Muhammad XII, referred to as Boabdil, became the last Sultan of Granada in 1482, holding the title as the twenty-second monarch of the Nasrid dynasty. His coronation was set against the backdrop of the Reconquista, a long series of campaigns by Christian kingdoms to reclaim territories held by Muslims in the Iberian Peninsula. Following the decline of Muslim power in Spain, Boabdil's ascension to the throne came as a mixture of hope and despair for the Nasrid dynasty, which had ruled Granada for two and a half centuries. The event symbolized both the end of an era and the hope of preserving the Muslim heritage in the region, despite the impending threat from the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.

Shortly after his coronation, Boabdil faced significant challenges, including internal dissent and external pressures from the advancing Christian forces. His reign was marked by attempts to strengthen defenses and negotiate alliances, but his efforts were often thwarted by the growing power of the Catholic Monarchs. The year 1482 marked the beginning of renewed hostilities, known as the Granada War, which would see the Catholic forces progressively tighten their grip on the last Muslim stronghold in Spain. The political landscape was highly volatile, with Boabdil's leadership constantly under scrutiny from both his followers and adversaries.

As the last Nasrid king, Boabdil's reign is emblematic of the complex interactions between different cultures and religions in Iberia, highlighting the struggles for identity and survival amid the pressures of Christian reconquest. Although he initially sought to maintain autonomy for his kingdom, by the end of his rule, the realities of military defeat and the overwhelming force of siege warfare would ultimately lead to the loss of Granada in 1492, marking a definitive end to Muslim rule in Spain.