THE LONG SUNSET

Sunsets are not as unpredictable as often thought.  They normally follow an unmistakable pattern.  They tend to be influenced by the mood of the day they are about to bid farewell to.

When days are dull and colourless, sunsets normally pass unnoticed, a mere extension of  a monotonous succession of time.

But when a sunset follows a day which had witnessed a succession of changing moods, like a succession of rain and sunshine, and of storms and rainbows, it tends to embrace all the dramatic effects of that succession and assume it's changing mood, suckling, as it does, from sunshine it's golden hue and from the rolling clouds their silver tinge, then mould them all in a uniquely majestic setting that fills the beholder with awe, and very often with melancholy, which lingers on as long as the day is engulfed in the shroud of darkness, then recedes when a new day is born.

In as much as the dawn of the Arab presence in Al-Andalus was swift, their sunset was long, very long; and it was strange, very strange.  It embraced the brightest as well as the darkest of colours.  It was torn between the smiles of the golden warm rays of the sun and the tears of the melancholy dark clouds, and in that dramatic melange, nature oscillated between bliss and rage, smiling once in a rainbow, then raging in thunder storms and lightning.

The sunset of the Arabs lingered on.  As if destiny was offering them time,  time for them to wake up before the last rays of their bright sunshine was swallowed by the darkness of night. And the long sunset  lingered on for more than two centuries, during which time the world  witnessed new kingdoms rise and old kingdoms disintegrate, and during which time, Al-Andalus witnessed twenty Muslim kings ascend to the throne of Granada
then descend, and saw armies gathering from everywhere in an effort to devour that remaining small kingdom, while the sunset was still refusing to surrender to the darkness of night.

It was the longest sunset ever known, the most awesome Al-Andalus had witnessed, and the most painful the Arabs had suffered.

The Arab state of Al-Andalus had, by then shrunk and embraced only Granada, which Muhammad Ibn Yusuf Ibn Nasr known also as Ibn aL-Ahmar, had designated as the capital of his kingdom, the mini Andalucia, which embodied the area between Guadix, Baza, Almeria, Malaga, and Jaen .

Almost  six centuries had passed before the long  sunset began looming in the horizon of the Arab existence in Al-Andalus. Most Muslims had by then fled their beloved paradise, some by force and some out of fear of vengeance.  But some had stayed on. The sense of belonging to the soil of Al-Andalus which was kneaded with the blood of their ancestors and embraced their remains was too dear to be relinquished.  The monuments of their great civilisation, which they had lovingly erected, brick by brick, were too precious to be abandoned.

Those who stayed on and became known as los Mudejars, had surrendered to destiny.  They had hopes that the kings of Granada would  bring back to the Muslims their lost glory.  With that aspiration in mind, they flocked into Granada. They were scientists, poets, artisans, builders as well as soldiers who wanted to give their lives for the cause of Islam, and fight for regaining Arab sovereignty and dignity.

Each in his field, they all played their role in an effort to replicate the glory of Al-Andalus in Granada.  With sweat and blood, with love and dedication, another jewel was born to the world, a jewel still considered one of the most precious the hands of man had ever produced. Al-Hamra' (Alhambra), with it's uniquely intricate architecture, is still relished as one of the ka'bas to which millions of visitors from the four corners of the earth flock every year, and remain mesmerised with unbelieving eyes, admiring with awe, the graceful slim columns and the delicate mural gypsum en-relief designs extending from the walls across the ceilings, and bending over the doors forming archways like hanging lace .

The Alhambra palace is often described as one of the world's most beautiful man made settings. The construction of the palace was ordered by Sultan Abul Hajjaj Yusuf (1333-1354), the seventh king of Bani al-Ahmar, also known as the Nasrids. Five other sultans contributed to it by adding additional wings.

The position of the palace, provides it with a unique vantage. Embraced by the flanks of the Mountain of the Sun which descends from Sierra Nevada, the palace seems to hover protectively over the city lying down in complete abandonment. Next to the palace is a fortress,  the Qasba of Alhambra, which once housed the palace guard as well as the arsenal. The palace and it's amenities are surrounded by a wall about fifteen meters high built by the same sultan, Abul Hajjaj Yusuf in the year 1348.

The name Alhambra comes from its Arabic name Al-Hamra', (the red one) . Some say the palace was named  Al-Hamra' because of its red walls. Others claim that as the construction of the palace took place day and night, the colour thrown by the torches at night rendered the colour of the structure red. Yet others insist that it was so named after the name of it's builders Banu al-Ahmar.

The name seems to many to refer to the palace. In fact the name refers to the whole compound or fortresses which includes  the Palacio Arabe (the Arab Palace)  , the Qasba as well as a number of towers like Torre de Comarex,  Torre del Peinador,  Torre de las Damas, Torre de los Picos, Torre de la Cuativa, and Torre de las Infantes. Scattered around those structures are gardens and fountains as well as the indescribable Generalife, which the Arabs called Jannat al-'Arif, (the Architect's Paradise).

