1273 The Merinids arrive in Spain, from Africa, to assist the Moors. Death of Muhammed. His son Muhammed II succeeds. He makes a treaty with Alfonso X of Castile.
1275 Abu Yusuf, king of the Merinids, brings a large army to Spain. The Castilians and Aragonese are defeated, but Alfonso checks the conqueror.
1278 The Merinids drive the remaining Almohads from Spain.
1281 Alfonso allies himself with the Merinids to suppress a revolt in Castile.
1285 Death of Abu Yusuf.
1292 The Castilians take Tarifa, after defeating the Moorish fleet at Tangiers.
1294 Unsuccessful attempt of the Moors to recapture Tarifa. The Merinids finally withdraw from Spain.
1302 Death of Muhammed. His son Muhammed (III) Abu Abdallah succeeds.
1308 Capture of Gibraltar by Ferdinand IV of Castile. Treaty with the Granadans, who renounce some of their territory.
1309 Revolt in Granada. Muhammed is compelled to resign the throne to his brother Nasir Abu Abdallah. The rebellion continues, and
1313 Nasir is deposed by his nephew Ismail Feraj. He has constant wars with the Christians.
1319 Great defeat of the Castilians in Granada.
1325 Assassination of Ismail by one of his officers. His son Muhammed IV succeeds.
1328 Reduction of Baena by Muhammed.
1333 Muhammed obtains an army of Merinids from Africa, who retake Gibraltar. Alfonso XI attempts to retake. Muhammed comes to relieve the Merinids, but they assassinate him. His brother Yusuf Abul-Hagiag succeeds.
1340 Yusuf besieges Tarifa, with the assistance of Merinid auxiliaries. Alfonso IV of Portugal, and Alfonso XI of Castile, relieve the town and administer a crushing defeat to the Moors, on the river Guadacelito (Salado).
1343 Surrender of Algeciras to Alfonso of Castile, who makes ten years’ treaty of peace with Yusuf.
1354 Assassination of Yusuf by a madman, while at prayer. His son Muhammed V succeeds.
1359 Muhammed deposed by his brother Ismail, and retires to Africa.
1360 Abu Said, Ismail’s prime minister, murders him, and usurps the throne.
1361 Muhammed returns to Spain, and applies to Peter the Cruel of Castile for support.
1362 Murder of Abu Said while on an appealing visit to Peter. Muhammed regains the throne.
1370 Muhammed attacks Henry IV of Castile.
1376 Muhammed builds the great public hospital, and many other buildings, at Granada.
1391 Death of Muhammed. His son Yusuf (II) Abu Abdallah succeeds.
1392 His son attempts to dethrone him.
1396 Death of Yusuf. His younger son Muhammed VI succeeds, and exiles his rebellious elder brother. Muhammed wars his entire reign with the Christians.
1408 Death of Muhammed. His exiled brother Yusuf III obtains the throne. This event marks the end of internal tranquillity in the kingdom, and the beginning of its downfall.
1423 Death of Yusuf. His son Muhammed (VII) Al-Haizar succeeds. Many revolts follow.
1426 Muhammed’s cousin Muhammed (VIII) Az-Zaguir deposes him and seizes the throne.
1428 Muhammed VIII put to death by the Christians and Africans. Muhammed VII is restored.
1431 Invasion of Granada by the Castilians. The Moors are defeated, whereat they depose Muhammed, and declare Yusuf Al-Hamar king. He dies in six months, and Muhammed is again restored.
1435 The Castilians again invade Granada, and take Huesca.
1445 Deposition of Muhammed by his nephew Muhammed Osmin. His entire reign is troubled by a rival claimant, his cousin, Muhammed b. Ismail, who has support of Juan II of Castile.
1454 Muhammed (X) Ismail finally gets the throne from his cousin. He quarrels with the Castilians, who defeat him, and take the Ximena from him.
