chronicle of the conquest of granada-第53章

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der；　and　founding　churches　and　monasteries　and　other　pious　institutions。　　〃While　the　king　marched　in　front；　laying　waste　the　land　of　the　Philistines；〃　says　the　figurative　Antonio　Agapida；　〃Queen　Isabella　followed　his　traces　as　the　binder　follows　the　reaper；　gathering　and　garnering　the　rich　harvest　that　has　fallen　beneath　his　sickle。　　In　this　she　was　greatly　assisted　by　the　counsels　of　that　cloud　of　bishops；　friars；　and　other　saintly　men　which　continually　surrounded　her；　garnering　the　first　fruits　of　this　infidel　land　into　the　granaries　of　the　Church。〃　　Leaving　her　thus　piously　employed；　the　king　pursued　his　career　of　conquest；　determined　to　lay　waste　the　Vega　and　carry　fire　and　sword　to　the　very　gates　of　Granada。



CHAPTER　XLIV。

HOW　KING　FERDINAND　FORAGED　THE　VEGA；　AND　OF　THE　BATTLE　　　　　OF　THE　BRIDGE　OF　PINOS；　AND　THE　FATE　OF　THE　TWO　　　　　MOORISH　BROTHERS。


Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal　had　been　under　a　spell　of　ill…fortune　ever　since　the　suspicious　death　of　the　old　king　his　brother。　　Success　had　deserted　his　standard；　and　with　his　fickle　subjects　want　of　success　was　one　of　the　greatest　crimes　in　a　sovereign。　　He　found　his　popularity　declining；　and　he　lost　all　confidence　in　his　people。　　The　Christian　army　marched　in　open　defiance　through　his　territories；　and　sat　down　deliberately　before　his　fortresses；　yet　he　dared　not　lead　forth　his　legions　to　oppose　them；　lest　the　inhabitants　of　the　Albaycin；　ever　ripe　for　a　revolt；　should　rise　and　shut　the　gates　of　Granada　against　his　return。

Every　few　days　some　melancholy　train　entered　the　metropolis；　the　inhabitants　of　some　captured　town　bearing　the　few　effects　spared　them；　and　weeping　and　bewailing　the　desolation　of　their　homes。　When　the　tidings　arrived　that　Illora　and　Moclin　had　fallen；　the　people　were　seized　with　consternation。　　〃The　right　eye　of　Granada　is　extinguished；〃　exclaimed　they；　〃the　shield　of　Granada　is　broken：　what　shall　protect　us　from　the　inroad　of　the　foe？〃　　When　the　survivors　of　the　garrisons　of　those　towns　arrived；　with　downcast　looks；　bearing　the　marks　of　battle　and　destitute　of　arms　and　standards；　the　populace　reviled　them　in　their　wrath；　but　they　answered；　〃We　fought　as　long　as　we　had　force　to　fight　or　walls　to　shelter　us；　but　the　Christians　laid　our　town　and　battlements　in　ruins；　and　we　looked　in　vain　for　aid　from　Granada。〃

The　alcaydes　of　Illora　and　Moclin　were　brothers；　they　were　alike　in　prowess　and　the　bravest　among　the　Moorish　cavaliers。　　They　had　been　the　most　distinguished　in　those　tilts　and　tourneys　which　graced　the　happier　days　of　Granada；　and　had　distinguished　themselves　in　the　sterner　conflicts　of　the　field。　　Acclamation　had　always　followed　their　banners；　and　they　had　long　been　the　delight　of　the　people。　　Yet　now；　when　they　returned　after　the　capture　of　their　fortresses；　they　were　followed　by　the　unsteady　populace　with　execrations。　　The　hearts　of　the　alcaydes　swelled　with　indignation；　they　found　the　ingratitude　of　their　countrymen　still　more　intolerable　than　the　hostility　of　the　Christians。

Tidings　came　that　the　enemy　was　advancing　with　his　triumphant　legions　to　lay　waste　the　country　about　Granada。　　Still　El　Zagal　did　not　dare　to　take　the　field。　　The　two　alcaydes　of　Illora　and　Moclin　stood　before　him。　　〃We　have　defended　your　fortresses；〃　said　they；　〃until　we　were　almost　buried　under　their　ruins；　and　for　our　reward　we　receive　scoffings　and　revilings：　give　us；　O　king；　an　opportunity　where　knightly　valor　may　signalize　itselfnot　shut　up　behind　stone　walls；　but　in　the　open　conflict　of　the　field。　　The　enemy　approaches　to　lay　our　country　desolate：　give　us　men　to　meet　him　in　the　advance；　and　let　shame　light　upon　our　heads　if　we　be　found　wanting　in　the　battle！〃

The　two　brothers　were　sent　forth　with　a　large　force　of　horse　and　foot；　El　Zagal　intended；　should　they　be　successful；　to　issue　forth　with　his　whole　force；　and　by　a　decisive　victory　repair　the　losses　he　had　suffered。　　When　the　people　saw　the　well…known　standards　of　the　brothers　going　forth　to　battle；　there　was　a　feeble　shout；　but　the　alcaydes　passed　on　with　stern　countenances；　for　they　knew　the　same　voices　would　curse　them　were　they　to　return　unfortunate。　They　cast　a　farewell　look　upon　fair　Granada　and　upon　the　beautiful　fields　of　their　infancy；　as　if　for　these　they　were　willing　to　lay　down　their　lives；　but　not　for　an　ungrateful　people。

