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The Moor's Last Stand: How Seven Centuries of Muslim Rule in Spain Came to an End
The first full account in any language of the last Muslim king of Spain. An action-packed story of betrayal, courage, intrigue, heroism, and tragedy. The Moor's Last Stand presents the poignant story of Boabdil, the last Muslim king of Granada. Betrayed by his family and undermined by faction and internal conflict, Boabdil was defeated in 1492 by the forces of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of the newly united kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. The Christian victory marked the completion of the long Christian re-conquest of Spain and ended seven centuries in which Christians, Muslims, and Jews had, for the most part, lived peacefully and profitably together. Five centuries after his death, Boabdil continues to be a potent symbol of resistance to the forces of western Christendom, and his image endures in contemporary culture. Based on original research in the region by a leading historian of Granada, this book presents a vivid account of Boabdil's life and times and considers the impact of his defeat then and now.
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
24 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Drayson
5 books13 followersElizabeth Drayson specialises in medieval and early modern Spanish literature and cultural history, and has a particular interest in the Arabic, Jewish, and Christian cultures of medieval and Golden Age Spain, as well as in the relationship between medieval literature, art and film. Her publications include the first translation and edition of Juan Ruiz's Libro de buen amor to appear in England (Everyman edition), as well as essays and articles on the Libro de buen amor, Berceo and the Poema de mio Çid. She is the author of The King and the Whore: King Roderick and La Cava, The New Middle Ages series, (London and New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2007) which charts the reception of the legend of Roderick, last Visigothic king of Spain. Elizabeth has published several articles on the legend in medieval and early modern chronicles and early art, as well as giving numerous conference papers on the subject. Her monograph, The Lead Books of Granada, Early Modern History series (Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan, 2013, paperback, 2016) evaluates the cultural status and importance of the polyvalent, ambiguous artefacts known as the lead books, which were discovered on a hillside in late sixteenth-century Granada and embody many of the dualities and paradoxes inherent in the racial and religious dilemmas of Early Modern Spain. Her latest book The Moor’s Last Stand: how seven centuries of Muslim rule in Spain came to an end, which charts the life and times of Boabdil, last Muslim king of Granada, will be published in April 2017 by Profile Books.
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April 8, 2019
This meticulously researched and very well written book is a compelling biography of Abu Abdallah Muhammad XI, better known in the western world as Boabdil, the last ruler of the Emirate of Granada, whose surrender to King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile on January 2, 1492 marked the end of the Reconquista and the final chapter in the over 700 year rule of most of the Iberian Peninsula by Muslims from North Africa, dating back to the first invasion of what is now southern Spain by Berbers of the Umayyad caliphate in 711. Boabdil has been widely portrayed over the centuries as a weak and ineffectual leader at best, a pawn of the Christian king, and a traitor to his people at worst, who was thought to have conspired with the relentlessly advancing army of Ferdinand and Isabelle for his own gain, while condemning the Muslim Granadans to Christian rule and the ultimate expulsion of true believers from Spain. However, Drayson uses original sources to demonstrate that the young Boabdil, though not a flawless sultan, grieved for his people and the loss of the last Muslim stronghold on the peninsula to the King and Queen, surrendered to them to avoid an all but certain slaughter that would have cost thousands of lives, and was severely hampered by his treacherous father and uncle, along with the cunning and calculating King.
The Emirate of Granada was created in 1230, and was centered in the Alhambra, the palace and fortress that was built on the ruins of a former 9th century compound on a hilltop overlooking the city and the nearby elevated Albaicín, the Moorish Quarter of the city of Granada. The 250+ years of the emirate were mostly ones of prosperity, although the rulership was marked by increasing instability due to frequent changes in leadership, as the sultans were frequently overthrown and murdered by their closest relatives, including their own sons and fathers. Boabdil's father, Abu l-Hassan Ali, preceded him as sultan, and proved a constant threat to him when he became the leader of the Granadans in 1482, along with his uncle El-Zagal, who both sought to depose and kill the young ruler. Boabdil's mother, Aixa, who was discarded by her husband for a young Spanish woman who he captured, was his only reliable source of support within the family. After he embarked on an unwise expedition to the Christian town of Lucena in 1483 to demonstrate his strength to his people and was captured in an ambush, Boabdil's power was greatly diminished, as he had to agree to harsh conditions to gain his release, which included a substitution of his son for himself as a prisoner of Ferdinand and an agreement of loyalty to the King. Ferdinand used Boabdil cunningly and expertly toward his own goal of reclaiming Spain for the papacy, and manipulated the younger man against his father and uncle, which ultimately weakened the emirate and led to its progressive demise at the end of 1491, leaving Boabdil with only two choices: surrender to the Christians, or fight with weakened and demoralized troops against overwhelming forces who were adept at the latest fighting technologies, with the certainty that he and his people would be slaughtered en masse by the ruthless invaders.
Boabdil left the city shortly after the conquering forces entered, lived briefly in exile in Andalucía, the former al-Andalus, and left the following year to spend the remainder of his days in Morocco.
Drayson examines and evaluates the numerous accounts and depictions of Boabdil and the fall of Granada, in history, literature, poetry, and the arts, and through her research she portrays him more fairly and favorably, and provides the reader with a far more complete picture of this intelligent, complicated and troubled man.
