Boabdil had the most beautiful castle in Europe -- The Alhambra. It was decorated with tiles and had the nests of swallow that winter in Africa. Ferdinand and Isabela were aware of gun powder. With it Valencia was destroyed. In order to save his castle, Boadbil surrendered and was exiled in April 1492. He looked back at his city sighing. His mother said "You do well to weep like a woman when you failed to defend your land like a man." Just then a swallow flew overhead and he shouted "I envy you, Golondrina (swallow)>" This inspired him to write a poem about the swallow and eventually became the lyrics to La Golondrina, the farewell song of the Spanish speaking world. To this day, it is sung to friends going away.