page_title: Muhammad III of Granada
section_title: Personality
hierarchical_section_title: Muhammad III of Granada / Personality
caption_attribution_description: English: Muhammad III's poem quoted in Ibn al-Khatib's al-Lamha. Page from the 1347 AH [1928 or 1929] edition of the work. The title of the text reads "His poetry", followed by an introduction to the poetry of Muhammad III, followed by a poem (7 lines separated into halves), followed by another poem (9 lines separated into halves).
context_page_description: Muhammad III was the ruler of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus on the Iberian Peninsula from 8 April 1302 until 14 March 1309, and a member of the Nasrid dynasty. He ascended the Granadan sultan's throne after the death of his father Muhammad II, which according to rumours was caused by Muhammad III poisoning him. He had the reputation of being both cultured and cruel. Later in his life, he became visually handicapped, which caused him to be absent from many government activities and to rely on high officials, especially the powerful Vizier Ibn al-Hakim al-Rundi.
  Muhammad III inherited an on-going war against Castile. He was able to build upon his father's recent military success and expand Granada's territory further when he captured Bedmar in 1303. He negotiated a treaty with Castile the following year, in which Granada's conquests were recognised in return for Muhammad making an oath of fealty to the King of Castille, Ferdinand IV, paying him tribute. Muhammad sought to extend his rule to Ceuta, North Africa. To achieve this, he first encouraged the city to rebel against its Marinid rulers in 1304, and then, two years later, he invaded and conquered the city himself.
context_section_description: Ibn al-Khatib, who wrote histories and poetry in mid-fourteenth century, considered Muhammad III to have been ruled by conflicting impulses. Ibn al-Khatib told a story he had heard about Muhammad III's irrational cruelty: at the start of his reign, he imprisoned his father's household troops and then refused to feed them. This continued until some of the prisoners had to eat their dead colleagues. When a guard gave them leftover food out of compassion, Muhammad had him executed in such a way that the blood flowed into the cell where the prisoners were held. An unconfirmed allegation mentioned by Ibn al-Khatib said that he murdered his father. In addition to the cruelty, he was known to be a cultured man and like many monarchs of Al-Andalus, he particularly loved poetry. One qasida composed by him is presented in full in Ibn al-Khatib's Al-Lamha.
  She made me a promise and broke it;
  how little loyalty women have!
  
  She reneged from her pledge and did not keep it;
  she wouldn't have broken it if it had been fair!
  
  How come she shows no sympathy
  for an ardent lover who never stops inviting her affection,
  
  who seeks all the news about her
  and contemplates the lightning when it flashes?
  
  I hid my ailment from the eyes of men,
  but my love became clear after having been hidden.
  
  Oh, how many nights I spent drinking
  the wine of those lovely lips!
  
  [Now] I've been denied her company,
  without breaking a pledge, which I fear she has broken.
  He was also known for his sense of humour, including making a self-deprecating humorous response to a poem recited during the solemn ceremony of his ascension.
caption: Two poems written by Muhammad III, quoted in Ibn al-Khatib's Al-Lamha (1928 or 1929 edition pictured).
  The poem quoted in the article corresponds to seven lines (separated into halves) on the top half of the page.
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