The Moor's Last Stand is an outstanding work of scholarship, which provided me with a much fuller understanding of the last sultan of Granada, and the end of Muslim rule in Spain. My only regret is that this book was published after my visit to Granada, Sevilla, Ronda and Arcos de la Frontera three years ago, but reading it has made me much more eager to return to Andalucía in the very near future, with a new sense of awareness and inspiration to learn more about the Moors in Spain.
The Emirate of Granada was created in 1230, and was centered in the Alhambra, the palace and fortress that was built on the ruins of a former 9th century compound on a hilltop overlooking the city and the nearby elevated Albaicín, the Moorish Quarter of the city of Granada. The 250+ years of the emirate were mostly ones of prosperity, although the rulership was marked by increasing instability due to frequent changes in leadership, as the sultans were frequently overthrown and murdered by their closest relatives, including their own sons and fathers. Boabdil's father, Abu l-Hassan Ali, preceded him as sultan, and proved a constant threat to him when he became the leader of the Granadans in 1482, along with his uncle El-Zagal, who both sought to depose and kill the young ruler. Boabdil's mother, Aixa, who was discarded by her husband for a young Spanish woman who he captured, was his only reliable source of support within the family. After he embarked on an unwise expedition to the Christian town of Lucena in 1483 to demonstrate his strength to his people and was captured in an ambush, Boabdil's power was greatly diminished, as he had to agree to harsh conditions to gain his release, which included a substitution of his son for himself as a prisoner of Ferdinand and an agreement of loyalty to the King. Ferdinand used Boabdil cunningly and expertly toward his own goal of reclaiming Spain for the papacy, and manipulated the younger man against his father and uncle, which ultimately weakened the emirate and led to its progressive demise at the end of 1491, leaving Boabdil with only two choices: surrender to the Christians, or fight with weakened and demoralized troops against overwhelming forces who were adept at the latest fighting technologies, with the certainty that he and his people would be slaughtered en masse by the ruthless invaders.
Boabdil left the city shortly after the conquering forces entered, lived briefly in exile in Andalucía, the former al-Andalus, and left the following year to spend the remainder of his days in Morocco.
Drayson examines and evaluates the numerous accounts and depictions of Boabdil and the fall of Granada, in history, literature, poetry, and the arts, and through her research she portrays him more fairly and favorably, and provides the reader with a far more complete picture of this intelligent, complicated and troubled man.
The Moor's Last Stand is an outstanding work of scholarship, which provided me with a much fuller understanding of the last sultan of Granada, and the end of Muslim rule in Spain. My only regret is that this book was published after my visit to Granada, Sevilla, Ronda and Arcos de la Frontera three years ago, but reading it has made me much more eager to return to Andalucía in the very near future, with a new sense of awareness and inspiration to learn more about the Moors in Spain.
February 10, 2019
Fascinating read.
The book is shorter than you might think, but that doesnt count against it. The book masterfully tells us the story of the last Sultan of Islamic Spain, Boabdil, an appropriation of his real name Abu Abdullah.
The beginning introduced a lot of the main players in this chapter of history, it seemed hard to keep up with at first but after a while it was much easier to keep track of who was who.
The main take away I have from this book was how cunning and strategical King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were in their overall goal. This isnt to say that Boabdil lacked this quality, but ultimately he seems to have outclassed in this aspect. The constant infighting, betrayal and conspiracy amongst the various claimants to Islamic rule certainly didnt help the cause of Muslim rule in Spain, and there is no doubt that Ferdinand and Isabella used this to their cunning advantage.
In hindsight, it seems obvious as to the overall plan Ferdinand and Isabella had to retake Spain, but I have learnt there were multiple factors that would have kept him trapped between what he wanted to do and what he had to do. His eldest son, Ahmed was taken as a hostage when Boabdil himself was captured in battle a few years earlier. this absolutely changed the course of the conflict for good. All in all, it was a tough situation for him to be in, but he had to make it work for everyone, let alone himself. Ultimately he was unable to defend the last great city of Islamic Spain, Granada, and we are informed at how he had to hand it over, deal with the citizens inside and finally how he was pushed into exile before his final expulsion.
The book itself is very readable, and there are times towards the end of the book where you yourself can almost feel some of the sorrow Boabdil felt when he had to surrender the city. It was interesting to note that Christopher Columbus himself was a witness to this very surrender, he happened to be waiting for permission from Ferdinand and Isabella to take a now famous sea voyage to find a new route to India.
The surrender of Granada has been painted as the beginning of a new era of history, with the discovery of the Americas and subsequent colonisation occurring after it.
Unfortunately, this book doesnt tell the tale of how the Muslims (and Jews) who remained in Spain after the Christian conquest were forcefully subject to the inquisition, that is another tale in another book. This is just the story of Boabdil, the last Sultan of Muslim Spain.
Overall, a brilliant read with a lot of information for anyone wanting to know more about this underrated historical figure. It adds more mystery to his story that we still dont know for sure what happened to him after he was expelled from Spain or where he died and was buried.
Definitely a recommended read, and a good introduction into the topic.
The book is shorter than you might think, but that doesnt count against it. The book masterfully tells us the story of the last Sultan of Islamic Spain, Boabdil, an appropriation of his real name Abu Abdullah.
The beginning introduced a lot of the main players in this chapter of history, it seemed hard to keep up with at first but after a while it was much easier to keep track of who was who.
