Our Story: Spain: Day 10

Monday, July 23, 2012

Spain: Day 10

June 19th, 2012

We drove to Granada which is where the Alhambra is located. The Alhambra consists of Alcazaba (The Fortress), The Nasarid Palaces, the Generalife Garden and the Medina (the town).

The Alhambra's Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the reconquest by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492, some portions were used by the Christian rulers. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was "discovered" in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Walking to the Alhambra. The landscaping was beautiful! Most of the tourist sites had these nifty audio-listening devices that gave us a self-guided tour experience.

Original entrance to the Alhambra built by Yusuf I in 1348

Alcazaba, the fortress and the military headquarters for the Nasrid dynasty, was built on the highest point of the hill. Hence, it got the positional advantage to defend the royal family. Though originally, the construction had 24 towers, but currently only a few remain.

Spain suffered enormously during the reclamation of Spanish soil. The Catholic kings, Isabel and Fernando had no "permanent royal residence." The Kings and the Spanish court took up residence in the Alhambra.

In the last weeks of 1491, Columbus was invited to the royal camp on the outskirts of Granada as the monarchs prepared for their final battle with the Muslims. However, when he asked for 10% of all the riches gained from his expedition, the rank of “Admiral of the Ocean”, and the position of “Viceroy and Governor of the Indies”, they flat out rejected his plans.

Legend has it that Columbus left the camp. But King Ferdinand’s Treasurer spoke to Ferdinand afterward and convinced him that the investment was insignificant compared to the potential reward. So, Ferdinand sent a court official to go after Columbus and bring him back.

Luckily for Columbus, on January 2^nd, 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella finally defeated the Muslim Iberians after nearly eight centuries of fighting. At last, the monarchs could “kick back”, relax, and think about investing in something other than the war.

The monarchs received Columbus in the “Hall of Ambassadors” of the Alhambra where Columbus once again made his pitch to Isabella and Ferdinand. Only, this time they were the conquerors of Spain and no doubt feeling pretty good about themselves. So, they handed Columbus the keys to three ships that would take him on a voyage that would change the world forever.