The Moors were a nomadic people from North Africa, who invaded Spain, taking their Islamic religion and culture with them, in 711. The Moorish land was known as Al-Andalus and included all of the Iberian Peninsula. The Moors ruled parts of Andalucía from the 8th century until the l5th century. 800 years of Moorish rule influenced Spain, making it significantly different even today from the rest of Western Europe. The Moors not only brought their religion, but also their music, art, and architecture. The legacy they left was significant, and has left a mark on Spanish history that has lasted for centuries.
The first 40 years of Moorish rule left Al-Andalus unstable and it wasn’t until the arrival of Abd-er-Rahman in 755 to bring order to
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However, surrounded by unfriendly Christian nations, Granada was constantly at risk. The final push for the conquest of Granada occurred in 1469, when King Ferdinand of Aragon of Queen Isabella of Castile married. This united the two most powerful Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. Granada stood no chance against the newly unified Christian army. Muslim leaders and governors were commonly at odds and many of them were even secretly working with the Christian kingdoms in exchange for wealth, land, and power. Even worse, in 1483, one year into the war officially started, the sultan’s son, Muhammad, rebelled against his father and ignited a civil war.
King Ferdinand used the civil war to his advantage, and supported Muhammad in his fight against his father. However, just after Muhammad took power of Granada in 1490, he received a letter from King Ferdinand demanding he surrender the city. He decided to resist and sought help from other Muslim kingdoms throughout North Africa and the Middle East. No help came besides a small Ottoman navy that raided the Spanish coast and did not cause much damage. By the end of 1491, the city of Granada was surrounded by Ferdinand and Isabella’s