The main take away I have from this book was how cunning and strategical King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were in their overall goal. This isnt to say that Boabdil lacked this quality, but ultimately he seems to have outclassed in this aspect. The constant infighting, betrayal and conspiracy amongst the various claimants to Islamic rule certainly didnt help the cause of Muslim rule in Spain, and there is no doubt that Ferdinand and Isabella used this to their cunning advantage.
In hindsight, it seems obvious as to the overall plan Ferdinand and Isabella had to retake Spain, but I have learnt there were multiple factors that would have kept him trapped between what he wanted to do and what he had to do. His eldest son, Ahmed was taken as a hostage when Boabdil himself was captured in battle a few years earlier. this absolutely changed the course of the conflict for good. All in all, it was a tough situation for him to be in, but he had to make it work for everyone, let alone himself. Ultimately he was unable to defend the last great city of Islamic Spain, Granada, and we are informed at how he had to hand it over, deal with the citizens inside and finally how he was pushed into exile before his final expulsion.
The book itself is very readable, and there are times towards the end of the book where you yourself can almost feel some of the sorrow Boabdil felt when he had to surrender the city. It was interesting to note that Christopher Columbus himself was a witness to this very surrender, he happened to be waiting for permission from Ferdinand and Isabella to take a now famous sea voyage to find a new route to India.
The surrender of Granada has been painted as the beginning of a new era of history, with the discovery of the Americas and subsequent colonisation occurring after it.
Unfortunately, this book doesnt tell the tale of how the Muslims (and Jews) who remained in Spain after the Christian conquest were forcefully subject to the inquisition, that is another tale in another book. This is just the story of Boabdil, the last Sultan of Muslim Spain.
Overall, a brilliant read with a lot of information for anyone wanting to know more about this underrated historical figure. It adds more mystery to his story that we still dont know for sure what happened to him after he was expelled from Spain or where he died and was buried.
Definitely a recommended read, and a good introduction into the topic.
December 6, 2021
A decent but not great look at the last ruler of Granada. History has not been kind to him and this book tries but in my view doesn't quite succeed in redeeming him. Worth the minimal time commitment but only if you are interested in the topic. I wouldn't seek it out or recommend it to all but a few of my friends.
March 3, 2021
An interesting perspective into the non-violent conclusion to Islamic Spain.
Only 30 years or so prior, Constantinople fell in the east; and it’s ending was the antithesis of this one.
However Muhammad XII’s life was shrouded in almost as much mystery as Constantine XI’s and this book did tend to drone on as if trying to make up for lack of information with over explaining.
The end of his reign was the most well documented and this was the most interesting portion of this book.
Only 30 years or so prior, Constantinople fell in the east; and it’s ending was the antithesis of this one.
However Muhammad XII’s life was shrouded in almost as much mystery as Constantine XI’s and this book did tend to drone on as if trying to make up for lack of information with over explaining.
The end of his reign was the most well documented and this was the most interesting portion of this book.
August 5, 2018
Easy to read and digest information. Good introduction for people who want to start learning about this era of Muslim rule in Spain.
February 5, 2022
Drayson excellently combines biography and historical narrative to tell the story of the last decades of Muslim rule in Spain. Her historical narrative is interesting and well-researched, but it’s her portrayal of Boabdil that truly captivates. Her portrayal of the last Nasrid ruler is sympathetic and complex, sure to leave the reader with both a firm understanding of him as well as a desire to learn more.
August 19, 2020
I first heard of Bobadil, the last Muslim ruler of Spain in a book 'The Idiot's Guide to Islam' which despite the title is an excellent primer. Bobadil was mentioned as he fell down weeping after he had handed over the keys of the city to Isabella and Ferdinand. His mother retorted 'Why do you weep like a woman for what you could not keep as a man?'
Harsh.
This book does a pretty good job of giving you an insight into the character of Bobadil despite meandering into needless tangents in the final two chapters.
In Bobadil we have the curious case of a man who although brave in battle lacked moral courage. A senstive cultured man who was also irresolute and feeble-spirited. A mixed bag like all people. He was not responsible for the demise of Muslim Spain. He was simply a ruler who was disconnected from reality. A ruler who was not up to the job of being a leader.
History has been harsh on Bobadil, a few historians have given a more nuanced view. But sometimes the facts speak for themselves. Genuflecting before Ferdinand, kissing the helm of his robe. Leaving his youngest son as a hostage with Ferdinand for years. And finally washing his hands of his people and going off to live in exile. Such selfishness rarely stands up to the glare of history.
Harsh.
This book does a pretty good job of giving you an insight into the character of Bobadil despite meandering into needless tangents in the final two chapters.
In Bobadil we have the curious case of a man who although brave in battle lacked moral courage. A senstive cultured man who was also irresolute and feeble-spirited. A mixed bag like all people. He was not responsible for the demise of Muslim Spain. He was simply a ruler who was disconnected from reality. A ruler who was not up to the job of being a leader.
History has been harsh on Bobadil, a few historians have given a more nuanced view. But sometimes the facts speak for themselves. Genuflecting before Ferdinand, kissing the helm of his robe. Leaving his youngest son as a hostage with Ferdinand for years. And finally washing his hands of his people and going off to live in exile. Such selfishness rarely stands up to the glare of history.
May 14, 2017
I don't read non fiction as a rule, but wanting to try and understand more of the history and culture of the country I will be calling home, this book jumped off the library shelf into my hands.
