The fall of Granada in 1492 symbolised the culmination of centuries of religious and political struggle in Spain, marking both a triumph and a challenge for Isabella and Ferdinand.

The Capture of Granada, 1492

Context of the Reconquista

The Reconquista had been a centuries-long process whereby Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed territory from Muslim rule. By the mid-fifteenth century, the Nasrid kingdom of Granada remained the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. Its survival was possible due to:

• Internal divisions among Christian kingdoms prior to Isabella and Ferdinand’s marriage.

• The relative wealth of Granada from trade and silk production.

• Payment of tribute (parias) to Castile, which bought temporary peace.

By 1469, the marriage of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon created a more unified front against Muslim Granada. The monarchs portrayed the final conquest as a holy war, tying their policies to religious aims and papal endorsement.

The War of Granada (1482–1492)

The war began in 1482 after disputes within the Nasrid dynasty. Key features included:

• Systematic campaigns: Isabella and Ferdinand used sustained, annual military campaigns, unlike earlier sporadic attacks.

• Artillery and modern warfare: They employed new siege technologies, making Christian forces more effective.

• Support from the Papacy: The war was cast as a crusade, gaining indulgences and financial contributions from the Church.

• Coordination between Castile and Aragon: Their combined resources enhanced military capacity.

By January 1492, Emir Boabdil surrendered Granada under the Treaty of Granada, which initially promised religious tolerance and protection for Muslim inhabitants.

Significance of the Capture

The fall of Granada carried immense symbolic and practical importance:

• It marked the end of Muslim political power in Iberia.

• Isabella and Ferdinand were celebrated as ‘The Catholic Kings’, a title confirmed by the Pope.

• The conquest reinforced their image as leaders of a ‘New Monarchy’, strengthening central authority through religious legitimacy.

• It freed resources for other ventures, notably overseas exploration (Columbus departed later in 1492).

• However, Granada also created a new minority problem, as the integration of Muslims tested policies of unity and religious conformity.

Treatment of the Moriscos

Initial Promises of Tolerance

Under the Treaty of Granada (1491), Muslims (later known as Moriscos) were guaranteed:

Original parchment of the Capitulaciones de Granada (30 December 1491). Its formal script, signatures and pendant seal emphasise that negotiated terms—rather than force alone—shaped the early settlement. Source

• Freedom of religion and the right to practise Islam.

• Protection of property, laws, and customs.

• Security from forced conversion.

Initially, these promises suggested a pragmatic policy of coexistence.

Shift to Forced Conversion

Tolerance quickly eroded:

• Archbishop Cisneros, beginning in 1499, pushed for mass conversions in Granada.

• Revolts broke out, particularly in the Alpujarras region, after reports of coercion and attacks on Islamic practices.

• Following the suppression of these revolts, Muslims were given the choice between conversion or exile, effectively ending the promises of religious freedom.

Consequences for Moriscos

The Moriscos became a suspicious minority within Spain:

• Outwardly Christian, but often accused of secretly practising Islam.

• Subject to scrutiny by the Inquisition, which aimed to enforce orthodoxy.

• They were increasingly marginalised, and periodic revolts highlighted the tensions caused by forced assimilation.

Despite conversion, Moriscos were rarely trusted and faced ongoing discrimination throughout the sixteenth century.

Treatment of the Conversos

Who Were the Conversos?

Conversos were Jews who had converted to Christianity, often since the fourteenth century, under pressure of social hostility and persecution.

They had already faced resentment before 1492 due to their prominence in finance, administration, and intellectual life.

Policies Toward Conversos

• Suspicion of heresy: Many Christians doubted the sincerity of Conversos’ conversions, leading to accusations of ‘crypto-Judaism’.

• Role of the Inquisition: Established in 1478, the Spanish Inquisition targeted Conversos extensively, prosecuting those suspected of backsliding into Judaism.

• Expulsion of Jews (1492): Following the conquest of Granada, Isabella and Ferdinand ordered all unconverted Jews to leave Spain. This was partly to remove any influence encouraging Conversos to relapse.

Impact on Spanish Society

• The expulsion disrupted local economies, especially in towns where Jews had been vital in trade and finance.

• The monarchy gained property and wealth from confiscated Jewish assets.

• The persecution of Conversos reinforced the idea that religious uniformity equalled political unity, central to Isabella and Ferdinand’s vision of Spain.

Broader Implications for Religious Unity

The treatment of both Moriscos and Conversos reflected a new drive for religious homogeneity in Spain:

• The fall of Granada was celebrated as the triumph of Catholicism.

• The Inquisition became central in enforcing conformity, eroding earlier traditions of convivencia (coexistence).

• The policies laid foundations for long-term minority tensions, foreshadowing later revolts and expulsions under subsequent monarchs.

Thus, the capture of Granada in 1492 was not only the dramatic conclusion to the Reconquista but also the beginning of a new and often brutal chapter in Spain’s religious and political history.