The morning star of Alhambra

Introduction

Knowing the Ziris that the enemy was gathering forces to attack them, they met the inhabitants of Eivira and told them:

"We did not come to cause the ruin of your land, neither we used force to establish here. If we came was for your own choice. Now they are coming to attack us. If we are sure of your loyalty, we will defend you, but if it has to be otherwise, tell us and we will leave in the best terms, because we don't lack worthy conquests for our swords in other places."

The people of Eivira answered to them:

"Keep on your intent of fighting the enemy, defending yourselves and defending us, because we are your loyal, obedient vassals and we trust the blade of your swords."

Then Zawi ben Ziri added:

"If that is your opinion, the best we can do is abandon this city and choose a nearby place, better fortified where we can take refuge with our families and our goods because the war has many alternatives and one can win or be defeated, and in that case be considered unworthy. The Prophet himself -Allah save him!-, when the polytheists raised troops to attack Medina, ordered to dig a moat around the city and prescribed the most energetic resistance. And if He thus proceeded, assisted by the revelation, what should not we do?"

The Sanhaja berbers said more to the people of Eivira

"We are willing to not charge you those taxes that you pay us so punctually, in the condition that you spend that money in what concerns you, that is, fortifying your city and recruiting between your men infantry militias, sustained at your cost, that will serve you as auxiliaries in matters of vigilance, spionage and related. Recruit therefore as many as you know can do armed service and build a wall, because if you don't do it, there always will be a breach where disgrace can come to you."

The people of Eivira heard this words with liking, that in their eyes increased the prestige of the Ziris and, by unanimous decision, resolved to choose for their new placement a height that dominated the territory and an strategic position of a certain elevation to build their houses and move all, to the last.

They contemplated the mount in which today Granada is placed, surrounded by a beautiful plain full of streams and forests, watered by the Genil river that comes from the Yabal Sulayr (Sierra Nevada).

They loved the place because they understood that it was the center of the district, in front of the rich Vega and if an enemy came to attack them, they could not set a proper siege and prevent the inhabitants from provisioning with necessary foods.

In consequence, and as Eivira got ruined, they started to edify in that place, and each and every of the men of the group, wether andalusi or berber, proceed to build their house there.

"And so Granada came to be and this happened in the year 416 of the Hegira of our Prophet, the year 1012 of the christian calendar."

The alim Muqtada finished his lesson to the students, more attentive than usual, just in time for the bell. The students rushed out, the few girls with their faces veiled, and were soon in the streets of Granada.

Muqtada defended in the school meetings that history had to be taught in the traditional oral way, and refused to use Power Point presentations. The school master could not have it his way because the students sided with their professor and loved how he told his old stories.

Prologue

Habus ben-Ziri looked worriedly through the window seeing the mountains behind the Alhambra, the red palace.



A noble man, descendant of the berber Zirid emirs that builded and ruled Gharnata four centuries ago, he was very learned and insightful. He could see clearly that the end was coming.

The bussy workmen in the streets below ignored that their prosperity was coming to an end. Everything inside him rebelled to the idea that his beloved Gharnata, the last jewel of Al-Andalus, was to be lost to the christians.

For almost two hundred years the emirs of Gharnata had been paying the pariah tribute to the Castilian kings with the gold traded in Sudan, and the silk commerce benefits.

The seed of the Nasrid dynasty was the seed of their destruction. A seed planted when Ibn al-Ahmar, first Nasrid emir of Gharnata, answered the call of his suzerain Fernando III to help in the conquest of Sevilla from the berber Almohads in 1248.

Ibn al-Ahmar, or Muhammad I as he decided to be called, his duty fulfilled, returned with darkness in his eyes, and when acclaimed by the populace, he said: "Wa la ghalib illa Allah" (There is no victor but Allah).

The christian kingdoms had then turned against each other, and Castile had come to depend on the gold from Gharnata, even more after the black death of 1330.

Gharnata had bought time with gold, but instead of using the time, the arab noble class had dedicated to continual political struggle.

As one of the few berber noblemen he had kept out of the fights in his time, and only he seemed to notice the tide of history changing. The christian kingdoms were at peace, Castile, under the Trastamara dynasty, had prospered. There was no longer a reason for Gharnata to exist in their eyes. Time has run up. Juan II of Castile had just declared war on Gharnata.

Calipah said:

Im loving it, however about the book you read, myadvice is that u should look into "The story of muslim spain" its one of the best books there is.

Click to expand...

Didn't read one single book, but about ten different sources at least. The problem is that christian chronicles of the time tilt towards one side, while arab historicists tend to tilt towards the other. And most of them contradict each other and are full of mistakes. The truth probably falls somewhere in the middle, and some modern scholars are trying to approach it.