For me, it's convergent and well written, I was intrigued with Boabdil's story, the facts and the fiction and the impact that all parties have had on the land. It has given me more understanding of the Moors and Christians events that are held in my area of Spain. However it has also helped me to see beyond the scars of the 20th century to the much earlier ones.
If I was a historian, my review might be very different. But if you want to understand more about the Spanish, this gives some very good insights.
For me, it's convergent and well written, I was intrigued with Boabdil's story, the facts and the fiction and the impact that all parties have had on the land. It has given me more understanding of the Moors and Christians events that are held in my area of Spain. However it has also helped me to see beyond the scars of the 20th century to the much earlier ones.
If I was a historian, my review might be very different. But if you want to understand more about the Spanish, this gives some very good insights.
August 18, 2017
I enjoy reading history but don't want anything lengthy. This was perfect . . . 185 pages, a concentrated story about a very interesting and pivotal moment in European history that we generally know very little about. I didn't understand that Granada's last 100+ years was spent as a vassal state of Castile, they were doomed once Ferdinand and Isabella decided they wanted to complete the Reconquista. Also didn't know that the promises were made to Granada, that they (and the Jewish inhabitants there) could keep their religion -- promise lasted for a few years but not long. Interesting parallels drawn between the Granada of history, very divided internally and threatened externally, with Arab world of recent times.
January 28, 2024
I was given this book as a gift by a teenage boy who knew I was interested in history. It was about a topic I knew nothing about.
As a kid in America, the extent of my knowledge (and probably 99.9999% of other Americans of the time) of this event was:
In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally ended Islamic power by conquering Granada. That same year, Columbus was given permission and funds to explore westward to find a new route to the riches of the Indies. And then weeks of instruction on the age of exploration, Jamestown, the Pilgrims, etc.
Well, needless, to say, the story is richer and more complex than that single sentence in my middle school history book.
The first chapter is a whirlwind background tour of Islamic (Moorish) invasion of Iberia in the 700s followed by hundreds of years of sultans, offspring of sultans, brothers of sultans, civil wars, wars against the Christians, treachery, periods of peace, more treachery, and so on. It was like reading a similar period of English history where the same themes emerge (except English v Scots or Irish or Welsh). I was 3/4 of my through this chapter, skimming mostly, until I discovered the dynastic chart in the appendix which might have slowed down my skimming as it was hard to keep one ruler from the next as they were often named the same.
Then, the author gets down to the meat of the story about the last Sultan, named Boabdil. He was a young ruler who was both literate and cultured. His court was in the exquisite Alhambra palace in the city of Granada (southern Spain). He also was ruthless when need be. And ruthlessness was required when his own father and uncle schemed against him over the course of ten years.
There are invasions from the north by the armies of Ferdinand and Isabella, who recently had united the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. There are counter-invasions by the Moors. Sieges, disasters, treachery, negotiation, truces, broken truces, A strong-willed woman, who wanted the best for her son Boabdil. Famines, plague around the corner. Harvests and scorched earth policies to prevent harvests. Interlocutors and negotiators who spoke Spanish and Arabic. Rebels. Mass beheadings. Your basic medieval potboiler just with southern European characters rather than more familiar British Isle personages. Shakespeare would have been perfectly home writing about this milieu.
And, in 1492, it all ends when Granada is surrendered after a punishing siege and a hungry populace. Fair terms are negotiated (which are reneged on by the Spanish within a few years). Boabdil is allowed to leave and disappears from history - his time and place of death is unknown.
The final chapter goes through 500+ years of how Boabdil and the fall of the Iberian Moorish state is described in literature, art, and video. I skimmed this.
As I had the paperback edition, the enumerated pictures in the List of Illustrations were omitted from my edition. If you're going to read this book, get the hardback. There are three maps with type so small I had to use my phone's camera at magnification. A good knowledge of southern Spanish geography would be helpful (something that sadly, I do not have, so I squinted at the maps, maps that could have been improved if topographical features and roads were included).
There are no notes but at least she cites her sources when giving way to first hand accounts that are occasionally sprinkled through the text.
Was this book worth reading?
Sort of. I knew nothing of the topic and now know more. As history is written by the victors, it was assumed in my middle school that the (Christian) conquering of the Moors was "good", given that I lived in the US. But, Ferdinand and Isabella were no angels, as much as they thought they were doing God's work. So, it was useful to get the perspective from the Moor's side; a side that was highly developed in culture and learning for the 15th century.
The book is not written for scholars and is modestly engaging. You can safely skim the first chapter.
The Moor's Last Stand is written using the "Great Man" school of history that leaves unanswered so many questions.
* Top of mind was why were Castile+Aragon so much more powerful than the Moors? (there was some discussion about the Spanish use of cannons and other advanced warfare technology, but why is it that they could afford these things; did they have a better-organized society and finances?)
* Why did Castile+Aragon not collapse from the expense of the war?
* What was it like for the ordinary folks?
The book was a narrative, and hampered no doubt by a paucity of source material, such source material as survived tends to be about the "great men". It also took a point-of-view from Boabdil's side rather than a balanced history of the time. Put another way, given that I knew nothing about this period (1482-1492), I wish the author hadn't taken the mission of elevating Boabdil as the epicenter of the story, the heroic, yet tragic figure. Given the obscurity of the period to me, the book needed the touch of a Jon Meacham, David McCullough or Barbara Tuchman - but perhaps none of this was possible given the mists of time and lack of reference items.
