The Alhambra Palace of Granada

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The Alhambra Palace of Granada

The Alhambra Palace was built by the Nasrid Dynasty during the IX and XII centuries. The Alhambra was a palace first, then a citadel and fortress, and became the residence of the Nasrid sultans and senior officials since 1238 when Granada was the capital of the Muslims reign. When the Christian leaders recaptured the south of their country in 1492, they didn’t destroy the Alhambra Palace but they changed it. The Emperor Charles V decides, in 1526, to build another palace that bears his name, along with the other constructions. During the French occupation of Spain, a part of the structure that forms the complex of the Alhambra was destroyed. Most of the towers were demolished to make it harmless. The Alhambra Palace of Granada is a symbol of the several periods of occupations in Spain.

"Tres de mayo", Goya

This painting named “tres de mayo” was realized by Francisco de Goya in 1814. Since 1808, Spain was ruled by Joseph Bonaparte who was Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother. The French emperor decided to put his brother at the head of the Spanish government to avoid England to find allies in Spain and in Europe. In this canvas, we can see French soldiers shooting the Spanish people whose faces show fear and suffering. The soldiers are dehumanized and are more machines than men. The character in the middle of the painting is the symbol of the resistance of the Spanish population; he represents the fight against oppression. It is emphasized by the light which illuminates him. At the feet of the Spanish, we can see dead bodies which show the cruelty of war. This canvas helps us to understand how the Spanish population had lived and felt under the French occupation.

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