Anyway this is just a fun story based on history, just as EU2. No point in arguing if something is like this or like that. But I am glad you enjoy it. That is my main goal. Forgive me in some words are terribly wrong in arab. I have enough dealing with english.

FIRST PART. THE NASRID EMIRS

ONE. A DESPERATE SITUATION. 823 H. (1419 a.D.)

Mohammed VIII looked very scared. He was called "al-Zaghil" (the small) because he had 8 years when his father Yusuf III, the king-poet had died. Now, 10 years old, the government was still in the hands of his father vizier, Ali al-Amin of the Banu al-Amin.

"It is not possible." He cried "I'll send Juan of Castile double tribute this year."

"Too late for that." Said the vizier al-Amin. "The christian armies are marching south already. We should call upon our allies to see if they can be of any assistance."

He knew very well that Fez and Algiers would at best have a small presence in the peninsula, tied as they were with their own troubles with Marocco.

No berber army would come to save Gharnata this time. Specially considering that the last ones, the Banu Marinids had been betrayed by the Nasrid emir Mohammed V, who stole Gibraltar from them after they had regained it from Castile in 735 H (1331). But he was trying to raise the child spirit.

Ali al-Amin spoke again:

"The council's opinion is to gather all our resources and fight our best. Everybody thinks we will not be shown mercy by the christians. Our genoese lenders should be contacted. They despise Castile enough to loan us the huge sum we will be needing."

The emir refused to answer, incapable of understanding the situation. His nickname, by this coincidences that life has, could also refer to the boy's character. The vizier had the emirate on his hands and some tribes resented it.

"I shall order our army to defend Granada and La Vega at all cost." Said the vizier while leaving.

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For twenty years Habus ben-Ziri had conspired, but not against the nasrid rulers as usual. He had convinced many, bought support from others, and established a network of power behind the curtains.

The arab rulers were too bussy in their fights to notice that the emirate was run by berber officials and bureaucrats, an intermediate step over the now mostly muwallad (converted christian) iberians and the few remaining dhimmis (taxed religious minorities, jews and mozarabs).

Little by little, the brothership of Imazighen, the free people in berber language, had gained power, while Habus confided only on one man his ultimate goals. This man was like a brother to him. His name was Yusuf al-Attar

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Yusuf al-Attar was a tall man, son of a berber captain and a beautiful muwallah woman from Antequera. Although raised in the true faith, he had great tolerance for the religions of the book, as some in Islam. He respected his mother origins and had a profound knowledge of christians.

He had raised quickly through the army ranks, unknowingly to him, helped by ben-Ziri's money and contacts. He was now commander of the army in charge of the defense of Granada pondering over almost 200 years of stalemate between christians and muslims.

Peace was often broken by small skirmishes led by ambitious noblemen from both sides, but generally this "internadas" carried little consequence, except for the disaster of Antequera (1410), that he felt deeply for being his mother's birthplace. But Fernando, called "de Antequera" after his triumph, was elected king of Aragon at the Caspe agreement, and had died three years ago. Their only hope was that Juan II did not have any commander of the height of Fernando de Antequera.

Yusuf knew that the 200 years old stalemate between Castile and Gharnata was about to come to an end, for better or for worse.

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From the outpost tower he contemplated the far away plains of Andalusia, where at this moment the army of Castile was making his way to Granada.

His orders were to defend "La Vega" the rich agricultural riverside that provided support to Granada's large population, the biggest city in the peninsula. But his intentions were different.

He and his friend Habus had talked about this moment many times, hoping it would never come, but preparing for the worse.

He saw the vastly superior spanish army climbing the slopes at a snail pace, delayed by their almost useless cannons. Despite his orders, he instructed his troops to march across the mountains to Toledo, leaving Granada undefended except for the Alhambra fortress guards and the city militia. La Vega was left in the hands of the invaders.



1419

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But the traitors worked with the christians from within Granada. The powerful tribe of the Banu al-Sarray, the sons of the saddler, that were of the Ansar tribes that stood on the side of the Prophet in Medinah, despised the vizier Alí al-Amin, and saw in the youth and weakness of Muhammed VIII "the small" their chance to raise to power.

They made a secret pact with Juan II of Castile to renew the payments of vassalage, and offered several villas in exchange for his support. Juan saw an opportunity to stir up another civil war in Gharnata and agreed.

With the Gharnatan army gone to Toledo, they assembled their supporters and with inside help rallied the castle, giving dead to the old vizier.

They presented themselves to the people of Granada as the saviors in that moment of mortal danger, and gave the crown to Muhammad ben-Nasr, grandson of Muhammad V and second cousin of "the small". He then repaid them by naming Yusuf ben-Sarray as his vizier, and took the name of Muhammad IX but was known as al-Aysar (the left-handed).

