Sorry for the lack of an update this past week. I plan on getting my next update out in the next few days, aiming for Wednesday. 
- 1
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
History of Granada – Throwing off the Castilian Yoke
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
The plans of Muhammad the 5th
The war of 763 AH was the war in which Muhammad the 5th declared Granada independent from the Kingdom of Castile. He and the other Emirs of Granada regarded the Castilians as having a stranglehold on their realm. Of course, war would not have been possible if Pedro the Cruel was not a warmonger. The King of Castile's decision to declare war to take the throne of Aragon enraged many of his nobility. This allowed the House of Trastámara under Henry to declare their intention to take the Throne and in Granada Muhammad used the chaos to declare his war.
This chaos was heavily exploited by Muhammad the 5th. The various Iberian powers focused on either attacking Castile or defending from Castile's attack. They had no attention at that time to fight with Granada at the same time nor did Granada sought to pick a bone with them. With the armies drawn largely away from the south it gave the armies of Granada the chance to focus on taking the castles that were necessary for their expansion.
It soon became clear that Muhammad was going to be able to get more then just independence and no longer needing to pay tribute to the Castilians. Muhammad the 5th declared that looting was to be kept as a minimum. While praised for his nobility and kindness. It should be noted that this meant that the regions he planned on taking in the war would be not be as ravaged by the war; thus provide for the next conflict.
Capture of Qadis
The first major victory and the victory that lead to Muhammad expanding beyond just independence was the capture of Qadis or Cadiz as the Castilians called the region. Qadis was built on a peninsula facing the Atlantic. As such it was easy to reinforce it should a siege come. This was part of the reason why Fez helped by having its navy blockade the coast of Castile.
Of notice Qadis was one of few regions were Islam was still the faith of the Majority. This was one of the reasons that lead to Muhammad's decision to keep looting to a minimum. This is not to say that Muhammad fought that different then contemporaries.
While the siege was going on, the navies of Fez and Granada fought the combined navies of Genoa and Castile. While the battle was a victory for Fez and Granada, Granada's navy was destroyed. This would prompt Muhammad following the war to take a closer look at his navy.
When the people of Qadis and more importantly the nobility saw the Genoese fleet get destroyed out in the Bay of Qadis they became disheartened and lost the will to fight. The city was spared any further sacking by the Emir's orders. With the capture of Qadis much of the surrounding area was quickly under the control of Granada, though some of the Castles took longer then others.
Expanding to Ishbiliyya
Following the capture of Qadis and the surrounding area, Muhammad the 5th made his focus to take Ishbiliyya or Seville as the Castilians called it. The city of Ishbiliyya was one of the most important cities for Granada to take in the war. Famously Abu al-Baqa al-Rundi penned the poem Lament for the fall of Seville when the city fell in on the 5th of Sha'ban 646 AH. This poem was something that the Nasrids were familiar with when they began their march to Ishbiliyya and something they wished to change.
The Castilians by this point though had recognized the danger of Granada and Fez and thus sent an army under the command of Rodrigo de Seville. The Battle of Arahal was the principal and most decisive battle of the war. The battle was a pitched battle on the plains outside of Ishbiliyya. The forces were largely equal when one compares the combined forces of Granada and Fez to the forces of Castile.
The battle lead to the Siege of Ishbiliyya. This was a long and bitter siege as the Castilians refused to surrender the town. Yet in the end on 13th of Shawwal 764 the siege was over. This is where Muhammad the 5th showed his famous generosity. For in that age sacking and looting particularly after a city refuses surrender over and over was the standard practice. Muhammad though limited it and restricted the sacking as much as he could.
Finishing the war
Following the capture of Ishbiliyya, the war was largely over. Castile was in utter Chaos. Thus they pushed forward and took more towns and cities in Castile. The goal of this was to get Castile to surrender and accept that Granada was not only independent but that it had to give up territory.
The major issue was that King Pedro the Cruel of Castile was arrogant and prideful. He saw no reason to give up his lands even in the chaotic mess that he found himself in. However eventually he had no choice but to to accept that Granada was victorious.
On the 14th of the 2nd Jumada 766 AH, the king of Castile accepted the peace terms from Granada. Castile was to relinquish any control over Granada and that they no longer could accept tribute from them. Further more the cities and the surrounding areas of Qadis, Walbah, Ishbiliyya, and Antequera or as the Castilians called them, Cadiz,
Huelva, Seville, and Ecija were to be annexed by Granada.
This was hardly a lasting peace treaty as successive wars would show. Still it marked a major turning point for Granada. Before this war Granada and Islam was on the decline in Al-Andalus. The Castilians had pushed southward and left Granada basically a rump state of the powerful Caliphates that ruled before. Afterwords this would lead to the rise of Granada as slowly but surely the dominate power in Al-Andalus.
Muhammad the 5th himself was energized by his victories and was able to focus on dealing with his scheming relatives. He also started planning much grander goals for Granada and had his eye set on reclaiming the city of Qurtubah.
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
The plans of Muhammad the 5th
The war of 763 AH was the war in which Muhammad the 5th declared Granada independent from the Kingdom of Castile. He and the other Emirs of Granada regarded the Castilians as having a stranglehold on their realm. Of course, war would not have been possible if Pedro the Cruel was not a warmonger. The King of Castile's decision to declare war to take the throne of Aragon enraged many of his nobility. This allowed the House of Trastámara under Henry to declare their intention to take the Throne and in Granada Muhammad used the chaos to declare his war.
This chaos was heavily exploited by Muhammad the 5th. The various Iberian powers focused on either attacking Castile or defending from Castile's attack. They had no attention at that time to fight with Granada at the same time nor did Granada sought to pick a bone with them. With the armies drawn largely away from the south it gave the armies of Granada the chance to focus on taking the castles that were necessary for their expansion.
It soon became clear that Muhammad was going to be able to get more then just independence and no longer needing to pay tribute to the Castilians. Muhammad the 5th declared that looting was to be kept as a minimum. While praised for his nobility and kindness. It should be noted that this meant that the regions he planned on taking in the war would be not be as ravaged by the war; thus provide for the next conflict.
Capture of Qadis
The first major victory and the victory that lead to Muhammad expanding beyond just independence was the capture of Qadis or Cadiz as the Castilians called the region. Qadis was built on a peninsula facing the Atlantic. As such it was easy to reinforce it should a siege come. This was part of the reason why Fez helped by having its navy blockade the coast of Castile.
