Amiriah Granada menjadi satu-satunya negeri Muslim di al-Andalus—nama Arab untuk Iberia—untuk lebih seabad pada masa Perang Granada. Negeri-negeri (taifa) yang lain yang mana dahulunya adalah Khilafah Córdoba yang berkuasa telah ditakluk oleh Kristian. Pessimism for Granada's future existed long before its ultimate fall; in 1400, Ibn Hudayl wrote "Is Granada not enclosed between a violent sea and an enemy terrible in arms, both of which press on its people day and night?"[2] Still, Granada was wealthy and powerful, and the Christian kingdoms were divided and fought amongst themselves. Granada's problems began to worsen after Emir Yusuf III's death in 1417. Succession struggles ensured that Granada was in an almost constant low-level civil war. Clan loyalties were stronger than allegiance to the Emir, making consolidation of power difficult. Often, the only territory the Emir really controlled was the city of Granada itself. At times, the emir did not even control all the city, but rather one rival emir would control the Alhambra, and another the Albayzín, the most important district of Granada.[3]

This internal fighting greatly weakened the state. The economy declined, with Granada's once world-famous porcelain manufacture now disrupted and challenged by the Christian town of Manises near Valencia, in Aragon. Despite the weakening economy, taxes were still imposed at their earlier high rates to support Granada's extensive defenses and large army. Ordinary Granadans paid triple the taxes of (non-tax-exempt) Castilians.[3] The heavy taxes that Emir Abu-l-Hasan Ali (1464–85) imposed contributed greatly to his unpopularity. These taxes did at least support a respected army; Hasan was successful in putting down Christian revolts in his lands, and some observers estimated he could muster as many as 7,000 horsemen.[4]

The frontier between Granada and the Castilian lands of Andalusia was in a constant state of flux, "neither in peace nor in war."[4] Raids across the border were common, as were intermixing alliances between local nobles on both sides of the frontier. Relations were governed by occasional truces and demands for tribute should one side have been seen to overstep their bounds. Neither country's central government intervened or controlled the warfare much.[4]

Raja Henry IV dari Castile meninggal dunia pada bulan Disember 1474, menyebabkan Perang Pewarisan Castile di antara anak perempuan Henry, Joanna la Beltraneja dengan kakak tiri Henry Isabella. Perang berlangsung daripada tahun 1475–1479, antara para penyokong Isabella dan Takhta Aragon menentang penyokong Joanna, Portugal, dan Perancis. Semasa waktu ini, perbatasan dengan Granada telah diabaikan; Castile tidak peduli untuk bertanya atau mendapatkan pampasan akan serangan yang dilakukan pada tahun 1477. Perjanjian damai sementara ditandatangani pada tahun 1475, 1476, dan 1478. Pada tahun 1479, Perang Pewarisan tamat dengan kemenangan Isabella. Setelah Isabella berkahwin dengan Ferdinand dari Aragon pada tahun 1469, ini bermakna dua buah kerajaan iaitu Castile dan Aragon sekarang telah bersatu, bebas daripada perang antara Kristian yang mana telah menolong Granada untuk terus hidup.[5]