AĆÆsha al-HurraĀ
She isĀ generally known under her Spanish name Aixa, andĀ was also known by the Muslims as FĆ”tima la Horra, due to the fact that she was one of the living descendents of the Prophet Muhammed. She was politically active and excerted influence upon the policy of state during the last years of the Kingdom of Granada. Aixa is one of the best known women of the history of the Kingdom of Granada. SheĀ was born a member of the ruling Nasrid dynasty of Granada, likely the daughter of Muhammed IX. She personally possessedĀ several palaces and properties. Aixa was first married to Muhammed XI; after his death in 1455, she was married by his successor Said to his heir, Abu l-Hasan Ali (Muley HacĆ©n). Her second marriage was likely an attempt to make peace between the rival factions of the dynasty.Ā
Aixa was exiled from the Alhambra Palace with her sons after her spouse fell in love with his Christian slave Isabel de SolĆsĀ and married her.Ā Upon her conversion to Islam, Isabel took the name Soraya or Zoraya. It was rumored that Muley would appoint heir to Saad, son of Zoraya. The jealousy, the rivalry with Zoraya, and the fear for the succession of her sons, forced Aixa to participate in a conspiracy.Ā Because Aixa was a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed, the people, especially the religious leaders, caused a civil war in Granada in 1482.Ā Aixa allied herself with the opposition party Abencerrajes and had her husband deposed in favour of her son Muhammad XII,Ā known to the Castilians as Boabdil.
Aixa was politically active during the reign of her son Boabdil. She is said to have prevented harassment of the Christians in Granada. In 1483, she handled the negotiations for the release of her son, who had been taken captive by Castile. Her other son, Yusuf, died beheadedĀ in Almeria, a death ordered by his uncle el Zagal, according to Capsali, or instigated by Zoraya, according to Hernando de Baeza, who saw the succession of her eldest son, the infant Saad, in danger.Ā
Aixa was known to be an extremely patriotic, since she wanted to continue to fight to the death using the women, children and old men, even though the army of Granada was defeated by Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. She blamed the defeat on traitors who allowed themselves to betray their Kingdom for large sums of money and property if they would convince their king to surrender Granada. After the fall of Granada in 1492, she followed her son into exile first to the Alpujarras, and in 1493 to Fes. A famous legend says that when her deposed son Boabdil left Granada after its fall, he turned around and looked back upon it. Aixa thenĀ replied: āWeep like a woman for what you could not defend like a man.ā (x)
Alicia Borrachero played Aixa in second season of āIsabelā (TV Series 2013)