Of notice Qadis was one of few regions were Islam was still the faith of the Majority. This was one of the reasons that lead to Muhammad's decision to keep looting to a minimum. This is not to say that Muhammad fought that different then contemporaries.
While the siege was going on, the navies of Fez and Granada fought the combined navies of Genoa and Castile. While the battle was a victory for Fez and Granada, Granada's navy was destroyed. This would prompt Muhammad following the war to take a closer look at his navy.
When the people of Qadis and more importantly the nobility saw the Genoese fleet get destroyed out in the Bay of Qadis they became disheartened and lost the will to fight. The city was spared any further sacking by the Emir's orders. With the capture of Qadis much of the surrounding area was quickly under the control of Granada, though some of the Castles took longer then others.
Expanding to Ishbiliyya
Following the capture of Qadis and the surrounding area, Muhammad the 5th made his focus to take Ishbiliyya or Seville as the Castilians called it. The city of Ishbiliyya was one of the most important cities for Granada to take in the war. Famously Abu al-Baqa al-Rundi penned the poem Lament for the fall of Seville when the city fell in on the 5th of Sha'ban 646 AH. This poem was something that the Nasrids were familiar with when they began their march to Ishbiliyya and something they wished to change.
The Castilians by this point though had recognized the danger of Granada and Fez and thus sent an army under the command of Rodrigo de Seville. The Battle of Arahal was the principal and most decisive battle of the war. The battle was a pitched battle on the plains outside of Ishbiliyya. The forces were largely equal when one compares the combined forces of Granada and Fez to the forces of Castile.
The battle lead to the Siege of Ishbiliyya. This was a long and bitter siege as the Castilians refused to surrender the town. Yet in the end on 13th of Shawwal 764 the siege was over. This is where Muhammad the 5th showed his famous generosity. For in that age sacking and looting particularly after a city refuses surrender over and over was the standard practice. Muhammad though limited it and restricted the sacking as much as he could.
Finishing the war
Following the capture of Ishbiliyya, the war was largely over. Castile was in utter Chaos. Thus they pushed forward and took more towns and cities in Castile. The goal of this was to get Castile to surrender and accept that Granada was not only independent but that it had to give up territory.
The major issue was that King Pedro the Cruel of Castile was arrogant and prideful. He saw no reason to give up his lands even in the chaotic mess that he found himself in. However eventually he had no choice but to to accept that Granada was victorious.
On the 14th of the 2nd Jumada 766 AH, the king of Castile accepted the peace terms from Granada. Castile was to relinquish any control over Granada and that they no longer could accept tribute from them. Further more the cities and the surrounding areas of Qadis, Walbah, Ishbiliyya, and Antequera or as the Castilians called them, Cadiz,
Huelva, Seville, and Ecija were to be annexed by Granada.
This was hardly a lasting peace treaty as successive wars would show. Still it marked a major turning point for Granada. Before this war Granada and Islam was on the decline in Al-Andalus. The Castilians had pushed southward and left Granada basically a rump state of the powerful Caliphates that ruled before. Afterwords this would lead to the rise of Granada as slowly but surely the dominate power in Al-Andalus.
Muhammad the 5th himself was energized by his victories and was able to focus on dealing with his scheming relatives. He also started planning much grander goals for Granada and had his eye set on reclaiming the city of Qurtubah.
thanks
For those that are following along, are people enjoying the historical book version or the narrative version more? and if you perhaps have any feed back for me?
I personally prefer the history book style in long runs but your narration is nice too.
I tend to prefer history book, but the occasional narrative interlude can be really nice.
Brotherly plans
Muhammad was in his study looking over a map of the territories that had recently been acquired in the war. Ishbiliyya, Qadis and Walbah were all added. Castile was still in Chaos as King Pedro kept fighting Aragon and Trastámara. It was now just waiting till that conflict was over to plan on how the city of Cordoba should be retaken.
“Brother, you summoned me?” Yusef said as he entered the study breaking the thoughts of Muhammad.
“Yes. I did. I am finalizing my plans for the Hajj.” Muhammad replied to his brother.
“You plan to leave during this chaos?” Yusef asked referring to the chaos in Castile.
“Yes. This is the best time to do so. Should the chaos reach here again. I wish to have finished the Hajj.” Muhammad said.
“Well that does make sense.” Yusef replied.
“However, that is not why I summoned you, brother.” Muhammad stated.
“Of course. What did you wish to say.”
“I need someone I trust here. Ismail will try something, so I need you in charge while I am on the Hajj.” Muhammad stated clearly and with some heat in his voice. Muhammad had no love for Ismail and wanted him put in his place.
“You think he will really do something now?” Yusef asked.
“Yes. I don't know what but he will do something. I don't intend to walk back into my palace with him sitting on my throne. I don't want him to murder my son. So I want you to guard against him and his schemes. If he makes any moves, show him your sword.” Muhammad stated clearly and with some heat in his voice. Muhammad had no love for Ismail and wanted him put in his place.
“Very well that I can do. He has been trying to move against you for far too long.” Yusef said in agreement with his brother.
“Good. Glad that we are in agreement. There is another thing that I wish for you to take care of while I am away on the Hajj.” Muhammad said.
“And what is it that you wish, brother.” Yusef asked in return.
“The war showed us that we needed a better navy. The fleets of Fez won't be around to defend us forever. I want our shores being able to be defended.” Muhammad stated.
“Hmm. Agreed, I will make sure to start building up the navy then.” Yusef said.
“Good. That will be all for now brother.” Muhammad replied.
“Very well. Do take care on your Hajj brother.” Yusef said and rose to his feet and headed to leave the study.
Planning on what to do
Safiyya sat in her room reading a book as she drank some of her lemon water. It was just after noon and the light of the sun was shining through the room. The plans, her plans needed to be changed. She flipped another page as she saw her husband, Muhammad ibn Tahir, enter her chambers bringing a smile to her face.
“Ah. Beloved. Come sit. I have some lemon water if you would care for it.” She says to which he nodded as he took a seat next to her and she poured him a glass.
“I assume you are aware that our new 'sultan' has left on the Hajj by now” Muhammad asked and then sipped some of the lemon water.
“Indeed. However Yusef is still here.” Safiyya said in return.
“Ismail still plains to go through with his plan.” Muhammad replied.
