chronicle of the conquest of granada-第72章

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l　of　Malaga　be　renowned　while　the　world　endures。〃

To　this　fierce　and　swelling　message　Ferdinand　replied　that　if　a　single　Christian　captive　were　injured；　not　a　Moor　in　Malaga　but　should　be　put　to　the　edge　of　the　sword。

A　great　conflict　of　counsels　now　arose　in　Malaga。　　The　warriors　were　for　following　up　their　menace　by　some　desperate　act　of　vengeance　or　of　self…devotion。　　Those　who　had　families　looked　with　anguish　upon　their　wives　and　daughters；　and　thought　it　better　to　die　than　live　to　see　them　captives。　　By　degrees；　however；　the　transports　of　passion　and　despair　subsided；　the　love　of　life　resumed　its　sway；　and　they　turned　once　more　to　Ali　Dordux　as　the　man　most　prudent　in　council　and　able　in　negotiation。　　By　his　advice　fourteen　of　the　principal　inhabitants　were　chosen　from　the　fourteen　districts　of　the　city；　and　sent　to　the　camp　bearing　a　long　letter　couched　in　terms　of　the　most　humble　supplication。

Various　debates　now　took　place　in　the　Christian　camp。　　Many　of　the　cavaliers　were　exasperated　against　Malaga　for　its　long　resistance；　which　had　caused　the　death　of　many　of　their　relatives　and　favorite　companions。　　It　had　long　been　a　stronghold　also　for　Moorish　depredators　and　the　mart　where　most　of　the　warriors　captured　in　the　Axarquia　had　been　exposed　in　triumph　and　sold　to　slavery。　　They　represented；　moreover；　that　there　were　many　Moorish　cities　yet　to　be　besieged；　and　that　an　example　ought　to　be　made　of　Malaga　to　prevent　all　obstinate　resistance　thereafter。　　They　advised；　therefore；　that　all　the　inhabitants　should　be　put　to　the　sword。*

*Pulgar。


The　humane　heart　of　Isabella　revolted　at　such　sanguinary　counsels：　she　insisted　that　their　triumph　should　not　be　disgraced　by　cruelty。　Ferdinand；　however；　was　inflexible　in　refusing　to　grant　any　preliminary　terms；　insisting　on　an　unconditional　surrender。

The　people　of　Malaga　now　abandoned　themselves　to　paroxysms　of　despair；　on　one　side　they　saw　famine　and　death；　on　the　other　slavery　and　chains。　　The　mere　men　of　the　sword；　who　had　no　families　to　protect；　were　loud　for　signalizing　their　fall　by　some　illustrious　action。　〃Let　us　sacrifice　our　Christian　captives；　and　then　destroy　ourselves；〃　cried　some。　　〃Let　us　put　all　the　women　and　children　to　death；　set　fire　to　the　city；　fall　on　the　Christian　camp；　and　die　sword　in　hand；〃　cried　others。

Ali　Dordux　gradually　made　his　voice　be　heard　amidst　the　general　clamor。　　He　addressed　himself　to　the　principal　inhabitants　and　to　those　who　had　children。　　〃Let　those　who　live　by　the　sword　die　by　the　sword；〃　cried　he；　〃but　let　us　not　follow　their　desperate　counsels。　Who　knows　what　sparks　of　pity　may　be　awakened　in　the　bosoms　of　the　Christian　sovereigns　when　they　behold　our　unoffending　wives　and　daughters　and　our　helpless　little　ones？　　The　Christian　queen；　they　say；　is　full　of　mercy。〃

At　these　words　the　hearts　of　the　unhappy　people　of　Malaga　yearned　over　their　families；　and　they　empowered　Ali　Dordux　to　deliver　up　their　city　to　the　mercy　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns。

The　merchant　now　went　to　and　fro；　and　had　several　communications　with　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　and　interested　several　principal　cavaliers　in　his　cause；　and　he　sent　rich　presents　to　the　king　and　queen　of　Oriental　merchandise　and　silks　and　stuffs　of　gold　and　jewels　and　precious　stones　and　spices　and　perfumes；　and　many　other　sumptuous　things；　which　he　had　accumulated　in　his　great　tradings　with　the　East；　and　he　gradually　found　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　sovereigns。*　　Finding　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　obtained　for　the　city；　he　now；　like　a　prudent　man　and　able　merchant；　began　to　negotiate　for　himself　and　his　immediate　friends。　　He　represented　that　from　the　first　they　had　been　desirous　of　yielding　up　the　city；　but　had　been　prevented　by　warlike　and　high…handed　men；　who　had　threatened　their　lives；　he　entreated；　therefore；　that　mercy　might　be　extended　to　them；　and　that　they　might　not　be　confounded　with　the　guilty。

*MS。　Chron。　of　Valera。


The　sovereigns　had　accepted　the　presents　of　Ali　Dorduxhow　could　they　then　turn　a　deaf　ear　to　his　petition？　　So　they　granted　a　pardon　to　him　and　to　forty　families　which　he　named；　and　it　was　agreed　that　they　should　be　protected　in　their　liberties　and　property；　and　permitted　to　reside　in　Malaga　as　mudexares　or　Moslem　vassals；　and　to　follow　their　customary　pursuits。*　　All　this　being　arranged；　Ali　Dordux　delivered　up　twenty　of　the　principal　inhabitants　to　remain　as　hostages　until　the　whole　city　should　be　placed　in　the　possession　of　the　Christians。

