chronicle of the conquest of granada-第106章

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ack　at　the　head　of　his　slender　retinue。　　Boabdil　as　he　drew　near　made　a　movement　to　dismount；　but；　as　had　previously　been　concerted；　Ferdinand　prevented　him。　　He　then　offered　to　kiss　the　king's　hand；　which　according　to　arrangement　was　likewise　declined；　whereupon　he　leaned　forward　and　kissed　the　king's　right　arm；　at　the　same　time　he　delivered　the　keys　of　the　city　with　an　air　of　mingled　melancholy　and　resignation。　　〃These　keys；〃　said　he；　〃are　the　last　relics　of　the　Arabian　empire　in　Spain：　thine；　O　king；　are　our　trophies；　our　kingdom；　and　our　person。　　Such　is　the　will　of　God！　　Receive　them　with　the　clemency　thou　hast　promised；　and　which　we　look　for　at　thy　hands。〃*

*Abarca；　Anales　de　Aragon；　Rey　30；　c。　3。


King　Ferdinand　restrained　his　exultation　into　an　air　of　serene　magnanimity。　　〃Doubt　not　our　promises；〃　replied　he；　〃nor　that　thou　shalt　regain　from　our　friendship　the　prosperity　of　which　the　fortune　of　war　has　deprived　thee。〃

Being　informed　that　Don　Inigo　Lopez　de　Mendoza；　the　good　count　of　Tendilla；　was　to　be　governor　of　the　city；　Boabdil　drew　from　his　finger　a　gold　ring　set　with　a　precious　stone　and　presented　it　to　the　count。　　〃With　this　ring；〃　said　he；　〃Granada　has　been　governed；　take　it　and　govern　with　it；　and　God　make　you　more　fortunate　than　I！〃*

*This　ring　remained　in　the　possession　of　the　descendants　of　the　　count　until　the　death　of　the　marques　Don　Inigo；　the　last　male　heir；　　who　died　in　Malaga；　without　children；　in　1656。　　The　ring　was　then　　lost　through　inadvertence　and　ignorance　of　its　value；　Dona　Maria；　　the　sister　of　the　marques；　being　absent　in　Madrid〃Alcantara；〃　1。　　4；　c。18。


He　then　proceeded　to　the　village　of　Armilla；　where　the　queen　Isabella　remained　with　her　escort　and　attendants。　　The　queen；　like　her　husband；　declined　all　acts　of　homage；　and　received　him　with　her　accustomed　grace　and　benignity。　　She　at　the　same　time　delivered　to　him　his　son；　who　had　been　held　as　a　hostage　for　the　fulfilment　of　the　capitulation。　　Boabdil　pressed　his　child　to　his　bosom　with　tender　emotion；　and　they　seemed　mutually　endeared　to　each　other　by　their　misfortunes。*

*Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　lib。　20；　cap。　92。


Having　rejoined　his　family；　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　continued　on　toward　the　Alpuxarras；　that　he　might　not　behold　the　entrance　of　the　Christians　into　his　capital。　　His　devoted　band　of　cavaliers　followed　him　in　gloomy　silence；　　but　heavy　sighs　burst　from　their　bosoms　as　shouts　of　joy　and　strains　of　triumphant　music　were　borne　on　the　breeze　from　the　victorious　army。

Having　rejoined　his　family；　Boabdil　set　forth　with　a　heavy　heart　for　his　allotted　residence　in　the　valley　of　Purchena。　　At　two　leagues'　distance　the　cavalcade；　winding　into　the　skirts　of　the　Alpuxarras；　ascended　an　eminence　commanding　the　last　view　of　Granada。　　As　they　arrived　at　this　spot　the　Moors　paused　involuntarily　to　take　a　farewell　gaze　at　their　beloved　city；　which　a　few　steps　more　would　shut　from　their　sight　for　ever。　　Never　had　it　appeared　so　lovely　in　their　eyes。　　The　sunshine；　so　bright　in　that　transparent　climate；　lit　up　each　tower　and　minaret；　and　rested　gloriously　upon　the　crowning　battlements　of　the　Alhambra；　while　the　Vega　spread　its　enamelled　bosom　of　verdure　below；　glistening　with　the　silver　windings　of　the　Xenil。　　The　Moorish　cavaliers　gazed　with　a　silent　agony　of　tenderness　and　grief　upon　that　delicious　abode；　the　scene　of　their　loves　and　pleasures。　　While　they　yet　looked　a　light　cloud　of　smoke　burst　forth　from　the　citadel；　and　presently　a　peal　of　artillery；　faintly　heard；　told　that　the　city　was　taken　possession　of；　and　the　throne　of　the　Moslem　kings　was　lost　for　ever。　　The　heart　of　Boabdil；　softened　by　misfortunes　and　overcharged　with　grief；　could　no　longer　contain　itself。　　〃Allah　Akbar！　God　is　great！〃　said　he　but　the　words　of　resignation　died　upon　his　lips　and　he　burst　into　tears。

The　mother；　the　intrepid　Ayxa；　was　indignant　at　his　weakness。　〃You　do　well；〃　said　she；　〃to　weep　like　a　woman　for　what　you　failed　to　defend　like　a　man。〃

The　vizier　Aben　Comixa　endeavored　to　console　his　royal　master。　〃Consider；　senor；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　most　signal　misfortunes　often　render　men　as　renowned　as　the　most　prosperous　achievements；　provided　they　sustain　them　with　magnanimity。〃