1466 Death of Muhammed. His son Mulei Ali Abul-Hassan succeeds.
1478 War with Castile renewed when Abul-Hassan refuses to pay tribute.
1482 Disastrous defeats of the Moors. Alhama taken. Abul-Hassan’s son Abu Abdallah (Boabdil) revolts against him.
1483 Slight gain of Abul-Hassan over the Christians. Abu Abdallah, encouraged by Ferdinand of Castile and Aragon in his rebellion, is proclaimed king by one faction.
1484 Abul-Hassan compelled to resign his crown, and his brother Abdallah Az-Zagal is made king, as rival to Abu Abdallah. Ferdinand, taking advantage of this internal discord, makes great progress with his arms.
1487 Surrender of Malaga to Ferdinand, after long siege and several defeats of Abdallah. Ferdinand takes other towns.
1488 New Malaga surrenders to Ferdinand.
1489 Surrender of Guadix, Almeria, and Baza.
1490 Abdallah surrenders all his territories to Ferdinand. Abdallah still holds Granada.
1491 Ferdinand begins siege of Granada.
1492 Surrender of Granada. Abu Abdallah is pensioned, and returns to Africa. End of Mohammedan dominion in Spain.
THE FATIMITE DYNASTY OF EGYPT (908-1171 A.D.)
Fatimites claim descent from Mohammed through his daughter Fatima wife of Ali, although their title to this claim is disputed. First to claim power is
908 Obaid Allah, a pontiff of the Ismailian sect, who is proclaimed Al-Mahdi. Displaces Aglabites in Kairwan. Makes his capital at Mahdiya, on the coast, to be safe from Berbers and to establish strong sea power. Fatimites oppose Aglabite emirs in Sicily.
916 Fatimite and Aglabite contentions in Sicily enable Latins and Italians, in alliance with Byzantines, to drive Saracens out of Italy.
917 Akhmed, Aglabite emir of Sicily, defeated at sea. Fatimites control Sicily. They attack Liguria, and take Genoa; attack Omayyads by sea—also come in contact with Omayyads on land.
924 Fatimites conquer Fez, capital of Edrisites. Northern Africa, with exception of Egypt, under Fatimite rule; Omayyads kept out during life-time of Obaid Allah. When Fatimite capital is removed to Cairo, Jusuf b. Zairi is left as governor in this region. His descendants become independent, and rule until displaced by Almoravids.
936 Death of Obaid Allah, succeeded by his son Abul-Kasim, who had conquered Alexandria in 919, but was soon driven out again.
945 Al-Mansur succeeds his father Abul-Kasim; makes friends with Arabian Shiites in Hedjaz and Yemen.
953 Muiz ad-Din succeeds Al-Mansur.
969 Sends army under Jauhar against Egypt; enters Fostat. Becomes first Fatimite caliph in Egypt. Hedjaz and Yemen acknowledge his supremacy. Syria also added to his dominions.
972 Fatimites found New Cairo. Great mosque Al-Azhar built, university of Egypt, still filled with students from all parts of the Mohammedan world. Soon after, Fatimite fleet meets Byzantine off Damascus, but no battle is fought.
973 Caliph sends embassy to Otto the Great. Egypt invaded by Hassan, who is defeated.
975 Death of Muiz, succeeded by his son Al-Aziz. Jaufar sent against Iftikir, Turkish chief in Damascus; is defeated, but Iftikir afterwards conquered by Aziz at Ramla.
981 Fatimites take Damascus.
982 Battle between Fatimites and Otto II in Calabria. Emperor defeated.
996 Death of Aziz, succeeded by his son Al-Hakim.
1006 Hisham, an Omayyad prince of Spain, invades Egypt; at first successful, afterwards captured and put to death by caliph.
1010 Hakim destroys Christian churches in Syria. Founds sect of Druses. Is murdered by his sister, who becomes regent, in
1021 for his son Dhahir. Dhahir makes treaty with Byzantine Romanus Argyrus, permitting him to rebuild church in Jerusalem. From Dhahir’s reign dates decline of Fatimite power in Syria.
1023 Aleppo taken by Salih ben Mardas, and Ramla by Hassan of the tribe of Tai.
1036 Mustansir Abu Temim succeeds to caliphate. Aleppo retaken and Syria conquered.