chronicle of the conquest of granada-第50章

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the　towers　toppled　down　by　tremendous　discharges　from　the　lombards。　Through　the　openings　thus　made　they　could　behold　the　interior　of　the　cityhouses　tumbling　or　in　flames；　men；　women；　and　children　flying　in　terror　through　the　streets；　and　slaughtered　by　the　shower　of　missiles　sent　through　the　openings　from　smaller　artillery　and　from　crossbows　and　arquebuses。

The　Moors　attempted　to　repair　the　breaches；　but　fresh　discharges　from　the　lombards　buried　them　beneath　the　ruins　of　the　walls　they　were　mending。　　In　their　despair　many　of　the　inhabitants　rushed　forth　into　the　narrow　streets　of　the　suburbs　and　assailed　the　Christians　with　darts；　scimetars；　and　poniards；　seeking　to　destroy　rather　than　defend；　and　heedless　of　death　in　the　confidence　that　to　die　fighting　with　an　unbeliever　was　to　be　translated　at　once　to　Paradise。

For　two　nights　and　a　day　this　awful　scene　continued；　when　certain　of　the　principal　inhabitants　began　to　reflect　upon　the　hopelessness　of　the　conflict：　their　king　was　disabled；　their　principal　captains　were　either　killed　or　wounded；　their　fortifications　little　better　than　heaps　of　ruins。　　They　had　urged　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　to　the　conflict；　they　now　clamored　for　a　capitulation。　　A　parley　was　procured　from　the　Christian　monarch；　and　the　terms　of　surrender　were　soon　adjusted。　They　were　to　yield　up　the　city　immediately；　with　all　their　Christian　captives；　and　to　sally　forth　with　as　much　of　their　property　as　they　could　take　with　them。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz；　on　whose　honor　and　humanity　they　had　great　reliance；　was　to　escort　them　to　Granada　to　protect　them　from　assault　or　robbery：　such　as　chose　to　remain　in　Spain　were　to　be　permitted　to　reside　in　Castile；　Aragon；　or　Valencia。　As　to　Boabdil　el　Chico；　he　was　to　do　homage　as　vassal　to　King　Ferdinand；　but　no　charge　was　to　be　urged　against　him　of　having　violated　his　former　pledge。　　If　he　should　yield　up　all　pretensions　to　Granada；　the　title　of　duke　of　Guadix　was　to　be　assigned　to　him　and　the　territory　thereto　annexed；　provided　it　should　be　recovered　from　El　Zagal　within　six　months。

The　capitulation　being　arranged；　they　gave　as　hostages　the　alcayde

of　the　city　and　the　principal　officers；　together　with　the　sons　of　their　late　chieftain；　the　veteran　Ali　Atar。　　The　warriors　of　Loxa　then　issued　forth；　humbled　and　dejected　at　having　to　surrender　those　walls　which　they　had　so　long　maintained　with　valor　and　renown；　and　the　women　and　children　filled　the　air　with　lamentations　at　being　exiled　from　their　native　homes。

Last　came　forth　Boabdil；　most　truly　called　El　Zogoybi；　the　Unlucky。　Accustomed；　as　he　was；　to　be　crowned　and　uncrowned；　to　be　ransomed　and　treated　as　a　matter　of　bargain；　he　had　acceded　of　course　to　the　capitulation。　　He　was　enfeebled　by　his　wounds　and　had　an　air　of　dejection；　yet；　it　is　said；　his　conscience　acquitted　him　of　a　breach　of　faith　toward　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　and　the　personal　valor　he　had　displayed　had　caused　a　sympathy　for　him　among　many　of　the　Christian　cavaliers。　　He　knelt　to　Ferdinand　according　to　the　forms　of　vassalage；　and　then　departed　in　melancholy　mood　for　Priego；　a　town　about　three　leagues　distant。

Ferdinand　immediately　ordered　Loxa　to　be　repaired　and　strongly　garrisoned。　　He　was　greatly　elated　at　the　capture　of　this　place；　in　consequence　of　his　former　defeat　before　its　walls。　　He　passed　great　encomiums　upon　the　commanders　who　had　distinguished　themselves；　and　historians　dwelt　particularly　upon　his　visit　to　the　tent　of　the　English　earl。　　His　Majesty　consoled　him　for　the　loss　of　his　teeth　by　the　consideration　that　he　might　otherwise　have　lost　them　by　natural　decay；　whereas　the　lack　of　them　would　now　be　esteemed　a　beauty　rather　than　a　defect；　serving　as　a　trophy　of　the　glorious　cause　in　which　he　had　been　engaged。

The　earl　replied　that　he　gave　thanks　to　God　and　to　the　Holy　Virgin　for　being　thus　honored　by　a　visit　from　the　most　potent　king　in　Christendom；　that　he　accepted　with　all　gratitude　his　gracious　consolation　for　the　loss　of　his　teeth；　though　he　held　it　little　to　lose　two　teeth　in　the　service　of　God；　who　had　given　him　all〃A　speech；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃full　of　most　courtly　wit　and　Christian　piety；　and　one　only　marvels　that　it　should　have　been　made　by　a　native　of　an　island　so　far　distant　from　Castile。〃