Drayson has clearly studied this period extensively and knows her stuff. I'm going to listen to a YouTube interview with her that came out in 2023 to see if a spoken account can help cement what I read.
As a kid in America, the extent of my knowledge (and probably 99.9999% of other Americans of the time) of this event was:
In 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally ended Islamic power by conquering Granada. That same year, Columbus was given permission and funds to explore westward to find a new route to the riches of the Indies. And then weeks of instruction on the age of exploration, Jamestown, the Pilgrims, etc.
Well, needless, to say, the story is richer and more complex than that single sentence in my middle school history book.
The first chapter is a whirlwind background tour of Islamic (Moorish) invasion of Iberia in the 700s followed by hundreds of years of sultans, offspring of sultans, brothers of sultans, civil wars, wars against the Christians, treachery, periods of peace, more treachery, and so on. It was like reading a similar period of English history where the same themes emerge (except English v Scots or Irish or Welsh). I was 3/4 of my through this chapter, skimming mostly, until I discovered the dynastic chart in the appendix which might have slowed down my skimming as it was hard to keep one ruler from the next as they were often named the same.
Then, the author gets down to the meat of the story about the last Sultan, named Boabdil. He was a young ruler who was both literate and cultured. His court was in the exquisite Alhambra palace in the city of Granada (southern Spain). He also was ruthless when need be. And ruthlessness was required when his own father and uncle schemed against him over the course of ten years.
There are invasions from the north by the armies of Ferdinand and Isabella, who recently had united the kingdoms of Aragon and Castile. There are counter-invasions by the Moors. Sieges, disasters, treachery, negotiation, truces, broken truces, A strong-willed woman, who wanted the best for her son Boabdil. Famines, plague around the corner. Harvests and scorched earth policies to prevent harvests. Interlocutors and negotiators who spoke Spanish and Arabic. Rebels. Mass beheadings. Your basic medieval potboiler just with southern European characters rather than more familiar British Isle personages. Shakespeare would have been perfectly home writing about this milieu.
And, in 1492, it all ends when Granada is surrendered after a punishing siege and a hungry populace. Fair terms are negotiated (which are reneged on by the Spanish within a few years). Boabdil is allowed to leave and disappears from history - his time and place of death is unknown.
The final chapter goes through 500+ years of how Boabdil and the fall of the Iberian Moorish state is described in literature, art, and video. I skimmed this.
As I had the paperback edition, the enumerated pictures in the List of Illustrations were omitted from my edition. If you're going to read this book, get the hardback. There are three maps with type so small I had to use my phone's camera at magnification. A good knowledge of southern Spanish geography would be helpful (something that sadly, I do not have, so I squinted at the maps, maps that could have been improved if topographical features and roads were included).
There are no notes but at least she cites her sources when giving way to first hand accounts that are occasionally sprinkled through the text.
Was this book worth reading?
Sort of. I knew nothing of the topic and now know more. As history is written by the victors, it was assumed in my middle school that the (Christian) conquering of the Moors was "good", given that I lived in the US. But, Ferdinand and Isabella were no angels, as much as they thought they were doing God's work. So, it was useful to get the perspective from the Moor's side; a side that was highly developed in culture and learning for the 15th century.
The book is not written for scholars and is modestly engaging. You can safely skim the first chapter.
The Moor's Last Stand is written using the "Great Man" school of history that leaves unanswered so many questions.
* Top of mind was why were Castile+Aragon so much more powerful than the Moors? (there was some discussion about the Spanish use of cannons and other advanced warfare technology, but why is it that they could afford these things; did they have a better-organized society and finances?)
* Why did Castile+Aragon not collapse from the expense of the war?
* What was it like for the ordinary folks?
The book was a narrative, and hampered no doubt by a paucity of source material, such source material as survived tends to be about the "great men". It also took a point-of-view from Boabdil's side rather than a balanced history of the time. Put another way, given that I knew nothing about this period (1482-1492), I wish the author hadn't taken the mission of elevating Boabdil as the epicenter of the story, the heroic, yet tragic figure. Given the obscurity of the period to me, the book needed the touch of a Jon Meacham, David McCullough or Barbara Tuchman - but perhaps none of this was possible given the mists of time and lack of reference items.
Drayson has clearly studied this period extensively and knows her stuff. I'm going to listen to a YouTube interview with her that came out in 2023 to see if a spoken account can help cement what I read.
February 23, 2020
Me gustó mucho conocer la historia y cómo la autora, al final del libro, hace similitudes de las diferencias religiosas de aquella época con lo que ahora se vive. Es un libro muy interesante que habré conversaciones.
Lo único que me pareció un poco de más fue la sección donde se habla de la figura de Boabdil en la literatura, pienso que ese capítulo pudo no estar y el libro hubiera sido igual o mejor.
Lo único que me pareció un poco de más fue la sección donde se habla de la figura de Boabdil en la literatura, pienso que ese capítulo pudo no estar y el libro hubiera sido igual o mejor.
September 8, 2024
Props to Elizabeth Drayson for doing such a thorough job to differentiate between the real and Fictive life of Last Granadan Muslim King Boabdil.
Lessons are to be learnt from his life and Exile to North-Africa, as someone originally from North-Africa We see the Fall of Granada as Christians see the Fall of Constantinople, that is to say in Romantic light, like the lost of a longing place were our ancestors belong.