“Yusef will kill him on the spot if he goes through with it. I know my brother and he is not merciful. If he finds out that we were plotting with Ismail then he will kill us both” Safiyya said with a sigh as she drank the rest of her water.
“Now now. We can Turn this to our own advantage. How many of the women does he have on his side” Muhammad said.
“A number though less then before Muhammad fought that war and declared himself Sultan.” Safiyya said.
“That echos what I have heard among the others.” Muhammad said.
“So what do you suggest?” Safiyya asked.
“We let Ismail do his plan. And then we show up. If Ismail has succeed we side with him. If he is not then we come to the aide of your brother.” Muhammad said with a smile as he finished his water.
“You think this would work. Either brother could turn on us. Not to mention even if Ismail succeeds there is the issue of what to do when Muhammad returns.” Safiyya stated.
“Yes. Yes they could but I doubt either would. As for our dear sultan well, there would be a conflict and we can choose to side against Ismail then should he not be up to defeating our sultan” Muhammad said.
“Hmm. That could work. If we save either brother's life and the Sultan's life. They will reward us.” Safiyya said.
“Indeed, and we can seek to rule one of the new territories in his name. He will need governors and administrators. Who better then those that helped keep his throne from Ismail.” Muhammad said.
“If Ismail wins we can ask the same thing of him” Safiyya said with a smile coming to her face.
“Indeed. But that is enough talk.” Muhammad said with a smile on his own face and lead Safiyya to their bed.
Yet as he did so the sounds of footsteps just outside the hall were heard by both of them. Safiyya looked to her husband she whispered. “stay right here I will check it out.” As she stood and went to the hall, she grabbed her dagger that she kept hidden from her shelf and placed it carefully on her person.
As she looked down the hall, she saw a single servant near the doorway. Safiyya immediately grabbed the woman and placed the dagger to her throat before speaking quietly but with a seriousness and an edge to her tone of voice, “If you tell anyone about what you heard, I will cut out your tongue and feed your eyes to birds. Do you understand?”
“Ye.. Yess.. I understand.” The servant said her voice filled with fear.
“Good. Now be on your way. And do keep quiet” Safiyya said and watched the servant stumble away from her quarters.
As she reentered her quarters she placed her dagger away and turned to her husband. “She won't be a problem. Now where we?” She said with a smile as she headed to their bed.
Muhammad was in his study looking over a map of the territories that had recently been acquired in the war. Ishbiliyya, Qadis and Walbah were all added. Castile was still in Chaos as King Pedro kept fighting Aragon and Trastámara. It was now just waiting till that conflict was over to plan on how the city of Cordoba should be retaken.
“Brother, you summoned me?” Yusef said as he entered the study breaking the thoughts of Muhammad.
“Yes. I did. I am finalizing my plans for the Hajj.” Muhammad replied to his brother.
“You plan to leave during this chaos?” Yusef asked referring to the chaos in Castile.
“Yes. This is the best time to do so. Should the chaos reach here again. I wish to have finished the Hajj.” Muhammad said.
“Well that does make sense.” Yusef replied.
“However, that is not why I summoned you, brother.” Muhammad stated.
“Of course. What did you wish to say.”
“I need someone I trust here. Ismail will try something, so I need you in charge while I am on the Hajj.” Muhammad stated clearly and with some heat in his voice. Muhammad had no love for Ismail and wanted him put in his place.
“You think he will really do something now?” Yusef asked.
“Yes. I don't know what but he will do something. I don't intend to walk back into my palace with him sitting on my throne. I don't want him to murder my son. So I want you to guard against him and his schemes. If he makes any moves, show him your sword.” Muhammad stated clearly and with some heat in his voice. Muhammad had no love for Ismail and wanted him put in his place.
“Very well that I can do. He has been trying to move against you for far too long.” Yusef said in agreement with his brother.
“Good. Glad that we are in agreement. There is another thing that I wish for you to take care of while I am away on the Hajj.” Muhammad said.
“And what is it that you wish, brother.” Yusef asked in return.
“The war showed us that we needed a better navy. The fleets of Fez won't be around to defend us forever. I want our shores being able to be defended.” Muhammad stated.
“Hmm. Agreed, I will make sure to start building up the navy then.” Yusef said.
“Good. That will be all for now brother.” Muhammad replied.
“Very well. Do take care on your Hajj brother.” Yusef said and rose to his feet and headed to leave the study.
Planning on what to do
Safiyya sat in her room reading a book as she drank some of her lemon water. It was just after noon and the light of the sun was shining through the room. The plans, her plans needed to be changed. She flipped another page as she saw her husband, Muhammad ibn Tahir, enter her chambers bringing a smile to her face.
“Ah. Beloved. Come sit. I have some lemon water if you would care for it.” She says to which he nodded as he took a seat next to her and she poured him a glass.
“I assume you are aware that our new 'sultan' has left on the Hajj by now” Muhammad asked and then sipped some of the lemon water.
“Indeed. However Yusef is still here.” Safiyya said in return.
“Ismail still plains to go through with his plan.” Muhammad replied.
“Yusef will kill him on the spot if he goes through with it. I know my brother and he is not merciful. If he finds out that we were plotting with Ismail then he will kill us both” Safiyya said with a sigh as she drank the rest of her water.
“Now now. We can Turn this to our own advantage. How many of the women does he have on his side” Muhammad said.
“A number though less then before Muhammad fought that war and declared himself Sultan.” Safiyya said.
“That echos what I have heard among the others.” Muhammad said.
“So what do you suggest?” Safiyya asked.
“We let Ismail do his plan. And then we show up. If Ismail has succeed we side with him. If he is not then we come to the aide of your brother.” Muhammad said with a smile as he finished his water.
“You think this would work. Either brother could turn on us. Not to mention even if Ismail succeeds there is the issue of what to do when Muhammad returns.” Safiyya stated.
“Yes. Yes they could but I doubt either would. As for our dear sultan well, there would be a conflict and we can choose to side against Ismail then should he not be up to defeating our sultan” Muhammad said.
“Hmm. That could work. If we save either brother's life and the Sultan's life. They will reward us.” Safiyya said.
“Indeed, and we can seek to rule one of the new territories in his name. He will need governors and administrators. Who better then those that helped keep his throne from Ismail.” Muhammad said.
“If Ismail wins we can ask the same thing of him” Safiyya said with a smile coming to her face.
