Historically Cortijo Garin is a cortijo of Arabic origin. It was purchased in 1616 by Philip III for the Marshall of Lezna and Montesinos.

CORTIJO GARIN: A LITTLE BIT OF ITS HISTORY     Cortijos Con Historia, Datos Historicos de La Alpujarra, Granada

There are documents confirming the existance of the cortijo before the reconquest of Spain by the Catholics

At various times in its history, the cortijo was alternately under the power of the Arabs and the Christians. When the Catholic kings, Ferdinand and Isabella, were resident in Granada, the cortijo was in the frontier zone of the war between Islam and Christianity.

At the end of the reconquest by the Catholic kings, they gave the cortijo to the ‘Christianised’ sons of Abu-Hasam (Muley Hacen, after whom, the highest peak in Iberia, Mulhacen, was named). From the cortijo, the sons of Muley Hacen, loved to contemplate the mountain in front of them which was of course named after their father.

Later, after the first rebellion of the Muslims, the Cortijo was once again brought into the possession of the crown in Castilla and was given to Gran Capitán, D. Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba.

In the 16th century the Saints Tribunal of Granada sold a cortijo, next to the village of Torvizcon, by the name of Garin, to the descendants of the Count of Sastago.

Various theories exist regarding the origin of the name:

Certainly the most romantic theory is that the name was derived from one of its owners, Mohamed Ben Al-Garin, an influential Arab, who moved into the Christian camp in Orgiva, in order to offer allegiance to the Catholic Kings and place himself at their disposal as a vassal. He became the Arabic Lord of the Cortijo until his death, which occurred during the administration of Khalid Ben Hazam, who in an act of solidarity, gave hospitality to Boabdil, the last King of the Arabs, while making his escape to Morocco. Boabdil’s real name was Abu Abd Allah Muhamma, he was the eldest son of Muley Hacen and Princess Fatima. While his father was King of Granada, Boabdil fought against him for the throne and in 1482 he succeeded in usurping him. After his escape from Granada, Boabdil spent some time living in La Alpujarra, before finally arriving in Morocco, where he eventually died.

Certainly the most popular theory is that the name is derived from the Arabic word, Al-Garin, meaning Caves of Water. This is not strange, because there are many hidden caves nearby, with numerous lakes in them.

To this day, the legend exists, that has been known for centuries, that: “The water of Garin will never cease flowing because the great mountain is obliged to provide it under the orders of the absolute Lord of its peaks, Muley Hacen.”

www.cortijogarin.com 2008