The term Moor is an exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. [1][2]

Moor, in English usage, a Moroccan or, formerly, a member of the Muslim population of al-Andalus, now Spain and Portugal. Of mixed Arab, Spanish, and Amazigh (Berber) origins, the Moors created the Islamic Andalusian civilization and subsequently settled as refugees in the Maghreb (in the region of North Africa) between the 11th and 17th centuries.

Mar 19, 2023 · Discover 15 lesser-known facts about the Moors, shedding light on their history, impact on Europe, and enduring legacy. The Moors left a significant mark on medieval Europe, especially with their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD.

Feb 1, 2021 · Moors, originally a group of people native to the region of present-day Morocco, bordering the Numidians of the East and various Berber peoples, saw their name assigned to the rest of the Muslims of the Maghreb Al Aqsa region as well as Andalusia.

Dec 13, 2019 · Who were the Moors? If the term seems familiar from art and literature—but still confusing—there’s a good reason. Shakespeare's play Othello features a Moorish general in the Venetian army.

The Moors were the medieval Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula including present day Spain and Portugal) as well as the Maghreb and western Africa, whose culture is often called Moorish. The word was also used more generally in Europe to refer to anyone of Arab or African descent, sometimes called Blackamoors.

The Moors were descendants of Berber and Arab ancestors. They primarily inhabited North African territories and in the 8th century, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to begin the conquest of the Hispanic kingdom of the Visigoths.