To their surprise and anger, their calls to the army to return to Granada were ignored by the army commander, some Yusuf al-Attar from the berber Banu al-Attar. Deep inside enemy territory there was little they could do to reach him. Breaking the pact with Juan nevertheless was no problem, those things happen all the time.

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Muhammad VIII "the small" escaped the citadel with some supporters and took refuge in Almeria, under the protection of the Banu Bannigas.

Pedro Bannigas, who was a christian boy of the noble house of Luque of Castile, captured at 8 years of age, was raised by Sidi (chief) Yahia al-Nayar, prince of Almeria, as a son, and converted to islam.

Pedro later married the beautiful princess Cetimerien, daughter of Yahia. Her mother, Yahia's wife, was the daughter of Muhammad VI.

Pedro Bannigas was now a mature man, with the help of his two sons, Abdul Cacim and Ridwan, and his brothers in law, the princes Yusuf and Nasr ben al-Mawl, he leaded this powerful tribe that now protected Muhammad "the small".

The Banu Bannigas and the Banu al-Amin constituted the loyalist faction to defend the rightful emir and oppose the Banu Sarrays and their allies.

-------

Worried because he had ignored every order to stop the war from the new rulers of the Alhambra, Yusuf spirit raised when his army entered "La Vega". Although the fertil valley had been raided by the christians, the peasants were already rebuilding and replanting.

It had been more than four years since he left his post in Granada. The conquest of Andalusia, and Estremadura by the Gibraltar army, and the siege of Toledo had forced Juan to lift the siege of Granada after heavy loses.

Yusuf's army was pushed out of Toledo by the christians, but went to set siege to Murcia. But he had won fame not for his cunning tactics of routing enemy forces, but for the now famous battle of Arganda, where the elite berber cavalry under his command in the siege of Madrid, had virtually destroyed Juan's main army, almost twice as big.

The financial burden of Gharnata, that went bankrupt shortly after this crucial battle, was heavily felt by the troops, far away from home, not getting their salary, and many times having to live on roots and whatever they could hunt, due to lack of supplies.

But Castile did not have it easy either. Their then inferior armies were chased and exterminated, and all their country conquered in two years. The request from Granada of surrendering Andalusia, Murcia, Estremadura, and Leon to Gharnata was accepted by a furious and humiliated Juan.

As he approached the lower walls of the red citadel, the last thought of Yusuf went to the almost 8,000 casualties of the Gharnatan armies in the war. Some families would have very little to celebrate. Although an orthodox muslim believer, he had trouble with the 76 virgins awaiting those dying in the jihad (holy war). He couldn't avoid thinking that it made for more than 600,000 virgins. He stopped himself at that point.

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1420. No, Castile didn't persevere and never conquered Andalusia or Granada.

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This is a ballad composed to celebrate the victory, very popular and still taught at schools:

Beneath Andalou's sky,
In pale star's feeble light,
A host of banners fly
O'er men in armour bright.
In darkness of the night
They gather on the plain,
De Leon and his might,
The chivalry of Spain.

In splendid panoply
Those warriors bedight,
Against the Moor they hie,
For battle's their delight.
Hidalgo, serf and knight,
The Cross for to maintain;
"For Jesus and the Right,"
The chivalry of Spain.

'Mid Ronda mountains high,
That makes each cheek turn white,
Hark to that fearful cry
Ringing from height to height:
"Ez Zagel! To the fight!"
They seek escape in vain,
They fail both left and right,
The chivalry of Spain.

O! 'twas a wondrous sight
To see that gorgeous train
In terror-stricken flight,
The chivalry of Spain.

by Yahya-En-Nasr Parkinson

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A few nights later Yusuf and Habus ben-Ziri were talking in the garden of the Ziri family.

"I am glad the disobedience of your orders has been forgotten with the celebrations for the first muslim victory in centuries. Taking the war to the north was a necessity."

"The vizier Yusuf ben al-Sarray was very cold when he ordered me to the Leon frontier, clearly the most dangerous post."

"They were caught by surprise by your victories. They could not honor their pact with Juan of Castile and end the war, or the populace would had destroyed them. They must hate you, but they would not dare touch you, at least for now. Some people have started calling you al-Mansur."

"The victorious. I am not him. He defeated every army the christians could throw at him."

"You will be more famous than him. He was a stupid that destroyed the Caliphate. He ended the authority of the omayyads, direct descendants of the Prophet. Al-Andalus was lost because of the political strife that he brought."

"Since we were children playing, Habus, you have always studied the past in search of the future. For the first time I start to share your vision."

"My father studied with Ibn al-Khatib, the famous polymath, and when he travelled to Mecca, he also stayed in Egypt where he studied the Greeks. He wrote a political treaty, a monumental work of many years in which he stated that the root of the political strife than weakens muslim kingdoms is the lack of legitimacy inherent to a tribal system. Obviously he never published it or he would have been killed. You must read it. I'll give you a copy, but you must hide it."