“Indeed. But that is enough talk.” Muhammad said with a smile on his own face and lead Safiyya to their bed.
Yet as he did so the sounds of footsteps just outside the hall were heard by both of them. Safiyya looked to her husband she whispered. “stay right here I will check it out.” As she stood and went to the hall, she grabbed her dagger that she kept hidden from her shelf and placed it carefully on her person.
As she looked down the hall, she saw a single servant near the doorway. Safiyya immediately grabbed the woman and placed the dagger to her throat before speaking quietly but with a seriousness and an edge to her tone of voice, “If you tell anyone about what you heard, I will cut out your tongue and feed your eyes to birds. Do you understand?”
“Ye.. Yess.. I understand.” The servant said her voice filled with fear.
“Good. Now be on your way. And do keep quiet” Safiyya said and watched the servant stumble away from her quarters.
As she reentered her quarters she placed her dagger away and turned to her husband. “She won't be a problem. Now where we?” She said with a smile as she headed to their bed.
Alright. I might do more. Mostly when it comes to wars as it it is a bit trickier to do battles like that for me currently. I know historical books are so far my stronger suit, but I am doing the narrative to help improve in that section. So as always feedback is welcomed.
Also I will be having an update soon with pictures. As in an update or two I will cover the end of the Castilian Civil war which lasted a couple years longer following my victory as Granada. It will have pictures to show how the position in Iberia has changed.
In regards to pictures something, I am wondering about that as the main source of pictures I tend to find when looking for any are Orientalist pictures. Since I can bearly find any paintings beyond that when looking; unless I start looking to deviantart and/or pinterest which tends to bring up more fantasy designs. So I am curious what readers think of the use of pictures.
First of all, very interesting AAR. Looking forward to how this will go. Secondly, I think that pictures can be nice when you can find a good one, but don't feel obliged to use them. If you aren't careful, they can be more of a hinder acne than a help. Seeing your narrative style is interesting, and the occasional bit would be appreciated, but I think AARs in Eu4 and beyond tend to do better with a textbook style than a narrative style.
I do somewhat like the narrative stuff though, I do find that I much more like writting the historical book over narrative version. Plus I sort of feel like now that I started to do Narrative chapters I should continue to do them. I might start focusing much more on the historical style over the narrative style. I will figure the right ratio out.
Thanks for the advice and welcome.
Last edited:
History of Granada – The end of the Castilian Civil War
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
Defeat and Victor for Castile
Following Granada's victory in their war for independence against the Kingdom of Castile, Aragon was able to score a major victory against Castile. They forced the Castile to give up Leon and recognize that the King of Leon was independent from Castile. They did so but did so begrudgingly.
The fortunes of Trastámara looked bright following this victory. While they did claim Leon as they saw themselves as the rightful kings of Castile and Leon, they were focused on claiming Castile's throne first. Peace between Aragon and Castile brought another player into the affairs of the Christian kingdoms of Al-Andalus: France.
The Kingdom of France entered the picture with Aragon's victory. They had chosen to side with the Kingdom of Castile. With Aragon's departure they had brought their forces across the Pyrenees into Al-Andalus to fight Trastámara and their supporters. Both Castile and Trastámara had exhausted themselves by fighting so far with the arrival of the French Knights the war quickly turned against Trastámara and their supporters.
A look at Al-Andalus following the Castilian Civil War
[Al Andalus in 768 AH]
The peace that had been achieved on Safar the 28th 768 AH following the end of the Castilian civil war and the War of the two peters was a tumultuous one. All the kingdoms sought to make moves against one another in the power-struggles for Al-Andalus. As the outcome of this conflict shaped how the kingdoms moved against one another; it is best to do a brief summary of the various kingdoms and where they stood in 768 AH.
Leon
The Kingdom of Leon was created out of the Kingdom of Castile. The new King of Leon, Carlos the 1st was of the Vilafermosa dynasty. He was a cunning and scheming man who switched from supporting Trastámara to taking the throne of Leon with an arrangement from Aragon. He did though offer sanctuary to the supporters of Trastámara who didn't want to be killed for supporting the losing claimant.
He sought to expand the power of Leon at the cost of Castile. In particular he wished to extend northwards to the Cantabrian Sea as well as into Galicia. This naturally brought him into conflict with Pedro of Castile. His main issue is that he had to begin training brand new levees and winning the trust of the local nobility in order to pursue his expansionary agenda.
Castile
With this peace Pedro the Cruel was able to hold onto his throne. He did live up to his epithet and harshly punished the supporters of Henry Trastámara. However there were two issues facing him following the peace: instability and the Loss of Leon.
Despite holding onto his throne, there were still many threats to Pedro's reign. The wars that he waged were brutal and had exhausted his own treasury. Though he crushed the main nobles conspiring against him, there were still many who resented his rule. Banditry had grown up with the start of all this fighting and following the peace, there was little done to stop it. The trade routes were deserted of particular note was the popular pilgrimage road of Way of St. James.
The General instability of Castile is of note because it was something that all the other rulers in Al-Andalus saw be they Christian or Muslim. The instability coupled with the prestige loss from losing Leon meant that they levees and men that Castile called up to fight were not going to have the best moral.
The Loss of Leon was a major loss for Castile and for Pedro Personally. Pedro called himself king of Castile and Leon, though he had to acknowledge that Carlos was the king of Leon he did not like it. This meant more manpower and trade was now taken away from him. The fact that he sheltered the Trastámarans was just another insult to Pedro.
However the biggest issue was that Castile and Leon were now at each other's throat instead of being part of the same kingdom. This was something that the Nasrid rulers saw right away and worked to make sure that they were not united again.
Aragon
Of the Kingdoms involved in the wars, Aragon came out of the conflict rather well all things considered. The regency council for King Enric de Barchinona was able to keep their power. Pedro saw himself as the King of Aragon in addition to his other titles and the King of Aragon forced him to change his mind on that notion. The regency for the young boy-king was able to survive.
It should be noted that during this time, that while Aragon got peace in Al-Andalus they had to fight in Sicily. The Kingdom of Naples was seeking to push into Sicily at Aragon's expense. Aragon's Mediterranean possessions and the desire of the King of Naples to claim them is a recurring theme throughout this era of history.
Portugal
Portugal came out of the conflict somewhat better off. Despite being part of the same dynasty as Pedro the Cruel, Alfonso the 4th of Portugal fought against him. His defense of his kingdom helped earn him the moniker, the Brave.
