chronicle of the conquest of granada-第108章

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tly　received　great　estates　from　the　Christian　sovereigns。　　While　residing　in　confidential　friendship　with　Boabdil　in　his　retirement　Aben　Comixa　communicated　secretly　with　Hernando　de　Zafra；　the　secretary　of　Ferdinand；　who　resided　at　Granada；　giving　him　information　of　all　Boabdil's　movements；　which　the　secretary　reported　by　letter　to　the　king。　　Some　of　the　letters　of　the　secretary　still　exist　in　the　archives　of　Samancas；　and　have　been　recently　published　in　the　collection　of　unedited　documents。*

*El　rey　Muley　Babdali　（Boabdil）　y　sus　criados　andan　continuamente　　a　casa　con　glagos　y　azores；　y　alla　esta　agora　en　al　campo　de　Dalias　　y　en　Verja；　aunque　su　casa　tiene　en　Andarax；　y　dican　que　estara　　alla　por　todo　este　mes。〃Carta　Secreta　de　Hernando　de　Zafra；〃　　Decembre；　1492


The　jealous　doubts　of　Ferdinand　were　quickened　by　the　letters　of　his　spies。　　He　saw　in　the　hunting　campaigns　and　royal　progresses　of　the　ex…king　a　mode　of　keeping　up　a　military　spirit　and　a　concerted　intelligence　among　the　Moors　of　the　Alpuxarras　that　might　prepare　them　for　future　rebellion。　　By　degrees　the　very　residence　of　Boabdil　within　the　kingdom　became　incompatible　with　Ferdinand's　ideas　of　security。　　He　gave　his　agents；　therefore；　secret　instructions　to　work　upon　the　mind　of　the　deposed　monarch；　and　induce　him；　like　El　Zagal；　to　relinquish　his　Spanish　estates　for　valuable　considerations　and　retire　to　Africa。　　Boabdil；　however；　was　not　to　be　persuaded：　to　the　urgent　suggestions　of　these　perfidious　counsellors　he　replied　that　he　had　given　up　a　kingdom　to　live　in　peace；　and　had　no　idea　of　going　to　a　foreign　land　to　encounter　new　troubles　and　to　be　under　the　control　of　alarabes。*

*Letter　of　Hernando　de　Zafra　to　the　sovereigns；　Dec。　9；　1493。


Ferdinand　persisted　in　his　endeavors；　and　found　means　more　effectual　of　operating　on　the　mind　of　Boabdil　and　gradually　disposing　him　to　enter　into　negotiations。　　It　would　appear　that　Aben　Comixa　was　secretly　active　in　this　matter　in　the　interests　of　the　Spanish　monarch；　and　was　with　him　at　Barcelona　as　the　vizier　and　agent　of　Boabdil。　　The　latter；　however；　finding　that　his　residence　in　the　Alpuxarras　was　a　cause　of　suspicion　and　uneasiness　to　Ferdinand；　determined　to　go　himself　to　Barcelona；　have　a　conference　with　the　sovereigns；　and　conduct　all　his　negotiations　with　them　in　person。　Zafra；　the　secretary　of　Ferdinand；　who　was　ever　on　the　alert；　wrote　a　letter　from　Granada　apprising　the　king　of　Boabdil's　intention；　and　that　he　was　making　preparations　for　the　journey。　　He　received　a　letter　in　reply；　charging　him　by　subtle　management　to　prevent；　or　at　least　delay；　the　coming　of　Boabdil　to　court。*　　The　crafty　monarch　trusted　to　effect　through　Aben　Comixa　as　vizier　and　agent　of　Boabdil　an　arrangement　which　it　might　be　impossible　to　obtain　from　Boabdil　himself。　　The　politic　plan　was　carried　into　effect。　　Boabdil　was　detained　at　Andarax　by　the　management　of　Zafra。　　In　the　mean　time　a　scandalous　bargain　was　made　on　the　17th　March；　1493；　between　Ferdinand　and　Aben　Comixa；　in　which　the　latter；　as　vizier　and　agent　of　Boabdil；　though　without　any　license　or　authority　from　him；　made　a　sale　of　his　territory　and　the　patrimonial　property　of　the　princesses　for　eighty　thousand　ducats　of　gold；　and　engaged　that　he　should　depart　for　Africa；　taking　care；　at　the　same　time；　to　make　conditions　highly　advantageous　for　himself。**

*Letter　of　the　sovereigns　to　Hernando　de　Zafra　from　Barcelona；　　Feb。；　1493。

**Alcantara；　Hist。　Granad。；　iv。　c。　18。


This　bargain　being　hastily　concluded；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa　loaded　the　treasure　upon　mules　and　departed　for　the　Alpuxarras。　　Here；　spreading　the　money　before　Boabdil；　〃Senior；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　observed　that　as　long　as　you　live　here　you　are　exposed　to　constant　peril。　　The　Moors　are　rash　and　irritable；　they　may　make　some　sudden　insurrection；　elevate　your　standard　as　a　pretext；　and　thus　overwhelm　you　and　your　friends　with　utter　ruin。　　I　have　observed　also　that　you　pine　away　with　grief；　being　continually　reminded　in　this　country　that　you　were　once　its　sovereign；　but　never　more　must　hope　to　reign。　　I　have　put　an　end　to　these　evils。　　Your　territory　is　soldbehold　the　price　of　it！　　With　this　gold　you　may　buy　far　greater　possessions　in　Africa；　where　you　may　live　in　honor　and　security。〃