"What is wrong with our system?"

"The head of the state, to have legitimacy, needs to be of a clean lineage and have moral authority. And even these conditions were agreed upon, because the rigid interpretation of the Qur'an only calls for the second."

"Yes, we all know that good government can only be applied through the principles of the Qur'an and the strict observance of the Shari'ah."

"But it is not about good government, it is about stability, and peace, so people know they are safe. With the tribal system, even a good emir can be challenged by dissatisfied nobles if he takes a necessary measure not sanctioned by the Qur'an, like making a pact with the christians."

"Some christian kingdoms also use a similar system" Yusuf was getting uncomfortable.

"Those kingdoms disappear, like the visigoths, always fighting for power, and ripe to be conquered. Remember how half of the visigoth army changed to our side when Tariq crossed the straight. These days most christian kingdoms have strict inheritance rules. Younger princes know they will not be kings, but they also know they are safe from their older brother. When a new turkish sultan inherits power, he usually kills all his brothers and half-brothers."

"We have indeed lost most of Al-Andalus to the christians."

"Solving our legitimacy problem is the first thing we should do once we guarantee our survival. Now enter. The mountain breeze is getting cold. Looks like the autumn will come sooner this year."

------

Habus ben-Ziri was received by the vizier Yusuf ben-Sarray.

After the war, the emir had mostly retired to the pleasures of his palace, and was said to expend too much time in his harem. When he came out was mostly for hunting, since he was very fond of falconry and hunting with dogs. The result, as the Banu-Sarray had wanted, was that Gharnata was in their hands, or at least that is what they thought.

"So, another bankruptcy is inevitable?"

"Yes, my lord. The interests are already higher than our income."

Silence followed. Yusuf ben al-Sarray didn't fully understood the seriousness of the situation. He had named Habus ben-Ziri as the economy advisor and trusted him in these matters.

"Why don't we raise more taxes?" The vizier though that his subjects lived to maintain the comfort of the court.

"No my lord, that would actually make things worse." Habus knew what had to be done to reduce the impact of the crisis.

"What do you suggest?" The vizier was running out of patience because he didn't like to be corrected. He was a dangerous man that required skillful diplomacy.

"Gharnata should not try to delay the inevitable, but make it quick and short. With the money available now and the last two loans available, a new taxation system can be built in all provinces, and Gharnata can start building a modest fleet to let our presence felt in the straight. Gharnata can disband her 14000 infantry since she won't be able to support it in addition to her cavalry. Once the crisis is over, Gharnata will be stronger." Habus found that the vizier was easier to handle if he left him identify himself with the emirate in taking the decisions.

"Yes, yes. That's what I would do. I order you to do that. Please let me alone now."

Habus ben-Ziri bowed respectfully and left, knowing that the court allowance could not be reduced, even at the expense of widespread famine.

Other measures he didn't bother to explain to the vizier were to supplant food crops by silk, almonds and olives, products of high value to sell to the Genoese, while the food would be bought outside. No doubt a dangerous but necessary policy. And of course the old tactic of counterfeiting the christian coins, specially the Barcelonese ones, of much higher value these days.



The emirate in 1424
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Over the next couple of years the situation was tense in the Gharnata emirate. After 200 years of blinding themselves, now everybody was conscious that their existence was at risk. It was a matter of time, that Castile, now allied with Portugal, would seek revenge. The darkness that filled ben-Ziri's heart was now shared by all.

After the rejoice for the victory had passed, charges where brought against Yusuf. The case was muddled by ben-Ziri's influence and money. Yusuf was demoted, his career delayed, but they were afraid of his popularity.

After the war and with the second bankruptcy, the economy had worsened. Everything was very expensive. For a bigger territory, the army was actually smaller, and its quality hadn't improved.

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The secret meeting of the Imazighen, taking place on a rural villa, was presided by Habus. The six people sat on cushions in the main room. The house was empty, and guards on the outside guaranteed the confidentiality.

"The situation has become explosive, the dissatisfaction is being exploited by the Banu Bannigas." Started Habus.

"The vizier Yusuf ben al-Sarray should be careful in not insulting them. The Banu Bannigas are direct descendants of Aben Hud al-Muwahhid, the caliph of Cordoba from the Sidi al-Nayar side, and from Muhammad VI "the red" from the mother's side. People respect them." The reflection from the second qadi (judge) of Granada spoke of the easiness of the Bannigas to take offense, and of their privileged position under the law.

"The Banu Bannigas do not hide their support for Muhammad VIII, whom they protect."

