chronicle of the conquest of granada-第4章

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t　dilapidation　of　ages。

*Zurita；　lib。　20；　c。　42。


The　city　was　surrounded　by　high　walls；　three　leagues　in　circuit；　furnished　with　twelve　gates　and　a　thousand　and　thirty　towers。　　Its　elevation　above　the　sea　and　the　neighborhood　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　crowned　with　perpetual　snows　tempered　the　fervid　rays　of　summer；　so　that　while　other　cities　were　panting　with　the　sultry　and　stifling　heat　of　the　dog…days；　the　most　salubrious　breezes　played　through　the　marble　halls　of　Granada。

The　glory　of　the　city；　however；　was　its　Vega　or　plain；　which　spread　out　to　a　circumference　of　thirty…seven　leagues；　surrounded　by　lofty　mountains；　and　was　proudly　compared　to　the　famous　plain　of　Damascus。　It　was　a　vast　garden　of　delight；　refreshed　by　numerous　fountains　and　by　the　silver　windings　of　the　Xenil。　　The　labor　and　ingenuity　of　the　Moors　had　diverted　the　waters　of　this　river　into　thousands　of　rills　and　streams；　and　diffused　them　over　the　whole　surface　of　the　plain。　Indeed；　they　had　wrought　up　this　happy　region　to　a　degree　of　wonderful　prosperity；　and　took　a　pride　in　decorating　it　as　if　it　had　been　a　favorite　mistress。　　The　hills　were　clothed　with　orchards　and　vineyards；　the　valleys　embroidered　with　gardens；　and　the　wide　plains　covered　with　waving　grain。　　Here　were　seen　in　profusion　the　orange；　the　citron；　the　fig；　and　the　pomegranate；　with　great　plantations　of　mulberry　trees；　from　which　was　produced　the　finest　silk。　　The　vine　clambered　from　tree　to　tree；　the　grapes　hung　in　rich　clusters　about　the　peasant's　cottage；　and　the　groves　were　rejoiced　by　the　perpetual　song　of　the　nightingale。　　In　a　word；　so　beautiful　was　the　earth；　so　pure　the　air；　and　so　serene　the　sky　of　this　delicious　region　that　the　Moors　imagined　the　paradise　of　their　Prophet　to　be　situated　in　that　part　of　the　heaven　which　overhung　the　kingdom　of　Granada。

Within　this　favored　realm；　so　prodigally　endowed　and　strongly　fortified　by　nature；　the　Moslem　wealth；　valor；　and　intelligence；　which　had　once　shed　such　a　lustre　over　Spain；　had　gradually　retired；　and　here　they　made　their　final　stand。　　Granada　had　risen　to　splendor　on　the　ruin　of　other　Moslem　kingdoms；　but　in　so　doing　had　become　the　sole　object　of　Christian　hostility；　and　had　to　maintain　its　very　existence　by　the　sword。　　The　Moorish　capital　accordingly　presented　a　singular　scene　of　Asiatic　luxury　and　refinement；　mingled　with　the　glitter　and　the　din　of　arms。　　Letters　were　still　cultivated；　philosophy　and　poetry　had　their　schools　and　disciples；　and　the　language　spoken　was　said　to　be　the　most　elegant　Arabic。　　A　passion　for　dress　and　ornament　pervaded　all　ranks。　That　of　the　princesses　and　ladies　of　high　rank；　says　Al　Kattib；　one　of　their　own　writers；　was　carried　to　a　height　of　luxury　and　magnificence　that　bordered　on　delirium。　　They　wore　girdles　and　bracelets　and　anklets　of　gold　and　silver；　wrought　with　exquisite　art　and　delicacy　and　studded　with　jacinths；　chrysolites；　emeralds；　and　other　precious　stones。　　They　were　fond　of　braiding　and　decorating　their　beautiful　long　tresses　or　confining　them　in　knots　sparkling　with　jewels。　　They　were　finely　formed；　excessively　fair；　graceful　in　their　manners；　and　fascinating　in　their　conversation；　when　they　smiled；　says　Al　Kattib；　they　displayed　teeth　of　dazzling　whiteness；　and　their　breath　was　as　the　perfume　of　flowers。

The　Moorish　cavaliers；　when　not　in　armor；　delighted　in　dressing　themselves　in　Persian　style；　in　garments　of　wool；　of　silk；　or　cotton　of　the　finest　texture；　beautifully　wrought　with　stripes　of　various　colors。　In　winter　they　wore；　as　an　outer　garment；　the　African　cloak　or　Tunisian　albornoz；　but　in　the　heat　of　summer　they　arrayed　themselves　in　linen　of　spotless　whiteness。　　The　same　luxury　prevailed　in　their　military　equipments。　Their　armor　was　inlaid　and　chased　with　gold　and　silver。　　The　sheaths　of　their　scimetars　were　richly　labored　and　enamelled；　the　blades　were　of　Damascus　bearing　texts　from　the　Koran　or　martial　and　amorous　mottoes；　the　belts　were　of　golden　filigree　studded　with　gems；　their　poniards　of　Fez　were　wrought　in　the　arabesque　fashion；　their　lances　bore　gay　bandaroles；　their　horses　were　sumptuously　caparisoned　with　housings　of　green　and　crimson　velvet；　wrought　with　silk　and　enamelled　with　gold　and　silver。　All　this　warlike　luxury　of　the　youthful　chivalry　was　encouraged　by　the　Moorish　kings；　who　ordained　that　no　tax　should　be　imposed　on　the　gold　and　silver　employed　in　these　embellishments；　and　the　same　　exxfxception　was　extended　to　the　bracelets　and　other　ornaments　worn　by　the　fair　dames　of　Granada。

