For King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Granada was to become the city where all their dreams came true.
For nearly 800 years the Christian Iberians (e.g. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) had been at war, fighting to reclaim from the Muslims the territory known as Al-Andalus. Al-Andalus was the name given to the territory that had been invaded and conquered by the Muslims. At its height, Al-Andalus comprised more than half of Spain. Little by little, the monarchs were able to make their way south, arduously reconquering the country of Spain.
"The Capitulation of Granada" by F. Pradilla
At the end of 1491, only one city in all of Spain remained under the control of the Muslims: the city of Granada. The Muslims of the Nasrid Dynasty had managed to defend the Albayzin, the Alhambra and the rest of the city to the very last. But on January 2nd, 1492, Boabdil, the sultan of Granada, could resist no more. The Christian monarchs entered the city victorious. Eight centuries of war had ended with the reconquest of Granada which was to be the most important event in 15th century Spain.
Of course, there is another important event that took place in Granada in January of 1492. 
Just as King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were about to reconquer Granada, an Italian guy showed up with a crazy idea: get to the East by sailing west. The guy’s name was, of course, Christopher Columbus. And it was here in Granada, immediately after the monarchs had reclaimed the city, that they met up with Columbus in the halls of the Alhambra and decided to grant him three infamous ships.
Queen Isabella's tomb in Granada
Well, as you can imagine, for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the name “Granada” probably brought tears to their eyes every time they heard it. For them, Granada was the place where “it all came together”, where hundreds of years of suffering and hardship ended, and where their sacrifice was rewarded with the discovery of the New World. That’s why they built and chose to be buried in the Royal Chapel in Granada. You’ll see their tombs and their crown jewels when I take you on a tour of the Royal Chapel.
