Isabelle of Catille and Ferdinand of Aragon in Alhambra. A scene from the series about Queen Izabela.
source El Mundo
It seems like the Christmas is over, not precisely. In Spain, it lasts until the Epiphany Day (you can read about it here). Each year on the 2nd of January the conquest of the city by the Catholic kings, Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon is celebrated. This day is important to the history of Spain and even the world. On the 2nd of January in 1492, the Muslim rulers lost officially their power on the Iberian Peninsula. The event became important on a global scale because in this way the loss of Byzantium, the mainstay of Christianity, in favour to the Ottoman Empire was somewhat compensated.
15th century political map of the Iberian Peninsula with the Emirate of Granada marked in green.
source Timetoast Pablo Aguilar
The campaign to conquer the Emirate of Granada lasted 10 years. During this time, the Christian army used a strategy of weakening the enemy, which consisted of destroying farmlands, logging forests and conquering fortresses.These actions led primarily to the destruction of enemy resources (especially economic ones), weakening and straining the morale of soldiers and defense systems, and at the same time it provoked internal conflicts. However, it did not allow to avoid a confrontation with the enemy. First of all, several-month-long sieges of strategic cities in the Emirate of Granada were used. Hunger and lack of help became the ally of the attackers. The use of artillery by the army of the Catholic Kings was also important. This type of modern weapon turned out to be completely destructive for the medieval walls of Muslim cities. The number of the Christian army, which consisted of about 60,000 soldiers (of which about 10,000 horsemen) also turned out to be significant. In turn, the Muslim Granada's army although probably numbered about 50,000 soldiers (of which about 7,500 horsemen), it was scattered throughout the territory of the emirate, which made its mobilization an additional obstacle.
The sword of the last Sultan of Granada Boabdil, which he himself presented to the Catholic Kings on the 2nd of January in 1492 during the act of surrender of the city of Granada.
source El Español
Ultimately, as a result of the overwhelming victories of Christians in 1491 the territory of the former emirate shrunked to the city of Granada, and its conquest turned out to be just a matter of time. On November 25, 1491, the capitulation of the city was signed, and the symbolic handover of the keys to the city by Boabdil (the last Sultan of Granada) took place on January 2, 1492.
A painting by the Spanish painter Francisco Pradilla y Ortiz from 1840 depicting the surrender of the city of Granada on January 2, 1492.
source wikipedia
To commemorate this event, every year in Granada various initiatives are organized. Unfortunately, this year the celebrations have been significantly reduced due to the pandemic. The city authorities made an official march from the City Hall building at Carmen Square to the Royal Chapel to pay tribute to the buried there Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon. Once in the chapel, the banner of the army of the Catholic Kings was solemnly spread in front of the altar. Also the queen's crown and the king's ceremonial saber were transferred to the cathedral for the time of the Holy Mass. On the other hand, flowers were placed in the crypt, where the remains of the Catholic Kings rest.
The city authorities layed flowers in the crypt next to the remains of the Catholic Kings on January 2, 2021.
source Granada Digital
We are all waiting impatiently for the pandemic to end and we strongly believe that the celebration of the conquest of the city of Granada next year will already be celebrated with complete normality!
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Want to know more about how Muslim Granada surrendered to the Catholic Kings and what dilemmas had the last Sultan, Boabdil? You can book your visit right now here. In this way, your Granada tour will be enhanced with additional attractions not included in traditional travel guides!
Visit the Alhambra and Granada only with official guide Gosia Granada Guide!
You can find more information, pictures and videos from Granada on my facebook site, please follow me here!
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