chronicle of the conquest of granada-第27章

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he　old　monarch；　whose　message　had　been　couched　in　a　vaunting　spirit。　He　was　informed　that　the　Castilian　sovereigns　would　listen　to　no　proposals　of　peace　from　Muley　Abul　Hassan　until　he　should　lay　down　his　arms　and　offer　them　in　all　humility。

Overtures　in　a　different　spirit　were　made　by　the　mother　of　Boabdil；　the　sultana　Ayxa　la　Horra；　with　the　concurrence　of　the　party　which　still　remained　faithful　to　him。　　It　was　thereby　proposed　that　Mahomet　Abdallah；　otherwise　called　Boabdil；　should　hold　his　crown　as　vassal　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　paying　an　annual　tribute　and　releasing　seventy　Christian　captives　annually　for　five　years；　that　he　should；　moreover；　pay　a　large　sum　upon　the　spot　for　his　ransom；　and　at　the　same　time　give　freedom　to　four　hundred　Christians　to　be　chosen　by　the　king；　that　he　should　also　engage　to　be　always　ready　to　render　military　aid；　and　should　come　to　the　Cortes；　or　assemblage　of　nobles　and　distinguished　vassals　of　the　Crown；　whenever　summoned。　　His　only　son　and　the　sons　of　twelve　distinguished　Moorish　houses　were　to　be　delivered　as　hostages。

An　embassy　composed　of　the　alcayde　Aben　Comixa；　Muley；　the　royal　standard…bearer；　and　other　distinguished　cavaliers　bore　this　proposition　to　the　Spanish　court　at　Cordova；　where　they　were　received　by　King　Ferdinand。　　Queen　Isabella　was　absent　at　the　time。　He　was　anxious　to　consult　her　in　so　momentous　an　affair；　or；　rather；　he　was　fearful　of　proceeding　too　precipitately；　and　not　drawing　from　this　fortunate　event　all　the　advantage　of　which　it　was　susceptible。　Without　returning　any　reply；　therefore；　to　the　mission；　he　ordered　that　the　captive　monarch　should　be　brought　to　Cordova。

The　alcayde　of　the　Donceles　was　the　bearer　of　this　mandate；　and　summoned　all　the　hidalgos　of　Lucena　and　of　his　own　estates　to　form　an　honorable　escort　for　the　illustrious　prisoner。　　In　this　style　he　conducted　him　to　the　capital。　　The　cavaliers　and　authorities　of　Cordova　came　forth　to　receive　the　captive　king　with　all　due　ceremony；　and　especial　care　was　taken　to　prevent　any　taunt　or　insult　from　the　multitude；　or　anything　that　might　remind　him　of　his　humiliation。　　In　this　way　he　entered　the　once　proud　capital　of　the　Abda'rahmans；　and　was　lodged　in　the　house　of　the　king's　major…　domo。　　Ferdinand；　however；　declined　seeing　the　Moorish　monarch。　He　was　still　undetermined　what　course　to　pursuewhether　to　retain　him　prisoner；　set　him　at　liberty　on　ransom；　or　treat　him　with　politic　magnanimity；　and　each　course　would　require　a　different　kind　of　reception。　　Until　this　point　should　be　resolved；　therefore；　he　gave　him　in　charge　to　Martin　de　Alarcon；　alcayde　of　the　ancient　fortress　of　Porcuna；　with　orders　to　guard　him　strictly；　but　to　treat　him　with　the　distinction　and　deference　due　unto　a　prince。　　These　commands　were　strictly　obeyed：　he　was　escorted；　as　before；　in　royal　state；　to　the　fortress　which　was　to　form　his　prison；　and；　with　the　exception　of　being　restrained　in　his　liberty；　was　as　nobly　entertained　there　as　he　could　have　been　in　his　regal　palace　at　Granada。

In　the　mean　time；　Ferdinand　availed　himself　of　this　critical　moment；　while　Granada　was　distracted　with　factions　and　dissensions；　and　before　he　had　concluded　any　treaty　with　Boabdil；　to　make　a　puissant　and　ostentatious　inroad　into　the　very　heart　of　the　kingdom　at　the　head　of　his　most　illustrious　nobles。　　He　sacked　and　destroyed　several　towns　and　castles；　and　extended　his　ravages　to　the　very　gates　of　Granada。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　did　not　venture　to　oppose　him。　　His　city　was　filled　with　troops；　but　he　was　uncertain　of　their　affection。　He　dreaded　that　should　he　sally　forth　the　gates　of　Granada　might　be　closed　against　him　by　the　faction　of　the　Albaycin。

The　old　Moor　stood　on　the　lofty　tower　of　the　Alhambra　（says　Antonio　Agapida）　grinding　his　teeth　and　foaming　like　a　tiger　shut　up　in　his　cage　as　he　beheld　the　glittering　battalions　of　the　Christians　wheeling　about　the　Vega；　and　the　standard　of　the　cross　shining　forth　from　among　the　smoke　of　infidel　villages　and　hamlets。　　The　most　Catholic　king　（continues　Agapida）　would　gladly　have　continued　this　righteous　ravage；　but　his　munitions　began　to　fail。　　Satisfied；　therefore；　with　having　laid　waste　the　country　of　the　enemy　and　insulted　Muley　Abul　Hassan　in　his　very　capital；　he　returned　to　Cordova　covered　with　laurels　and　his　army　laden　with　spoils；　and　now　bethought　himself　of　coming　to　an　immediate　decision　in　regard　to　his　royal　prisoner。



