Granada, city (1995 pop. 74,396), W Nicaragua, on Lake Nicaragua. It is Nicaragua’s third largest city and the center of commerce on Lake Nicaragua. Located in a rich agricultural region, Granada has been the stronghold of Nicaragua’s landed aristocracy; manufactures include furniture, soap, and clothing. Granada was founded in 1524 by Francisco Fernández de Córdoba. In the 17th cent., it was the object of repeated raids by French and English pirates. After independence from Spain (1821), Granada became the conservative center, engaging in bloody rivalry with León, the city of the liberals. The struggle led to the capital’s transfer to Managua (1855). Granada was captured (1855) by the filibuster William Walker.
Fernández de Córdoba, Francisco, d. 1526?, Spanish conquistador. Sent in 1523 by Pedro Arias de Ávila to deprive Gil González de Ávila (d. 1543) of his claims to Nicaragua, Fernández de Córdoba founded León and Granada (Nicaragua). In an attempt to seize Nicaragua for himself, he was surprised by his commander and put to death. The Nicaraguan unit of currency (córdoba) is named after him.
Walker, William, 1824–60, American filibuster in Nicaragua, b. Nashville, Tenn. Walker, a qualified doctor, a lawyer, and a journalist by the time he was 24, sought a more adventurous career. After a short stay in San Francisco, his filibustering expeditions began with an invasion of Lower California (1853–54) intended to wrest the region together with Sonora from Mexico. The invasion failed miserably. He was tried for violating neutrality laws but was acquitted by a sympathetic jury. In June, 1855, Walker set out on another filibustering expedition, this time to Nicaragua, at the invitation of one of the country’s revolutionary factions. His capture of Granada brought an end to the fighting, and, after obtaining recognition (May, 1856) from the United States for the new government, Walker declared himself president of Nicaragua in July, 1856. An alliance of hostile Central American states and the enmity of his former friend Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose Accessory Transit Company controlled Walker’s supply lines, led to his defeat and surrender to the U.S. navy in May, 1857. Considered a hero by many Americans, Walker was again acquitted of violating neutrality, but he then alienated U.S. public opinion by blaming his defeat on the U.S. navy. From the Islas de la Bahía of Honduras, Walker made a final abortive attempt (1860) to conquer Central America but was forced to surrender to the British navy. He was turned over to Honduras and was shot by a firing squad Sept. 12, 1860.
See his own book, War in Nicaragua (1860, repr. 1971); W. O. Scroggs, Filibusters and Financiers (1916, repr. 1969); L. Greene, The Filibuster (1937, repr. 1974); biography by A. H. Carr (1963).
More site about Granada:
Granada - The official site
Granada-Nicaragua - Site in Spanish and English
Wikipedia - More info about the city
En vianica.com - A site that you must visit.
Historia de Granada - Site in Spanish / Sitio en espanol
Find it Granada - Site in English
Popularity: 4% [?]
Loading ...
