Romance of Abenámar facts for kids
The Romance of Abenámar is an old Spanish poem. It's like a conversation between a Moorish leader named Abenámar and King John II of Castile, a Christian king. This poem is a short "frontier romance," which means it tells a story from the borderlands between Christian and Moorish lands. It uses a special kind of rhyme called assonance. The events in the poem happened in 1431, but no one knows who wrote it or exactly when.
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A Look Back in Time
The Romance of Abenámar takes place when the Moorish kingdom of Granada was having a tough time. The Christian kings of Castile wanted more money and control over Granada.
Who was Abenámar?
Abenámar in the poem might be Yusuf IV, who was a leader in Granada, or perhaps one of his close advisors. The poem shows a talk between Abenámar and King John II of Castile. King John really wanted to take over Granada completely.
The Kings and Granada
In 1431, several people wanted to be king of Granada. King Muhammad IX had come from Tunisia, hoping Castile would help him become king. But King John II of Castile didn't fully support anyone. Instead, he played the leaders against each other. This way, he could get more money and make Granada a kingdom that answered to him.
Muhammad VIII gave up in 1429 and was killed in 1431. This left Muhammad IX as king, but he hadn't made a deal with Castile. King John II kept asking for more and more. He wouldn't agree to lasting peace. Instead, he supported another leader, Yusuf IV. Yusuf agreed to pay money and become King John's vassal, meaning he would be loyal to John.
The Meeting at Granada
On June 27, 1431, Yusuf met King John outside the city of Granada. They were getting ready to make Yusuf the new king. The poem imagines their conversation. Abenámar shows respect to King John. But the city of Granada itself, in the poem, refuses to be taken over by the Christian king.
However, Granada did eventually become part of a united Christian Spain. This happened a generation later. King John's daughter, Isabella I of Castile, and her husband, Ferdinand II of Aragon, conquered Granada in 1492.
What the Poem Says
The poem starts with King John praising Abenámar. Even though Castilians wrote it, the poem shows the Moorish leader in a good way. It also seems to understand why the Moorish kingdom wanted to stay independent.
Granada's Beauty
As King John looks at Granada from far away, he asks Abenámar about the tall castles and palaces he sees. Abenámar describes some of the amazing buildings in Granada. He names places like the Alhambra, the main mosque, the Nasrid palace in the Alixares, the Generalife, and the Red Towers.
Granada's Answer
After seeing Granada and hearing about its riches, King John speaks to the city itself. He suggests marrying the city, offering Cordoba and Seville as a wedding gift. But Granada proudly says no. It replies, "Casada soy, que no viuda; el moro que a mí me tiene, muy grande bien me quería." This means, "I am married, and no widow; the Moor whom I belong to loves me very well."
How the Poem is Built
The poem has 46 short lines. It uses a special kind of rhyme called assonance. In assonance, only the vowel sounds match at the end of lines, not the consonant sounds. This type of rhyme was common in Spanish poems back then.
Every second line of the poem rhymes. They all end with the "ía" sound. For example, the sixth line ends with crecida (meaning crescent-shaped). The eighth line ends with mentira (meaning lie). Both words have the "ía" sound at the end.
See also
- In Spanish: Romance de Abenámar para niños