CHAPTER　XX。

OF　THE　TREATMENT　OF　BOABDIL　BY　THE　CASTILIAN　SOVEREIGNS。


A　stately　convention　was　held　by　King　Ferdinand　in　the　ancient　city　of　Cordova；　composed　of　several　of　the　most　reverend　prelates　and　renowned　cavaliers　of　the　kingdom；　to　determine　upon　the　fate　of　the　unfortunate　Boabdil。

Don　Alonso　de　Cardenas；　the　worthy　master　of　Santiago；　was　one　of　the　first　who　gave　his　counsel。　　He　was　a　pious　and　zealous　knight；　rigid　in　his　devotion　to　the　faith；　and　his　holy　zeal　had　been　inflamed　to　peculiar　vehemence　since　his　disastrous　crusade　among　the　mountains　of　Malaga。　　He　inveighed　with　ardor　against　any　compromise　or　compact　with　the　infidels：　the　object　of　this　war；　he　observed；　was　not　the　subjection　of　the　Moors；　but　their　utter　expulsion　from　the　land；　so　that　there　might　no　longer　remain　a　single　stain　of　Mahometanism　throughout　Christian　Spain。　　He　gave　it　as　his　opinion；　therefore；　that　the　captive　king　ought　not　to　be　set　at　liberty。

Roderigo　Ponce　de　Leon；　marques　of　Cadiz；　on　the　contrary；　spoke　warmly　for　the　release　of　Boabdil。　　He　pronounced　it　a　measure　of　sound　policy；　even　if　done　without　conditions。　It　would　tend　to　keep　up　the　civil　war　in　Granada；　which　was　as　a　fire　consuming　the　entrails　of　the　enemy；　and　effecting　more　for　the　interests　of　Spain；　without　expense；　than　all　the　conquests　of　its　arms。

The　grand　cardinal　of　Spain；　Don　Pedro　Gonzalez　de　Mendoza；　coincided　in　opinion　with　the　marques　of　Cadiz。　　Nay　（added　that　pious　prelate　and　politic　statesman）；　it　would　be　sound　wisdom　to　furnish　the　Moor　with　men　and　money　and　all　other　necessaries　to　promote　the　civil　war　in　Granada：　by　this　means　would　be　produced　great　benefit　to　the　service　of　God；　since　we　are　assured　by　his　infallible　word　that　〃a　kingdom　divided　against　itself　cannot　stand。〃*

*Salazar；　Cronica　del　Gran　Cardinal；　p。　188。


Ferdinand　weighed　these　counsels　in　his　mind；　but　was　slow　in　coming　to　a　decision：　he　was　religiously　attentive　to　his　own　interests　（observes　Fray　Antonio　Agapida）；　knowing　himself　to　be　but　an　instrument　of　Providence　in　this　holy　war；　and　that；　therefore；　in　consulting　his　own　advantage　he　was　promoting　the　interests　of　the　faith。　　The　opinion　of　Queen　Isabella　relieved　him　from　his　perplexity。　　That　high…minded　princess　was　zealous　for　the　promotion　of　the　faith；　but　not　for　the　extermination　of　the　infidels。　　The　Moorish　kings　had　held　their　thrones　as　vassals　to　her　progenitors：　she　was　content　at　present　to　accord　the　same　privilege；　and　that　the　royal　prisoner　should　be　liberated　on　condition　of　becoming　a　vassal　to　the　Crown。　　By　this　means　might　be　effected　the　deliverance　of　many　Christian　captives　who　were　languishing　in　Moorish　chains。

King　Ferdinand　adopted　the　magnanimous　measure　recommended　by　the　queen；　but　he　accompanied　it　with　several　shrewd　conditions；　exacting　tribute；　military　services；　and　safe　passages　and　maintenance　for　Christian　troops　throughout　the　places　which　should　adhere　to　Boabdil。　　The　captive　king　readily　submitted　to　these　stipulations；　and　swore；　after　the　manner　of　his　faith；　to　observe　them　with　exactitude。　　A　truce　was　arranged　for　two　years；　during　which　the　Castilian　sovereigns　engaged　to　maintain　him　on　his　throne　and　to　assist　him　in　recovering　all　places　which　he　had　lost　during　his　captivity。

When　Boabdil　el　Chico　had　solemnly　agreed　to　this　arrangement　in　the　castle　of　Porcuna；　preparations　were　made　to　receive　him　in　Cordova　in　regal　style。　　Superb　steeds　richly　caparisoned　and　raiments　of　brocade　and　silk　and　the　most　costly　cloths；　with　all　other　articles　of　sumptuous　array；　were　furnished　to　him　and　to　fifty　Moorish　cavaliers　who　had　come　to　treat　for　his　ransom；　that　he　might　appear　in　state　befitting　the　monarch　of　Granada　and　the　most　distinguished　vassal　of　the　Casti