Definition
The Reconquista was the prolonged effort, lasting from the eighth century to 1492, by Christian kingdoms in northern Iberia to extend their control over territory held by Muslim states since the conquest of 711.
It concluded with the fall of Granada, the last Muslim kingdom on the peninsula, to the combined crowns of Castile and Aragon.
Why it matters
How it works
The Reconquista was not a single continuous war but a long series of campaigns, alliances, and truces, with Christian and Muslim rulers sometimes cooperating across religious lines. As Christian kingdoms expanded southward, they absorbed populations and resettled conquered land. Religious ideology, especially the crusading spirit, intensified the conflict over time. The fall of Granada in 1492 ended Muslim rule and was followed by pressure on remaining Muslims and Jews to convert or leave, ending Iberia's long era of religious coexistence.