The Army Museum of Toledo exhibits for the first time weapons and clothing used by the last sultan of the kingdom of Granada
Boabdil el Chico lived a long life ahead of his time -he died at the age of 74- and went down in history as the last sultan of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, including the legend of the Moor’s Sigh. Legend according to which his mother reproached him for crying like a woman for what he could not defend as a man when they both went into exile on their way to Las Alpujarras after the conquest of Granada by the troops of the Catholic Monarchs in January 1492.
What was this historical character like who ended his days in the Moroccan city of Fez, where he applied for asylum to leave Spain? Those who visit the Army Museum in Toledo can get an approximate idea, which has just opened a space displaying clothes and weapons used during his reign. The pieces, which have so far been scattered in this museum, are displayed together to the public under a special display case, illuminated with 40 adjustable LEDs, meeting safety and watertightness standards and costing just over 70,000 euros, an amount by the Iberdrola Foundation.
The Toledo museum exhibits various items of clothing by Boabdil such as a marlota, slippers, leggings and a turban. The marlota was a garment of Greek origin that was widely used by Spanish Muslims during the Middle Ages, especially in winter. Woven with very rich materials such as silk, velvet or linen and made with Gothic motifs, it was dyed red, the color of the Boabdil family. The last Nasrid king wore it during the battle of Lucena (1483) and it was awarded the property of his captors as spoils of war by the Catholic Monarchs.
Two white weapons are shown along with these garments: the jineta sword with scabbard and baldric and the royal rapier. The sword was not intended for combat as it was a weapon of honor or gala. For this reason, it is made with rich metals, enamel and ivory and decorated in great detail, especially on the handle, with plant and animal figures and writings in the Arabic language.
As for the rapier, it has an inscription on the handle with the motto of the Nasrid house: “Only God is the winner.” Both weapons were given to Diego Fernández de Córdoba by the Catholic Monarchs for his role in the war in Granada. Centuries later, in 1904, one of the descendants of this soldier who became Viceroy and Governor of the Kingdom of Castile donated these pieces to the Army Museum, which today displays them to the public, along with the garments worn by Boabdil.
The Army Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and general admission costs five euros, but admission is free on Sundays. It is also free for Ministry of Defense personnel, members of the armed forces and the Guardia Civil, teachers, tour guides, people over 65 and under 18, large families, the disabled and the unemployed.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
