History of Moorish Spain:  Part 3

In 1212 a united army of Spanish and European soldiers utterly destroyed the Almohad army at Navas de Tolosa, an event which marked the beginning of the end for Moorish Spain.

Fernando III ('the saint') captured Cordoba in 1236 and reconsecrated the mosque as the cathedral of Cordoba.  He then made captured Muslims carry the bells, stolen by Al-Mansur two centuries earlier, back to the cathedral in Santiago.

The ruler of Granada, Mohammed ibn-Alhamar, saw what was happening and approached Fernando to propose that in return for cooperating in the conquest of Muslim Seville, Granada would be granted independence as a subject of Castile.  Fernando agreed and took Seville.  On returning to Granada, the embarrassed ibn-Alhamar announced "there is no victor but Allah" which can be seen inscribed all over the Alhambra palace.

Many writers refer to Moorish rule over Spain spanning the 800 years from 711 to 1492 yet this is a misconception.  The reality is that the Berber-Hispanic Muslims inhabited two-thirds of the peninsula for 375 years, about half of it for another 160 years and finally the kingdom of Granada for the remaining 244 years.

When Fernando III died the reconquest seemed to die with him and the deal struck over Granada would last for another two centuries.  In 1479 The merger of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon under Los Reyes Católicos (Fernando and Isabel) would soon lead to the fall of the kingdom of Granada and the end of Moorish rule in Spain. 

The town of Santa Fe lies just outside Granada on the road to Malaga.  It was set up in 1491 as a base camp from where to conduct the final conquest of Moorish Spain.  The town represents the birthplace of modern Spain and it was here that Columbus received permission to begin his great voyage.

The kingdom of Granada included modern day Granada, Almeria and Malaga.  Its rulers, the Nasrid dynasty, had retired to a pleasure seeking existence within the confines of the Alhambra palace.  Jealousies stemming from the harem were the source of instability of Moorish Spain and would ultimately be influential in the fall of Granada.

Within the harem various sons could be born to different mothers each with equal rights to the throne.  Granada was split between the supporters of Mulay's wife, Aixa, and her son Boabdil on one side and a beautiful Christian prisoner called Soraya on the other.  Civil war ensued when the sultan chose Soraya over Aixa and her son.  Los Reyes Católicos couldn't believe their luck as Granada slowly self-destructed.  Aixa's followers gained the upper hand and Mulay fled to the protection of his brother who was governor of Malaga.

Boabdil was captured and made a deal with Fernando whereby he promised to surrender Granada once his father and uncle were vanquished.  Malaga fell in 1487 and shortly after Almeria was captured but Boabdil refused to surrender Granada setting the stage for a final invasion.

Rather than attack, Fernando chose to blockade Granada.  After months of stalemate and negotiations Boabdil surrendered in return for 30,000 gold coins, part of the Alpujarras mountains to the south of Granada and political and religious freedom for his subjects.  On January 2nd 1492 Los Reyes Católicos marched into Granada and the last stronghold of Moorish Spain came to an end.