A Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada: v.1

Eight centuries of Moorish domination had made Spain the most civilized and enlightened country in Europe. Granada, capital of the province bearing the same name, had become one of the greatest European cities, with the Alhambra palace and the magnificent Generalife representing the peak of Moorish architectural brilliance. The fifteenth century saw the rise of the Catholic kings and, with the fall of the Moorish rulers, came the end of the city's prosperity and importance. This chronicle traces the fall of Granada, from the initial struggles between Moor and Christian in 1478, to the final capitulation of the city in 1481 following many bitter and bloody battles. Washington Irving ( 1783-1859) was the first American man of letters to receive international recognition. He travelled widely in Europe and Spain, studying in the libraries of Madrid and Seville. The present work is based upon the writings of the Spanish historian Fray Antonio Agapida, whose unpublished manuscripts languished in the archives of various religious foundations throughout Spain until brought to light by Irving. This facsimile edition is taken from two-volume first edition of 1829.