chronicle of the conquest of granada-第15章

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panions…in…arms　led　their　troops　with　alacrity　to　the　height；　which　soon　glittered　with　the　array　of　arms；　and　was　graced　by　several　of　the　most　redoubtable　pennons　of　warlike　Spain。

Loxa　was　commanded　at　this　time　by　an　old　Moorish　alcayde　whose　daughter　was　the　favorite　wife　of　Boabdil。　　The　name　of　this　Moor　was　Ibrahim　Ali　Atar；　but　he　was　generally　known　among　the　Spaniards　as　Alatar。　　He　had　grown　gray　in　border　warfare；　was　an　implacable　enemy　of　the　Christians；　and　his　name　had　long　been　the　terror　of　the　frontier。　　Lord　of　Zagra　and　in　the　receipt　of　rich　revenues；　he　expended　them　all　in　paying　scouts　and　spies　and　maintaining　a　small　but　chosen　force　with　which　to　foray　into　the　Christian　territories；　and　so　straitened　was　he　at　times　by　these　warlike　expenses　that　when　his　daughter　married　Boabdil　her　bridal　dress　and　jewels　had　to　be　borrowed。　　He　was　now　in　the　ninetieth　year　of　his　age；　yet　indomitable　in　spirit；　fiery　in　his　passions；　sinewy　and　powerful　in　frame；　deeply　versed　in　warlike　stratagem；　and　accounted　the　best　lance　in　all　Mauritania。　　He　had　three　thousand　horsemen　under　his　command；　veteran　troops　with　whom　he　had　often　scoured　the　borders；　and　he　daily　expected　the　old　Moorish　king　with　reinforcements。

Old　Ali　Atar　had　watched　from　his　fortress　every　movement　of　the　Christian　army；　and　had　exulted　in　all　the　errors　of　its　commanders：　when　he　beheld　the　flower　of　Spanish　chivalry　glittering　about　the　height　of　Albohacen；　his　eye　flashed　with　exultation。　　〃By　the　aid　of　Allah；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　give　those　pranking　cavaliers　a　rouse。〃

Ali　Atar　privately　and　by　night　sent　forth　a　large　body　of　his　chosen　troops　to　lie　in　ambush　near　one　of　the　skirts　of　Albohacen。　　On　the　fourth　day　of　the　siege　he　sallied　across　the　bridge　and　made　a　feint　attack　upon　the　height。　　The　cavaliers　rushed　impetuously　forth　to　meet　him；　leaving　their　encampment　almost　unprotected。　　Ali　Atar　wheeled　and　fled；　and　was　hotly　pursued。　　When　the　Christian　cavaliers　had　been　drawn　a　considerable　distance　from　their　encampment；　they　heard　a　vast　shout　behind　them；　and；　looking　round；　beheld　their　encampment　assailed　by　the　Moorish　force　which　had　been　placed　in　ambush；　and　which　had　ascended　a　different　side　of　the　hill。　　The　cavaliers　desisted　from　the　pursuit；　and　hastened　to　prevent　the　plunder　of　their　tents。　　Ali　Atar；　in　his　turn；　wheeled　and　pursued　them；　and　they　were　attacked　in　front　and　rear　on　the　summit　of　the　hill。　　The　contest　lasted　for　an　hour；　the　height　of　Albohacen　was　red　with　blood；　many　brave　cavaliers　fell；　expiring　among　heaps　of　the　enemy。　　The　fierce　Ali　Atar　fought　with　the　fury　of　a　demon　until　the　arrival　of　more　Christian　forces　compelled　him　to　retreat　into　the　city。　The　severest　loss　to　the　Christians　in　this　skirmish　was　that　of　Roderigo　Tellez　Giron；　grand　master　of　Calatrava；　whose　burnished　armor；　emblazoned　with　the　red　cross　of　his　order；　made　him　a　mark　for　the　missiles　of　the　enemy。　　As　he　was　raising　his　arm　to　make　a　blow　an　arrow　pierced　him　just　beneath　the　shoulder；　at　the　open　part　of　the＇1＇corselet。　　The　lance　and　bridle　fell　from　his　hands；　he　faltered　in　his　saddle；　and　would　have　fallen　to　the　ground；　but　was　caught　by　Pedro　Gasca；　a　cavalier　of　Avila；　who　conveyed　him　to　his　tent；　where　he　died。　　The　king　and　queen　and　the　whole　kingdom　mourned　his　death；　for　he　was　in　the　freshness　of　his　youth；　being　but　twenty…four　years　of　age；　and　had　proved　himself　a　gallant　and　high…minded　cavalier。　　A　melancholy　group　collected　about　his＇2＇corpse　on　the　bloody　height　of　Albohacen：　the　knights　of　Calatrava　mourned　him　as　a　commander；　the　cavaliers　who　were　encamped　on　the　height　lamented　him　as　their　companion…in…arms　in　a　service　of　peril；　while　the　count　de　Urena　grieved　over　him　with　the　tender　affection　of　a　brother。

