Boabdil, the last Nasrid King. Abu ‘Abd Allāh, Muhammad XI, Boabdil  called ‘The Boy’ by the Christians and El Zogoibi ‘the Unfortunate One ‘ by the Moors. He was considered to be the last emir or Nasrid King of Granada.

Although the latter is certain the final stage of the Nasrid Dynasty.  It was composed of three sovereigns:  Muley Hacén, el Zagal y Boabdil. All three were implicated in what was called the ‘War of Granada’.  It spanned from 1481 (the taking of Zahara Square near Ronda) until 2nd January 1492, when Boabdil handed over the keys of Granada city to the Catholic Kings.

The intrigue that surrounded Boabdil

In the entrance vestibule of the Royal Chapel in Granada  we can see a copy of the painting ‘The Surrender of Granada‘ by Pradilla. The painting accurately represents that moment in history which marked the before and after in the History of  Granada.

The kingdom was internally divided. On one side it was shaken by civil war because of the power struggle.  It was between his father Muley Hacen and his brother El Zagal against his son and nephew Boabdil.

And on the other side the internal intrigue between  his wife the Nasrid Aisha and the Christian slave girl known as Isabel de Solis. She converted to Islam and became known as Zoraya. And who Muely Hacen made his wife. With this decision he replaced Aisha’s position as queen with Zoraya.  Furthermore, he  put into jeopardy the future of his son Boabdil as his heir.

To all this drama we add the dream of the Catholic Kings, Isabel I from Castilla and Fernando II from Aragon to take Granada. They wanted a union of their kingdoms and to take Christianity to the last Muslim territory in the Peninsula.

In their first action of war in September 1483, Boabdil was taken prisoner by the Catholic Kings in Lucena. They made a pact which was his freedom and help against his two competitors in exchange.  In Addition, they demanded  his subjugation which compromised the future of the Nasrid Kingdom. This pact was the beginning of the end.

The last Nasrid king leaves Granada

After the death of his wife, the love of his life, Morayma, Boabdil took a decision which was to change his destiny.

In October 1493, he travelled to Fez on the other side of the Mediterranean.with his entourage. He lived there, estranged from political life, until his death at 70 years old in 1533.