The Eternal Beauty of Alhambra
By Dr Syed Amir
Bethesda, MD
The fabled Islamic monument, Alhambra, in Granada, draws a large number of visitors from around the world, constituting a rich source of income for the Spanish Government. Often characterized as pearl set in emerald, it is the oldest architectural masterpiece of Muslim-Arab civilization in Europe that has survived with much of its splendor intact.
The palace has been the subject of numerous books and poems, some finding sensuality, magic and romanticism in its sublime beauty. Not surprisingly, the Spanish Government invests much money on its upkeep and takes meticulous care to maintain it.
In the early thirteenth century, when most of Andalusia had fallen to Christian rule, Mohammad bin Yusuf Ibn Nasir carved out an autonomous Kingdom in Granada and founded what has become known as the Nasrid dynasty, which lasted until the capture of Granada in 1492 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. This small principality became a place of refuge for Muslims from all corners of Andalusia, when the Christian re-conquest of Spain was in progress.
Mohammad bin Yusuf was an enlightened ruler; however, he lacked resources to bring prosperity to his land and people. The Christian powers had pushed Muslims to territories that were not suited to the cultivation of grains or vegetables, as the celebrated anthropologist, Ibn Khaldun, ruefully noted in his Muqadama. Furthermore, Mohammad bin Yusuf was not completely independent as he was forced to pay an exorbitant amount of money as tribute to the Christian King of Castile.
The lasting gift of the Nasrid rulers, however, was the palaces of Alhambra (the red fortress), whose construction Mohammad bin Yosuf initiated on a hill in Granada, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains providing a magnificent backdrop. The castle presented a spectacular sight on moon-lit nights. Subsequent Nasrid Sultans made additions and modifications of their own to the palaces. However, most work is believed to have been accomplished during the reign of Sultan Mohammad V (1354-59), who added a number of exquisite structures to the complex.
The Moorish palace in the course of the seven centuries of its existence has seen many ups and downs. Following the fall of the Nasrid dynasty and Muslim rule, it served for a while as the residence of the victorious Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella. Christopher Columbus presented his proposal to them in the sumptuous hall of ambassadors before embarking on his voyage of discovery. In the seventeenth century, the palace was the victim of neglect and fell in a state of dilapidation and decay. At times, it was used as an asylum for convicts and beggars, and for a while was occupied by gypsies. French occupation troops during the Napoleonic period blew up part of several of the Alhambra’s historic towers.
The credit for introducing Alhambra to the world and highlighting its transcendent beauty belongs to Washington Irving, an American diplomat, archeologist and writer. While posted as a diplomat in Spain, he spent a great deal of time exploring various archeological sites. In 1828, he took up residence for several months inside the palace walls, using one of its chambers as his bedroom. Having become enamored of the deserted, decaying Islamic monument, he noted that its beautiful halls had become desolate and some of them fell to ruin, the gardens were destroyed and the fountains ceased to ply. Irving was not an inspiring writer, but his stay in the ancient palace inspired him to write one of his more readable books, The Alhambra, published in 1832. He fantasized that the palace was still under some magic spell and in the dead of night, the last Moorish king, Abu Abdullah (Boabdil), materialized and held his majestic court amid great pomp and ceremony. Stories of fantasy and talisman evoked a new interest in the monument and brought it to the attention of many tourists, especially in Europe and America.
Countless books and research articles have been written on Alhambra, examining in details its historic background and its exotic architectural features. A recent book, Alhambra, by Robert Irwin, represents a valuable, recent addition to this collection. The writing style is captivating and the book, with only 200 pages, is highly readable. Irwin has carefully sifted through many enthralling legends that have been built over the centuries about the Muslim rulers who resided in these mysterious palaces centuries ago and the events that occurred inside their walls. Some, he believes, are mere fantasies with no basis in historic facts.
At the beginning of the book, Irwin recounts some of the stories fed by the guides in Alhambra to naïve tourists, such as that thirty-nine members of an illustrious clan, known as Abencerrages, were invited for dinner and then mercilessly massacred by King Boabdil in the court of lions, where their blood stains can still be seen. The author dismisses these stories as largely apocryphal, invented for the entertainment of visitors.
While praising Washington Irving for his abiding contribution towards reviving interest in Alhambra, he faults him for his share in perpetuating some false legends and folklore, such as the red stains in the marble fountains are derived from the blood of slaughtered Abencerrages. The author is effusive in his praise of the Court of Lions in Alhambra, describing it as “by common consent, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.”
Alhambra is unique in many respects. Unlike the palaces built by Muslim rulers of Spain, such as the storied palace of Madinat-uz-Zahra, built by Amir Abdurrahman, the third, in his capital city of Cordoba, was designed to serve only as the royal abode. Alhambra was much more than that. It served as the administrative nerve center, had the grand mosque, a garrison, and guest houses. However, much of the original complex no longer exists today. Ironically, the parts that are now open to visitors represent royal residence which would not have been accessible to anyone except the royal family members. The author marvels at the application of principles of mathematics and geometry to the planning and construction of Alhambra, even though nowhere in the extant medieval texts this knowledge or its application is apparent or documented.
While the Muslim rule in Spain ended over six centuries ago, Alhambra is just one of the legacies that the Muslims left behind. The contributions they made to agriculture, science, language, architecture, medicine and certain other fields, however, will survive forever.
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