Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada
Encyclopedia
Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada (June 29, 1318 – October 19, 1354) was the seventh Nasrid ruler of the Moorish
Emirate of Granada
in Al-Andalus
on the Iberian Peninsula
. He was Sultan
between 1333 and 1354.
in 1348. He likewise adorned many of the courts and halls of the palace, as may be seen by the inscriptions on the walls, in which his name repeatedly occurs. He founded a religious school in the heart of his capital in 1349. He also rebuilt the noble Alcazaba of Málaga, the ancestral home of his paternal grandfather Abu Said Faraj, the former governor of Málaga
.
He established peace with Alfonso XI of Castile
but once the four years of agreed peace were over, he allied with the Marinid dynasty who had entered the Iberian Peninsula
via Gibraltar
. He lost Algeciras
in 1344 and Gibraltar
in 1349 after having undergone a difficult siege in which Alfonso XI of Castile
died due to the plague, after having besieged Gibraltar. As a gesture of his goodwill towards the Christian kingdoms, Yusuf gave orders to his own troops and the leaders of the frontier towns not to attack the cortege as it traveled to Seville. He received his subjects publicly every week on Monday and Thursday to listen to their concerns. On solemn state occasions, he presided over court activities from a wooden folding armchair that is currently preserved in the Museo de la Alhambra and bears the Nasrid coat of arms across its back.
Yusuf had two wives, the first Butayna, was a former slave who bore him his heir, Muhammed V
when he was twenty and a daughter named A'isha. Yusuf's second wife, Maryem, who was also a slave bore him seven children. These children were two sons Ismail II, who was born nine months after Muhammed V, and another son Qays as well as five daughters, named Fatima, Mu'mina, Khadija, Shams and Zaynab. The eldest married her cousin who would reign as Muhammed VI
. Maryem's influence was said to be greater than that of Butayna, and Yusuf favored his second son Ismail above his other children, which would have consequences in later years.
Yusuf I was assassinated whilst praying in a mosque in Granada at the age of thirty-six. On October 19, 1354, a maniac rushed suddenly from behind and plunged a dagger in his chest. The cries of the king brought his guards and courtiers to his assistance. They found him weltering in his blood. He made some signs as if to speak, but his words were unintelligible. They bore him senseless to the royal apartments, where he died almost immediately. His eldest son, Muhammed V
succeeded him at the age of sixteen.
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
Emirate of Granada
Emirate of Granada
The Emirate of Granada , also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada , was an emirate established in 1238 following the defeat of Muhammad an-Nasir of the Almohad dynasty by an alliance of Christian kingdoms at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212...
in Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
on the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
. He was Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
between 1333 and 1354.
Qualities
A detailed portrait of Yusuf indicates "he was white-skinned, naturally strong, had a fine figure and an even finer character. His teeth sparkled, he had large eyes and dark straight hair, a thick beard, a handsome face and a clear voice that was a pleasure to hear. His figure and beauty made him stand out among other people. God endowed him with an extraordinary intelligence, good judgment and sound opinions. He was ingenious and thoughtful and could foresee the future. By nature pacific, he tried to maintain friendship with all the other monarchs of his day. He loved art and was especially fascinated by architecture. He liked to dress with elegance, was a collector of arms and adornments and had some mechanical ability." Like his brother and predecessor Muhammed IV, he lived under the influence of the courtiers and his paternal grandmother, Fatima. As a minor, Moorish chroniclers noted his authority "was limited to choosing the food he wished to eat from the dishes that were placed before him."Accomplishments
Yusuf constructed the Gate of Justice, forming the grand entrance to the AlhambraAlhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
in 1348. He likewise adorned many of the courts and halls of the palace, as may be seen by the inscriptions on the walls, in which his name repeatedly occurs. He founded a religious school in the heart of his capital in 1349. He also rebuilt the noble Alcazaba of Málaga, the ancestral home of his paternal grandfather Abu Said Faraj, the former governor of Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
.
He established peace with Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI was the king of Castile, León and Galicia.He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ensued over who would hold regency, which were resolved in 1313...
but once the four years of agreed peace were over, he allied with the Marinid dynasty who had entered the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
via Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. He lost Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
in 1344 and Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in 1349 after having undergone a difficult siege in which Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI of Castile
Alfonso XI was the king of Castile, León and Galicia.He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes ensued over who would hold regency, which were resolved in 1313...
died due to the plague, after having besieged Gibraltar. As a gesture of his goodwill towards the Christian kingdoms, Yusuf gave orders to his own troops and the leaders of the frontier towns not to attack the cortege as it traveled to Seville. He received his subjects publicly every week on Monday and Thursday to listen to their concerns. On solemn state occasions, he presided over court activities from a wooden folding armchair that is currently preserved in the Museo de la Alhambra and bears the Nasrid coat of arms across its back.
Yusuf had two wives, the first Butayna, was a former slave who bore him his heir, Muhammed V
Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada
Muhammed V was the eighth Nasrid ruler of the Moorish Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula.Muhammad V was the eldest son and heir of Yusuf I by his slave Butayna, born in 1338. He also had a younger full-blood sister, A'isha, two half brothers and five half-sisters...
when he was twenty and a daughter named A'isha. Yusuf's second wife, Maryem, who was also a slave bore him seven children. These children were two sons Ismail II, who was born nine months after Muhammed V, and another son Qays as well as five daughters, named Fatima, Mu'mina, Khadija, Shams and Zaynab. The eldest married her cousin who would reign as Muhammed VI
Muhammed VI, Sultan of Granada
Muhammed VI was the brother in-law of Ismail II, by his marriage to one of Ismail II's full-blood sisters, and the tenth Nasrid ruler of Granada in Iberia. He was a second cousin of Muhammed V and Ismail II, whom he conspired against...
. Maryem's influence was said to be greater than that of Butayna, and Yusuf favored his second son Ismail above his other children, which would have consequences in later years.
Yusuf I was assassinated whilst praying in a mosque in Granada at the age of thirty-six. On October 19, 1354, a maniac rushed suddenly from behind and plunged a dagger in his chest. The cries of the king brought his guards and courtiers to his assistance. They found him weltering in his blood. He made some signs as if to speak, but his words were unintelligible. They bore him senseless to the royal apartments, where he died almost immediately. His eldest son, Muhammed V
Muhammed V, Sultan of Granada
Muhammed V was the eighth Nasrid ruler of the Moorish Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula.Muhammad V was the eldest son and heir of Yusuf I by his slave Butayna, born in 1338. He also had a younger full-blood sister, A'isha, two half brothers and five half-sisters...
succeeded him at the age of sixteen.