ALHAMAR
Alhamar.
The Founder of the Alhambra.
THE Moors of Granada regarded the Alhambra as a miracle of art,
and had a tradition that the king who founded it dealt in magic, or at
least in alchemy, by means whereof he procured the immense sums of
gold expended in its erection. A brief view of his reign will show the
secret of his wealth. He is known in Arabian history as Muhamed
Ibn-l-Ahmar; but his name in general is written simply Alhamar, and
was given to him, we are told, on account of his ruddy complexion.*
* Et porque era muy rubio llamaban lo los Moros Abenalhamar, que
quiere decir bermejo... et porque los Moros lo llamaban Benalhamar que
quiere decir bermejo tomo los senales bermejos, segun que los
ovieron desputes los Reyes de Granada.- BLEDA, Cronica de Alfonso XI.
[And because his complexion was very ruddy the Moors called him
Abenalhamar, which means "vermilion"... and because the Moors called
him Benalhamar, which means vermilion, he took bright red for his
insignia, just as the Kings of Granada have done ever since.]
He was of the noble and opulent line of the Beni Nasar, or tribe
of Nasar, and was born in Arjona, in the year of the Hegira 592 (A. D.
1195). At his birth the astrologers, we are told, cast his horoscope
according to Oriental custom, and pronounced it highly auspicious; and
a santon predicted for him a glorious career.
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