in the south of the iberian peninsula, the emirate of granada emerged under the rule of muhammad i ibn al-ahmar. in 1246, he agreed to pay tribute and swear fealty to castile (then under alfonso's father ferdinand iii) in exchange for peace. muhammad i used the ensuing peace to consolidate his realm. in addition, his forces participated in some castilian campaigns against other muslim territories, including the conquest of seville (1248) and jerez (1261). however, muhammad's position was far from unambiguously pro-castile. historian l. p. harvey speculated that after the castilian conquest of the muslim kingdom of niebla in 1262, he became emboldened as the sole independent muslim ruler in spain, and sought to weaken castilian control over their recently conquered territories.