But this times are for forgiveness and tolerance.🤝
Lessons are to be learnt from his life and Exile to North-Africa, as someone originally from North-Africa We see the Fall of Granada as Christians see the Fall of Constantinople, that is to say in Romantic light, like the lost of a longing place were our ancestors belong.
But this times are for forgiveness and tolerance.🤝
January 1, 2023
Seven centuries of Muslim rule in Spain went out not with a Bang but with a whimper. In The Moor’s Last Stand Elizabeth Drayson provides the story of the last years of Granada in the closing decades of the 15th Century, principally through the medium of a biography of its last emir, Boabdil. It is a tale of intrigue and infighting. Boabdil is emir at the same time as his father, and then faces a claimant in the form of his uncle. Ferdinand of Aragon successfully plays these princes off against each other as he slowly strangles the last Muslim toehold in Spain.
Drayson takes a very positive view of Boabdil, and as she shows in the chapter on Boabdil’s legend it is quite possible to take a much more negative view. Drayson several times refers to him as a ferocious and worthy fighter and even as worthy of comparison with Saladin (pp.169,177) which what we are told in the narrative does not support – no clear victories in battles over the Christians. Boabdil seems to have been better at fighting his relatives. It is unclear that except in the final months whether he even bought the emirate time – as he several times seems to have interfered with his father/uncle’s attempts to beat back the Spanish. But what he is certainly worth remembering for as a great ruler is the manner in which it ended. It is unlikely anyone could have bought Grenada many more years. However, we can certainly thank Boabdil for realising the game was up and ending it by negotiation thus saving the population, and the glories of the city itself, when many medieval rulers would surely have fought to the bitter end.
I enjoyed reading this, Drayson has a light writing style and I found it fast paced and as a short book easy to get through. But I do wonder it if might not have been cut back too much – there are a few places where a lack of information makes the narrative confusing. For example, a great victory for the Granadans at Loja in 1485 is mentioned (p.64) at the point of 1482 in the narrative, but come 1485 there is nothing. Battle at Loja is mentioned for 1486 but it is a defeat for the Granadans. Similarly, Velez-Malaga seems to change hands in a matter of months (pp.74,81) with no mention of how it happened. And on the subject of cutting back the paperback version I have has a list of illustrations, none of which are in the book – rather annoying, presumably a hangover from the hardback that should have been deleted for the paperback!
This is a good overview of a pivotal moment in history just at the dawn of the period of Spanish pre-eminance in Europe. The Moor’s Last Stand should therefore be of interest to those interested in a wide range of history; Medieval, early Modern, Islamic.
Drayson takes a very positive view of Boabdil, and as she shows in the chapter on Boabdil’s legend it is quite possible to take a much more negative view. Drayson several times refers to him as a ferocious and worthy fighter and even as worthy of comparison with Saladin (pp.169,177) which what we are told in the narrative does not support – no clear victories in battles over the Christians. Boabdil seems to have been better at fighting his relatives. It is unclear that except in the final months whether he even bought the emirate time – as he several times seems to have interfered with his father/uncle’s attempts to beat back the Spanish. But what he is certainly worth remembering for as a great ruler is the manner in which it ended. It is unlikely anyone could have bought Grenada many more years. However, we can certainly thank Boabdil for realising the game was up and ending it by negotiation thus saving the population, and the glories of the city itself, when many medieval rulers would surely have fought to the bitter end.
I enjoyed reading this, Drayson has a light writing style and I found it fast paced and as a short book easy to get through. But I do wonder it if might not have been cut back too much – there are a few places where a lack of information makes the narrative confusing. For example, a great victory for the Granadans at Loja in 1485 is mentioned (p.64) at the point of 1482 in the narrative, but come 1485 there is nothing. Battle at Loja is mentioned for 1486 but it is a defeat for the Granadans. Similarly, Velez-Malaga seems to change hands in a matter of months (pp.74,81) with no mention of how it happened. And on the subject of cutting back the paperback version I have has a list of illustrations, none of which are in the book – rather annoying, presumably a hangover from the hardback that should have been deleted for the paperback!
This is a good overview of a pivotal moment in history just at the dawn of the period of Spanish pre-eminance in Europe. The Moor’s Last Stand should therefore be of interest to those interested in a wide range of history; Medieval, early Modern, Islamic.
September 23, 2018
I am currently teaching a unit on the final stages of Muslim rule in Spain to IB Diploma History students, so I was happy to obtain a copy of this book. As with the Spanish conquests in the Americas in the 16th century, the War of Granada of 1482-1492 is most often told by relying on accounts written by Castilians. Drayson's account of the final years decade of independence of the Nasrid dynasty hews closely to the one presented by historian L.P. Harvey in his Islamic Spain 1250 to 1500 (The University of Chicago Press, 1990). Both make extensive use of Fernando del Pulgar's Cronica de los Reyes Catolicos and an anonymous contemporary chronicle written in Arabic, the Nubdhat. Boabdil, the last emir or sultan of Granada, has most often been portrayed as weak and vacillating, but Drayson provides a more sympathetic portrayal. Her descriptions of the intrigues within the sultan's family and court, the power of clans such as the Abencerrajes, and the influential voice of religious elders dead-set against any accommodations with the Christians all help to appreciate that Boabdil was in many ways a victim of circumstances and was manipulated by the Catholic Monarchs' broken promises. It should be noted that Drayson's book might be classified as "popular history," as it does not contain footnotes or a full bibliography, though she does provide a short list of recommended readings and provides quotes from a number of sources. The last three chapters, which take up about a third of the book and are entitled "Exile," "Boabdil in Fiction and Legend," and "The Moor's Last Stand," did seem like a bit too much padding to me. However, I did find the first two thirds interesting and useful.