"Pedro Bannigas can raise six hundred lances." Yusuf al-Attar kept to his military expertise. That meant 600 cavalry and 2400 infantry. Quite a lot for a tribe.

Habus pointed to the main issue of the meeting. "A civil war between the nobility would be disastrous to Gharnata at this point. We must save Gharnata even against her rulers."

"What are you proposing."

"An outside distraction, a new jihad against the christians."

"Our army has not recovered from the last war and the economical crisis." Pointed Yusuf.

"Our spies inform that the castilian armies are in a much worse state than ours."

"What about the truce?" Asked the qadi.

"Portugal is not covered by it, and Joao I is allied to Juan II of Castile." Habus seemed to have thought about it for a long time.

The others, clearly worried, turned to Yusuf. "What do you think?"

"Aragon is in a war with the Venetians and will not intervene. Juan of Navarra is a vassal of the English king. We will only face Castile and Portugal. With the right strategy, that war can be won, in sha Allah (if Allah wills)."

"But first we must start it."

TWO. A PRICE TO PAY. 830 H. (1426).

Yusuf looked at the letter. It was a declaration of war adressed to Joao I of Portugal signed by Muhammad himself. "The left-handed" would have recognized the signature as his, but it was a forgery. It would arrive to Tago shortly and presented to Joao by the ambassador as if legitimate. The excuse for the war was a military expedition by some portuguese noblemen of little consequence that happened several months before.

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A pale emir, barely able to stand, tried to gather his strength after hearing the christian messengers. War again, now against two powerful nations. He had offered to return Leon and Estremadura, but the christian kings wanted also Andalusia, Murcia and Gibraltar. He would be dead by tomorrow if he had accepted.

Yusuf ben al-Sarray, the vizier, used to difficult situations, kept a colder stance and dismissed the christian ambassadors. That afternoon, the war council was adjourned.

"al-Attar is in command of the berber cavalry in Leon. He could join the forces in Andalusia in a month to defend us from the portuguese attack from that flank." Said general Amar ben al-Sarray, brother of the vizier.

"That would be unnecessary." Said berber commander Hassan. "The castilian army hasn't recovered during these three years of peace. If Yusuf al-Attar moves to Oporto, while the Andalusian army moves to el Algarve, the portuguese army will be surrounded in Tago. If they move North to face al-Attar, Tago will be defenceless. If they move South, they would be crossing the river and in a weak situation. Meanwhile we could send the Granada defence force to Toledo, as al-Attar did in the past campaign. This war can also be won." He finished.

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Only six months into the war, Yusuf received the news from Granada in the camp, at the walls of Oporto.

"The emir has been deposed." Said the messenger, a member of the Imazighen.

"How did it happened?" Yusuf was angrier than surprised. The nobles were unable to stop their quarries even in the middle of the war.

"The Banu Bannigas exploited the dissatisfaction of the populace. The economy has worsened with the war. They blamed the dissolute life of the emir. In that they had it easy to convince people. The crowds stormed the Alhambra. Yusuf ben al-Sarray took refuge in the palace and had to flee."

"And Muhammad the left-handed?"

"He first went with the Banu Sarray to Malaga, but fearing for his safety, he took a sail for Tunisia."

"Who is the emir now?"

"Muhammad VIII is again in power. He had named Ridwan Bannigas as his vizier."

"And the Banu Sarray?"

"In Malaga, trying to gather enough support for a comeback."

Yusuf understood that the rest of the Imazighen wanted his advise, and that the messenger was there not only to give news, but also to receive instructions from their military leader.

"Tell the others to keep out of the fights. The war is still our main worry."

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The war was also the main worry of Muhammad VIII. So much that he forgave the Banu Sarray for having deposed him, now that the usurper had fled the emirate. Dedicated to the war, the young emir was not wise enough to notice that the Banu Sarray were making a new pact with the christians to end the war, and Muhammed IX was getting the help of the sultan of Tunisia Abd al-Aziz to recover his throne.

After two years more of war, Portugal yielded Oporto and Algarve, and Castile surrendered Toledo, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Canary Islands. Both Castile and Portugal had been reduced to a single province, and Granada controlled most of the iberian peninsula.

Yusuf was hailed again as the victor of the most crucial battle in the war. His cavalry had marched against the portuguese in Tago, and hold the lines for several days against a stronger army, until the Andalusian cavalry had crossed the river and attacked the portuguese from the rear guard. Full of morale, Yusuf's cavalry had broken the portuguese lines and destroyed their ranks at the shout of "Wa la ghalib illa Allah", the famous motto of Gharnata, written in the walls of Alhambra. And Allah had given them the victory that day.

After being back to Granada, Yusuf called up a meeting of the leaders of the Imazighen secret brothership. Now fifteen people formed the inner circle of the society.

