chronicle of the conquest of granada-第24章

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ces　of　their　pursuers。　　Conscious　that　his　rich　array　made　him　a　conspicuous　object；　he　retreated　along　the　bank　of　the　river；　and　endeavored　to　conceal　himself　in　a　thicket　of　willows　and　tamarisks。　　Thence；　looking　back；　he　beheld　his　loyal　band　at　length　give　way；　supposing；　no　doubt；　he　had　effected　his　escape。　　They　crossed　the　ford；　followed　pell…mell　by　the　enemy；　and　several　of　them　were　struck　down　in　the　stream。

While　Boabdil　was　meditating　to　throw　himself　into　the　water　and　endeavor　to　swim　across；　he　was　discovered　by　Martin　Hurtado；　regidor　of　Lucena；　a　brave　cavalier　who　had　been　captive　in　the　prisons　of　Granada　and　exchanged　for　a　Christian　knight。　　Hurtado　attacked　the　king　with　a　pike；　but　was　kept　at　bay　until；　seeing　other　soldiers　approaching；　Boabdil　cried　for　quarter；　proclaiming　himself　a　person　of　high　rank　who　would　pay　a　noble　ransom。　　At　this　moment　came　up　several　men　of　Vaena；　of　the　troop　of　the　count　de　Cabra。　　Hearing　the　talk　of　ransom　and　noticing　the　splendid　attire　of　the　Moor；　they　endeavored　to　secure　for　themselves　so　rich　a　prize。　　One　of　them　seized　hold　of　Boabdil；　but　the　latter　resented　the　indignity　by　striking　him　to　the　earth　with　a　blow　of　his　poniard。　　Others　of　Hurtado's　townsmen　coming　up；　a　contest　arose　between　the　men　of　Lucena　and　Vaena　as　to　who　had　a　right　to　the　prisoner。　　The　noise　brought　Don　Diego　Fernandez　de　Cordova　to　the　spot；　who　by　his　authority　put　an　end　to　the　altercation。　Boabdil；　finding　himself　unknown　by　all　present；　concealed　his　quality；　giving　himself　out　as　the　son　of　Aben　Alnayer；　a　cavalier　of　the　royal　household。*　　Don　Diego　treated　him　with　great　courtesy；　put　a　red　band　round　his　neck　in　sign　of　his　being　a　captive；　and　sent　him　under　an　escort　to　the　castle　of　Lucena　where　his　quality　would　be　ascertained；　his　ransom　arranged；　and　the　question　settled　as　to　who　had　made　him　prisoner。

*Garibay；　lib。　40；　cap　31。


This　done；　the　count　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　hastened　to　rejoin　the　count　de　Cabra；　who　was　in　hot　pursuit　of　the　enemy。　　He　overtook　him　at　a　stream　called　Reanaul；　and　they　continued　together　to　press　on　the　skirts　of　the　flying　army　during　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　The　pursuit　was　almost　as　hazardous　as　the　battle；　for　had　the　enemy　at　any　time　recovered　from　their　panic；　they　might；　by　a　sudden　reaction；　have　overwhelmed　the　small　force　of　their　pursuers。　　To　guard　against　this　peril；　the　wary　count　kept　his　battalion　always　in　close　order；　and　had　a　body　of　a　hundred　chosen　lancers　in　the　advance。　　The　Moors　kept　up　a　Parthian　retreat；　several　times　they　turned　to　make　battle；　but；　seeing　this　solid　body　of　steeled　warriors　pressing　upon　them；　they　again　took　to　flight。

The　main　retreat　of　the　army　was　along　the　valley　watered　by　the　Xenil　and　opening　through　the　mountains　of　Algaringo　to　the　city　of　Loxa。　　The　alarm…fires　of　the　preceding　night　had　aroused　the　country；　every　man　snatched　sword　and　buckler　from　the　wall；　and　the　towns　and　villages　poured　forth　their　warriors　to　harass　the　retreating　foe。　　Ali　Atar　kept　the　main　force　of　the　army　together；　and　turned　fiercely　from　time　to　time　upon　his　pursuers：　he　was　like　a　wolf　hunted　through　the　country　he　had　often　made　desolate　by　his　maraudings。

The　alarm　of　this　invasion　had　reached　the　city　of　Antiquera；　where　were　several　of　the　cavaliers　who　had　escaped　from　the　carnage　in　the　mountains　of　Malaga。　　Their　proud　minds　were　festering　with　their　late　disgrace；　and　their　only　prayer　was　for　vengeance　on　the　infidels。　　No　sooner　did　they　hear　of　the　Moor　being　over　the　border　than　they　were　armed　and　mounted　for　action。　　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　led　them　fortha　small　body　of　but　forty　horsemen；　but　all　cavaliers　of　prowess　and　thirsting　for　revenge。　　They　came　upon　the　foe　on　the　banks　of　the　Xenil　where　it　winds　through　the　valleys　of　Cordova。　The　river；　swelled　by　the　late　rains；　was　deep　and　turbulent　and　only　fordable　at　certain　places。　　The　main　body　of　the　army　was　gathered　in　confusion　on　the　banks；　endeavoring　to　ford　the　stream；　protected　by　the　cavalry　of　Ali　Atar。