When　Boabdil　heard　these　words　he　burst　into　a　sudden　transport　of　rage；　and；　drawing　his　scimetar；　would　have　sacrificed　the　officious　Yusef　on　the　spot　had　not　the　attendants　interfered　and　hurried　the　vizier　from　his　presence。*

*Marmol；　Rebel。　1。　1；　c。　22。


The　rage　of　Boabdil　gradually　subsided：　he　saw　that　he　had　been　duped　and　betrayed；　but　he　knew　the　spirit　of　Ferdinand　too　well　to　hope　that　he　would　retract　the　bargain；　however　illegitimately　effected。　　He　contented　himself；　therefore；　with　obtaining　certain　advantageous　modifications；　and　then　prepared　to　bid　a　final　adieu　to　his　late　kingdom　and　his　native　land。

It　took　some　months　to　make　the　necessary　arrangements；　or；　rather；　his　departure　was　delayed　by　a　severe　domestic　affliction。　　Morayma；　his　gentle　and　affectionate　wife；　worn　out　by　agitations　and　alarms；　was　gradually　sinking　into　the　grave；　a　prey　to　devouring　melancholy。　Her　death　took　place　toward　the　end　of　August。　　Hernando　de　Zafra　apprised　King　Ferdinand　of　the　event　as　one　propitious　to　his　purposes；　removing　an　obstacle　to　the　embarkation；　which　was　now　fixed　for　the　month　of　September。　　Zafra　was　instructed　to　accompany　the　exiles　until　he　saw　them　landed　on　the　African　coast。

The　embarkation；　however；　did　not　take　place　until　some　time　in　the　month　of　October。　　A　caracca　had　been　prepared　at　the　port　of　Adra　for　Boabdil　and　his　immediate　family　and　friends。　　Another　caracca　and　two　galliots　received　a　number　of　faithful　adherents；　amounting；　it　is　said；　to　eleven　hundred　and　thirty；　who　followed　their　prince　into　exile。

A　crowd　of　his　former　subjects　witnessed　his　embarkation。　　As　the　sails　were　unfurled　and　swelled　to　the　breeze；　and　the　vessel　bearing　Boabdil　parted　from　the　land；　the　spectators　would　fain　have　given　him　a　farewell　cheering；　but　the　humbled　state　of　their　once　proud　sovereign　forced　itself　upon　their　minds；　and　the　ominous　surname　of　his　youth　rose　involuntarily　to　their　tongues：　〃Farewell；　Boabdil！　　Allah　preserve　thee；　'El　Zogoybi！'〃　burst　spontaneously　from　their　lips。　　The　unlucky　appellation　sank　into　the　heart　of　the　expatriated　monarch；　and　tears　dimmed　his　eyes　as　the　snowy　summits　of　the　mountains　of　Granada　gradually　faded　from　his　view。

He　was　received　with　welcome　at　the　court　of　his　relative；　Muley　Ahmed；　caliph　of　Fez；　the　same　who　had　treated　El　Zagal　with　such　cruelty　in　his　exile。　　For　thirty…four　years　he　resided　in　this　court；　treated　with　great　consideration；　and　built　a　palace　or　alcazar　at　Fez；　in　which；　it　is　said；　he　endeavored　to　emulate　the　beauties　and　delights　of　the　Alhambra。

The　last　we　find　recorded　of　him　is　in　the　year　1536；　when　he　followed　the　caliph　to　the　field　to　repel　the　invasion　of　two　brothers　of　the　famous　line　of　the　Xerifes；　who　at　the　head　of　Berber　troops　had　taken　the　city　of　Morocco　and　threatened　Fez。　The　armies　came　in　sight　of　each　other　on　the　banks　of　the　Guadal　Hawit；　or　river　of　slaves；　at　the　ford　of　Balcuba。　　The　river　was　deep；　the　banks　were　high　and　broken；　and　the　ford　could　only　be　passed　in　single　file；　for　three　days　the　armies　remained　firing　at　each　other　across　the　stream；　neither　venturing　to　attempt　the　dangerous　ford。　At　length　the　caliph　divided　his　army　into　three　battalions：　the　command　of　the　first　he　gave　to　his　brother…in…law　and　to　Aliatar；　son　of　the　old　alcayde　of　Loxa；　another　division　he　commanded　himself；　and　the　third；　composed　of　his　best　marksmen；　he　put　under　the　command　of　his　son；　the　prince　of　Fez；　and　Boabdil；　now　a　gray…haired　veteran。　　The　last　mentioned　column　took　the　lead；　dashed　boldly　across　the　ford；　scrambled　up　the　opposite　bank；　and　attempted　to　keep　the　enemy　employed　until　the　other　battalions　should　have　time　to　cross。　　The　rebel　army；　however；　attacked　them　with　such　fury　that　the　son　of　the　king　of　Fez　and　several　of　the　bravest　alcaydes　were　slain　upon　the　spot；　multitudes　were　driven　back　into　the　river；　which　was　already　crowded　with　passing　tro