Information about Extremadura, Spain
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain. It includes the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz. Extremadura borders Portugal to the west, and it is an important area for wildlife, particularly with the major reserve at Monfragüe, which has recently been recognised as a National Park, or the project of International Tagus River Natural Park (Parque Natural Rio Tajo internacional). To the north it borders Castile-León (provinces of Salamanca and Ávila); to the south, it borders Andalusia (provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Córboda); and to the east, it borders Castile-La Mancha (provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real).
There are various theories about the origins of the name. According to one, the name of Extremadura comes from Latin Extrema Dorii ("The ends of the Duero"), which designates that the territory is situated to the south of the basin of the Duero (and its tributaries). However, another well-respected theory is that the word Extremadura was used generically during the Reconquista in order to designate the lands situated on the borders of the Christian kingdoms to the north (in particular, the kingdoms of León and Castile) with Al-Andalus. The Extremadura name would therefore be given to the borderlands of Castile, which later turned to the province of Soria (whose capital's shield says Soria pura cabeza de Estremadura), also known as Extremadura castellana.
Lusitania, an ancient Roman province approximately including current day Portugal (except for the northern area today known as Norte Region), and a central western portion of the current day Spain, covered in those times today's Autonomous Community of Extremadura. Mérida (capital of Extremadura), became the capital of the Roman Lusitania province, and one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire.
Extremadura was the source of many of the most famous Spanish conquerors ("conquistadores") and settlers in America. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, Pedro de Alvarado, Pedro de Valdivia, Francisco de Orellana, Pedro Gomez Duran y Chaves and Vasco Nunez de Balboa were all born in Extremadura and many towns and cities in America carry a name from their homeland
There are various theories about the origins of the name. According to one, the name of Extremadura comes from Latin Extrema Dorii ("The ends of the Duero"), which designates that the territory is situated to the south of the basin of the Duero (and its tributaries). However, another well-respected theory is that the word Extremadura was used generically during the Reconquista in order to designate the lands situated on the borders of the Christian kingdoms to the north (in particular, the kingdoms of León and Castile) with Al-Andalus. The Extremadura name would therefore be given to the borderlands of Castile, which later turned to the province of Soria (whose capital's shield says Soria pura cabeza de Estremadura), also known as Extremadura castellana.
Lusitania, an ancient Roman province approximately including current day Portugal (except for the northern area today known as Norte Region), and a central western portion of the current day Spain, covered in those times today's Autonomous Community of Extremadura. Mérida (capital of Extremadura), became the capital of the Roman Lusitania province, and one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire.
Extremadura was the source of many of the most famous Spanish conquerors ("conquistadores") and settlers in America. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, Pedro de Alvarado, Pedro de Valdivia, Francisco de Orellana, Pedro Gomez Duran y Chaves and Vasco Nunez de Balboa were all born in Extremadura and many towns and cities in America carry a name from their homeland
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