« Do not cry as a woman what you did not know how to defend as a man «.They say of this phrase that was pronounced by Aixa, mother of Boabdil when this surrende Granada .It was three o'clock in the afternoon on January 2, 1492 when Boabdil , left the Alhambra through the door closest to Genil.Alli broken by pain, the emir got off his horse and bowing to the King Ferdinand of Aragon and all his sequoia of nobles tried to kiss his hand while handing him the keys to the city.The King, holding him, incorporated him to avoid dishonor and took the keys of the Alhambra, he gave them to Isabel, the Queen , and this in turn to the Prince Juan , who passed them to what would be named warden of the Alhambra, the count of Tendilla.But how Granada was achieved, what consequences it had, all these questions will be answered in this article dedicated to The Surrender of Granada.
The Surrender of Granada | Background
The Surrender of Granada puts an end to a historical process called Reconquista , in which the Christian kingdoms that inhabited the Iberian peninsula started a campaign to expel the Muslim kingdoms that they had dominated it since 722. On January 2, 1492, the date on which the last King Nazari left Granada.
View of the Alhambra
We could say that the expulsion of Muslims was a slow process , Since each conquered territory needed a period of stabilization.Different Christian kingdoms struggled with a common goal, but not all kingdoms advanced at the same pace, everything went through to get the right covenants.
The Christian kingdoms managed to unite thanks to the alliances generated, sometimes political and other marriages.Thanks to the union and the common desire of returning Christianity to the Iberian Peninsula, together with the desire for power, managed to reconquer the entire peninsula , all but the Emirate of Granada.
Situation in the Iberian Peninsula
The Emirate of Granada It had a strategic situation, its mountainous character helped its defense, as well as a practically impregnable network of fortresses, well distributed along its borders.The North African support and the constant crises in the kingdom of Castile , made the Emirate of Granada remain virtually unchanged.
Nazari Kingdom of Granada
But the Iberian Peninsula would not be Christian until the former King Nazari had left the territory of what it would be from in then, a country unified in a single crown, the Kingdom of Spain.
The Surrender of Granada | The Last Battle
It can be said that the War of Granada began ten years earlier in 1482, divided into three phases.A first phase began by the reconquest of the most western territories of the kingdom, a second phase in which the attacks intensified more, by the eastern territories and a third and last phase with the direct attack on the City of Granada.
The latter phase of the war, focused more on siege operations , put an end to the city's supplies, so that it finally surrenders.This siege went from the city of Santa Fe, 11 km from the city of Granada and went from there from where the Catholic kings demanded from Boabdil el Chico the delivery of the city of Granada.
AbuʿAbd Al·lah, was the last king of Granada, belonging to the Nazari dynasty who reigns under the name Muhammad XII , but known among Christians as Boabdil the boy , possibly for the pronunciation of his name by the Grenadians Bu Abdil-lah.
He was the son of Muley Hacen and Aixa, in 1482 he rebelled against his own father with the help of the Sultana Aixa, her mother and the support of the abencerrajes, thus accessing the power and the throne.To stay in power she had to fight both with her father and with her uncle, who also claimed rights.
El Zagal, brother of Muley Hacen, shared with him half of the kingdom, when Boabdil rebelled and snatched the kingdom from his father, the two brothers joined together to fight against the Boabdil, but practically unsupported.When the armies of Kings Isabel and Fernando, captured Boabdil in Lucena, they placed a unique condition for their release, the territories that had belonged to their uncle El Zagal. Boabdil was released.
Castil Lucena, a prison in Boabdil
With the territories of Zagal held by the Catholic Monarchs, the entry into the City of Granada and the completion of the Reconquest was a matter of little time./em>
The Rendition of Granada | Â The Rendition of Granada
On November 25, 1491, was the end of a historical period that had lasted more than 800 years, elultimo emir Muslim, Boabdil met with the Kings Isabel de Castilla and Fernando de Aragon, to sign the surrender of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada in favor of the kings Christians.This surrender was made through a capitulation, The Capitulations of Granada or the Treaty of Granada.
Capitulations
The Treaty of Granada consisted of a series of agreements signed by both parties ending the war, the resignation to the to sovereignty over the kingdom of Granada by the Nazari kingdom and the delivery of the keys of the city to the Catholic Monarchs.
