Muhammad VII (Arabic: محمد السابع) was a ruler of the Nasrid dynasty in the Muslim Emirate of Granada. He was born around 1370 and ruled from October 3, 1392, until his death on May 13, 1408. Granada was a Muslim kingdom in Al-Andalus, located on the Iberian Peninsula.

Muhammad VII was the son of Yusuf II, who ruled briefly before him. He was also the grandson of Muhammad V, a powerful sultan. Muhammad VII became sultan after his father passed away. During his reign, he faced many challenges, especially from the Christian kingdoms nearby.

In 1394, he successfully defended Granada against an attack by a Christian military group called the Order of Alcántara. This event almost led to a bigger war. However, Muhammad VII and Henry III of Castile, the king of a neighboring Christian kingdom, managed to keep the peace.

Muhammad VII was also skilled in diplomacy. In 1404–1405, he made a friendship treaty with Martin I of Aragon, another Christian king. He also talked with Charles III of Navarre, preventing Henry III from forming an alliance against Granada. In 1406, Muhammad VII and Henry III renewed their truce. However, some raids by Muslim groups on Castilian lands caused new tensions.

Henry III of Castile then decided to go to war with Granada. But he died on December 25, 1406. His young son, John II, became king. John's uncle, Ferdinand, and his mother, Catherine, became regents (people who rule for a young king). Ferdinand led an army against Granada in September 1407 and captured the town of Zahara de la Sierra. Muhammad VII also launched attacks on his borders.

In April 1408, Muhammad VII and Ferdinand agreed to a seven-month truce. But Muhammad VII died shortly after, on May 13, 1408. His older brother, Yusuf III, became the new sultan. Yusuf III extended the truce, but fighting between Granada and Castile started again in 1410.

Who Was Muhammad VII?
Muhammad VII's Rule
Death of Muhammad VII
How Muhammad VII Ruled
See also

Who Was Muhammad VII?

A map of the Emirate of Granada, showing important towns and cities.

Granada and the surrounding kingdoms in 1360.

Muhammad VII was the son of Yusuf II. Yusuf II was the Sultan of Granada for a short time between 1391 and 1392. Muhammad VII's grandfather was Muhammad V, who ruled for many years.

Muhammad VII had an older brother named Yusuf. This brother later became Sultan Yusuf III. At the time Muhammad VII became sultan, Yusuf was in prison. He had been involved in a plot against the previous ruler.

There are not many historical records from Muslim writers about Muhammad VII's reign. Most of what we know comes from Christian sources. These sources mainly describe his interactions with the Christian kingdoms in Spain.

Muhammad VII's Rule

Becoming Sultan

Muhammad VII became sultan after his father, Yusuf II, died on October 3, 1392. When he took the throne, he chose Muhammad al-Hammami as his main minister, called a vizier. He also released Ibn Zamrak, a famous poet and former vizier, who had been imprisoned. Muhammad VII made Ibn Zamrak his royal secretary. However, Ibn Zamrak was killed in 1393. Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Asim then took his place.

Early in his rule, Muhammad VII led a raid on the Christian city of Murcia. This happened even though his father had made a peace agreement with Castile. Soon after, Muhammad VII promised peace with his Christian neighbors: Henry III of Castile and John I of Aragon.

The 1394 Conflict

In 1394, a military leader named Martín Yáñez de la Barbuda, who was part of the Order of Alcántara, started a religious war against Granada. He was a vassal of the King of Castile. King Henry III and some Castilian nobles tried to stop him. But Martín continued, and many people from Córdoba joined his forces.

Martín and his army entered Granada's territory on April 26, 1394. They marched towards the capital city. Muhammad VII sent messengers to Henry III, complaining about this attack. Henry III replied that he wanted peace and that Martín's actions were not approved by him.

Muhammad VII then gathered his army. He easily defeated Martín's forces. About 1,200 Christian soldiers were captured, and 1,500 escaped. Muhammad VII's army lost 500 foot soldiers. Martín was killed in the battle. Henry III was unhappy about Martín's actions. He chose a member of a rival military group to be the new leader of Alcántara.

After this failed attack, tensions were very high. People feared a full-scale war between Granada and the Christian kingdoms. Henry III went south, and Martín I of Aragon strengthened the defenses of Valencia. Both sides were preparing for a possible invasion. Muhammad VII also got ready for war, but he also wanted peace. In November, he asked for the truce to be extended. No country wanted to start a big war, so the conflict was avoided.

Border Troubles

Even though Muhammad VII and Henry III wanted peace, fighting continued along the border. This was often due to groups on both sides acting without official permission. In May 1397, some Christian friars entered Granada. They tried to convert people to Christianity. Muhammad VII told them to stop. When they continued, he had them punished.

Besides this incident, raids and small battles became common on the borders. It was hard for the leaders to stop these unauthorized attacks. Once a raid happened, it was difficult to restore peace without looking weak. In one raid, some Granadans went as far as Cartagena on the coast. A larger raid happened in 1405. On the eastern border, Muslim attacks on Vera and Lorca were stopped. But the Granadans captured Ayamonte, a Castilian castle on Granada's western border. Henry III sent a messenger to Muhammad VII's court to protest these actions.

Clever Diplomacy

During this time, Granada, Aragon, Castile, and Navarre (a small Christian kingdom in the north) were all talking to each other. In 1404, Granada and Aragon held talks in Barcelona. At the same time, Henry III suggested a meeting with Martín I of Aragon and Charles III of Navarre. He wanted to form an alliance against Granada.