As the Peace ended they were able to work on restoring the relationships with Castile. This helped make it so that they could have an Alliance again. Should Granada or Leon expand against either Kingdom. Though it was the alliance with England that would make that a tad more difficult to deal with.
Granada
Granada came out arguably the best. They went from a tributary state to one of the major actors in the politics of Al-Andalus. The conquest of Qadis, Walbah, Ishbiliyya, and Antequera began the reconquest of Al-Andalus by Granada
The cities of Qadis and Ishbiliyya were good sized trading ports even in this era. Helping to link the Trade Routes of the Maghreb with the Al-Andalus. Though, their real rise to prominence in the area of trade would happen in the future.
Following this peace, Muhammad the 5th made plans to set out for the Hajj. Though before he set out for the Hajj he made sure to begin the long process of restoring control to the newly conquered provinces. This was also accompanied by declaring himself Sultan of Granada.
It should be noted that all the Christian Powers in Al-Andalus distrusted Granada; though Carlos of Leon distrusted Granada the least. This distrust and Carlos of Leon's deceptive nature would play a major role in the shifting alliances that were to become a key factor of the conflicts in Al-Andalus during this era.
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
Defeat and Victor for Castile
Following Granada's victory in their war for independence against the Kingdom of Castile, Aragon was able to score a major victory against Castile. They forced the Castile to give up Leon and recognize that the King of Leon was independent from Castile. They did so but did so begrudgingly.
The fortunes of Trastámara looked bright following this victory. While they did claim Leon as they saw themselves as the rightful kings of Castile and Leon, they were focused on claiming Castile's throne first. Peace between Aragon and Castile brought another player into the affairs of the Christian kingdoms of Al-Andalus: France.
The Kingdom of France entered the picture with Aragon's victory. They had chosen to side with the Kingdom of Castile. With Aragon's departure they had brought their forces across the Pyrenees into Al-Andalus to fight Trastámara and their supporters. Both Castile and Trastámara had exhausted themselves by fighting so far with the arrival of the French Knights the war quickly turned against Trastámara and their supporters.
A look at Al-Andalus following the Castilian Civil War
[Al Andalus in 768 AH]
The peace that had been achieved on Safar the 28th 768 AH following the end of the Castilian civil war and the War of the two peters was a tumultuous one. All the kingdoms sought to make moves against one another in the power-struggles for Al-Andalus. As the outcome of this conflict shaped how the kingdoms moved against one another; it is best to do a brief summary of the various kingdoms and where they stood in 768 AH.
Leon
The Kingdom of Leon was created out of the Kingdom of Castile. The new King of Leon, Carlos the 1st was of the Vilafermosa dynasty. He was a cunning and scheming man who switched from supporting Trastámara to taking the throne of Leon with an arrangement from Aragon. He did though offer sanctuary to the supporters of Trastámara who didn't want to be killed for supporting the losing claimant.
He sought to expand the power of Leon at the cost of Castile. In particular he wished to extend northwards to the Cantabrian Sea as well as into Galicia. This naturally brought him into conflict with Pedro of Castile. His main issue is that he had to begin training brand new levees and winning the trust of the local nobility in order to pursue his expansionary agenda.
Castile
With this peace Pedro the Cruel was able to hold onto his throne. He did live up to his epithet and harshly punished the supporters of Henry Trastámara. However there were two issues facing him following the peace: instability and the Loss of Leon.
Despite holding onto his throne, there were still many threats to Pedro's reign. The wars that he waged were brutal and had exhausted his own treasury. Though he crushed the main nobles conspiring against him, there were still many who resented his rule. Banditry had grown up with the start of all this fighting and following the peace, there was little done to stop it. The trade routes were deserted of particular note was the popular pilgrimage road of Way of St. James.
The General instability of Castile is of note because it was something that all the other rulers in Al-Andalus saw be they Christian or Muslim. The instability coupled with the prestige loss from losing Leon meant that they levees and men that Castile called up to fight were not going to have the best moral.
The Loss of Leon was a major loss for Castile and for Pedro Personally. Pedro called himself king of Castile and Leon, though he had to acknowledge that Carlos was the king of Leon he did not like it. This meant more manpower and trade was now taken away from him. The fact that he sheltered the Trastámarans was just another insult to Pedro.
However the biggest issue was that Castile and Leon were now at each other's throat instead of being part of the same kingdom. This was something that the Nasrid rulers saw right away and worked to make sure that they were not united again.
Aragon
Of the Kingdoms involved in the wars, Aragon came out of the conflict rather well all things considered. The regency council for King Enric de Barchinona was able to keep their power. Pedro saw himself as the King of Aragon in addition to his other titles and the King of Aragon forced him to change his mind on that notion. The regency for the young boy-king was able to survive.
It should be noted that during this time, that while Aragon got peace in Al-Andalus they had to fight in Sicily. The Kingdom of Naples was seeking to push into Sicily at Aragon's expense. Aragon's Mediterranean possessions and the desire of the King of Naples to claim them is a recurring theme throughout this era of history.
Portugal
Portugal came out of the conflict somewhat better off. Despite being part of the same dynasty as Pedro the Cruel, Alfonso the 4th of Portugal fought against him. His defense of his kingdom helped earn him the moniker, the Brave.
As the Peace ended they were able to work on restoring the relationships with Castile. This helped make it so that they could have an Alliance again. Should Granada or Leon expand against either Kingdom. Though it was the alliance with England that would make that a tad more difficult to deal with.
Granada
Granada came out arguably the best. They went from a tributary state to one of the major actors in the politics of Al-Andalus. The conquest of Qadis, Walbah, Ishbiliyya, and Antequera began the reconquest of Al-Andalus by Granada
The cities of Qadis and Ishbiliyya were good sized trading ports even in this era. Helping to link the Trade Routes of the Maghreb with the Al-Andalus. Though, their real rise to prominence in the area of trade would happen in the future.
Following this peace, Muhammad the 5th made plans to set out for the Hajj. Though before he set out for the Hajj he made sure to begin the long process of restoring control to the newly conquered provinces. This was also accompanied by declaring himself Sultan of Granada.
It should be noted that all the Christian Powers in Al-Andalus distrusted Granada; though Carlos of Leon distrusted Granada the least. This distrust and Carlos of Leon's deceptive nature would play a major role in the shifting alliances that were to become a key factor of the conflicts in Al-Andalus during this era.