Important Points of the Capitulations
For its part Boabdil, also set a number of conditions, as were the tolerance towards the Muslim religion, since in the city of Granada the Muslim population was the majority.Another requirement was that the Muslim population should not be persecuted, respecting their property, laws, culture, traditions and of course his life.
The Catholic Monarchs, accustomed to Boabdil's strategies and thinking that he might not fulfill what was signed in the capitulations, made the last requirement, 600 Nazaries chosen among the children of the Notable Nazaries Granadinos , that once Boabdil had abandoned the Kingdom of Exile Granada, would be released.
Departure of the Boabdil Family from the Alhambra
Boabdil was granted a senorio in the Alpujarras, although broken by pain, he decided to return to the lands of his ancestors, returning to Fez, where died in 1533 .
A period of 2 months was agreed for the departure of Boabdil , set as a deadline on January 6, 1492.Boabdil kept his word before Time and on January 2, 1492, Boabdil handed over the keys of the City, as well as their defensive positions to the Catholic Monarchs.
Arab Cemeteries of Granada
However before leaving, King Boabdil ordered the Royal Cemetery of the Alhambra to be erected, called La Rauda .Boabdil didn't want his predecessors to stay In Christian lands, I move the remains from the Alhambra to Mondujar , where I command to build a new cemetery of a royal character that today remains hidden.
View of Granada from El Suspiro del Moro
The legend says that while Boabdil mounted on the backs of his horse was heading towards his new fiefs, from a nearby hill he he stopped.
He wanted to turn his eyes back to take a last look at his lost and desolate kingdom, crying like a child.Behind him, was the Sultana Aixa, his mother, who watching him cry with such dismay he said «Don't cry like a woman what you didn't know how to defend as a man».The hill is called Suspiro del Moro.
The Surrender of Granada | The Taking of Granada
On January 2, 1492, Christian troops entered the city, the detachments begin to take positions taking the fortresses and towers.Meanwhile, within the Alhambra, the transfer of power was taking place .The Comares room was the room chosen by Boabdil to deliver the keys of the city to the representatives of Queen Elizabeth Outside the City, the Kings of Castile and Aragon waited impatiently.
Plan of the Muslim City of Granada
When the Catholic Monarchs entered Granada, they were amazed by the beauty of the city , so much so that they decided to be buried in the city.they entered the wonderful palace of the Alhambra , became aware of the beauty it contained, so they dedicated all their efforts to maintaining the pa lazio.
Hall of Abencerrages
The kings after the conquest of Granada they made a series of decisions that would be transcendental for the history of a newborn Kingdom of Spain.The decision was made to expel the Jews, on March 30, 1492 and the support to Colon to start his trip to the Indies, this happened on April 17, 1942.
The Catholic Monarchs tried to maintain the essence of the palace, impressed with such beauty but the The need to return a Christian to a city that had been for 800 years Muslim, led them to the duality of preserving the beautiful Muslim constructions and creating the Christian ones, thus the Cathedral of Granada was born. A cathedral that would contain with a very special chapel, since here was the place desired by the Kings for their remains to rest forever.And their wishes s and complied, the remains of the Catholic Monarchs are buried in the Cathedral of Granada.
Sepulcher of the Catholic Monarchs, Fernando and Isabel, in the Royal Chapel of Granada
When the news of the surrender of Granada came to Rome, the Pope Innocent VIII , officiated in the Holy City a Mass for the glory of God.From this moment, The Kings Isabel and Fernando will go on to hold the title of Catholics and as Catholic kings forced to fight against Islam.
This door according to Legend has it that Boabdil came out after surrendering to the Catholic kings but made the condition that no one would go through it again and since that day it remains closed.
After the first Christian mass in the Inside the Alhambra, they headed towards the Candle Tower, and there, finally, they raised the Cross, which became visible from the entire city.
The whole Albaicin cried the loss.Granada scream and cry for the capitulation of his Moorish city.There were a few revolts, desperate for the end of an entire kingdom, but finally, Granada, the Nazari, was rendered.
«the Sun of Al-Andalus disappeared...may Allah's will be fulfilled...may each unfortunate be locked in with his sadness...» (Al-Maqqari).
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