The Alhambra Palace consists of two main wings, Comarex Wing, and The Lions Wing. The Comarex Wing, which comes from the Arabic name Qamariyyah, embraces the Hall of Ambassadors and the Tower of Comarex on top, with a large rectangular open-air patio bordering a large pond in the middle, called Patio de los Arrayanes, from the Arabic name Arrayhan, or Patio de Alberca, from the Arabic name, al-Birkah,(pond). The Hall of the Ambassadors is a large rectangular hall with a dome lined with engraved cedar wood about twenty three meters high. The walls of this hall are decorated with Arabic designs, which were renovated recently after being obliterated with gypsum by the hands of fanaticism following the fall of the city. The decoration of the walls consist of verses of poetry and of the Holy Qur'an.

The Lions Wing consists of the famous Patio de los Leones which leads to three major halls, the Hall of the Two Sisters, , the Hall of the Kings, and the Hall of Abencerrajes.  The credit for the building of the Patio de los Leones, which the Arabs call Bahw as-Siba',  considered by many as the crown gem of the palace, goes to the Sultan Muhammad V (1354-1391). It might well be one of the most beautiful of all the works of architecture ever created by the Arabs throughout their long history.

The Court of the Lions is rectangular in shape, about thirty five metres long and twenty metres wide, surrounded by a forest of columns forming a covered arcade, with two gracious pergolas at the extreme ends.

The surrounding arcade leads to the three major halls mentioned above: Hall of  Abencerrajes, Hall of the Kings,  and Hall of the Two Sisters. The first got it's name from the favourite legend about the family of Bani Siraj who were massacred by the Sultan in order to eliminate their opposition to his rule. On the floor of this hall are iron oxide stains which the legend insists were the stubborn blood stains left after the massacre. In the middle of the hall is a little pond which reflects the Fountain of the Lions and the surrounding columns outside. The mysterious charm of this hall is quite enchanting as it is often difficult to detach one's self from the many legends and stories written over the years by writers who had given vent to their fertile imagination.

Across the Court of Lions from the Hall of Abencerrajes is the  Hall of the Two Sisters, which also has a fountain and spout in the centre where the twin marble pieces lie. The dome which covers this hall is perhaps the most admirable part and lends itself well to the rich natural lighting in the hall.  At the end of this hall is another hall, Sala de los Ajimeces  where arched windows overlook the Garden of Daraxa. Between those windows or balconies is the Mirador de Linderaja, (Sultana).

On the eastern side of the Court of the Lions is the third major hall, Sala de los Reyes, (Hall of the Kings), which is more of a series of three porticos rather than a hall befitting it's name. The name perhaps comes from the paintings on the ceilings of the three sections depicting some of the Nasrid kings.

Among the most interesting parts of the palace compound is the Royal Bath complex, comprising  three compartments, one for immersion, with a number of marble tubs with piped hot and cold water, one for exudation, and one for resting. The resting compartment has an elevated platform where the royal bathers used to rest after their steam exposure and bath. The platform is bordered by arabesque ceramic tiles, with two arches resting on three pillars. In front of the platform is a fountain, a persistent reminder of the love of the Arabs for water.

The great care taken in beautifying this bath complex underlies the importance Arabs had always attached to bathing and cleanliness, at a time when the peoples of Europe, and even the Romans, the authors of such baths, abstained from bathing, on orders of the church.

Luxury and grandeur were not restricted to the main halls of the Alhambra Palace. Around the gardens of the palace are a number of Towers, like the Torre de la Cautiva, (Captive), and Torre de las Infantas, (Infants or little Princesses), which are also beautiful and richly ornamented.

Once out of the palace, one finds one's self in another paradise. In fact it is called Jannat al-Arif,the Architect's Paradise, the Generalife.

The setting is on the slope of the hill overlooking the palace compound. Water gushes from everything, everywhere, and flows generously in all directions in well designed geometrical courses, into ponds and out of ponds, not forgetting ever the plants and flowers thriving alongside in tender embraces.

That, and the fruit of the mind, which the great thinkers and scientists had offered to the world, developed while the long sunset stood still for more than two centuries, waiting, as it were, for the authors of that great civilisation to re-enforce it's foundations so they could give, still more, to the rest of the world which was still drowned in the darkness of ignorance.

However, although the Nasserid kings  held a great deal of promise in the eyes of their people, many of them were lured by the glitter of power and the attraction of the throne, and thus the interests of the ruler outweighed the interests of the ruled, and soon the very body of the remaining kingdom withered and fell prey to deterioration and decay.

In this respect, however, the era of Granada was not different from the preceding ones.  Tribal fanaticism and individualism continued to be the sole formula which governed society and it's interactions, while intrigues, conspiracies and conflicts continued unabated for more than two centuries during which time the long sunset continued looming over the horizon of mini Andalucia.

How this small kingdom was able to halt the sunset, and delay the fall of the curtain of darkness all that long, is a question that puzzled many a student of history.

There is more than one possible explanation as to how that little kingdom was able to resist all the pressures that were being directed toward its downfall.  True, the Arabs fought most valiantly and courageously.  True, their faith and their sense of duty to uphold Islam in that part of the world gave them incentive enough to continue giving.  But faced with the growing determination of the legitimate owners of the land, their elevated morale and their ever growing military might, brought about by the developing crusading spirit in Europe, their resistance finally gave way.