Of　the　chivalrous　gallantry　which　prevailed　between　the　sexes　in　this　romantic　period　of　Moorish　history　we　have　traces　in　the　thousand　ballads　which　have　come　down　to　our　day；　and　which　have　given　a　tone　and　coloring　to　Spanish　amatory　literature　and　to　everything　in　Spain　connected　with　the　tender　passion。

War　was　the　normal　state　of　Granada　and　its　inhabitants；　the　common　people　were　subject　at　any　moment　to　be　summoned　to　the　field；　and　all　the　upper　class　was　a　brilliant　chivalry。　　The　Christian　princes；　so　successful　in　regaining　the　rest　of　the　Peninsula；　found　their　triumphs　checked　at　the　mountain…boundaries　of　this　kingdom。　　Every　peak　had　its　atalaya；　or　watch…tower；　ready　to　make　its　fire　by　night　or　to　send　up　its　column　of　smoke　by　day；　a　signal　of　invasion　at　which　the　whole　country　was　on　the　alert。　　To　penetrate　the　defiles　of　this　perilous　country；　to　surprise　a　frontier　fortress；　or　to　make　a　foray　into　the　Vega　and　a　hasty　ravage　within　sight　of　the　very　capital　were　among　the　most　favorite　and　daring　exploits　of　the　Castilian　chivalry。　　But　they　never　pretended　to　hold　the　region　thus　ravaged；　it　was　sack；　burn；　plunder；　and　away；　and　these　desolating　inroads　were　retaliated　in　kind　by　the　Moorish　cavaliers；　whose　greatest　delight　was　a　〃tala；〃　or　predatory　incursion；　into　the　Christian　territories　beyond　the　mountains。

A　partisan　warfare　of　this　kind　had　long　existed　between　Granada　and　its　most　formidable　antagonists；　the　kingdoms　of　Castile　and　Leon。　It　was　one　which　called　out　the　keen　yet　generous　rivalry　of　Christian　and　Moslem　cavaliers；　and　gave　rise　to　individual　acts　of　chivalrous　gallantry　and　daring　prowess；　but　it　was　one　which　was　gradually　exhausting　the　resources　and　sapping　the　strength　of　Granada。　　One　of　the　latest　of　its　kings；　therefore；　Aben　Ismael　by　name；　disheartened　by　a　foray　which　had　laid　waste　the　Vega；　and　conscious　that　the　balance　of　warfare　was　against　his　kingdom；　made　a　truce　in　1457　with　Henry　IV。；　king　of　Castile　and　Leon；　stipulating　to　pay　him　an　annual　tribute　of　twelve　thousand　doblas　or　pistoles　of　gold；　and　to　liberate　annually　six　hundred　Christian　captives；　or　in　default　of　captives　to　give　an　equal　number　of　Moors　as　hostages；all　to　be　delivered　at　the　city　of　Cordova。*

*Garibay；　Compend。；　1。17；　c。　3。


The　truce；　however；　was　of　a　partial　nature；　with　singular　reservations。　　It　did　not　include　the　Moorish　frontier　toward　Jaen；　which　was　to　remain　open　for　the　warlike　enterprises　of　either　nation；　neither　did　it　prohibit　sudden　attacks　upon　towns　and　castles；　provided　they　were　mere　forays；　conducted　furtively；　without　sound　of　trumpet　or　display　of　banners　or　pitching　of　camps　or　regular　investment；　and　that　they　did　not　last　above　three　days。*

*Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　1。　20；　c。　42；　Mariana；　Hist。　de　Espana　1。　　25；　c。　1；　Bleda；　Coron。　de　los　Moros；　l。　5；　c。　3。


Aben　Ismael　was　faithful　in　observing　the　conditions　of　the　truce；　but　they　were　regarded　with　impatience　by　his　eldest　son；　Muley　Abul　Hassan；　a　prince　of　a　fiery　and　belligerent　spirit；　and　fond　of　casing　himself　in　armor　and　mounting　his　war…horse。　　He　had　been　present　at　Cordova　at　one　of　the　payments　of　tribute；　and　had　witnessed　the　scoffs　and　taunts　of　the　Christians；　and　his　blood　boiled　whenever　he　recalled　the　humiliating　scene。　　When　he　came　to　the　throne　in　1465；　on　the　death　of　his　father；　he　ceased　the　payment　of　the　tribute　altogether；　and　it　was　sufficient　to　put　him　into　a　tempest　of　rage　only　to　mention　it。

〃He　was　a　fierce　and　warlike　infidel；〃　says　the　pious　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃his　bitterness　against　the　holy　Christian　faith　had　been　signalized　in　battle　during　the　lifetime　of　his　father；　and　the　same　diab