chronicle of the conquest of granada-第37章

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e　bottom　of　his　zeal。

The　disasters　and　disgraces　inflicted　on　the　country　by　the　Christians　during　this　year　had　wounded　the　national　feelings　of　the　people　of　Almeria；　and　many　felt　indignant　that　Boabdil　should　remain　passive　at　such　a　time；　or；　rather；　should　appear　to　make　a　common　cause　with　the　enemy。　　His　uncle　Abdallah　diligently　fomented　this　feeling　by　his　agents。　　The　same　arts　were　made　use　of　that　had　been　successful　in　Granada。　　Boabdil　was　secretly　but　actively　denounced　by　the　alfaquis　as　an　apostate　leagued　with　the　Christians　against　his　country　and　his　early　faith；　the　affections　of　the　　populace　and　soldiery　were　gradually　alienated　from　him；　and　a　deep　conspiracy　concerted　for　his　destruction。

In　the　month　of　February；　1485；　El　Zagal　suddenly　appeared　before　Almeria　at　the　head　of　a　troop　of　horse。　　The　alfaquis　were　prepared　for　his　arrival；　and　the　gates　were　thrown　open　to　him。　　He　entered　with　his　band　and　galloped　to　the　citadel。　　The　alcayde　would　have　made　resistance；　but　the　garrison　put　him　to　death　and　received　El　Zagal　with　acclamations。　　The　latter　rushed　through　the　apartments　of　the　Alcazar；　but　he　sought　in　vain　for　Boabdil。　　He　found　the　sultana　Ayxa　la　Horra　in　one　of　the　saloons　with　Aben　Haxig；　a　younger　brother　of　the　monarch；　and　several　Abencerrages；　who　rallied　round　them　to　protect　them。　　〃Where　is　the　traitor　Boabdil？〃　exclaimed　El　Zagal。

〃I　know　no　traitor　more　perfidious　than　thyself；〃　exclaimed　the　intrepid　sultana；　〃and　I　trust　my　son　is　in　safety；　to　take　vengeance　on　thy　treason。〃

The　rage　of　El　Zagal　was　without　bounds　when　he　learnt　that　his　intended　victim　had　escaped。　　In　his　fury　he　slew　the　prince　Aben　Haxig；　and　his　followers　fell　upon　and　massacred　the　Abencerrages。　　As　to　the　proud　sultana；　she　was　borne　away　prisoner　and　loaded　with　revilings　as　having　upheld　her　son　in　his　rebellion　and　fomented　a　civil　war。

The　unfortunate　Boabdil　had　been　apprised　of　his　danger　by　a　faithful　soldier　just　in　time　to　make　his　escape。　　Throwing　himself　on　one　of　his　fleetest　horses　and　followed　by　a　handful　of　adherents；　he　galloped　in　the　confusion　out　of　the　gates　of　Almeria。　Several　of　the　cavalry　of　El　Zagal；　stationed　without　the　walls；　perceived　his　flight　and　attempted　to　pursue　him；　their　horses　were　jaded　with　travel；　and　he　soon　left　them　far　behind。　　But　whither　was　he　to　fly？　　Every　fortress　and　castle　in　the　kingdom　of　Granada　was　closed　against　him；　he　knew　not　whom　among　the　Moors　to　trust；　for　they　had　been　taught　to　detest　him　as　a　traitor　and　an　apostate。　He　had　no　alternative　but　to　seek　refuge　among　the　Christians；　his　hereditary　enemies。　　With　heavy　heart　he　turned　his　horse's　head　toward　Cordova。　　He　had　to　lurk；　like　a　fugitive；　through　a　part　of　his　own　dominions；　nor　did　he　feel　himself　secure　until　he　had　passed　the　frontier　and　beheld　the　mountain…barrier　of　his　country　towering　behind　him。　　Then　it　was　that　he　became　conscious　of　his　humiliated　statea　fugitive　from　his　throne；　an　outcast　from　his　nation；　a　king　without　a　kingdom。　　He　smote　his　breast　in　an　agony　of　grief。　　〃Evil　indeed；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃was　the　day　of　my　birth；　and　truly　I　was　named　El　Zogoybi；　the　Unlucky。〃

He　entered　the　gates　of　Cordova　with　downcast　countenance　and　with　a　train　of　but　forty　followers。　　The　sovereigns　were　absent；　but　the　cavaliers　of　Andalusia　manifested　that　sympathy　in　the　misfortunes　of　the　monarch　which　becomes　men　of　lofty　and　chivalrous　souls。　　They　received　him　with　great　distinction；　attended　him　with　the　utmost　courtesy；　and　he　was　honorably　entertained　by　the　civil　and　military　commanders　of　that　ancient　city。

In　the　mean　time；　El　Zagal　put　a　new　alcayde　over　Almeria　to　govern　in　the　name　of　his　brother；　and；　having　strongly　garrisoned　the　place；　repaired　to　Malaga；　where　an　attack　of　the　Christians　was　apprehended。　　The　young　monarch　being　driven　out　of　the　land；　and　the　old　monarch　blind　and　bedridden；　El　Zagal　at　the　head　of　the　armies　was　virtually　the　sovereign　of　Granada。　　He　was　supported　by　the　brave　and　powerful　families　of　the　Alnayans　and　Vanegas；　the　people　were　pleased　with　having　a　new　idol　to　look　up　to　and　a　new　name　to　shout　forth；　and　El　Zagal　was　hailed　with　acclamations　as　the　main　hope　of　the　nation。



