chronicle of the conquest of granada-第57章

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my　to　render　service　to　Heaven　and　make　war　upon　the　Moors。*　　Heavy　rains　had　swelled　all　the　streams　and　rendered　the　roads　deep　and　difficult。　　The　king；　therefore；　divided　his　host　into　two　bodies。　　In　one　he　put　all　the　artillery；　guarded　by　a　strong　body　of　horse；　and　commanded　by　the　master　of　Alcantara　and　Martin　Alonso；　senior　of　Montemayor。　　This　division　was　to　proceed　by　the　road　through　the　valleys；　where　pasturage　abounded　for　the　oxen　which　drew　the　ordnance。

*Pulgar；　Cronica　de　los　Reyes　Catholicos。


The　main　body　of　the　army　was　led　by　the　king　in　person。　　It　was　divided　into　numerous　battalions；　each　commanded　by　some　distinguished　cavalier。　　The　king　took　the　rough　and　perilous　road　of　the　mountains；　and　few　mountains　are　more　rugged　and　difficult　than　those　of　Andalusia。　　The　roads　are　mere　mule…paths　straggling　amidst　rocks　and　along　the　verge　of　precipices；　clambering　vast　craggy　heights；　or　descending　into　frightful　chasms　and　ravines；　with　scanty　and　uncertain　foothold　for　either　man　or　steed。　　Four　thousand　pioneers　were　sent　in　advance；　under　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles；　to　conquer　in　some　degree　the　asperities　of　the　road。　　Some　had　pickaxes　and　crowbars　to　break　the　rocks；　others　had　implements　to　construct　bridges　over　the　mountain…torrents；　while　it　was　the　duty　of　others　to　lay　stepping…stones　in　the　smaller　streams。　　As　the　country　was　inhabited　by　fierce　Moorish　mountaineers；　Don　Diego　de　Castrillo　was　despatched　with　a　body　of　horse　and　foot　to　take　possession　of　the　heights　and　passes。　　Notwithstanding　every　precaution；　the　royal　army　suffered　excessively　on　its　march。　　At　one　time　there　was　no　place　to　encamp　for　five　leagues　of　the　most　toilsome　and　mountainous　country；　and　many　of　the　beasts　of　burden　sank　down　and　perished　on　the　road。

It　was　with　the　greatest　joy；　therefore；　that　the　royal　army　emerged　from　these　stern　and　frightful　defiles；　and　came　to　where　they　looked　down　upon　the　vega　of　Velez　Malaga。　　The　region　before　them　was　one　of　the　most　delectable　to　the　eye　that　ever　was　ravaged　by　an　army。　　Sheltered　from　every　rude　blast　by　a　screen　of　mountains；　and　sloping　and　expanding　to　the　south；　this　lovely　valley　was　quickened　by　the　most　generous　sunshine；　watered　by　the　silver　meanderings　of　the　Velez；　and　refreshed　by　cooling　breezes　from　the　Mediterranean。　The　sloping　hills　were　covered　with　vineyards　and　olive　trees；　the　distant　fields　waved　with　grain　or　were　verdant　with　pasturage；　while　round　the　city　were　delightful　gardens；　the　favorite　retreats　of　the　Moors；　where　their　white　pavilions　gleamed　among　groves　of　oranges；　citrons；　and　pomegranates；　and　were　surrounded　by　stately　palms　those　plants　of　southern　growth　bespeaking　a　generous　climate　and　a　cloudless　sky。

In　the　upper　part　of　this　delightful　valley　the　city　of　Velez　Malaga　reared　its　warrior　battlements　in　stern　contrast　to　the　landscape。　It　was　built　on　the　declivity　of　a　steep　and　insulated　hill；　and　strongly　fortified　by　walls　and　towers。　　The　crest　of　the　hill　rose　high　above　the　town　into　a　mere　crag；　inaccessible　on　every　other　side；　and　crowned　by　a　powerful　castle；　which　domineered　over　the　surrounding　country。　　Two　suburbs　swept　down　into　the　valley　from　the　skirts　of　the　town；　and　were　defended　by　bulwarks　and　deep　ditches。　　The　vast　ranges　of　gray　mountains；　often　capped　with　clouds；　which　rose　to　the　north；　were　inhabited　by　a　hardy　and　warlike　race；　whose　strong　fortresses　of　Comares；　Canillas；　Competa；　and　Benamargosa　frowned　down　from　cragged　heights。

When　the　Christian　host　arrived　in　sight　of　this　valley；　a　squadron　was　hovering　on　the　smooth　sea　before　it　displaying　the　banner　of　Castile。　　This　was　commanded　by　the　count　of　Trevento；　and　consisted　of　four　armed　galleys；　convoying　a　number　of　caravels　laden　with　supplies　for　the　army。

