an Arabic presence in Andorran history is a Moorish tower near Ordino. It turns out that Arabic conquerors used the territory of Andorra as the shortest route to Southern France.

Charlemagne (742-814) is considered to be the founder of what is today known as Andorra. According to legend, several thousand Andorrans led by Mark Almugaber helped the army of Franks to win the battle against Arabic invaders. As a sign of gratitude, Charlemagne proclaimed Andorra an “independent nation” whose citizens were protected under his favor. The state of Andorra was founded as a buffer for the protection of the Frankish empire from Arabic invaders. The source: https://all-andorra.com/history/