Apart from determination, perhaps the most important factor which was instrumental in sustaining the resistance of the Arabs was the strategic position of their remaining domain. One has only to take a glance around the area to appreciate the unique geographical position and topography of the land surrounding the little kingdom of Granada,  which provided it with a formidable natural fortification.

There was also an economic factor involved. The impact of the loss of thousands upon thousands of skilled Arab workers who had been compelled to leave Al-Andalus was being increasingly felt especially in the fields of industry and agriculture.  There was a general consensus then that further losses were likely to push the economy of the country to the brink of catastrophe. Furthermore, the kings of Granada were then paying substantial amounts of jiziah(capitation tax), so much needed to sustain the ailing economy of the country and defray the cost of the growing military machine.

So for the Christians, the Arab presence in the tiny kingdom presented no real danger. In fact, from the realistic point of view, it was considered quite convenient to formulate specific arrangements aiming at maintaining the status-quo.  One such arrangement, for example,  was the appointment of judges of the frontiers,  jues de la frontiera y de los fielos del rostro, with a mandate to settle promptly any dispute before assuming serious dimensions.

It might also be safely deduced that the Christian kings did not find it prudent to venture into an all-out confrontation with the Muslims of Granada, as they knew that being their last bastion, the Muslims were not yet prepared to surrender it easily. They, on the other hand, had realised that with the Muslims so divided, and their leaders busy  struggling for power, time was on their side, and that the endless internal strife within the lines of the Muslim leadership was bound to pull down the pillars of their own kingdom without any major sacrifices on their part.

As for the Arabs, the kingdom of Granada knew two types of rulers. Those who upheld their dignity and pride and those who were indeed complacent with the enemy.  Some still had hope in receiving adequate support from the Marinids of Al-Maghrib and finally be able to overcome their enemy the Castillian  monarchs.  Others were wary of the possible annexation of their tiny kingdom by the Marinids. They preferred to remain under Castillian  protection, as they had been since the creation of their kingdom, when they were paying the jiziah like all other Tai'fah kings before them.

Perhaps the best example in this respect is the story of a father and his son. The father was Sultan Abul-Hasan Ali ibn Sa'd, who ascended the throne in 1463 when the kingdom was dwindling towards disintegration.  By that time, the army of Fernando and Isabella were at his door steps.  Abul-Hasan offered them an armistice which they readily accepted provided he recognised the sovereignty of the Castillian monarchs over Granada.  When that condition was refused, they sent him a representative requesting him to pay the Jiziah,and announce his submission to them.  "Go back to those who had sent you to me" he said to the messenger, "and tell them that the kings who paid the jiziah had died long ago, and that the mint house which used to mint gold and silver is now minting only sabres and lances".

That was how the father was, and that was how he remained till the very last day of his reign which lasted over twenty years. He was proud and as solid as the rocks of Granada surrounding his palace.

The son, Abu Abdullah (Boabdil), on the other hand, was the one who handed over the keys of Granada to Fernando and Isabella.  Boabdil was not placed within the latter category of kings for merely handing over the keys of the kingdom to his enemies and surrendering to them shamefully,  but also because his greed for power and for the throne made him betray his own father and abort all his efforts to uphold the dignity and pride of his people. The son was  finally able to usurp the throne from his father with the help of the Castillian monarchs, but it continued oscillating between the father and the son, while the floors of al-Hamra were being stained by family blood.

In the meanwhile, not very far from the palace, Fernando and Isabella were watching with satisfaction the blood oozing from the wound of the dying body of the little kingdom.

When Abul-Hasan felt his day was approaching, he nominated his own brother Az-Zaghal as successor. But Boabdil's thirst for power led him to forge an alliance with Fernando and Isabella in exchange for his release from captivity in Lucena. Thus Boabdil, with the help of the Christian kings fought against his own uncle, and so the struggle for power continued unabated within the same family, while the Christian armies, which, until yesterday, were at grips with each other, were now devouring the remaining bits of the kingdom.  And while the uncle was carrying his sword and defending the remaining bastion, the nephew, Boabdil, was rejoicing over the victories of the armies of Fernando and Isabella and congratulating them for the capture of Malaga.

The uncle, frustrated and desperate, finally relinquished the strong holds still in his possession to the enemy, while Boabdil sat happily within the walls of the al-Hamra palace awaiting the promised blessings of his allies, Fernando and Isabella.  Much to his disappointment, though, the king and queen ordered him to hand over the keys of the city and leave.

" These are the keys of Granada, the last Arab bastion in Al-Andalus.", he said to Fernando and Isabella when they arrived at the historical meeting point,  "Take them.  Our kingdom, property and persons are now in your hands.  This is God's will. Accept them with the compassion you had promised, the compassion we expect of you ."

With these words, Boabdil handed over the keys of Granada, turned his back to the king and queen and walked away.  The dawn of 1492 was breaking in the east, as the sun of the Arab Islamic existence in Al-Andalus was sinking in the west after that long long sunset.