"My dear brothers, what I have to say is of great importance to the goals of our society. The portuguese explorers have found new unsettled lands in continents beyond the seas. These lands are rich in spices and slaves. I have brought with me a map that shows the way to those places. I was told that the map, drawn in the skin of a gazelle, was bought by the son of king Joao I, a prince known as Enrique "the navigator". The origin of the map is unknown, since it appears to have been carefully copied from an older map. Anyway it is priceless since it shows the way to many riches. It is very fortunate that I was in charge of the siege of Tago."


"Did you order the naval expedition to the Canary islands because of this map?"

"I did not order it, I told our friend, admiral Ahmed, present here, of their strategic importance. His skill in disguising his expedition as a retreat from the portuguese fleets fouled both the christians and our arab rulers. His victory over the castilian defence fleet at the islands demonstrates his real courage."

"Will not the portuguese try to settle those lands themselves?"

"Probably, but their economical situation should be weak after the war, and we can always make sure that there are more wars. Aragon has allied with France and is fighting in their wars with great expense and little gain. We should make sure that Castile and Portugal don't recover."

Yusuf had gained in experience and he was becoming leader of the Imazighen, helped by his military fame. Habus was becoming the intelectual leader, and he didn't resent his friend. He knew this was a time of action and was educating his older son Maksan in the qualities of a political leader.

The Canary Islands proved to be a real surprise to the gharnatans. Their aborigine population, the Guan Chenechs, were a lost ancestral berber tribe from the Zanata. They lived in isolation for centuries, keeping their language and many of their customs. But on other things they were barbarians, and had learned from Egyptians that lived in the islands before them, to mummify their dead. Since they had not heard of the Prophet, peace be upon him, imams from Gharnata were sent with the immigrants to bring them to the faith in Allah.

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With the general amnesty of the young Muhammad VIII. Habus ben Ziri had been named again economy counselor under the direction of the new vizier Ridwan Bannigas. The task was increasingly difficult as the cost of living kept raising. The farmers and artisans didn't understand why the territorial expansion hadn't brought wealth to them. In fact the continues uprisings from the mozarabs were disastrous for the economy. They were being put down harshly, but the alcaide of the kora of Cantabria, general Yusuf al-Attar, listened to the complains of the mozarabs, and was fair to them. His respect for the mozarabs had an unexpected result when the kora of Cantabria converted to islam. Regretfully, the rest of the alcaides did not learn from him and faced constant revolts.

It was at his kora of Cantabria, where Yusuf received the bad news. He knew already that the Banu Sarray had raised in arms in Malaga with the help of Juan II of Castile, and that "the Left-handed" had landed in Gibraltar with an army of 500 lances put under his command by the sultan of Tunisia. The days of "the Small" as emir were counted. But he did not expected things to go so wrong.

"How did it happen?"

"The Banu al-Sarray and "the Left-handed" could not conquer Granada, defended by the Bannigas, so they stirred the population to raise. They told them that Habus ben Ziri, Ridwan Bannigas and the emir were getting rich profiting from the Genoese trade at their expense and against the principles of the Qur'an. Tired of their impoverishment, the farmers of La Vega took their labor tools, and the artisans opened the gates for them. The rebellion caught like wildfire. The palace soldiers didn't do much and some even joined. Soon the Banu al-Sarray were also inside the citadel."

"What happened to them?"

"The emir was caught prisoner, Ridwan managed to escape, but Habus was found at his house and killed in front of his wives and children."

Sorrow and anger came to him as a dark tide. He did not want to sink in it.

"Habus' children" he managed to say.

"Your brother took care of them. He made them halifah, extending to them the protection of your tribe. It was a good thing because all of ben Ziri's possessions, including slaves and women had been confiscated by the vizier Yusuf ben al-Sarray."

"Tell my brother to send Maksan with me. He is already 13 years old and can initiate a military career."

"Do you have other instructions for us?"

The rest of the Imazighen were now looking at him as their only leader. He thought carefully, letting his head and not his heart to decide the best path.

"Habus was a brother to me, but the time to avenge him has not come yet. You should keep out of the fights. From this we must learn to have better information, and we need to infiltrate the palace guard."

Thanks semi-Lobster.

I won't allow Portugal to live for too long, because my tiny fleet at naval 1 doesn't let me chase them around the world. I want to keep BBs within limits and when I annex Portugal I don't want to have 1 BB per TP planted all over the globe. That means being able to go and burn them.

Castile will get back Andalusia once Torquemada is no longer around. Andalusia gets depopulated and converted by the bloody bastard. Hard to justify in the AAR, I know.

Catknight you are right, the danger is of Castile getting annexed by Aragon. I wanted Castile to keep Toledo for inflation management, but they were very tough at the peace table, so when they offered the whole package I couldn't resist. They are already vassalized by Aragon. I'll have to cut Aragon down in size so Castile rejects annexation. If all else fails I'll reload until Castile rejects being annexed. I will not let Aragon spoil the party.

