Boabdil

Boabdil, also known as Abu Abd Allah Muhammad XII ibn Nasr and popularly nicknamed El Chico (the Boy), was the last Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada. He reigned from 1482 to 1492, during the final chapter of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula.

His ascent to the throne followed dynastic struggles within the Nasrid dynasty as Christian kingdoms pressed southward. Under his rule, Granada faced a renewed and determined campaign by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. After a prolonged siege, the Granada army and its leaders capitulated on January 2, 1492.

The terms of surrender allowed Boabdil to depart Granada with part of his court and some property, while the city itself would come under Christian sovereignty. He entered exile with his family and supporters, first moving to North Africa. He spent the remainder of his life in exile in Morocco, dying in 1533, most likely in Fez.

Boabdil’s surrender marked the end of Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula and the completion of the Reconquista. His legacy is complex: in popular culture he is often portrayed as a tragic figure, and a well-known legend suggests he wept when leaving Granada, a tale whose historical accuracy is uncertain. The fall of Granada also led to significant demographic and cultural changes in the region, including the subsequent dispersal and resettlement of Muslim and Jewish communities.