chronicle of the conquest of granada-第14章

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nce　on　its　rebellious　inhabitants。　　Descending　with　his　bloody　band　into　the　streets；　he　cut　down　the　defenceless　inhabitants　as；　startled　from　their　sleep；　they　rushed　forth　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　alarm。　The　city　was　soon　completely　roused；　the　people　flew　to　arms；　lights　blazed　in　every　street；　revealing　the　scanty　number　of　this　band　that　had　been　dealing　such　fatal　vengeance　in　the　dark。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　had　been　mistaken　in　his　conjectures：　the　great　mass　of　the　people；　incensed　by　his　tyranny；　were　zealous　in　favor　of　his　son。　A　violent　but　transient　conflict　took　place　in　the　streets　and　squares：　many　of　the　followers　of　Abul　Hassan　were　slain；　the　rest　driven　out　of　the　city；　and　the　old　monarch；　with　the　remnant　of　his　band；　retreated　to　his　loyal　city　of　Malaga。

Such　was　the　commencement　of　those　great　internal　feuds　and　divisions　which　hastened　the　downfall　of　Granada。　　The　Moors　became　separated　into　two　hostile　factions；　headed　by　the　father　and　the　son；　the　latter　of　whom　was　called　by　the　Spaniards　〃El　Rey　Chico；〃　or　the　Young　King；　but；　though　bloody　encounters　took　place　between　them；　they　never　failed　to　act　with　all　their　separate　force　against　the　Christians　as　a　common　enemy　whenever　an　opportunity　occurred。



CHAPTER　X。

ROYAL　EXPEDITION　AGAINST　LOXA。


King　Ferdinand　held　a　council　of　war　at　Cordova；　where　it　was　deliberated　what　was　to　be　done　with　Alhama。　　Most　of　the　council　advised　that　it　should　be　demolished；　inasmuch　as；　being　in　the　centre　of　the　Moorish　kingdom；　it　would　be　at　all　times　liable　to　attack；　and　could　only　be　maintained　by　a　powerful　garrison　and　at　a　vast　expense。　　Queen　Isabella　arrived　at　Cordova　in　the　midst　of　these　deliberations；　and　listened　to　them　with　surprise　and　impatience。　　〃What！〃　said　she；　〃destroy　the　first　fruits　of　our　victories？　　Abandon　the　first　place　we　have　wrested　from　the　Moors？　Never　let　us　suffer　such　an　idea　to　occupy　our　minds。　　It　would　argue　fear　or　feebleness；　and　give　new　courage　to　the　enemy。　　You　talk　of　the　toil　and　expense　of　maintaining　Alhama。　　Did　we　doubt　on　undertaking　this　war　that　it　was　to　be　one　of　infinite　cost；　labor；　and　bloodshed？　　And　shall　we　shrink　from　the　cost　the　moment　a　victory　is　obtained　and　the　question　is　merely　to　guard　or　abandon　its　glorious　trophy？　　Let　us　hear　no　more　about　the　destruction　of　Alhama；　let　us　maintain　its　walls　sacred；　as　a　stronghold　granted　us　by　Heaven　in　the　centre　of　this　hostile　land；　and　let　our　only　consideration　be　how　to　extend　our　conquest　and　capture　the　surrounding　cities。〃

The　language　of　the　queen　infused　a　more　lofty　and　chivalrous　spirit　into　the　royal　council。　　Preparations　were　made　to　maintain　Alhama　at　all　risk　and　expense；　and　King　Ferdinand　appointed　as　alcayde　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero；　senior　of　the　house　of　Palma；　supported　by　Diego　Lopez　de　Ayala；　Pero　Ruiz　de　Alarcon；　and　Alonso　Ortis；　captains　of　four　hundred　lances　and　a　body　of　one　thousand　foot；　supplied　with　provisions　for　three　months。

Ferdinand　resolved　also　to　lay　siege　to　Loxa；　or　Loja；　a　city　of　great　strength　at　no　great　distance　from　Alhama；　and　all…important　to　its　protection。　　It　was；　in　fact；　a　military　point　situated　in　a　pass　of　the　mountains　between　the　kingdoms　of　Granada　and　Castile；　and　commanded　a　main　entrance　to　the　Vega。　　The　Xenil　flowed　by　its　walls；　and　it　had　a　strong　castle　or　citadel　built　on　a　rock。　　In　preparing　for　the　siege　of　this　formidable　place　Ferdinand　called　upon　all　the　cities　and　towns　of　Andalusia　and　Estramadura；　and　the　domains　of　the　orders　of　Santiago；　Calatrava；　and　Alcantara；　and　of　the　priory　of　San　Juan；　and　the　kingdom　of　Toledo；　and　beyond　to　the　cities　of　Salamanca；　Toro；　and　Valladolid；　to　furnish；　according　to　their　repartimientos　or　allotments；　a　certain　quantity　of　bread；　wine；　and　cattle　to　be　delivered　at　the　royal　camp　before　Loxa；　one　half　at　the　end　of　June　and　one　half　in　July。　　These　lands；　also；　together　with　Biscay　and　Guipuscoa；　were　ordered　to　send　reinforcements　of　horse　and　foot；　each　town　furnishing　its　quota；　and　great　diligence　was　used　in　providing　lombards；　powder；　and　other　warlike　munitions。

