Mohammed II Al-Faqih

Mohammed II Al-Faqîh or Abû `Abd Allâh “Al-Faqîh” Mohammed Ben Mohammed called Al-Faqîh the lawyer is the son of Mohammed I {{er}} Al-Ahmar Al-Ghâlib Bi-llâh which it succeeds in 1273. It was born in 1235, and died in 1302. He is the second emir nasride of Grenade.

Biography

Mohammed Al-Faqîh takes the succession of her father Mohammed I {{er}} in 1273 in Grenade. His/her cousin Abu Said Faraj becomes his adviser to which Mohammed Al-Faqîh gives her Fatima daughter in marriage. At that time the Mérinides are reinforced with the Morocco it will follow a policy of rocker between Mérinides and the kings de Castille. The two powers clash for the control of the strait of Gibraltar.

In 1271, an army mérinide had unloaded with Tarifa. In 1274, Mérinides had seized Marbella, Benahavis, Tarifa, Ronda and Málaga Mohammed Al-Faqîh with receipt the support of the sovereign of Aragon and Republic of Genoa which as maritime powers have interest with the freedom of passage in the Straits of Gibraltar.

May 28th, 1275, Mohammed Al-Faqîh makes a pact with Mérinides with which it concedes Algésiras, but the city does not accept it and rebels. It also leaves in Mérinides Tarifa and Gibraltar like fulcrums. In spite of that, Mérinides continue to infiltrate in the Western part of the kingdom of Grenade. They rest on Banû Achkilula, a clan opposed to Nasrides. That leads to a conflict open between Mérinides and Nasrides.

In 1279, Mohammed Al-Faqîh manages to subject Málaga where Banû Achkilula had taken refuge. It allots the function of governor of Malaga to his cousin Abu Said Faraj. In 1281, Mohammed Al-Faqîh succeeds in neutralizing an alliance between Mérinides, Castille and Banû Achkilula.

In 1284, Alphonse X Wise the king de Castille dies. His/her son Sanche IV the Brave man succeeds to him.

The treaty of Marbella of May 6th, 1286, seals peace between Mérinides and Nasrides. This treaty allots to Nasrides all the Mérinides possessions in Al-Andalusians. Finally Banû Achkilula are beaten with Guadix in 1288. They take refuge then in North Africa.

In 1291, Sanche IV of Castille broke the peace treaty signed in 1285 with Mérinides. The Castilian was combined with the Nasrides Grenade against the Mérinides. The Castilians provided the men and Nasrides the financing. Tariffed which belonged to Mérinides is besieged for four months by Sanche IV. The city capitulates in September 1291. Don Sanche keeps the place in spite of its agreement with Nasrides. Mohammed Al-Faqîh who carries out a play of rocker between her two potential enemies Mérinides and the Castilians, reverses her alliances and puts side of Mérinides against the Castilians. Abû Ya `qûb Yûsuf wearied of the reversals of Mohammed Al-Faqîh obliges it to put the price at it. Like price of this alliance, Abû Ya `qûb Yûsuf accepted one of the four specimens of the Coran that the Caliph Uthman had made write and that the Omeyyades had brought Damas to Grenade. Abû Ya `qûb Yûsuf put the seat in front of Tarifa but it was a failure.

Mohammed Al-Faqîh operates a new inversion of alliances. September 21st, 1292, it is combined with the Castilians to drive out Mérinides de Tarifa.

In 1295, benefitting from the confusion caused by the death of Sanche IV, Mohammed Al-Faqîh conducts some attacks against Castille and conquers some border regions: the fortified town of Quesada (1295) and the town of Alcaudete (1300).

After the death of Mohammed II Al-Faqîh, it is his/her oldest son Muhammad III Al-Makhlû ` who succeeds to him in 1302. Some imply that Muhammad Al-Makhlû could have poisoned his/her father

The heritage

Mohammed Al-Faqîh continued the work of her father and it finished the construction of the Alhambra de Grenade. The kingdom of Grenade reaches its apogee.

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