February 20, 2022
The “Moor’s Last Stand” by Elizabeth Drayson is, all in all, an interesting book. Dealing with the last of Abu Abdallah Muhammad XI (Boabdil as know in the west), the last Nasri king of Granada, it shines a new, sympathetic balanced light at a ruler and a period that have been embroiled in ideological disputation.
That being said, the book presents major limitations in the ways that it analyses the development of Muslim Spain and Portugal until the Nasri period, as well as oversimplifications of the meanings and development of Islam, which, for a book written in 2017, are a bit disappointing.
Although the author makes a good and insightful analysis of how the narrative of the muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula has been distorted and usurped from the 16th century onwards, it still very much relies in that negative on the start of the book, and misses some important opportunities to discuss the political situation that leads to the appearance of the Nasrid kingdom.
It also fails to discuss some points it makes about Islam which were brilliantly dealt with on books such as Leila Ahmed’s “Women and Gender in Islam” and Karen Armstrong’s “Islam: a Short history”.
However, it draws strongly in contemporary documents to dispel some of the lies about the fall of Granada and gives an interesting insight on its implications for today.
That being said, the book presents major limitations in the ways that it analyses the development of Muslim Spain and Portugal until the Nasri period, as well as oversimplifications of the meanings and development of Islam, which, for a book written in 2017, are a bit disappointing.
Although the author makes a good and insightful analysis of how the narrative of the muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula has been distorted and usurped from the 16th century onwards, it still very much relies in that negative on the start of the book, and misses some important opportunities to discuss the political situation that leads to the appearance of the Nasrid kingdom.
It also fails to discuss some points it makes about Islam which were brilliantly dealt with on books such as Leila Ahmed’s “Women and Gender in Islam” and Karen Armstrong’s “Islam: a Short history”.
However, it draws strongly in contemporary documents to dispel some of the lies about the fall of Granada and gives an interesting insight on its implications for today.
January 19, 2019
I found this slow going because it is incredibly densely written, with a fine level of detail on names and dates, at least in the background chapter. But a generally readable account, with reference to where in the historical record there are ambiguities, and why the author has chosen the interpretation(s) that they are presenting.
I was also fascinated by the follow up chapters, that look at where the titular Moor, the last Nasrid Sultan of Granada, has turned up in artistic (written and visual) works. The changes in interpretation of his motivations alone are worth reading about. As is the association between writers and the historical record, and changing interpretations of his actions with changing interpretations of gender.
I went in to this with no knowledge of the topic, and found it possible to follow. The writing is somewhat academic, and is not conducive to skimming, lest details be skipped that become relevant later. Little to no romanticising of individuals is apparent. For me, these are all good. YMMV.
I was also fascinated by the follow up chapters, that look at where the titular Moor, the last Nasrid Sultan of Granada, has turned up in artistic (written and visual) works. The changes in interpretation of his motivations alone are worth reading about. As is the association between writers and the historical record, and changing interpretations of his actions with changing interpretations of gender.
I went in to this with no knowledge of the topic, and found it possible to follow. The writing is somewhat academic, and is not conducive to skimming, lest details be skipped that become relevant later. Little to no romanticising of individuals is apparent. For me, these are all good. YMMV.
August 19, 2023
This is a perfect book for the traveller in Spain. Only 181 pages long, it opens with an informative account of the Muslim conquest of Spain and then gives a fascinating account of the Muslim court of Boabdil in Granada and how the remnants of the Muslim empire of Al-Andalus operated in the final years before the reconquest - the vicious infighting between Muslim factions, the predations of the Catholic monarchs, the rules of the frontier that divided the powers, etc. The story culminates in Boabdil's surrender of the city to the Spaniards and his exile to north Africa.
The traveller will particulary enjoy Drayson's pointing out some of the locations in and around the city to visit. The old grain market, the site of Boabdil's surrender, the town of Santa Fe nearby and it's unique history. I'm just sorry I bought it on my last day in Granada and only read of these places on the train as it sped away from the city. At least it justifies a return trip.
The traveller will particulary enjoy Drayson's pointing out some of the locations in and around the city to visit. The old grain market, the site of Boabdil's surrender, the town of Santa Fe nearby and it's unique history. I'm just sorry I bought it on my last day in Granada and only read of these places on the train as it sped away from the city. At least it justifies a return trip.
March 2, 2018
A very thorough account of the life and times of the last muslim ruler of Granada, known as Boabdil. While it reads for the most part as a doctoral thesis, both in structure and style, it really brings to life the character and background of this very interesting and somewhat mysterious man, who has been alternatively exalted and maligned for the last five centuries. The author also spends considerable time examining Boabdil’s afterlife and evolving reputation, his usage as a symbol of victimhood, oppression and tyranny, deception and sacrifice, in a bewildering variety of media (paintings, sculpture, literature, folk melody, etc).
In the ultimate irony, his last resting place remains unknown, even as the verdict as to his motives and character continues to be debated and exploited by muslims, christians, Europeans, Africans and Americans to this day.
In the ultimate irony, his last resting place remains unknown, even as the verdict as to his motives and character continues to be debated and exploited by muslims, christians, Europeans, Africans and Americans to this day.