However, Charles III of Navarre decided to help Granada instead. His kingdom was small, like Granada. He was worried about Castile becoming too powerful. Navarre also had a good relationship with its Muslim people, which might have influenced Charles's decision. Charles III wrote to Muhammad VII, calling him "my brother." He told Muhammad VII about the planned meeting against Granada. He promised to keep him informed. Charles also sent three ships with wheat and 300 siege machines to help Granada.

Communication between Granada and Navarre was difficult because they were far apart. Castilian lands were in between them. A Navarrese ambassador, pretending to be a merchant, was caught by Castilian forces. This stopped the talks between Granada and Navarre. It also caused Henry III to cancel his meeting.

Meanwhile, Martin I of Aragon was busy with problems in Sicily and Sardinia. He was not interested in a war against Granada. So, Muhammad VII and Martin I agreed to a friendship treaty on May 4, 1405. This treaty allowed trade and prisoner exchanges between their two states. Muhammad VII would provide Aragon with knights and pay for them. In return, Aragon would give Granada galleys (ships) with crossbowmen and seamen, also paid for by Granada. These forces were to be used by Granada in wars, but not against Castile, which was Aragon's friend. This treaty was similar to an earlier one from 1376.

Finally, Granada and Castile made a two-year truce in Madrid on October 6, 1406. This happened after long discussions. Trade was reopened, and special judges were appointed to solve border disputes. Both sides agreed not to let their lands be used to attack the other. They also agreed not to protect rebels or corrupt officials trying to escape.

War with Castile

Even as the truce was made, some Muslim forces launched large attacks near Jaén. They raided Quesada and Baeza. Castilian troops fought the Muslims in a battle that had no clear winner. We don't have many Muslim records from this time. So, it's hard to know if Muhammad VII ordered these attacks. Some historians believe these raids were done by groups acting on their own. However, Castile suffered heavy losses. The truce could not hold, and Henry III prepared for war against Granada.

Henry III blamed Muhammad VII for the truce breaking down. He called his Cortes (a type of parliament) to Toledo in December 1406. While discussing support for the war, Henry III became ill and died on December 25. His one-year-old son, John II, became king. Henry's brother, Ferdinand, and Henry's widow, Catherine, became regents. The Cortes approved money for the war.

Granada was at a disadvantage in this war. Castile was growing stronger and had more people. Granada could not expect much help from Muslim states in North Africa. This was because Muhammad V had tried to make Granada more independent. Also, new cannons and other artillery were becoming very effective siege weapons. This gave Castile an advantage, as Granada would mostly be defending its cities.

Muhammad VII attacked first in late August. He surrounded Jaén and plundered nearby Bedmar. Castilian reinforcements forced him to stop the siege. In February 1408, he attacked the castle of Alcaudete. His forces used cannons and tried to climb the walls. They almost captured it. After four days and losing 2,500 men, he gave up the siege.

Meanwhile, on September 7, 1407, Ferdinand marched towards Ronda, in Granada's western lands. Ronda was too strong to attack directly. So, Ferdinand attacked the smaller castles around it. Zahara de la Sierra was the first target. Ferdinand began his siege on September 26. Zahara had been very strong before. But Ferdinand's three cannons quickly broke down its defenses. Towers fell, and holes appeared in the walls. With no help coming, the castle surrendered on September 30. Another castle, Ortejícar, fell on October 12. Ferdinand had also been attacking Setenil since October 5. Setenil held out despite heavy bombing. But with food running low and soldiers leaving, Ferdinand stopped the siege on October 25. He returned to Seville.

Small battles and raids continued in the following weeks. Muhammad VII was outnumbered and unlikely to get outside help. He asked for a truce in April 1408. Ferdinand was also under pressure because of Muhammad VII's attacks on Castilian towns. A truce was agreed upon, lasting from April 15 to November 15, 1408.

Death of Muhammad VII

Muhammad VII died on May 13, 1408. His older brother, Yusuf, became the new sultan, Yusuf III. There is a story that Muhammad VII ordered Yusuf to be executed just before he died. The story says Yusuf asked the executioners for one last game of chess. He played the game for so long that Muhammad VII died before it finished. Yusuf's supporters then rescued him from prison and made him sultan. This story is likely not true, but it is interesting.

Muhammad VII's death meant the truce was no longer valid. But Yusuf III negotiated an extension until April 1409. This was later extended again until August 1409, and then until April 1410. After this final truce ended, fighting between Castile and Granada began again.

How Muhammad VII Ruled

Muhammad VII changed the policy of peace that his grandfather, Muhammad V, had followed. He was not afraid of war and led many raids himself. However, during his rule, Castile became much stronger than Granada. Granada could no longer rely on organized help from Muslim states in North Africa. Only a few religious fighters crossed the sea to help.

In contrast, Castile grew stronger. Its population also started to recover after the Black Death plague. Castile's increased use of artillery, which was getting better and better, gave it an advantage. Granada mostly fought defensive wars. Muhammad VII's reign also saw the start of border conflicts between people living on the frontiers. The central authorities found it hard to control these groups. The fighting often involved raids for little gain, except for showing bravery. These raids were often written about in famous Castilian songs called romances fronterizos. During his reign, Granada lost more territory, including Zahara de la Sierra.

Muhammad VII of Granada facts for kids

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