On the night of January 1, 1492, Christian soldiers quietly entered Granada's Alhambra palace. By dawn, the banners of Castile and Aragon flew from the towers of Iberia's last Muslim kingdom. Royal heralds announced a glorious military conquest blessed by divine providence. The reality was much messier—Granada fell due to secret negotiations and betrayal, not battlefield heroics. However, this orchestrated victory marked a truly transformative moment: the end of a decade-long campaign that built the military power supporting Spanish dominance for the next 150 years.

The Granada War from 1482 to 1492 is central to an important debate in military history. Did this conquest mark a revolutionary moment where Spain led the way in modern warfare? Or was it just medieval warfare on a bigger scale? This episode examines how Granada served as a testing ground where royal ambitions, military innovations, and religious beliefs converged into something new.

Isabel and Fernando transformed local raiding into a full-scale conquest, capitalizing on Granada's civil wars while developing new capabilities. Spanish forces grew from just a few cannons to 179 artillery pieces, pioneered year-round operations with the Santa Hermandad standing force, and deployed large infantry armies using proto-tercio organization. The commanders trained in these mountain sieges would go on to defeat France at Pavia, conquer Italy at Cerignola, and build American empires.

But military innovation brought a cultural catastrophe. The conquest ended convivencia—centuries of Christian-Muslim-Jewish coexistence—and replaced it with enforced religious uniformity. Broken promises to Granada's Muslims created the Morisco problem, which festered until the mass expulsion in 1609.

Granada offers no simple answers about historical change. The key is to see it as a crucible where a decade of sustained warfare transformed medieval elements into early modern military power. 

Support the show

Find us on Substack. Both Free and Premium content is available:

https://substack.com/@itakehistorywithmycoffee

Podcast website: https://www.podpage.com/i-take-history-with-my-coffee/
Visit my blog at itakehistory.com and also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.

Comments and feedback can be sent to itakehistory@gmail.com.
You can also leave a review on Apple Podcast and Spotify.
Refer to the episode number in the subject line.

If you enjoy this podcast, you can help support my work to deliver great historical content. Consider buying me a coffee:
I Take History With My Coffee is writing a history blog and doing a history podcast. (buymeacoffee.com)

Visit audibletrial.com/itakehistory to sign up for your free trial of Audible, the leading destination for audiobooks.

Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39
Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D