Granada: The Last Muslim Kingdom in Iberia
Suggest editThe Nasrid Kingdom
Granada (غرناطة) was the capital of the Nasrid Kingdom, the last Muslim-ruled territory in the Iberian Peninsula. Founded in 1238 CE by Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr, the Nasrid dynasty ruled for over 250 years until the fall of Granada on January 2, 1492 CE, ending nearly 800 years of Muslim presence in al-Andalus.
The Alhambra
The Alhambra (al-Hamra, 'the Red One') is one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic architecture in the world. Built primarily during the 13th and 14th centuries, it served as the royal palace and fortress of the Nasrid sultans. Its Court of the Lions, Hall of the Ambassadors, and intricate muqarnas (honeycomb vaulting) demonstrate the pinnacle of Andalusian Islamic art. Quranic inscriptions and the phrase 'La ghalib illa Allah' (There is no victor but Allah) adorn its walls throughout.
Intellectual Life
Granada was a center of scholarship, poetry, medicine, and science. Ibn al-Khatib (1313-1374 CE), one of the greatest writers of al-Andalus, served as vizier and produced works on history, medicine, and literature. The city's madrasas taught Islamic sciences alongside philosophy and the natural sciences.
Legacy
The fall of Granada marked the end of Muslim political power in Western Europe. Many Muslims were forcibly converted or expelled, carrying Andalusian culture to North Africa and the Ottoman lands, where it continued to influence Islamic art, architecture, and music for centuries.