The Alhambra

223 Pages·2004·0.69 MB·English

by  Robert Irwin

 

THE ALHAMBRA
ROBERT IRWIN
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Copyright © 2004 by Robert Irwin
First published in the United Kingdom in 2004by
Profile Books Ltd
58aHatton Garden
London ec1n 8lx
First Harvard University Press paperback edition, 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Irwin, Robert, 1946–66
The Alhambra / Robert Irwin.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-674-01568-5 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-674-06033-3 (pbk.)
1. Alhambra (Granada, Spain) 2. Granada (Spain)—
Buildings, structures, etc. I. Title.
DP402.A4I89 2004
946'.82—dc22
2004047417
CONTENTS
Chronology vi
Introduction 
chapter  The Fairy-Tale Palace? 
chapter  Poisoned Paradise 
chapter  A Palace to Think In 
chapter  The Romance ofthe Moor 
Making a visit? 
Further reading 
List ofillustrations 
Acknowledgements 
Index 
CHRONOLOGY
711 Arabs enter Spain.
755 ‘Abd al-Rahman I establishes Umayyad emirate
in Spain.
c.880s The first version of the Alcazaba,or citadel of the
Alhambra,built.
928 The Umayyad ‘Abd al-Rahman III takes the title
of Caliph.
936 Foundation of the Umayyad Palace of Madinat
al-Zahra outside Cordova.
1013 Sack of Umayyad Cordova.
1031 End of the Umayyad dynasty and beginning of
the age of Ta’ifaor Petty Kings.
1085 Fall of Muslim Toledo to Christian Castile.
1230 Ibnal-AhmarestablishesNasridruleoverGranada
and becomes the last Muslim ruler in Spain.
c.1320s Building of the first version of the Mexuar.
1333–54 Reign of Nasrid Yusuf I over Granada.During
his reign the Comares Palace is built.
1354–9 First reign of Muhammad V (followed by exile in
Morocco).
1362–91 Second reign of Muhammad V.Additions to the
Comares Palace and the building of the Court of
the Lions.
[vi]
1368 Muhammad V conquers Algeciras.
1369 Death of Pedro the Cruel.
1374 Murder of Ibn al-Khatib in Fez.
1392 Murder of Ibn Zamrak in Granada.
c.1450s Building of the Tower of the Princesses.
1492 Fall of Granada to Ferdinand and Isabella and
the surrender of the last Muslim territory in
Spain.
1526 Arrival of Charles V in Granada and
commencement of work on his palace.
[vii]

INTRODUCTION
The Alhambra is Spain’s best-kept secret.This glorious medieval
palace, which resembles a child’s toy castle, sits on the Assabica
hills.(Assabica is Arabic for red.) The palace was built in the years
1334–91and was the seat ofthe magnificent Nasrid caliphs.What
stories this building could tell if only it could speak! Despite the
austerity of the palace’s outward appearance, its immaculately
restored interior more closely resembles a lady’s boudoir.However,
there are no statues or figurative paintings in the palace,as Islam
strictly forbids images of any kind. Like Hittite and Ottoman
palaces, the palace of the Alhambra was divided into three sec-
tions. First, there was the Mexuar, the chamber where public
business was transacted.Members ofthe public could penetrate no
further into the palace than the Mexuar.At the end ofthe Mexuar
is a small private chapel that was built by the Catholic monarchs,
Ferdinand and Isabella,after they conquered the palace in 1492.
Beyond the Mexuar, there was the Court of the Myrtles where
more private administrative business was conducted and where
ambassadors were received. (It was in the Hall of the
Ambassadors that Columbus presented his scheme to cross the
Atlantic to the Catholic monarchs of Aragon and Castile.) The
goldfish pool is the central pivot ofthe Court ofthe Myrtles.
Finally,the private apartments ofthe king and his wives and
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