Yusuf knew that the Bannigas would not let things settle. The Banu Sarray and Mohammed IX "the Left-handed" must have thought the same. Mohammed VIII was kept prisoner in the castle of Salobreña, but two years later, on occasion of a military attack by the Bannigas on Ximena de la Frontera, Muhammad IX ordered the beheading of his predecessor and second cousin of 22 years of age.

The solution actually backfired. The christian kingdoms were happy to see Gharnata consumed by infighting, so Juan II of Castile and Alfonso V of Aragon sent an army in support of the Bannigas. Desperate, Muhammad IX started calling the berber armies stationed in the koras. Yusuf knew that the time for revenge had come. Under Yusuf instructions, all the armies were tied up by rebellions and frontier problems and none made it back to Granada on time.

The Banu al-Sarray's army was severely defeated at the battle of "Higueruela" at the doors of Granada, and the emir and his supporters had to flee, leaving the body of the former vizier Yusuf ben al-Sarray in the battlefield. His dead in combat against the christians raised his figure between the people of Gharnata, but the Imazighen felt avenged.

Victorious, but without a better candidate, Pedro Bannigas crowned his brother in law, Ibn al-Mawl (Abenalmao), grandson of the brief usurper Muhammad VI and from a distant branch of the family. On the 16 Jumaada al-Thaany 834 H. (first of January 1431), Ibn al-Mawl became emir of Gharnata under the name of Yusuf IV.

At the doors of Granada, but forbidden from entering the city by their allies, the christians got a brief glimpse of the richness of the first city of the peninsula, unknown to them until then. Marveled by the towers from palaces and castles, and minarets from the mosque, so spoke the king Don Juan II of Castile:

CatKnight said:

From the FAQ:
>>If Spain (SPA) does not exist and Aragon (ARG) owns Castille (436) after June 1476 then Argagon will have the option to become Spain. This event will not fire after 1 of January 1490.

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You are right. So the loss of Castile is not the end of it. Spain can still exist.

Regarding the re-loading. It would not be to gain any advantage. I would not do it to prevent losing a battle or anything like that. It is just that this is a semi-historic AAR in terms of the Nasrid dynasty, and I want Castile/Spain to be a player at least until 1492. After 1492 I won't care what happens. Colonization is nice, but the world will still be there, and quite empty without Portugal and Spain, while the BBs can become horrible if I let them extend prior to annexion. I have a secret goal, but I am not telling because it is likely that I might not get it.

But Yusuf IV, with such a feeble claim, could not last very much. Muhammad IX's nephew, Muhammad al-Afnah (the Cripple), so called for having lost the use of a leg in battle, reorganized their army and defeated the christians.

Three months after being crowned, Yusuf IV lost both the crown and the head. Muhammad IX, "the Left-handed", all his rivals dead, wanted to end the fights. He offered his forgiveness to the Bannigas. The loyalists, without a royal candidate to support, had no alternative but to accept the amnesty. Prince Nasr ben al-Mawl and Princess Cetimerien with her two sons Abdul Cacim and Ridwan were very respected, and lands were offered to them on the condition of never again raise in arms against "the Left-handed".

But Pedro Bannigas, husband of Cetimerien, was made responsible for the troubles. The emir always referred to him as "El Tornadizo". This could refer to his change of religion as a boy, but the other meaning of this word is untrustworthy. His name did not appear in the truce documents. After a few months he understood that he was not safe in Granada, and he had no choice but to flee to Jaen, where he died destitute and a bitter man of old age. Because it is true what they say that dead likes to seek those successful and happy, but to those in disgrace and wanting to die, makes wait for the longest time.

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The interim of Yusuf IV gave the each day more powerful Imazighen an opportunity to interfere in the politics of Gharnata without having to explain their acts.

"The time has come to act again in the interest of Gharnata. We have strengthen our ties with the berber sultanates of north Africa, but our alliance will be broken if we left it in the hands of these unskilled Nasrids."

"Perhaps we could go to war against the christians. The jihad will bring back their sympathies."

"But we lack worthy goals. Castile and Portugal have very little left that we could take, and Aragon is very strong in his alliance with France."

"Portugal has some islands in the middle of the dark ocean called Azores. They are sparsely populated and could be brought to the true faith for a small expense."

"Why should we go to such trouble for some remote islands?"

"We know from the portuguese maps of the land beyond the seas, the new world. The Azores and Cape Verde islands are convenient stop overs to reach those wealthy lands."

"The war with Castile and Portugal poses no military problem to us. The only problem is that our troops should be ready to take those islands before the war declaration, because we are in no condition to defeat the portuguese navy."

