Siege of Granada

The Siege of Granada, which lasted from 1491 to 1492, marked the final chapter of the Reconquista, a centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. Led by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, Spanish forces encircled the city of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold. After months of conflict, the city surrendered on January 2, 1492. This victory completed the Reconquista, uniting Spain under Christian rule and setting the stage for the nation’s subsequent exploration and colonization efforts, including Columbus's voyage that same year.