The stage is set for some conflicts. Alliances with Portugal and Leon would help, no doubt.
History of Granada – Looking to the Next War
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
Family Affairs
Following his victory against the Castilians Muhammad the 5th embarked on the Hajj. While he took many loyal guards with him, he left a good number of loyal guards in Granada as well. Most of these troops were principally loyal to Yusef over Muhammad himself. Thankfully for Muhammad, he and his brother got along well together.
Ismail on the other hand did not get along with Muhammad. He had always schemed for the throne and a few times nearly succeeded in taking it. It should come to no surprise that as Muhammad was away on the Hajj, Ismail launched his coup attempt. He had the loyalty of a large number of soldiers and courtiers and quickly took control of most of the Palace while Yusef was out hunting that day. Ismail was expecting that his agents among Yusef's hunting party would kill his brother for him. The fact they failed is what likely saved Muhammad's rule.
Yusef returned to the Alhambra after gathering his own force. Yusef for all his loyalty was known among contemporaries as both one of the most skilled swordsmen and yet famous for his wrath when he was angry. This incident showcases both, for Yusef and his party returned to the Alhambra and after uniting with those loyal to him and Sultan Muhammad fought tooth and nail to reclaim the palace from Ismail. This lead to stories of him and Ismail fighting a sword duel for the fate of the realm, though it is highly doubtful that any such sword duel took place.
What is not up for debate though is Ismail's fate. Ismail was sentenced to death and executed along with those of his most loyal followers and the co-conspiritors. The rest of Ismail's force was either exiled from the Alhambra or kept locked up till Muhammad returned from the Hajj so that he can deal with them. The vast majority of them were pardoned by Muhammad once he returned from the Hajj. Of note, Ibrahim ibn Qasim, his Sheik ul-Islam, was among those who were pardoned by Muhammad.
Modernizing the Navy
It was during this time that the Granadan Navy started to be forged. Muhammad the 5th focused on building up his navy and modernizing it. Though this was not the time of the great war ships that came into being in the age of sale in the 10th and 11th centuries, this was still an important development.
All of Granada's enemies both in Al-Andalus and those allied with them, especially Genoa had started to develop a formidable navy. Muhammad who had planed to go to war with them, wanted a strong navy principally to avoid transportation of enemy troops onto his soil.
Naval combat during this era was still largely the same as it was in the previous centuries focused on boarding parties. Height was considered a particular advantagious to have, as taller ships meant it was harder to board. Though one of the principal actions of the navy during this time was not combative but to transport troops. Which is why Muhammad the 5th made combating them a concern of his.
Preparing for war
Following the end of his Hajj, Muhammad the 5th made it his objective to liberate Cordoba from Castilian control. As mentioned above the focus on the navy was a part of the plan in case Aragon and Genoa joined in the conflict. Of course Muhammad the 5th did not neglect his infantry. He spent the years leading up to the war having Yusef train recruits and levees for the coming conflict. Moreover alliances with other powers in the region were a bigger part of Muhammad's preparations specifically Fez and Leon.
The Marinaid Sultanate of Fez which supported Granada's backing of their independence was the easist to sway to Granada's side. They had a good relationship and both sought to continue it. As part of the arrangement of an alliance both Fez and Granada agreed to a royal marriage. Thus the Sultan's sister Radiya was to marry Muhammad the fifths eldest son and heir Nizar. Radiya is a person to keep in mind as we get to the reign of Nizar as she plays a major role in Nizar's reign, but we shall get to her when we get to Nizar's reign.
With Fez secured Muhammad looked to working with Leon. Leon which was ruled by Carlos Vilafermosa who as the previous chapter reported was a cunning and deceptive man. No where else was this shown then the alliance between Leon and Granada. The alliance was made as a way to counter Castile. Even once both sides agreed to an alliance, there was immense distrust. Neither Muhammad nor Leon trusted the other and were expecting betrayal. They did however trust that they would keep it out of a desire that it was in both ruler's best interest to keep it.
By the end of 773 AH, Muhammad the 5th had his alliances needed to counter Castile. He had a few years till the peace with Castile was over. In the mean time he focused his affairs onto domestic affairs helping to slowly build up his provinces as well as restoring control and authority over his new provinces.
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
Family Affairs
Following his victory against the Castilians Muhammad the 5th embarked on the Hajj. While he took many loyal guards with him, he left a good number of loyal guards in Granada as well. Most of these troops were principally loyal to Yusef over Muhammad himself. Thankfully for Muhammad, he and his brother got along well together.
Ismail on the other hand did not get along with Muhammad. He had always schemed for the throne and a few times nearly succeeded in taking it. It should come to no surprise that as Muhammad was away on the Hajj, Ismail launched his coup attempt. He had the loyalty of a large number of soldiers and courtiers and quickly took control of most of the Palace while Yusef was out hunting that day. Ismail was expecting that his agents among Yusef's hunting party would kill his brother for him. The fact they failed is what likely saved Muhammad's rule.
Yusef returned to the Alhambra after gathering his own force. Yusef for all his loyalty was known among contemporaries as both one of the most skilled swordsmen and yet famous for his wrath when he was angry. This incident showcases both, for Yusef and his party returned to the Alhambra and after uniting with those loyal to him and Sultan Muhammad fought tooth and nail to reclaim the palace from Ismail. This lead to stories of him and Ismail fighting a sword duel for the fate of the realm, though it is highly doubtful that any such sword duel took place.
What is not up for debate though is Ismail's fate. Ismail was sentenced to death and executed along with those of his most loyal followers and the co-conspiritors. The rest of Ismail's force was either exiled from the Alhambra or kept locked up till Muhammad returned from the Hajj so that he can deal with them. The vast majority of them were pardoned by Muhammad once he returned from the Hajj. Of note, Ibrahim ibn Qasim, his Sheik ul-Islam, was among those who were pardoned by Muhammad.
Modernizing the Navy
It was during this time that the Granadan Navy started to be forged. Muhammad the 5th focused on building up his navy and modernizing it. Though this was not the time of the great war ships that came into being in the age of sale in the 10th and 11th centuries, this was still an important development.
All of Granada's enemies both in Al-Andalus and those allied with them, especially Genoa had started to develop a formidable navy. Muhammad who had planed to go to war with them, wanted a strong navy principally to avoid transportation of enemy troops onto his soil.
