1492 - Political Events

Political Events

Granada's Muhammad XI surrenders the keys to his city January 2 to Castile's Isabella and Aragon's Ferdinand II, who take the last Muslim kingdom in Spain and end the Nasrid dynasty founded in 1238, completing the Christian Reconquista. Now 33 and known to the Spaniards as Boabdil, Muhammad invaded Castile in 1482, was taken prisoner, gained release the following year on condition that his emirate pay tribute to Ferdinand and Isabella, but was allowed to resume rule only in 1486. He has withstood a long siege, Ferdinand and Isabella promise to protect the emirate's Muslim and Jewish population, but they will soon break that promise. Boabdil leaves the Alhambra Palace and pauses for a last look at his domain from a hilltop that will become known as The Moor's Last Sigh (El Ultimo Suspiro del Moro).

Anne of Brittany is crowned queen of France at St. Denis in February (see 1491). The German king Maximilian tries to form a coalition against Anne's husband, Charles VIII; to avenge his injured honor, he asks help from England's Henry VII, and Henry sends a letter to Ludovico Sforza, urging him to lead his Milanese forces in an invasion of France from the South. Il Moro's former mistress Cecilia Gallerani is married in July to Count Ludovico Bergamene of Cremona.

Poland's Casimir IV dies at the court of Grodno June 7 at age 65 after a 45-year reign and is succeeded by his 33-year-old son, who will reign until his death in 1501 as Jan Olbracht (John Albert), reducing the power of the Polish burghers and peasants while extending the powers of the gentry (see 1493).

Lithuania is invaded following the death of Casimir, who was grand duke of Lithuania before becoming king of Poland in 1447.

Sonni Ali dies under mysterious circumstances after a 28-year reign in which he has built Gao from a small one-city kingdom into the vast Songhai Empire that has eclipsed Mali (see 1468). He captured the city of Jenne in 1473, appointed trusted people to govern his conquered territories, and has had the mullahs of Timbuktu murdered for defying his authority (see 1493).