The　unhappy　monarch；　however；　was　not　to　be　consoled；　his　tears　continued　to　flow。　　〃Allah　Akbar！〃　exclaimed　he；　〃when　did　misfortune　ever　equal　mine？〃

From　this　circumstance　the　hill；　which　is　not　far　from　Padul；　took　the　name　of　Feg　Allah　Akbar；　but　the　point　of　view　commanding　the　last　prospect　of　Granada　is　known　among　Spaniards　by　the　name　of　〃El　ultimo　suspiro　del　Moro；〃　or　〃The　last　sigh　of　the　Moor。〃



CHAPTER　C。

HOW　THE　CASTILIAN　SOVEREIGNS　TOOK　POSSESSION　　　　　OF　GRANADA。


Queen　Isabella　having　joined　the　king；　the　royal　pair；　followed　by　a　triumphant　host；　passed　up　the　road　by　the　Hill　of　Martyrs；　and　thence　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　Alhambra。　　The　grand　cardinal　awaited　them　under　the　lofty　arch　of　the　great　Gate　of　Justice；　accompanied　by　Don　Gutierrez　de　Cardenas　and　Aben　Comixa。　　Here　King　Ferdinand　gave　the　keys　which　had　been　delivered　up　to　him　into　the　hands　of　the　queen；　they　were　passed　successively　into　the　hands　of　the　prince　Juan；　the　grand　cardinal；　and　finally　into　those　of　the　count　de　Tendilla；　in　whose　custody　they　remained；　that　brave　cavalier　having　been　named　alcayde　of　the　Alhambra　and　captain…general　of　Granada。

The　sovereigns　did　not　remain　long　in　the　Alhambra　on　this　first　visit；　but；　leaving　a　strong　garrison　there　under　the　count　de　Tendilla　to　maintain　tranquillity　in　the　palace　and　the　subjacent　city；　returned　to　the　camp　at　Santa　Fe。

We　must　not　omit　to　mention　a　circumstance　attending　the　surrender　of　the　city　which　spoke　eloquently　to　the　hearts　of　the　victors。　　As　the　royal　army　had　advanced　in　all　the　pomp　of　courtly　and　chivalrous　array；　a　procession　of　a　different　kind　came　forth　to　meet　it。　　This　was　composed　of　more　than　five　hundred　Christian　captives；　many　of　whom　had　languished　for　years　in　Moorish　dungeons。　　Pale　and　emaciated；　they　came　clanking　their　chains　in　triumph　and　shedding　tears　of　joy。　They　were　received　with　tenderness　by　the　sovereigns。　　The　king　hailed　them　as　good　Spaniards；　as　men　loyal　and　brave；　as　martyrs　to　the　holy　cause；　the　queen　distributed　liberal　relief　among　them　with　her　own　hands；　and　they　passed　on　before　the　squadrons　of　the　army　singing　hymns　of　jubilee。

*Abarca；　lib。　sup。；　Zurita；　etc。


The　sovereigns　forebore　to　enter　the　city　until　it　should　be　fully　occupied　by　their　troops　and　public　tranquillity　ensured。　　All　this　was　done　under　the　vigilant　superintendence　of　the　count　de　Tendilla；　assisted　by　the　marques　of　Villena；　and　the　glistening　of　Christian　helms　and　lances　along　the　walls　and　bulwarks；　and　the　standards　of　the　faith　and　of　the　realm　daunting　from　the　towers；　told　that　the　subjugation　of　the　city　was　complete。　　The　proselyte　prince；　Cid　Hiaya；　now　known　by　the　Christian　appellation　of　Don　Pedro　de　Granada　Vanegas；*　was　appointed　chief　alguazil　of　the　city；　and　had　charge　of　the　Moorish　inhabitants；　and　his　son；　lately　the　prince　Alnayar；　now　Alonso　de　Granada　Vanegas；　was　appointed　admiral　of　the　fleet。

*Cid　Hiaya　was　made　cavalier　of　the　order　of　Santiago。　　He　and　his　　son　intermarried　with　the　Spanish　nobility；　and　the　marqueses　of　　Compotejar　are　among　their　descendants。　　Their　portraits　and　the　　portraits　of　their　grandsons　are　to　be　seen　in　one　of　the　rooms　of　　the　Generalife　at　Granada。


It　was　on　the　sixth　of　January；　the　Day　of　Kings　and　festival　of　the　Epiphany；　that　the　sovereigns　made　their　triumphant　entry　with　grand　military　parade。　　First　advanced；　we　are　told；　a　splendid　escort　of　cavaliers　in　burnished　armor　and　superbly　mounted。　　Then　followed　the　prince　Juan；　glittering　with　jewels　and　diamonds；　on　each　side　of　him；　mounted　on　mules；　rode　the　grand　cardinal；　clothed　in　purple；　Fray　Hernando　de　Talavera；　bishop　of　Airla　and　the　archbishop…elect　of　Granada。　　To　these　succeeded　the　queen　and　her　ladies；　and　the　king；　managing　in　galliard　style；　say　the　Spanish　chroniclers；　a　proud　and　mettlesome　steed　（un　caballo　arrogante）。　　Then　followed　the　army　in　shining　columns；　with　flaunting　banners　and　the　inspiring　cla