Naval combat during this era was still largely the same as it was in the previous centuries focused on boarding parties. Height was considered a particular advantagious to have, as taller ships meant it was harder to board. Though one of the principal actions of the navy during this time was not combative but to transport troops. Which is why Muhammad the 5th made combating them a concern of his.
Preparing for war
Following the end of his Hajj, Muhammad the 5th made it his objective to liberate Cordoba from Castilian control. As mentioned above the focus on the navy was a part of the plan in case Aragon and Genoa joined in the conflict. Of course Muhammad the 5th did not neglect his infantry. He spent the years leading up to the war having Yusef train recruits and levees for the coming conflict. Moreover alliances with other powers in the region were a bigger part of Muhammad's preparations specifically Fez and Leon.
The Marinaid Sultanate of Fez which supported Granada's backing of their independence was the easist to sway to Granada's side. They had a good relationship and both sought to continue it. As part of the arrangement of an alliance both Fez and Granada agreed to a royal marriage. Thus the Sultan's sister Radiya was to marry Muhammad the fifths eldest son and heir Nizar. Radiya is a person to keep in mind as we get to the reign of Nizar as she plays a major role in Nizar's reign, but we shall get to her when we get to Nizar's reign.
With Fez secured Muhammad looked to working with Leon. Leon which was ruled by Carlos Vilafermosa who as the previous chapter reported was a cunning and deceptive man. No where else was this shown then the alliance between Leon and Granada. The alliance was made as a way to counter Castile. Even once both sides agreed to an alliance, there was immense distrust. Neither Muhammad nor Leon trusted the other and were expecting betrayal. They did however trust that they would keep it out of a desire that it was in both ruler's best interest to keep it.
By the end of 773 AH, Muhammad the 5th had his alliances needed to counter Castile. He had a few years till the peace with Castile was over. In the mean time he focused his affairs onto domestic affairs helping to slowly build up his provinces as well as restoring control and authority over his new provinces.
The plot by Ismail to take over the rule in Granada failed, but it would seem like Safiyya has more plans in store if she manages to consolidate her power over the newly acquired provinces and within court.
Powerful, cunning, and seductive women always win!
It's 2016, are we still allowed to talk about this old trope?
- 1
Woo. Safiyya was voted best character of the week.
I do want to appologize for the delay, I plan on getting the update by the end of the week. I wanted to do it last week but the election result drained me of energy to write. sorry about that, but that happens.
I do want to appologize for the delay, I plan on getting the update by the end of the week. I wanted to do it last week but the election result drained me of energy to write. sorry about that, but that happens.
- 1
History of Granada – Taking Cordoba
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
War for Cordoba
On the 7th of Sha'ban 766 AH, Muhammad the 5th seeing weakness in Castile declared war. Muhammad's principal goal was to take the city of Cordoba. As such the main army was sent under the command of Muhammad's brother Yusef to take the city. Muhammad ibn Tahir was tasked to work with Yusef in the taking of the city.
The kingdom of Leon and the Marinid Sultanate decided for the most part to sit the conflict out. This meant that Granada was alone facing Castile and their allies of Genoa and Aragon. However Leon kept their eyes on the Castile waiting in the wings. While Aragon entered the war it kept most of its focus on the Kingdom of Naples that sought to take Sicily from the Aragonese.
The liberation of Cordoba
Cordoba was the first and principal target of the Granada’s army in the war. The city was the Jewel of Al-Andalus before it was captured by the Christians in their advance south. While the forces of Granada arrived there shortly after the war began. It would take several months to free the city.
The kingdom of Castile for their part sent their forces down south to meet them near Cordoba. The hope was that if they can defeat the Granadan army here, it would utterly demoralize them and they could walk all over them. This turned out to be false.
The Battle of al-Qulaiya as it would be latter called was a major victory for Granada. This was Yusef's finest hour as he not only won but there were few causalities on his side. It was followed shortly by the fall of Cordoba on the 5th of Rajab 777 A.H. As per the Muhammad the 5th's orders, there was to be limited pillaging and looting of the city.
With the capture of Cordoba it opened up more of southern Castile to take. Thus began the Yusef and Muhammad ibn Tahir's conquest of southern Castile. They would quickly take the various towns and regions of southern Castile.
The capture of Cordoba and the speed at which Yusef took southern Castile brought a lot of unwanted rumors in the Alhambra. There was constant talk that Yusef was setting out to set up his own realm or take the throne himself. All these rumors were unfounded, and Muhammad the 5th knew it. However other courtiers started to prepare in case such an event happened.
The battle of Almeria
While Yusef was marching across southern Castile, the navy of Granada would fight their own battle. The navies of Genoa and Aragon sought to get rid of Granada's navy, blockade their ports and then transport their own troops around and capture Granada itself before the army under Yusef could react to it.
The navies of Granada met the navies of Genoa and Aragon within the Gulf of Almeria and thus lead to the battle of Almeria. This battle would turn out to be a major victory for Granada. With this victory, Genoa and Aragon were unable to fully support Castile. This would prompt Naples to use this time to go for Sicily.
This battle marked an important turning point for the history Granada. It is with the battle of Almeria that the naval history of Granada is often marked as the beginning. While there were earlier uses of the Granadan navy, it is with the Battle of Almeria that the Sultans of Granada started to take it seriously and began supporting it fully. From here the navy would only go on to earn more honor and fame in the centuries.
Leon and Naples
With these victories it would lead to two major events that spelled the end of the war. The first was that on the 9th of Sha'ban 779 A.H when the kingdom of Naples sought to go to war with Aragon for the island of Sicily. This prompted Aragon to draw off any troops to fight Granada in order to fight the kingdom of Naples.
Aragon's army was largely intake despite the Aragonese naval defeat at the Battle of Almeria. However the Kingdom of Aragon sought to protect their own holdings. As such they diverted most of their forces away from Al-Andalus to go and fight Naples. This left the forces of Granada largely unchecked to take more and more regions in the conflict.
The other event was the entrance of the Kingdom of Leon into the conflict. The kingdom of Leon sought to take land from Castile that they saw as their own. So on the 10th of Muharram 780 AH they went to war. This war was not to support Granada despite their pact, but more to enrich themselves. Still Muhammad the 5th was satisfied that Leon was focusing on Castile instead of his own kingdom.
