Contents
The poem opens with John praising the nobility of Abenamar. Although it was written by Castilians, it portrays the Moor favorably and is sympathetic to the Moorish kingdom's fight to remain independent.
As John surveys Granada from a distance he asks Abenamar about the high castles and palaces that he can see inside. Abenamar describes some of the architectural wonders of the Moorish capital, naming in turn the Alhambra, the mosque, the Nasrid palace in the Alixares, the Generalife, and the Red Towers. After seeing Granada and hearing of its wealth, John addresses the city itself and proposes marriage to it, offering Cordoba and Seville as a dowry. However, Granada proudly refuses him, replying "Casada soy, que no viuda; el moro que a mí me tiene, muy grande bien me quería." (I am married, and no widow; the Moor whom I belong to loves me very well.)
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