Just Finished Reading: The Moor’s Last Stand – How Seven Centuries of Muslim Rule in Spain Came to an End by Elizabeth Drayson (FP: 2017)

Being born in the End Times is unfortunate. Being born into a position of power and authority in the End Times is nothing short of a curse. After 700 years of Islamic rule is Spain Abu Abdallah Muhammad XI, known as Boabdil became what was to be the last King of the southern Spanish province of Granada. Still in his 20’s he quickly realised that the weight of the Muslim world had landed on his shoulders. Pressed in on all sides by the Catholic forces of Ferdinand and Isabella Boabdil had little room for manoeuvre, few friends on mainland Spain and even fewer in North Africa. Faced with such a disadvantageous position and with so much at stake – the end of his civilisation – he would have hoped and expected to have unwavering support from his people, his ministers and his family. Nothing could be further from reality. The people were divided by faction, clan, family and religious affiliation. Some wanted to fight for every inch of ground with every breath in their bodies. Others hoped against hope that the Christians could see how valuable they were if left to their own devices. Others plotted the King’s overthrow and too Christian gold to help themselves to power. His Ministers plotted and schemed calling for Holy War or secret negotiation. His family, as with many such dynasties, was riven by jealousy, greed and the lust for power. Outside Grenada the Catholic forces spoke with almost a single voice and had just one objective – the ‘Reconquista’ of Spain and the ultimate expulsion of all Islamic influence in that long divided land. As the end of the 15th century approached a decades long struggle was about to come to a final and apocalyptic end in an event that reverberated down the centuries and still has an impact today – the fall of the last bastion of Muslim rule: Granada.

This is another one of those subjects that I knew a little bit about – that it happened along with a few names and some rough idea of dates. Partially through a general historical knowledge of Europe and, honestly, partially through historical drama like the movie El Cid. One of the interesting aspects of reading this book is that I visited Grenada and other areas on Andalucía over a decade ago with my then girlfriend. I was captivated both by the exotic mix of Islamic and Spanish architecture and the breath-taking beauty of the surroundings. When the Moors finally left Grenada I could certainly sympathise with their loss. If I had lived there for any time – never mind 700 years – I too would have been heartbroken to leave. One thing I hadn’t realised, which should have been obvious if I’d given it much thought, was that the re-conquest was nothing of the sort. It was an invasion of Muslim Spain by Catholic Spain. It’s a bit like England, after losing its final foothold in France with the loss of Calais in 1558, attacking France tomorrow and calling it a re-conquest taking back what was rightfully always ours. In some weird technical way it might be true but to make it seem legitimate would take a great deal of political spin – just like the re-conquest of Spain by northern Catholic forces. The final interesting aspect of this profound change in the history of Europe was how the image of Boabdil changed after the fall of Grenada in 1492. From coward and deeply ineffectual war leader to iconic hero both inside some parts of Spain and throughout the Islamic world. Over time the man has gone from historical figure, to myth to icon. Yet it is unclear how he died or where he is buried. It’s an interesting tale and one very much worth reading for anyone interested in Christian/Muslim relations and the history of the region. Recommended.