King　Ferdinand　now　perceived　the　wisdom　of　the　opinion　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　and　that　his　force　was　quite　insufficient　for　the　enterprise。　　To　continue　his　camp　in　its　present　unfortunate　position　would　cost　him　the　lives　of　his　bravest　cavaliers；　if　not　a　total　defeat　in　case　of　reinforcements　to　the　enemy。　　He　called　a　council　of　war　late　in　the　evening　of　Saturday；　and　it　was　determined　to　withdraw　the　army　early　the　next　morning　to　Rio　Frio；　a　short　distance　from　the　city；　and　there　wait　for　additional　troops　from　Cordova。

The　next　morning　early　the　cavaliers　on　the　height　of　Albohacen　began　to　strike　their　tents。　　No　sooner　did　Ali　Atar　behold　this　than　he　sallied　forth　to　attack　them。　　Many　of　the　Christian　troops；　who　had　not　heard　of　the　intention　to　change　the　camp；　seeing　the　tents　struck　and　the　Moors　sallying　forth；　supposed　that　the　enemy　had　been　reinforced　in　the　night；　and　that　the　army　was　on　the　point　of　retreating。　　Without　stopping　to　ascertain　the　truth　or　to　receive　orders　they　fled　in　dismay；　spreading　confusion　through　the　camp；　nor　did　they　halt　until　they　had　reached　the　Rock　of　the　Lovers；　about　seven　leagues　from　Loxa。*

*Pulgar；　Cronica。


The　king　and　his　commanders　saw　the　imminent　peril　of　the　moment；　and　made　face　to　the　Moors；　each　commander　guarding　his　quarter　and　repelling　all　assaults　while　the　tents　were　struck　and　the　artillery　and　ammunition　conveyed　away。　　The　king；　with　a　handful　of　cavaliers；　galloped　to　a　rising　ground；　exposed　to　the　fire　of　the　enemy；　calling　upon　the　flying　troops　and　endeavoring　in　vain　to　rally　them。　　Setting　upon　the　Moors；　he　and　his　cavaliers　charged　them　so　vigorously；　that　they　put　a　squadron　to　flight；　slaying　many　with　their　swords　and　lances　and　driving　others　into　the　river；　where　they　were　drowned。　　The　Moors；　however；　were　soon　reinforced；　and　returned　in　great　numbers。　　The　king　was　in　danger　of　being　surrounded；　and　twice　owed　his　safety　to　the　valor　of　Don　Juan　de　Ribera；　senior　of　Montemayor。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　beheld　from　a　distance　the　peril　of　his　sovereign。　　Summoning　about　seventy　horsemen　to　follow　him；　he　galloped　to　the　spot；　threw　himself　between　the　king　and　the　enemy；　and；　hurling　his　lance；　transpierced　one　of　the　most　daring　of　the　Moors。　　For　some　time　he　remained　with　no　other　weapon　than　his　sword；　his　horse　was　wounded　by　an　arrow　and　many　of　his　followers　were　slain；　but　he　succeeded　in　beating　off　the　Moors　and　rescuing　the　king　from　imminent　jeopardy；　whom　he　then　prevailed　upon　to　retire　to　less　dangerous　ground。

The　marques　continued　throughout　the　day　to　expose　himself　to　the　repeated　assaults　of　the　enemy：　he　was　ever　found　in　the　place　of　the　greatest　danger；　and　through　his　bravery　a　great　part　of　the　army　and　camp　was　preserved　from　destruction。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　58。


It　was　a　perilous　day　for　the　commanders；　for　in　a　retreat　of　the　kind　it　is　the　noblest　cavaliers　who　most　expose　themselves　to　save　their　people。　　The　duke　of　Medina　Celi　was　struck　to　the　ground；　but　rescued　by　his　troops。　　The　count　de　Tendilla；　whose　tents　were　nearest　to　the　city；　received　several　wounds；　and　various　other　cavaliers　of　the　most　distinguished　note　were　exposed　to　fearful　jeopardy。　　The　whole　day　was　passed　in　bloody　skirmishings；　in　which　the　hidalgos　and　cavaliers　of　the　royal　household　distinguished　themselves　by　their　bravery：　at　length；　the　encampments　being　all　broken　up　and　most　of　the　artillery　and　baggage　removed；　the　bloody　height　of　Albohacen　was　abandoned　and　the　neighborhood　of　Loxa　evacuated。　　Several　tents；　a　quantity　of　provisions；　and　a　few　pieces　of　artillery　were　left　upon　the　spot　from　the　want　of　horses　and　mules　to　carry　them　off。

Ali　Atar　hung　upon　the　rear　of　the　retiring　army；　and　harassed　it　until　it　reached　Rio　Frio；　Ferdinand　returned　thence　to　Cordova；　deeply　mortified；　though　greatly　benefited；　by　the　severe　lesson　he　had　received；　which　served　to　render　him　more　cautious　in　his　campaigns　and　more　diffident　of　fortune。　　He　sent　letters　to　all　parts　excusing　his　retreat；　imputing　it　to　the　small　number　of　his　forces；　and　the　circumstance　that　many　of　them　were　quotas　sent　from　various　cities；　and　not　in　royal　pay；　in　the　mean　time；　to　console　his　troops　for　their　disappointment　and　to　keep　up　their　spirits；　he　led　them　upon　another　inroad　to　lay　waste　the　Vega　of　Granada。



CHAPTER　XI。

HOW　MULEY　ABUL