The　Moors　were　no　less　active　in　their　preparations；　and　sent　missives　into　Africa　entreating　supplies　and　calling　upon　the　Barbary　princes　to　aid　them　in　this　war　of　the　faith。　　To　intercept　all　succor；　the　Castilian　sovereigns　stationed　an　armada　of　ships　and　galleys　in　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar　under　the　command　of　Martin　Diaz　de　Mina　and　Carlos　de　Valera；　with　orders　to　scour　the　Barbary　coast　and　sweep　every　Moorish　sail　from　the　sea。

While　these　preparations　were　making；　Ferdinand　made　an　incursion　at　the　head　of　his　army　into　the　kingdom　of　Granada；　and　laid　waste　the　Vega；　destroying　its　hamlets　and　villages；　ravaging　its　fields　of　grain；　and　driving　away　the　cattle。

It　was　about　the　end　of　June　that　King　Ferdinand　departed　from　Cordova　to　sit　down　before　the　walls　of　Loxa。　　So　confident　was　he　of　success　that　he　left　a　great　part　of　the　army　at　Ecija；　and　advanced　with　but　five　thousand　cavalry　and　eight　thousand　infantry。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz；　a　warrior　as　wise　as　he　was　valiant；　remonstrated　against　employing　so　small　a　force；　and　indeed　was　opposed　to　the　measure　altogether；　as　being　undertaken　precipitately　and　without　sufficient　preparation。　　King　Ferdinand；　however；　was　influenced　by　the　counsel　of　Don　Diego　de　Merlo；　and　was　eager　to　strike　a　brilliant　and　decided　blow。　　A　vainglorious　confidence　prevailed　about　this　time　among　the　Spanish　cavaliers；　they　overrated　their　own　prowess；　or　rather　they　undervalued　and　despised　their　enemy。　Many　of　them　believed　that　the　Moors　would　scarcely　remain　in　their　city　when　they　saw　the　Christian　troops　advancing　to　assail　it。　　The　Spanish　chivalry；　therefore；　marched　gallantly　and　fearlessly；　and　almost　carelessly；　over　the　border；　scantily　supplied　with　the　things　needful　for　a　besieging　army　in　the　heart　of　an　enemy's　country。　　In　the　same　negligent　and　confident　spirit　they　took　up　their　station　before　Loxa。

The　country　around　was　broken　and　hilly；　so　that　it　was　extremely　difficult　to　form　a　combined　camp。　　The　river　Xenil；　which　runs　by　the　town；　was　compressed　between　high　banks；　and　so　deep　as　to　be　fordable　with　extreme　difficulty；　and　the　Moors　had　possession　of　the　bridge。　　The　king　pitched　his　tents　in　a　plantation　of　olives　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　the　troops　were　distributed　in　different　encampments　on　the　heights；　but　separated　from　each　other　by　deep　rocky　ravines；　so　as　to　be　incapable　of　yielding　each　other　prompt　assistance。　　There　was　no　room　for　the　operations　of　the　cavalry。　The　artillery　also　was　so　injudiciously　placed　as　to　be　almost　entirely　useless。　　Alonso　of　Aragon；　duke　of　Villahermosa　and　illegitimate　brother　of　the　king；　was　present　at　the　siege；　and　disapproved　of　the　whole　arrangement。　　He　was　one　of　the　most　able　generals　of　his　time；　and　especially　renowned　for　his　skill　in　battering　fortified　places。　　He　recommended　that　the　whole　disposition　of　the　camp　should　be　changed；　and　that　several　bridges　should　be　thrown　across　the　river。　　His　advice　was　adopted；　but　slowly　and　negligently　followed；　so　that　it　was　rendered　of　no　avail。　　Among　other　oversights　in　this　hasty　and　negligent　expedition；　the　army　had　no　supply　of　baked　bread；　and　in　the　hurry　of　encampment　there　was　no　time　to　erect　furnaces。　　Cakes　were　therefore　hastily　made　and　baked　on　the　coals；　and　for　two　days　the　troops　were　supplied　in　this　irregular　way。

King　Ferdinand　felt；　too　late；　the　insecurity　of　his　position；　and　endeavored　to　provide　a　temporary　remedy。　　There　was　a　height　near　the　city；　called　by　the　Moors　Santo　Albohacen；　which　was　in　front　of　the　bridge。　　He　ordered　several　of　his　most　valiant　cavaliers　to　take　possession　of　this　height　and　to　hold　it　as　a　check　upon　the　enemy　and　a　protection　to　the　camp。　　The　cavaliers　chosen　for　this　distinguished　and　perilous　post　were　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　the　marques　of　Villena；　Don　Roderigo　Tellez　Giron；　master　of　Calatrava；　his　brother　the　count　of　Urena；　and　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar。　　These　valiant　warriors　and　tried　companions…in…arms　led　their　troops　with　alacrity　to　the　height；　which　soon　glittered　with　the　array　of