Granada 1492: The Twilight of Moorish Spain

By 1481 Granada was the last Islamic enclave in Catholic Spain. Granada's last ruler, Muhammad XII 'Boadbil', faced the might of a Spanish royal army revitalised and lavishly equipped with modern artillery. Despite this mismatch of strength it took 11 years of hard campaigning before the Spanish troops could bring their guns to bear on the walls of Granada. After this, the outcome could not be long delayed. Andalusia, the physical embodiment of the flowering Islamic culture in Spain, was snuffed out. Nevertheless, although the fall of Granada meant the end of Muslim Spain, completing the long wished for 'Reconquista', it also signalled the beginning of a united Spain. Fernando and Isabel, already jointly holding the crowns of Castile and Aragon, used the victory to promote feelings of unity amongst their subjects: in spite of most of the rewards of the campaign going to Castilian nobles, the fall of Granada was nevertheless the achievement of the whole of Spain, using resources from both Castile and Aragon. David Nicolle investigates the 11-year campaign that culminated in the 'Reconquista' phase of the Iberian Peninsula's history. The commanders, forces, plans and campaign itself are all examined closely in this superbly illustrated account of 'Los Reyes Catolicos' greatest victory.