No　sooner　did　the　little　band　of　Alonso　de　Aguilar　come　in　sight　of　the　Moors　than　fury　flashed　from　their　eyes。　　〃Remember　the　mountains　of　Malaga！〃　cried　they　to　each　other　as　they　rushed　to　combat。　　Their　charge　was　desperate；　but　was　gallantly　resisted。　　A　scrambling　and　bloody　fight　ensued；　hand　to　hand　and　sword　to　sword；　sometimes　on　land；　sometimes　in　the　water。　　Many　were　lanced　on　the　banks；　others；　throwing　themselves　into　the　river；　sank　with　the　weight　of　their　armor　and　were　drowned；　some；　grappling　together；　fell　from　their　horses；　but　continued　their　struggle　in　the　waves；　and　helm　and　turban　rolled　together　down　the　stream。　　The　Moors　were　far　greater　in　number；　and　among　them　were　many　warriors　of　rank；　but　they　were　disheartened　by　defeat；　while　the　Christians　were　excited　even　to　desperation。

Ali　Atar　alone　preserved　all　his　fire　and　energy　amid　his　reverses。　He　had　been　enraged　at　the　defeat　of　the　army　and　the　ignominious　flight　he　had　been　obliged　to　make　through　a　country　which　had　so　often　been　the　scene　of　his　exploits；　but　to　be　thus　impeded　in　his　flight　and　harassed　and　insulted　by　a　mere　handful　of　warriors　roused　the　violent　passions　of　the　old　Moor　to　perfect　frenzy。　He　had　marked　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　dealing　his　blows　（says　Agapida）　with　the　pious　vehemence　of　a　righteous　knight；　who　knows　that　in　every　wound　inflicted　upon　the　infidels　he　is　doing　God　service。　　Ali　Atar　spurred　his　steed　along　the　bank　of　the　river　to　come　upon　Don　Alonso　by　surprise。　　The　back　of　the　warrior　was　toward　him；　and；　collecting　all　his　force；　the　Moor　hurled　his　lance　to　transfix　him　on　the　spot。　　The　lance　was　not　thrown　with　the　usual　accuracy　of　Ali　Atar：　it　tore　away　a　part　of　the　cuirass　of　Don　Alonso；　but　failed　to　inflict　a　wound。　　The　Moor　rushed　upon　Don　Alonso　with　his　scimetar；　but　the　latter　was　on　the　alert　and　parried　his　blow。　　They　fought　desperately　upon　the　borders　of　the　river；　alternately　pressing　each　other　into　the　stream　and　fighting　their　way　again　up　the　bank。　　Ali　Atar　was　repeatedly　wounded；　and　Don　Alonso；　having　pity　on　his　age；　would　have　spared　his　life：　he　called　upon　him　to　surrender。　　〃Never；〃　cried　Ali　Atar；　〃to　a　Christian　dog！〃　　The　words　were　scarce　out　of　his　mouth　when　the　sword　of　Don　Alonso　clove　his　turbaned　head　and　sank　deep　into　the　brain。　　He　fell　dead　without　a　groan；　his　body　rolled　into　the　Xenil；　nor　was　it　ever　found　or　recognized。*　　Thus　fell　Ali　Atar；　who　had　long　been　the　terror　of　Andalusia。　As　he　had　hated　and　warred　upon　the　Christians　all　his　life；　so　he　died　in　the　very　act　of　bitter　hostility。

*Cura　de　los　Palacios。


The　fall　of　Ali　Atar　put　an　end　to　the　transient　stand　of　the　cavalry。　Horse　and　foot　mingled　together　in　the　desperate　struggle　across　the　Xenil；　and　many　were　trampled　down　and　perished　beneath　the　waves。　　Don　Alonso　and　his　band　continued　to　harass　them　until　they　crossed　the　frontier；　and　every　blow　struck　home　to　the　Moors　seemed　to　lighten　the　load　of　humiliation　and　sorrow　which　had　weighed　heavy　on　their　hearts。

In　this　disastrous　rout　the　Moors　lost　upward　of　five　thousand　killed　and　made　prisoners；　many　of　whom　were　of　the　most　noble　lineages　of　Granada；　numbers　fled　to　rocks　and　mountains；　where　they　were　subsequently　taken。

Boabdil　remained　a　prisoner　in　the　state　tower　of　the　citadel　of　Lucena　under　the　vigilance　of　Alonso　de　Rueda；　esquire　of　the　alcayde　of　the　Donceles；　his　quality　was　still　unknown　until　the　24th　of　April；　three　days　after　the　battle。　　On　that　day　some　prisoners；　natives　of　Granada；　just　brought　in；　caught　a　sight　of　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　despoiled　of　his　royal　robes。　　Throwing　themselves　at　his　feet；　they　broke　forth　in　loud　lamentations；　apostrophizing　him　as　their　lord　and　king。

Great　was　the　astonishment　and　triumph　of　the　count　de　Cabra　and　Don　Diego　Fernandez　de　Cordova　on　learning　the　rank　of　the　supposed　cavalier。　　They　both　ascended　to　the　castle　to　see　that　he　was　lodged　in　a　style　befitting　his　quality。　　When　the　good　count　beheld　in　the　dejected　captive　before　him　the　monarch　who　had　so　recently　appeared　in　royal　splendor　surrounded　by　an　army