Muhammad II al-Faqih
| Muhammad II | |
|---|---|
| Sultan of Granada | |
| Reign | January 1273 – April 1302 |
| Predecessor | Muhammad I |
| Successor | Muhammad III |
| Born | c. 1235 |
| Died | April 1302 Granada |
| Issue | Muhammad III; others |
| House | Nasrid dynasty |
| Father | Muhammad I |
| Religion | Islam |
Muhammed II (also known by his epithet al-Faqih, "the canon-lawyer", born c. 1235, reigned 1273–1302 until his death) was the second Nasrid ruler of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula, succeeding his father Muhammad I. Already experienced in matters of state by the time he ascended the throne, he continued his father's policy of maintaining independence in the face of Granada's larger neighbors, Castile and the Marinids, and an internal rebellion by his family's former allies Banu Ashqilula.
After he took the throne, he negotiated a treaty with Alfonso X of Castile, in which Castile agreed to end support for Banu Ashqilula in exchange of payments. When Castile took the money but kept its support for the Ashqilula, Muhammad II turned towards Abu Yusuf of the Marinids. The Marinids sent a successful expedition against Castile, but relations soured when the Marinids treated Banu Ashqilula as his equals. In 1279, through diplomatic maneuvering, Muhammad II regained Malaga, formerly the center of Banu Ashqilula's power. His diplomacy backfired, however when in 1280 Granada faced simultaneous attacks from Castile, the Marinids and Banu Ashqilula. Attacked by its more powerful neighbors, Muhammad II exploited the rift between Alfonso and his son Sancho, as well as received help from Volunteers of the Faith, a group of soldiers recruited from North Africa. The threat subsided when Alfonso died in 1284 and Abu Yusuf in 1286, and their successors (Sancho and Abu Yaqub, respectively) were preoccupied with domestic matters. In 1288 Banu Ashqilula emigrated to North Africa at Abu Yaqub's invitation, eliminating Muhammad's biggest domestic threat.
In 1292, Granada helped Castile take Tarifa from the Marinids on the understanding that the town would be traded to Granada, but Sancho (now Sancho IV) reneged on the promise. Muhammad II then switched to the Marinid side, but an Granadan–Marinid attempt to take Tarifa in 1294 failed. In 1295, Sancho died and was succeeded by Ferdinand IV, a minor. Granada took advantage by conducting a successful campaign against Castile, taking Quesada and Alcaudete. Muhammad also secured the cession of Tarifa in negotiations with Castile, but he died in 1302 before this agreement was implemented.
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