CHAPTER　XXIX。

HOW　KING　FERDINAND　COMMENCED　ANOTHER　CAMPAIGN　AGAINST　　　　　THE　MOORS；　AND　HOW　HE　LAID　SIEGE　TO　COIN　AND　CARTAMA。


The　recent　effect　of　the　battering　ordnance　in　demolishing　the　Moorish　fortresses　induced　King　Ferdinand　to　procure　a　powerful　train　for　the　campaign　of　1485；　intending　to　assault　some　of　the　most　formidable　holds　of　the　enemy。

An　army　of　nine　thousand　cavalry　and　twenty　thousand　infantry　assembled　at　Cordova　early　in　the　spring；　and　the　king　took　the　field　on　the　5th　of　April。　　It　had　been　determined　in　secret　council　to　attack　the　city　of　Malaga；　that　ancient　and　important　seaport　on　which　Granada　depended　for　foreign　aid　and　supplies。　　It　was　thought　proper　previously；　however；　to　get　possession　of　various　towns　and　fortresses　in　the　valleys　of　Santa　Maria　and　Cartama；　through　which　pass　the　roads　to　Malaga。

The　first　place　assailed　was　the　town　of　Benamexi　or　Bonameji。　　It　had　submitted　to　the　Catholic　sovereigns　in　the　preceding　year；　but　had　since　renounced　its　allegiance。　　King　Ferdinand　was　enraged　at　the　rebellion　of　the　inhabitants。　　〃I　will　make　their　punishment；〃　said　he；　〃a　terror　to　others：　they　shall　be　loyal　through　force；　if　not　through　faith。〃　　The　place　was　carried　by　storm：　one　hundred　and　eight　of　the　principal　inhabitants　were　either　put　to　the　sword　or　hanged　on　the　battlements；　the　rest　were　carried　into　captivity。*

*Pulgar；　Garibay；　Cura　de　los　Palacios。


The　towns　of　Coin　and　Cartama　were　besieged　on　the　same　day　the　first　by　a　division　of　the　army　led　on　by　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　the　second　by　another　division　commanded　by　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　and　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero；　the　brave　senior　of　Palma。　　The　king；　with　the　rest　of　the　army；　remained　posted　between　the　two　places　to　render　assistance　to　either　division。　　The　batteries　opened　upon　both　places　at　the　same　time；　and　the　thunder　of　the　lombards　was　mutually　heard　from　one　camp　to　the　other。　　The　Moors　made　frequent　sallies　and　a　valiant　defence；　but　they　were　confounded　by　the　tremendous　uproar　of　the　batteries　and　the　destruction　of　their　walls。　　In　the　mean　time；　the　alarm…fires　gathered　together　the　Moorish　mountaineers　of　all　the　Serrania；　who　assembled　in　great　numbers　in　the　city　of　Monda；　about　a　league　from　Coin。　　They　made　several　attempts　to　enter　the　besieged　town；　but　in　vain：　they　were　each　time　intercepted　and　driven　back　by　the　Christians；　and　were　reduced　to　gaze　at　a　distance　in　despair　on　the　destruction　of　the　place。　　While　thus　situated　there　rode　one　day　into　Monda　a　fierce　and　haughty　Moorish　chieftain　at　the　head　of　a　band　of　swarthy　African　horsemen：　it　was　Hamet　el　Zegri；　the　fiery…spirited　alcayde　of　Ronda；　at　the　head　of　his　band　of　Gomeres。　　He　had　not　yet　recovered　from　the　rage　and　mortification　of　his　defeat　on　the　banks　of　the　Lopera　in　the　disastrous　foray　of　old　Bexir；　when　he　had　been　obliged　to　steal　back　furtively　to　his　mountains　with　the　loss　of　the　bravest　of　his　followers。　　He　had　ever　since　panted　for　revenge。　He　now　rode　among　the　host　of　warriors　assembled　at　Monda。　　〃Who　among　you；〃　cried　he；　〃feels　pity　for　the　women　and　children　of　Coin　exposed　to　captivity　and　death？　　Whoever　he　is；　let　him　follow　me；　who　am　ready　to　die　as　a　Moslem　for　the　relief　of　Moslems。〃　　So　saying；　he　seized　a　white　banner；　and；　waving　it　over　his　head；　rode　forth　from　the　town；　followed　by　the　Gomeres。　　Many　of　the　warriors；　roused　by　his　words　and　his　example；　spurred　resolutely　after　his　banner。　　The　people　of　Coin；　being　prepared　for　this　attempt；　sallied　forth　as　they　saw　the　white　banner　and　made　an　attack　upon　the　Christian　camp；　and　in　the　confusion　of　the　moment　Hamet　and　his　followers　galloped　into　the　gates。　　This　reinforcement　animated　the　besieged；　and　Hamet　exhorted　them　to　hold　out　obstinately　in　defence　of　life　and　town。　　As　the　Gomeres　were　veteran　warriors；　the　more　they　were　attacked　the　harder　they　fought。

At　length　a　great　breach　was　made　in　th