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February 2, 2025A Friday morning and I'm running to the library to borrow this book. I've just finished Rushdie's The Moor's Last Sigh and I want to know the real story that inspired that reading of hybridity and fundamentalism in post-colonial India. I have always been interested in Islamic Spain, in Convivencia, and horseshoe arches. The geography of this book is instantly recognisable. The intricacy of the history is new and intriguing. It is still as evocative as on the grey January Friday I ran to the library. Drayson does well to also include the cultural reaction to this moment, which brings us, in a nice circle, back to Rushdie.
I finished this book on a sunny February Sunday, that reminded me such much of winter in the South of Spain.
PACO IBÁÑEZ: LA GRAN PÉRDIDA DE ALHAMA
I finished this book on a sunny February Sunday, that reminded me such much of winter in the South of Spain.
PACO IBÁÑEZ: LA GRAN PÉRDIDA DE ALHAMA
January 1, 2023
The book was short. Its deals with the end of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsular, the last Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. I think Drayson provided a balance and positive historiography for Abu Abdallah Muhammad bin Ali (Boabdil ) who was the last Sultan (23-rd) for the Nasrid Dynasty. Although you cannot escape of being sad reading the history, there are lots to learn here. In the ending chapters, Drayson looks into the evolution of Boabdil portrayal in writing and popular culture, from a weak and defeated king to a more positive and sympathetic view. A must read for anyone interested in the Andalucia, medieval Spanish history, and also convivencia.
June 17, 2018
An incredibly interesting look at the life of the last sultan in Spain, Boabdil. Even more fascinating is that this is the first book, in any language, about Boabdil. After reading, I’m going to have to visit Granada! The end of the book considers interesting thoughts to ponder, for example, was Spain better off after vanquishing Boabdil and Muslims from Spain? The implied answer is no...that this defeat set-up Isabella and Ferdinand to continue with the their expansion and imperialism around the globe. Perhaps the relationship between Christians and Muslims would be better today if Boabdil had managed to hold on to Granada and the surrounding area?
June 16, 2019
Beautiful account of the events leading up to the surrender of Granada to the Catholic Monarchs. The enigma of Boabdil, the last sultan of the Nasrid empire, is wonderfully elaborated using a variety of both Christian and Arab sources that paints a picture of the sultan as a sensitive, sympathetic soul committed to the survival and well-being of his people, who is as well a brave and courageous. Many parts of the book depict his profound sadness at the loss of his kingdom and honestly I felt that!!!
January 26, 2019
The first chapter was a slightly difficult start with so much information (but then, it did have to bring me up to speed in terms of 700 years of Moorish Spain!). By Chapter 2 the book settled in to the well narrated story of Boabdil, the 23rd and final Muslim ruler of Islamic Spain.
The additional information (photos, maps, family tree, glossary and suggested further reading) was very helpful in completing the picture.
I am looking forward to returning to Granada & Andalucia, I am sure to discover more with this new understanding.
The additional information (photos, maps, family tree, glossary and suggested further reading) was very helpful in completing the picture.
I am looking forward to returning to Granada & Andalucia, I am sure to discover more with this new understanding.
April 14, 2018
There’s an interesting book that is probably a little long. It covers a topic I know nothing about. However, there’s not much in the way of original documents, considering how the Spanish Inquisition destroyed so many things that were not Catholic. The author did the best he could, and added some extra stuff (I thought) about modern day Granada.
November 16, 2018
A solid 3.5: an exploration of how the last emir of Granada lost the last outpost of Islam in Spain after 780 years of successful presence, and the repercussions through now. It was a bit repetetive near the end, but she did a good job of painting the dramatic picture of who he was and the difficulties he faced. I've been to the Alhambra many years ago, and after reading this, I want to go back.
April 16, 2020
The writing is good and the book itself is informative. But im a stickler for accuracy and the author made a couple silly date/name mistakes such as referencing Pope Julius II when she meant Sixtus IV and referring to Charles Martel as Charlemagne’s grandson rather than grandfather. It could be editing mistakes, but it looked like shoddy citing and research. But she does offer a neglected point of view that gives a better balance contrary to the official narrative
October 28, 2020
It was good in that it exposed me to a part of history I was not familiar with before hand. I did not like how the author makes an assertion based on personally feelings about the morality of historic individuals and made judgements not supported by evidence, or poorly supported by cherrypicked evidence.
June 15, 2021
An exceptional short history about the lead characters at the time of the fall of Muslim Granada. Elizabeth Drayson has written a considered and sympathetic book that tells the story of emir Boabdil.
I highly recommend this work if you wish to understand the last decades of the 780-year Muslim civilisation in Spain. Very readable.
I highly recommend this work if you wish to understand the last decades of the 780-year Muslim civilisation in Spain. Very readable.
February 8, 2023
This book bring us the memory of the last days of the king Boabdil in Granada. A king remembered with deep interest, not only in spain but in all over the world, notably in arabian' s world. A character nothing undifferent and that in one way or other each sides have try manage in their own profit or glory. Interesting review, objetiv for the most part, in spite the difficultie even today of dont fall in the romanticism or even worst in xenophobia .
July 19, 2018
A good book about Islam in Spanish capital. How the structure of Islam state being elaborate. The caliphate also being highlighted that the nation that rules the country with the law of Islam. Pray for comeback of Islam as strong state Caliphate that will bring greatness to humanity and the world.
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