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failed to mobilize an adequate resistance to
the Spanish ruler. In fact Boabdil's only
military success in the last years of this
three-sided war was to annihilate a relief
force marching to the aid of Málaga
because it might have strengthened his
rival, El Zagal.
By 1490, with Málaga finally captured
and all but a handful of outposts in posses-
sion of the Reyes Católicos, the splendid
city of Granada itself was encircled by a
besieging Christian army. The arrival of
Queen Isabella, come to join her regal pres-
ence to the military energy of her husband,
inspired her soldiers to even greater dem-
onstrations of chivalrous and spiritual
energy. Boabdil could find no recourse but
to open negotiations for surrender in fall
1491. On January 6, 1492, Granada was
yielded to the Catholic Kings. Boabdil was
once again treated courteously by the vic-
tors, and his subjects who did not choose to
follow him to North Africa were guaran-
teed political and personal rights within the
city, including preservation of their religion
and culture, although these pledges would
later be broken. According to tradition
Boabdil stood weeping as he gazed upon
Granada for the last time but was rebuked
by his stern mother who said that if he had
fought like a man instead of weeping like a
woman they would not have lost the king-
dom. The age of the Cruzada (the crusade
to recapture Spain for Christianity) had
ended. A new era in Spanish history was
about to begin.
music, Granados also dedicated himself to
national themes and after further studies in
Paris established a steadily growing reputa-
tion as a pianist and teacher in B
ARCELONA
.
His 12
Danzas españolas
(Spanish dances)
won him particular attention, but his most
notable work was a suite of piano pieces,
Goyescas,
composed between 1911 and
1913. His public performances drew enthu-
siastic attendance, and his collaborations
with such musicians as P
ABLO
C
ASALS
and
Camile Saint-Saëns increased the number
of his admirers throughout Europe. He
also composed seven operas, the last of
which was based upon and also titled
Goy-
escas.
He attended its New York premiere in
1916 at the height of World War I and was
about to return to Spain on board an
American ship (the United States at that
time being neutral) when an invitation
from President Wilson to perform at the
White House drew him to Washington.
Obliged to reschedule his return home on
a British ship, he was killed when it was
torpedoed by a German submarine.
Gravina y Nápoli, Federico Carlos
(1756-1806)
Spanish naval officer
Beginning his naval career in the coast
guard Gravina earned successive promo-
tions by a combination of reliability and
bravery. He took part in the siege of G
IBRAL
-
TAR
in 1781 during Spain's campaign of
support to the American revolutionaries
and subsequently carried out a series of
important assignments ranging from the
eastern Mediterranean to the Caribbean.
During the early stages of the French Revo-
lutionary War he commanded a squadron
in the assault on Toulon. Within a few
Granados, Enrique
(1867-1916)
Spanish composer
A student of Felipe Pedrell, who is regarded
as the founder of the Spanish school of
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