6th century Visigoth rule formed a Jewish suburb named Garnatha on the south slope of the Alhambra hill.
711 The friction between the Christians and Jews lead to the Jews assisting the Muslims conquering the city. The Moors adapted the name to Karnattah and it was, under the control of the caliphat of Cordoba for 3 centuries .
1031 Almoravid and Almohad Berber reigned until the Almohad power crumbled in the 13th century when the Christian Reconquista started
1240-1273 The Arab prince, Ibn al-Ahmar aka Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasr, of the Nasrid tribe saw an opportunity in the unrests and created an independent state, which he ruled with much success. Although this was only because he paid tribute and allegiance to Fernando III of Castile.
The Spanish Reconquista defeated many other Spanish cities and consequently many Moors fled to Granada looking for refuge, stimulating the flourishing commerce, industry and culture there.
1334-1354 Yusuf I rules and starts building the Alhambra
1354-1391 Muhammed V rules Granada and continues building the Alhambra
Granada managed to maintain itself as one of the last Moorish cities under the Spanish Reconquista by turning to the Spanish kingdoms of Castile and Aragon or to the Merinid Sultan of Morocco for protection whenever it suited them.
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1469 The kingdoms of Aragon and Castile were united by the marriage of Fernando and Isabel, known as the Catholic Kings (Reyes Catolicos).
1490 The Catholic Kings made claim to Granada and the last Moorish King Boabdil, called in vain for help from fellow Muslims in Morocco, Egypt and Ottoman Turkey.
1491 After 7 months of siege, on January 2, 1492 Boabdil formally handed over the keys of Granada to Fernando and Isabel. With this, the empire of Al-Andalus crumbled. Boabdil did not want to see Granada completely destroyed and preferred to surrender. A wise man! Boabdil shed tears looking back on Granada and it was his mother who said “ Do not cry like a woman over what you were not able to defend as a man†The Jews and Muslims were treated badly during the Catholic reign. The Jews were expelled initially. The Moors were given the possibility to convert and were named Moriscos until they also were expelled, this lead to an economic decline of the city.
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1810 – 1812 Napoleonic war. The French occupied many cities during this time and carelessly used monuments such as the Alhambra as barracks, causing much damage.
1930 The romantic movement in the 19th century lead to a rediscovery of Granada in Washington Irving’s book “Tales of the Alhambraâ€.
1936 Franco’s coup lead to a bloodbath passing through Spain, killing an estimated 7.000 Liberals and Republicans in Granada alone. One of them was the poet, Federico Garcia Lorca who was forced to dig his own grave and was then executed. His books were banned and burnt in the town square.
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