The　army　of　Ferdinand　had　arrived　within　two　leagues　of　Granada；　at　the　bridge　of　Pinos；　a　pass　famous　in　the　wars　of　the　Moors　and　Christians　for　many　a　bloody　conflict。　　It　was　the　pass　by　which　the　Castilian　monarchs　generally　made　their　inroads；　and　was　capable　of　great　defence　from　the　ruggedness　of　the　country　and　the　difficulty　of　the　bridge。　　The　king；　with　the　main　body　of　the　army；　had　attained　the　brow　of　a　hill；　when　they　beheld　the　advance　guard；　under　the　marques　of　Cadiz　and　the　master　of　Santiago；　furiously　attacked　by　the　enemy　in　the　vicinity　of　the　bridge。　　The　Moors　rushed　to　the　assault　with　their　usual　shouts；　but　with　more　than　usual　ferocity。　　There　was　a　hard　struggle　at　the　bridge；　both　parties　knew　the　importance　of　that　pass。

The　king　particularly　noted　the　prowess　of　two　Moorish　cavaliers；　alike　in　arms　and　devices；　and　whom　by　their　bearing　and　attendance　he　perceived　to　be　commanders　of　the　enemy。　　They　were　the　two　brothers；　the　alcaydes　of　Illora　and　Moclin。　　Wherever　they　turned　they　carried　confusion　and　death　into　the　ranks　of　the　Christians；　but　they　fought　with　desperation　rather　than　valor。　　The　count　de　Cabra　and　his　brother　Don　Martin　de　Cordova　pressed　forward　with　eagerness　against　them；　but；　having　advanced　too　precipitately；　were　surrounded　by　the　foe　and　in　imminent　danger。　　A　young　Christian　knight；　seeing　their　peril；　hastened　with　his　followers　to　their　relief。　　The　king　recognized　him　for　Don　Juan　de　Aragon；　count　of　Ribargoza；　his　own　nephew；　for　he　was　illegitimate　son　of　the　duke　of　Villahermosa；　illegitimate　brother　of　King　Ferdinand。　　The　splendid　armor　of　Don　Juan　and　the　sumptuous　caparison　of　his　steed　rendered　him　a　brilliant　object　of　attack。　　He　was　assailed　on　all　sides　and　his　superb　steed　slain　under　him；　yet　still　he　fought　valiantly；　bearing　for　a　time　the　brunt　of　the　fight　and　giving　the　exhausted　forces　of　the　count　de　Cabra　time　to　recover　breath。

Seeing　the　peril　of　these　troops　and　the　general　obstinacy　of　the　fight；　the　king　ordered　the　royal　standard　to　be　advanced；　and　hastened　with　all　his　forces　to　the　relief　of　the　count　de　Cabra。　　At　his　approach　the　enemy　gave　way　and　retreated　toward　the　bridge。　The　two　Moorish　commanders　endeavored　to　rally　their　troops　and　animate　them　to　defend　this　pass　to　the　utmost：　they　used　prayers；　remonstrances；　menaces；　but　almost　in　vain。　　They　could　only　collect　a　scanty　handful　of　cavaliers；　with　these　they　planted　themselves　at　the　head　of　the　bridge　and　disputed　it　inch　by　inch。　　The　fight　was　hot　and　obstinate；　for　but　few　could　contend　hand　to　hand；　yet　many　discharged　crossbows　and　arquebuses　from　the　banks。　　The　river　was　covered　with　the　floating　bodies　of　the　slain。　　The　Moorish　band　of　cavaliers　was　almost　entirely　cut　to　pieces；　the　two　brothers　fell；　covered　with　wounds；　upon　the　bridge　they　had　so　resolutely　defended。　　They　had　given　up　the　battle　for　lost；　but　had　determined　not　to　return　alive　to　ungrateful　Granada。

When　the　people　of　the　capital　heard　how　devotedly　they　had　fallen；　they　lamented　greatly　their　deaths　and　extolled　their　memory：　a　column　was　erected　to　their　honor　in　the　vicinity　of　the　bridge；　which　long　went　by　the　name　of　〃the　Tomb　of　the　Brothers。〃

The　army　of　Ferdinand　now　marched　on　and　established　its　camp　in　the　vicinity　of　Granada。　　The　worthy　Agapida　gives　many　triumphant　details　of　the　ravages　committed　in　the　Vega；　which　was　again　laid　waste；　the　grain；　fruits；　and　other　productions　of　the　earth　destroyed；　and　that　earthly　paradise　rendered　a　dreary　desert。　He　narrates　several　fierce　but　ineffectual　sallies　and　skirmishes　of　the　Moors　in　defence　of　their　favorite　plain；　among　which　one　deserves　to　be　mentioned；　as　it　records　the　achievements　of　one　of　the　saintly　heroes　of　this　war。

During　one　of　the　movements　of　the　Christian　army　near　the　walls　of　Granada　a　battalion　of　fifteen　hundred　cavalry　and