The Alliance Between The Nasrids And Ottomans
Nasrid–Ottoman relations occurred during the last years of the
15th century, as the
Nasrid dynasty attempted to obtain the help of the
Ottoman Empire against the
Reconquista in
Spain.
The Ottomans had been extending into the western
Mediterranean recently, especially with the
Ottoman invasion of Otranto in
Italy in 1480-81, interrupted by the death of
Sultan Mehmed II.
This
Turkish expansion represented an increased threat to the
Spanish Crown under
Fernando, which had to deal with a Muslim presence in southern Spain, with the
Kingdom of Córdoba. This encouraged Spain to deal with the Mudéjars in a more severe manner, by disarming them, and prohibiting their access to fortresses.
The
Turks continued their forays into the western Mediterranean. There were rumors of the coming of Turkish fleet in 1484-1484, and they attacked
Malta in 1488. Fernando reinforced the defenses of
Sicily as a response, and even made a temporary alliance with the
Mamluks against the
Ottomans from 1488 until 1491, shipping wheat and offering a fleet of 50 caravels against the Ottomans
In 1487, the
Nasrids of
Granada had sent envoys to the Ottomans, and also to the Mamluks, in order to obtain help against the
Spanish offensive. One envoy to the Mamluks seems to have been sent, in the person of the Granadan
Ibn al-Azraq. Two envoys were sent to the Ottoman Empire, one from
Játiva, and a certain Pacoret from
Paterna.
Naval intervention
Plans were apparently made for Ottoman troops to be disembarked in
Valencia, from where they would join
200,
000 Mudéjars against the Spanish.
Bayezit II was however much too busy in the east, especially with the
Ottoman–Mamluk War going on, to lend any major support. As a response to the
Nasrid plea, however, Bayezit II sent the Ottoman admiral
Kemal Reis with a fleet to the west Mediterranean. This was the first Ottoman involvement in the
Western Mediterranean. He is thought to have made contact with Muslims of Granada on the coast of Spain. Until 1495, Kemal Reis was active in raiding the Spanish coast, his fleet being based in
Bône,
Bougie and
Jerba. Kemal also ferried numerous
Muslim refugees from the coast of Spain to
Northern Africa. Kemal Reis was then recalled by Bayezit in 1495.
Granada would finally fall to the Spanish in
1492, with the
Battle of Granada. The Mudéjars would continue to have contacts with the Ottomans, as in 1502.
Boabdil would emigrate to
North Africa with 6,000 other Muslims in 1493.
Reception of refugees
Numerous refugees from the Nasrid kingdom of Granada we allowed by the Ottomans to settle as refugees in the Ottoman Empire. Among them was the Jew
Moses Hamon, who became a famous doctor at the
Ottoman court.
Bayezid II sent out proclamations throughout the empire that the refugees were to be welcomed. He granted the refugees the permission to settle in the Ottoman Empire and become Ottoman citizens. He criticized the conduct of
Ferdinand II of Aragon and
Isabella I of Castile in expelling a class of people so useful to their subjects. "You venture to call
Ferdinand a wise ruler", he said to his courtiers — "he who has impoverished his own country and enriched mine!".
Aftermath
The Spanish victory in the
Iberian peninsula, and the perceived threat of subsequent Spanish incursions in the
Muslim state of northern
Africa, would lead to further appeals for Ottoman involvement. The
Spaniards would effectively set foot in Northern Africa with the capture of
Melilla in 1497.