End of the conflict
With the conflict over Sicily and Leon deciding to declare war, it spelled the end of the conflict. The Castilians would fight on for about another year until they surrendered on the 14th of Safar 781 A.H bringing a close to the war for Cordoba.
This war brought many changes for Granada. It brought the city of Cordoba back under Muslim control as well as most of southern Castile's as the Castilian provinces of Jean, Lucena, El condado, Caravaca, Murcia, Cartagena were taken and brought under Granadan control. This though did not go unnoticed. All of Al-Andalus would end up allying together, including the Castilians and Leonese once their conflict was put to an end. As did several Italian powers, notably the Pope himself joined the conflict.
This would prompt the sultan of Granada to dispatch an envoy to the Kingdom of France to keep them out of their conflict in Al-Andalus. The Kingdom of France was large and desiring to expand her territories. If she entered the conflict then it could spell disaster for the Granadans and Muhammad the 5th knew that.
Military this conflict as mentioned above signaled the beginning of the rise of the Granadan navy. While it would be a century or so before the navy became the formidable might that it would be known for, it is here that marks the beginning of their rise in status.
By Fatima bint Hakim al-Hassan
Published by the Jāmi`at al-Qurtubah Press in 1406 AH.
War for Cordoba
On the 7th of Sha'ban 766 AH, Muhammad the 5th seeing weakness in Castile declared war. Muhammad's principal goal was to take the city of Cordoba. As such the main army was sent under the command of Muhammad's brother Yusef to take the city. Muhammad ibn Tahir was tasked to work with Yusef in the taking of the city.
The kingdom of Leon and the Marinid Sultanate decided for the most part to sit the conflict out. This meant that Granada was alone facing Castile and their allies of Genoa and Aragon. However Leon kept their eyes on the Castile waiting in the wings. While Aragon entered the war it kept most of its focus on the Kingdom of Naples that sought to take Sicily from the Aragonese.
The liberation of Cordoba
Cordoba was the first and principal target of the Granada’s army in the war. The city was the Jewel of Al-Andalus before it was captured by the Christians in their advance south. While the forces of Granada arrived there shortly after the war began. It would take several months to free the city.
The kingdom of Castile for their part sent their forces down south to meet them near Cordoba. The hope was that if they can defeat the Granadan army here, it would utterly demoralize them and they could walk all over them. This turned out to be false.
The Battle of al-Qulaiya as it would be latter called was a major victory for Granada. This was Yusef's finest hour as he not only won but there were few causalities on his side. It was followed shortly by the fall of Cordoba on the 5th of Rajab 777 A.H. As per the Muhammad the 5th's orders, there was to be limited pillaging and looting of the city.
With the capture of Cordoba it opened up more of southern Castile to take. Thus began the Yusef and Muhammad ibn Tahir's conquest of southern Castile. They would quickly take the various towns and regions of southern Castile.
The capture of Cordoba and the speed at which Yusef took southern Castile brought a lot of unwanted rumors in the Alhambra. There was constant talk that Yusef was setting out to set up his own realm or take the throne himself. All these rumors were unfounded, and Muhammad the 5th knew it. However other courtiers started to prepare in case such an event happened.
The battle of Almeria
While Yusef was marching across southern Castile, the navy of Granada would fight their own battle. The navies of Genoa and Aragon sought to get rid of Granada's navy, blockade their ports and then transport their own troops around and capture Granada itself before the army under Yusef could react to it.
The navies of Granada met the navies of Genoa and Aragon within the Gulf of Almeria and thus lead to the battle of Almeria. This battle would turn out to be a major victory for Granada. With this victory, Genoa and Aragon were unable to fully support Castile. This would prompt Naples to use this time to go for Sicily.
This battle marked an important turning point for the history Granada. It is with the battle of Almeria that the naval history of Granada is often marked as the beginning. While there were earlier uses of the Granadan navy, it is with the Battle of Almeria that the Sultans of Granada started to take it seriously and began supporting it fully. From here the navy would only go on to earn more honor and fame in the centuries.
Leon and Naples
With these victories it would lead to two major events that spelled the end of the war. The first was that on the 9th of Sha'ban 779 A.H when the kingdom of Naples sought to go to war with Aragon for the island of Sicily. This prompted Aragon to draw off any troops to fight Granada in order to fight the kingdom of Naples.
Aragon's army was largely intake despite the Aragonese naval defeat at the Battle of Almeria. However the Kingdom of Aragon sought to protect their own holdings. As such they diverted most of their forces away from Al-Andalus to go and fight Naples. This left the forces of Granada largely unchecked to take more and more regions in the conflict.
The other event was the entrance of the Kingdom of Leon into the conflict. The kingdom of Leon sought to take land from Castile that they saw as their own. So on the 10th of Muharram 780 AH they went to war. This war was not to support Granada despite their pact, but more to enrich themselves. Still Muhammad the 5th was satisfied that Leon was focusing on Castile instead of his own kingdom.
End of the conflict
With the conflict over Sicily and Leon deciding to declare war, it spelled the end of the conflict. The Castilians would fight on for about another year until they surrendered on the 14th of Safar 781 A.H bringing a close to the war for Cordoba.
This war brought many changes for Granada. It brought the city of Cordoba back under Muslim control as well as most of southern Castile's as the Castilian provinces of Jean, Lucena, El condado, Caravaca, Murcia, Cartagena were taken and brought under Granadan control. This though did not go unnoticed. All of Al-Andalus would end up allying together, including the Castilians and Leonese once their conflict was put to an end. As did several Italian powers, notably the Pope himself joined the conflict.
This would prompt the sultan of Granada to dispatch an envoy to the Kingdom of France to keep them out of their conflict in Al-Andalus. The Kingdom of France was large and desiring to expand her territories. If she entered the conflict then it could spell disaster for the Granadans and Muhammad the 5th knew that.
Military this conflict as mentioned above signaled the beginning of the rise of the Granadan navy. While it would be a century or so before the navy became the formidable might that it would be known for, it is here that marks the beginning of their rise in status.
A major victory! Morally taking back Cordoba and destroying the Christians both on land and sea will be to the benefit of Granada, and the provinces will allow for new wealth in terms of taxation and trade. Hopefully the opponents of Granada uniting against it will also solve the internal issues as it gives everyone a common foe, but these opponents collaborating may prove to be very dangerous on the long-term.