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　84。


Don　Gutierrez　de　Cardenas；　senior　commander　of　Leon；　now　entered　the　city　armed　cap…a…pie；　on　horseback；　and　took　possession　in　the　name　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns。　　He　was　followed　by　his　retainers　and　by　the　captains　and　cavaliers　of　the　army；　and　in　a　little　while　the　standards　of　the　cross　and　of　the　blessed　Santiago　and　of　the　Catholic　sovereigns　were　elevated　on　the　principal　tower　of　the　Alcazaba。　　When　these　standards　were　beheld　from　the　camp；　the　queen　and　the　princess　and　the　ladies　of　the　court　and　all　the　royal　retinue　knelt　down　and　gave　thanks　and　praises　to　the　Holy　Virgin　and　to　Santiago　for　this　great　triumph　of　the　faith；　and　the　bishops　and　other　clergy　who　were　present　and　the　choristers　of　the　royal　chapel　chanted　〃Te　Deum　Laudamus〃　and　〃Gloria　in　Excelsis。〃



CHAPTER　LXV。

FULFILMENT　OF　THE　PROPHECY　OF　THE　DERVISE。FATE　OF　HAMET　　　　　EL　ZEGRI。


No　sooner　was　the　city　delivered　up　than　the　wretched　inhabitants　implored　permission　to　purchase　bread　for　themselves　and　their　children　from　the　heaps　of　grain　which　they　had　so　often　gazed　at　wistfully　from　their　walls。　Their　prayer　was　granted；　and　they　issued　forth　with　the　famished　eagerness　of　starving　men。　　It　was　piteous　to　behold　the　struggles　of　those　unhappy　people　as　they　contended　who　first　should　have　their　necessities　relieved。

〃Thus；〃　says　the　pious　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；〃thus　are　the　predictions　of　false　prophets　sometimes　permitted　to　be　verified；　but　always　to　the　confusion　of　those　who　trust　in　them；　for　the　words　of　the　Moorish　nigromancer　came　to　pass　that　the　people　of　Malaga　should　eat　of　those　heaps　of　bread；　but　they　ate　in　humiliation　and　defeat　and　with　sorrow　and　bitterness　of　heart。〃

Dark　and　fierce　were　the　feelings　of　Hamet　el　Zegri　as　he　looked　down　from　the　castle　of　Gibralfaro　and　beheld　the　Christian　legions　pouring　into　the　city　and　the　standard　of　the　cross　supplanting　the　crescent　on　the　citadel。　　〃The　people　of　Malaga；〃　said　he；　〃have　trusted　to　a　man　of　trade；　and　he　has　trafficked　them　away；　but　let　us　not　suffer　ourselves　to　be　bound　hand　and　foot　and　delivered　up　as　part　of　his　bargain。　　We　have　yet　strong　walls　around　us　and　trusty　weapons　in　our　hands。　　Let　us　fight　until　buried　beneath　the　last　tumbling　tower　of　Gibralfaro；　or；　rushing　down　from　among　its　ruins；　carry　havoc　among　the　unbelievers　as　they　throng　the　streets　of　Malaga。〃

The　fierceness　of　the　Gomeres；　however；　was　broken。　　They　could　have　died　in　the　breach　had　their　castle　been　assailed；　but　the　slow　advances　of　famine　subdued　their　strength　without　rousing　their　passions；　and　sapped　the　force　of　both　soul　and　body。　　They　were　almost　unanimous　for　a　surrender。

It　was　a　hard　struggle　for　the　proud　spirit　of　Hamet　to　bow　itself　to　ask　for　terms。　　Still；　he　trusted　that　the　valor　of　his　defence　would　gain　him　respect　in　the　eyes　of　a　chivalrous　foe。　　〃Ali；〃　said　he；　〃has　negotiated　like　a　merchant；　I　will　capitulate　as　a　soldier。〃　　He　sent　a　herald；　therefore；　to　Ferdinand；　offering　to　yield　up　his　castle；　but　demanding　a　separate　treaty。＇15＇　　The　Castilian　sovereign　made　a　laconic　and　stern　reply：　〃He　shall　receive　no　terms　but　such　as　have　been　granted　to　the　community　of　Malaga。〃

For　two　days　Hamet　el　Zegri　remained　brooding　in　his　castle　after　the　city　was　in　possession　of　the　Christians；　at　length　the　clamors　of　his　followers　compelled　him　to　surrender。　　When　the　remnant　of　this　fierce　African　garrison　descended　from　their　cragged　fortress；　they　were　so　worn　by　watchfulness；　famine；　and　battle；　yet　carried　such　a　lurking　fury　in　their　eyes；　that　they　looked　more　like　fiends　than　men。　　They　were　all　condemned　to　slavery；　excepting　Ibrahim　Zenete。　　The　instance　of　clemency