After　surveying　the　ground；　King　Ferdinand　encamped　on　the　side　of　a　mountain　which　advanced　close　to　the　city；　and　was　the　last　of　a　rugged　sierra；　or　chain　of　heights；　that　extended　quite　to　Granada。　　On　the　summit　of　this　mountain；　and　overlooking　the　camp；　was　a　Moorish　town；　powerfully　fortified；　called　Bentomiz；　considered　capable　of　yielding　great　assistance　to　Velez　Malaga。　　Several　of　the　generals　remonstrated　with　the　king　for　choosing　a　post　so　exposed　to　assaults　from　the　mountaineers；　but　he　replied　that　he　should　thus　cut　off　all　communication　between　Bentomiz　and　the　city；　and　that；　as　to　the　danger；　his　soldiers　must　keep　the　more　vigilant　guard　against　surprise。

King　Ferdinand　rode　about；　attended　by　several　cavaliers　and　a　small　number　of　cuirassiers；　appointing　the　various　stations　of　the　camp。　Having　directed　a　body　of　foot…soldiers　to　possess　themselves；　as　an　advanced　guard；　of　an　important　height　which　overlooked　the　city；　he　retired　to　a　tent　to　take　refreshment。　　While　at　table　he　was　startled　by　a　sudden　uproar；　and；　looking　forth；　beheld　his　soldiers　flying　before　a　superior　force　of　the　enemy。　　The　king　had　on　no　other　armor　but　a　cuirass：　seizing　a　lance；　however；　he　sprang　upon　his　horse　and　galloped　to　protect　the　fugitives；　followed　by　his　handful　of　knights　and　cuirassiers。　　When　the　soldiers　saw　the　king　hastening　to　their　aid；　they　turned　upon　their　pursuers。　　Ferdinand　in　his　eagerness　threw　himself　into　the　midst　of　the　foe。　　One　of　his　grooms　was　killed　beside　him；　but　before　the　Moor　who　slew　him　could　escape　the　king　transfixed　him　with　his　lance。　　He　then　sought　to　draw　his　sword；　which　hung　at　his　saddle…bow；　but　in　vain。　　Never　had　he　been　exposed　to　such　peril；　he　was　surrounded　by　the　enemy　without　a　weapon　wherewith　to　defend　himself。

In　this　moment　of　awful　jeopardy　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　the　count　de　Cabra；　the　adelantado　of　Murcia；　with　two　other　cavaliers；　named　Garcilasso　de　la　Vega　and　Diego　de　Atayde；　came　galloping　to　the　scene　of　action；　and；　surrounding　the　king；　made　a　rampart　of　their　bodies　against　the　assaults　of　the　Moors。　　The　horse　of　the　marques　was　pierced　by　an　arrow；　and　that　worthy　cavalier　exposed　to　imminent　danger；　but　with　the　aid　of　his　valorous　companions　he　quickly　put　the　enemy　to　flight；　and　pursued　them　with　slaughter　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city。

When　those　loyal　warriors　returned　from　the　pursuit　they　remonstrated　with　the　king　for　exposing　his　life　in　personal　　conflict；　seeing　that　he　had　so　many　valiant　captains　whose　business　it　was　to　fight。　　They　reminded　him　that　the　life　of　a　prince　was　the　life　of　his　people；　and　that　many　a　brave　army　was　lost　by　the　loss　of　its　commander。　　They　entreated　him；　therefore；　in　future　to　protect　them　with　the　force　of　his　mind　in　the　cabinet；　rather　than　of　his　arm　in　the　field。

Ferdinand　acknowledged　the　wisdom　of　their　advice；　but　declared　that　he　could　not　see　his　people　in　peril　without　venturing　his　person　to　assist　thema　reply　（say　the　old　chroniclers）　which　delighted　the　whole　army；　inasmuch　as　they　saw　that　he　not　only　governed　them　as　a　good　king；　but　protected　them　as　a　valiant　captain。　　He；　however；　was　conscious　of　the　extreme　peril　to　which　he　had　been　exposed；　and　made　a　vow　never　again　to　venture　into　battle　without　having　his　sword　girt　to　his　side。*

*Illescas；　Hist。　Pontif。；　lib。　6；　c。　20；　Vedmar；　Hist。　Velez　Malaga。


When　this　achievement　of　the　king　was　related　to　Isabella；　she　trembled　amidst　her　joy　at　his　safety；　and　afterward；　in　memorial　of　the　event；　granted　to　Velez　Malaga；　as　the　arms　of　the　city；　the　figure　of　the　king　on　horseback；　with　a　groom　lying　dead　at　his　feet　and　the　Moors　flying。*

*Ibid。


The　camp　was　formed；　but　the　artillery　was　yet　on　the　road；　advancing　with　infinite　labor　at　the　rate　of　merely　a　league　a　day；　for　heavy　rains　had　converted　the　streams　of　the　valleys　into　raging　torrents　and　completely　broken　up　the　roads。　　In　the　mean　time；　King　Ferdinand　ordered　an　assault　on　the　suburbs　of　the　city。　　They　were　carried　after　a　sanguinary　conflict　of　six　hours；　in　which　many　Christian　cavaliers　were　killed　and　wounded；　and　among　the　latter　Don　Alvaro　of　Portugal；　son　of　the　duke　of　Braganza。　　The　suburbs　were　then　fortified　toward　the　city　with　trenches　and　palisades；　and　garrisoned　by　a　chosen　force　under　Don　Fadrique　de　Toledo。　　Other　trenches　were　digged　round　the　city