In what ways did religious motives drive the Granada War?

Religious motives drove the Granada War primarily through the desire of the Catholic Monarchs to unify Spain under Christianity.

The Granada War, also known as the War of Granada, was a series of military campaigns that took place between 1482 and 1492, with the primary aim of conquering the Muslim kingdom of Granada, the last stronghold of Islam in the Iberian Peninsula. The war was driven by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, who were motivated by a strong desire to consolidate their power and unify Spain under the banner of Christianity.

The Catholic Monarchs were deeply religious and believed in the supremacy of the Catholic faith. They saw the existence of a Muslim kingdom within their territories as a challenge to their authority and a threat to the religious unity of Spain. They were determined to bring Granada under their control and convert its population to Christianity, as part of their broader policy of religious unification known as the Reconquista. This policy aimed to reclaim territories that had been lost to Muslim rule during the Middle Ages and restore them to Christian rule.

The religious motives behind the Granada War were also influenced by the broader context of Christian-Muslim conflict in the Mediterranean. The Catholic Monarchs were keen to assert their power and prestige in the face of the expanding Ottoman Empire, which was seen as a major threat to Christian Europe. By conquering Granada, they hoped to strengthen their position and demonstrate their commitment to the defence of Christianity.

Furthermore, the Catholic Monarchs were influenced by the religious fervour of the time, which saw the spread of a militant form of Christianity that sought to assert its dominance over other faiths. This was reflected in their use of religious propaganda to justify the war, portraying it as a holy crusade against the infidels. They also sought the support of the Pope, who granted them the title of "Catholic Monarchs" in recognition of their efforts to expand Christianity.

In conclusion, religious motives played a crucial role in driving the Granada War. The Catholic Monarchs were driven by a desire to unify Spain under Christianity, assert their power in the face of Muslim threats, and promote a militant form of Christianity.