Battle of Granada

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The Battle of Granada was a siege of the city of Granada fought over a period of months leading up to its surrender on 2nd January 1492. The city was captured by the combined forces of Aragon and Castile (recently united as Spain) from the armies of the taifa Muslim kingdom of Granada. Granada's forces were led by Sultan Boabdil.

Since the spring of 1491, Granada had been all that was left of the former Moorish state when the Spanish forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella laid siege to the walled city. After several attempts to disperse the besiegers had been defeated, Boabdil attempted to raise support from the Islamic Marinid state in Morocco. He negotiated a 4 month truce with the Spanish whereby he would surrender if no help was received by the expiry of the truce. This failed to materialise and, on the agreed date the city capitulated.

This relatively small campaign was of momentous consequences as Granada was the last outpost of Moorish rule in Spain and its fall brought to an end 780 years of Muslim control in the Spanish peninsula. It also marked the final act in the Reconquista, the campaign by the medieval Christian states of Spain to drive out the Moorish invaders.

Granada still celebrates the 2nd of January.

Bibliography

• Mind Alive Encyclopedia of World History, Marshall Cavendish, (London, 1974)

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Last updated on Saturday December 15, 2007 at 17:57:39 PST (GMT -0800)
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