"Now let's set the stage. Ahmed should talk to the emir Yusuf IV, and tell him that "the Left-handed" has declared war on Portugal. Easy to believe since the Banu Sarray are already fighting the castilians. Yusuf will order our troops to fight "the Left-handed" and help the portuguese. We will tell "the Left-handed" that the troops are to fight the portuguese to prevent them to join the castilians against him. I do not think Yusuf will last, and afterwards everything will be blamed on him. "The Left-handed" or whoever seizes the throne from the traditionalist party, will be happy that the castilians and portuguese were attacked by our troops."

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The war was short and blunt. While Aragon was bleeding herself alongside France against England and Burgundy, the Gharnatan armies had no trouble defeating Castile and Portugal and obtaining the Azores and some money. By Rajab 839 (January 1436), two years after it started, the war was over. The danger to the iberian christian kingdoms had become so big now, that Aragon left her alliance with France and joined Portugal and Castile in a mutual defense pact against the followers of Allah.

For the first time, the Imazighen flag was displayed by the berber armies of Yusuf al-Attar. Its yellow color accompanied by the war cry "Wa la ghalib illa Allah" (There is no victor but Allah), was instilling terror in the christians, while it made clear to the proud gharnatans who was responsible for the changing fortunes of the emirate.


The Amazigh flag used by the Banu Ziris and their berber allies

Yusuf knew his friend would have been proud of him. With his dead, any doubt had been erased from his heart. ben Ziri mistake had been placing himself too close to the emir. The Imazighen were now powerful enough to not hide anymore. Their army was the most powerful army of Gharnata. They were called the Ziris (Zegries by the christians), because several members of that berber royal lineage, including the sons of Habus, were part of them. But through inter-marriage and berber loyalty, they have agglutinated also most of the berber tribes into the brothership.


The Imazighen, also known as the Ziris, were the first army in the peninsula since the roman times in having a consistent uniform. Here we see a lancer in the traditional yellow colors (no, he is not me).

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The Imazighen were so powerful that a union of the arab tribes and the emir was their only danger. But that never happened, because the arabs resulted as incapable of joining against them as they were of joining against the christians. One of the tribes always offered a new candidate to the berbers when the emir showed a desire of curbing their power, so the berbers had become the referees of the crown, very much as the praetorians in the late roman empire. But Yusuf never accepted offers to be an advisor to the vizier of Gharnata. Arabs were still the nominal rulers of the emirate. And still dedicated mostly to fight each other.

Gharnata had recovered the stability with the "Left-handed". The Banu Bannigas had accepted the situation in the amnesty pact and were sticking to their word of not raising in arms against him. But once again it was going to be the thirst for power of the Banu al-Sarray the detonator. They resented that the "Left-handed" had been distancing from them in his later years.

"The Left-handed is old and stubborn. He refuses our advice, after we have so many times put our lives and possessions in danger for him. He is unfair to you too, Muhammad. You are the strongest leader. You lead his armies to victory. And what is your reward? You are ignored like us. You are cast aside in favor of the latest newcomer."

"Well, I am not sure..." The words of Yusuf ben Yusuf ben al-Sarray, son of the former vizier were finding an echo in his own thoughts. After all he was the emir's nephew and right hand. He was the commander of his army. He had lost the use of his leg in his uncle service.

"You will find us very receptive to any claim from your part on the crown. With us and the Banu Nasr army on your side, your uncle will understand that it is the time for new blood to rule Gharnata. Nobody desires your uncle to be hurt, I promise."

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Muhammad X "the Cripple" was instated emir of Gharnata in 1445 and Mafarriy ben al-Sarray, head of the Banu Sarray, was named vizier. But the Banu al-Sarray didn't think about the Banu Bannigas. They were released from their word to the Left-handed by the coup, and they quickly challenged the new emir, supporting Yusuf V, cousin of Muhammad VIII, as the emir of Gharnata. The Bannigas and the loyalists had always maintained that the descendants of Yusuf II had a stronger claim to the crown. That position, a popular one twenty years before, had lost its appeal between the people of Gharnata, after so many years of good government by "the Left-handed". Now, when you have two emirs in an emirate, you have a civil war, even if the people of the koras doesn't care and all the fighting is done by the ruling minority and their private armies.

CatKnight said:

Still working on your internal problems I see.

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Internal problems was the second name of Granada until the end in 1492. Machiavello inspired on Ferdinand II of Aragon his prince, in part for his skillful manipulation of Granada's civil wars in his favor. The christians captured Muhammad XII Boabdil twice in the 1482-1487 period of the war, and in both occasions he was released, so his civil war against his father and uncle could continue.

Expect the internal problems to continue until 1487 then. They pretty much reflect what really happened.