January 2 - Completion of The Reconquista

This Day in History: 2 January 2020

 

2 January 1492

 

528 years ago, today, the kingdom of Granada fell to the Christian leaders, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, causing the Muslim Moors to lose their last hold in Spain. The city of Granada was a Moorish fortress, located at the joining of the two rivers, the Darro andGenil. In the 8^th century, much of the Iberian Peninsula had been conquered by Muslim forces and led to Christian forces attempting to recapture the territory for 780 years. It gained significance during the reign of Sultan Almoravid in the 11^th century, and in 1238, the Christian Reconquest forced the Spanish Muslims south, so the kingdom of Granada was established as the last refuge of the Moorish civilisation.

 

Granada then flourished culturally and economically for the next few decades, but in the late 15^th century, the Spanish monarchy under Ferdinand and Isabella was strengthened, which signalled the end of Moorish civilisation in Spain. On this day, King Boabdil surrendered Granada to the King and Queen, and ten years later, the two forced all Muslims to be converted to Christianity. Throughout the next century, there were many persecutions, and the last remaining Muslim Moors were expelled from Spain in 1609.

 

Want to find out more about The Reconquista and its completion? Clickhere for more details.