CHAPTER　XLI。

CAPTURE　OF　ILLORA。


King　Ferdinand　followed　up　his　victory　at　Loxa　by　laying　siege　to　the　strong　town　of　Illora。　　This　redoubtable　fortress　was　perched　upon　a　high　rock　in　the　midst　of　a　spacious　valley。　　It　was　within　four　leagues　of　the　Moorish　capital；　and　its　lofty　castle；　keeping　vigilant　watch　over　a　wide　circuit　of　country；　was　termed　the　right　eye　of　Granada。

The　alcayde　of　Illora　was　one　of　the　bravest　of　the　Moorish　commanders；　and　made　every　preparation　to　defend　his　fortress　to　the　last　extremity。　　He　sent　the　women　and　children；　the　aged　and　infirm；　to　the　metropolis。　　He　placed　barricades　in　the　suburbs；　opened　doors　of　communication　from　house　to　house；　and　pierced　their　walls　with　loopholes　for　the　discharge　of　crossbows；　arquebuses；　and　other　missiles。

King　Ferdinand　arrived　before　the　place　with　all　his　forces；　he　stationed　himself　upon　the　hill　of　Encinilla；　and　distributed　the　other　encampments　in　various　situations　so　as　to　invest　the　fortress。　　Knowing　the　valiant　character　of　the　alcayde　and　the　desperate　courage　of　the　Moors；　he　ordered　the　encampments　to　be　fortified　with　trenches　and　palisadoes；　the　guards　to　be　doubled；　and　sentinels　to　be　placed　in　all　the　watch…towers　of　the　adjacent　heights。

When　all　was　ready　the　duke　del　Infantado　demanded　the　attack：　it　was　his　first　campaign；　and　he　was　anxious　to　disprove　the　royal　insinuation　made　against　the　hardihood　of　his　embroidered　chivalry。　King　Ferdinand　granted　his　demand；　with　a　becoming　compliment　to　his　spirit；　he　ordered　the　count　de　Cabra　to　make　a　simultaneous　attack　upon　a　different　quarter。　　Both　chiefs　led　forth　their　troops　those　of　the　duke　in　fresh　and　brilliant　armor；　richly　ornamented；　and　as　yet　uninjured　by　the　service　of　the　field；　those　of　the　count　were　weatherbeaten　veterans；　whose　armor　was　dented　and　hacked　in　many　a　hard…fought　battle。　　The　youthful　duke　blushed　at　the　contrast。　　〃Cavaliers；〃　cried　he；　〃we　have　been　reproached　with　the　finery　of　our　array：　let　us　prove　that　a　trenchant　blade　may　rest　in　a　gilded　sheath。　　Forward！　to　the　foe！　and　I　trust　in　God　that　as　we　enter　this　affray　knights　well　accoutred；　so　we　shall　leave　it　cavaliers　well　proved。〃　　His　men　responded　by　eager　acclamations；　and　the　duke　led　them　forward　to　the　assault。　　He　advanced　under　a　tremendous　shower　of　stones；　darts；　balls；　and　arrows；　but　nothing　could　check　his　career；　he　entered　the　suburb　sword　in　hand；　his　men　fought　furiously；　though　with　great　loss；　for　every　dwelling　had　been　turned　into　a　fortress。　　After　a　severe　conflict　they　succeeded　in　driving　the　Moors　into　the　town　about　the　same　time　that　the　other　suburb　was　carried　by　the　count　de　Cabra　and　his　veterans。　　The　troops　of　the　duke　del　Infantado　came　out　of　the　contest　thinned　in　number　and　covered　with　blood　and　dust　and　wounds；　they　received　the　highest　encomiums　of　the　king；　and　there　was　never　afterward　any　sneer　at　their　embroidery。

The　suburbs　being　taken；　three　batteries；　each　furnished　with　eight　huge　lombards；　were　opened　upon　the　fortress。　　The　damage　and　havoc　were　tremendous；　for　the　fortifications　had　not　been　constructed　to　withstand　such　engines。　　The　towers　were　overthrown；　the　walls　battered　to　pieces；　the　interior　of　the　place　was　all　exposed；　houses　were　demolished；　and　many　people　slain。　　The　Moors　were　terrified　by　the　tumbling　ruins　and　the　tremendous　din。　　The　alcayde　had　resolved　to　defend　the　place　until　the　last　extremity：　he　beheld　it　a　heap　of　rubbish；　there　was　no　prospect　of　aid　from　Granada；　his　people　had　lost　all　spirit　to　fight　and　were　vociferous　for　a　surrender；　with　a　reluctant　heart　he　capitulated。　　The　inhabitants　were　permitted　to　depart　with　all　their　effects；　excepting　their　arms；　and　were　escorted　in　safety　by　the　duke　del　Infantado　and　the　count　de　Cabra　to　the　bridge　of　Pinos；　within　two　leagues　of　Granada。

King　Ferdinand　gave　directions　to　repair　the　fortifications　of　Illora　and　to　place　it　in　a　str