chronicle of the conquest of granada-第73章

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　than　men。　　They　were　all　condemned　to　slavery；　excepting　Ibrahim　Zenete。　　The　instance　of　clemency　which　he　had　shown　in　refraining　to　harm　the　Spanish　striplings　on　the　last　sally　from　Malaga　won　him　favorable　terms。　　It　was　cited　as　a　magnanimous　act　by　the　Spanish　cavaliers；　and　all　admitted　that；　though　a　Moor　in　blood；　he　possessed　the　Christian　heart　of　a　Castilian　hidalgo。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　84。


As　to　Hamet　el　Zegri；　on　being　asked　what　moved　him　to　such　hardened　obstinacy；　he　replied；　〃When　I　undertook　my　command；　I　pledged　myself　to　fight　in　defence　of　my　faith；　my　city；　and　my　sovereign　until　slain　or　made　prisoner；　and；　depend　upon　it；　had　I　had　men　to　stand　by　me；　I　should　have　died　fighting；　instead　of　thus　tamely　surrendering　myself　without　a　weapon　in　my　hand。〃

〃Such；〃　says　the　pious　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃was　the　diabolical　hatred　and　stiff…necked　opposition　of　this　infidel　to　our　holy　cause。　But　he　was　justly　served　by　our　most　Catholic　and　high…minded　sovereign　for　his　pertinacious　defence　of　the　city；　for　Ferdinand　ordered　that　he　should　be　loaded　with　chains　and　thrown　into　a　dungeon。〃　　He　was　subsequently　retained　in　rigorous　confinement　at　Carmona。*

*Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　93；　Pietro　Martyr；　lib。　1；　cap。　69；　Alcantara；　　Hist。　Granada；　vol。　4；　c。　18。



CHAPTER　LXVI。

HOW　THE　CASTILIAN　SOVEREIGNS　TOOK　POSSESION　OF　THE　CITY　OF　　　　　MALAGA；　AND　HOW　KING　FERDINAND　SIGNALIZED　HIMSELF　BY　HIS　　　　　SKILL　IN　BARGAINING　WITH　THE　INHABITANTS　FOR　THEIR　RANSOM。


One　of　the　first　cares　of　the　conquerors　on　entering　Malaga　was　to　search　for　Christian　captives。　　Nearly　sixteen　hundred　men　and　women　were　found；　and　among　them　were　persons　of　distinction。　　Some　of　them　had　been　ten；　fifteen；　and　twenty　years　in　captivity。　　Many　had　been　servants　to　the　Moors　or　laborers　on　public　works；　and　some　had　passed　their　time　in　chains　and　dungeons。　　Preparations　were　made　to　celebrate　their　deliverance　as　a　Christian　triumph。　　A　tent　was　erected　not　far　from　the　city；　and　furnished　with　an　altar　and　all　the　solemn　decorations　of　a　chapel。　　Here　the　king　and　queen　waited　to　receive　the　Christian　captives。　　They　were　assembled　in　the　city　and　marshalled　forth　in　piteous　procession。　　Many　of　them　had　still　the　chains　and　shackles　on　their　legs；　they　were　wasted　with　famine；　their　hair　and　beards　overgrown　and　matted；　and　their　faces　pale　and　haggard　from　long　confinement。　　When　they　found　themselves　restored　to　liberty　and　surrounded　by　their　countrymen；　some　stared　wildly　about　as　if　in　a　dream；　others　gave　way　to　frantic　transports；　but　most　of　them　wept　for　joy。　　All　present　were　moved　to　tears　by　so　touching　a　spectacle。　　When　the　procession　arrived　at　what　is　called　the　Gate　of　Granada；　it　was　met　by　a　great　concourse　from　the　camp　with　crosses　and　pennons；　who　turned　and　followed　the　captives；　singing　hymns　of　praise　and　thanksgiving。　　When　they　came　in　presence　of　the　king　and　queen；　they　threw　themselves　on　their　knees；　and　would　have　kissed　their　feet　as　their　saviors　and　deliverers；　but　the　sovereigns　prevented　such　humiliation　and　graciously　extended　to　them　their　hands。　　They　then　prostrated　themselves　before　the　altar；　and　all　present　joined　them　in　giving　thanks　to　God　for　their　liberation　from　this　cruel　bondage。　　By　orders　of　the　king　and　queen　their　chains　were　then　taken　off；　and　they　were　clad　in　decent　raiment　and　food　was　set　before　them。　　After　they　had　ate　and　drunk；　and　were　refreshed　and　invigorated；　they　were　provided　with　money　and　all　things　necessary　for　their　journey；　and　sent　joyfully　to　their　homes。

While　the　old　chroniclers　dwell　with　becoming　enthusiasm　on　this　pure　and　affecting　triumph　of　humanity；　they　go　on　in　a　strain　of　equal　eulogy　to　describe　a　spectacle　of　a　far　different　nature。　　It　so　happened　that　there　were　found　in　the　city　twelve　of　those　renegado　Christians　who　had　deserted　to　the　Moors　and　conveyed　false　intelligence　during　the　siege：　a　barbarous　species　of　punishment　was　inflicted　upon　them；　borrowed；　it　is　said；　from　the　Moors　and　peculiar　to　these　wars。　　They　were　tied　to　stakes　in　a　public　place；　and　horsemen　exercised　their　skill　in　transpiercing　them　with　pointed　reeds；　hurled　at　them　while　careering　at　full　speed；　until　the　miserable　victims　expired　beneath　their　wounds。　　Several　apostate　Moors　also；　who；　having　embraced　Christianity；　had　afterward　relapsed　into　their　early　faith；　and　had　taken　refuge　in　Malaga　from　the　vengeance　of　the　Inquisition；　were　publicly　burnt。　〃These；〃　says　an　old　Jesuit　historian　exultingly；〃these　were　the　tilts　of　reeds　and　the　illuminations　most　pleasing　for　this　victorious　festival　and　for　the　Catholic　piety　of　our　sovereigns。〃*

*〃Los　renegados　fuernon　acanavareados：　y　los　conversos　quemados；　　y　estos　fueron　las　canas；　y　luminarias　mas　alegres；　por　la　fiesta　　de　la　vitoria；　para　la　piedad　Catholica　de　nuestros　Reyes。〃Abarca；　　〃Anales　de　Aragon；〃　tom。　2；　Rey　xxx。　c。　3。


When　the　city　was　cleansed　from　the　impurities　and　offensive　odors　which　had　collected　during　the　siege；　the　bishops　and　other　clergy　who　accompanied　the　court；　and　the　choir　of　the　royal　chapel；　walked　in　procession　to　the　principal　mosque；　which　was　consecrated　and　entitled　Santa　Maria　de　la　Incarnacion。　　This　done；　the　king　and　queen　entered　the　city；　accompanied　by　the　grand　cardinal　of　Spain　and　the　principal　nobles　and　cavaliers　of　the　army；　and　heard　a　solemn　mass。　　The　church　was　then　elevated　into　a　cathedral；　and　Malaga　was　made　a　bishopric；　and　many　of　the　neighboring　towns　were　comprehended　in　its　diocese。　　The　queen　took　up　her　residence　in　the　Alcazaba；　in　the　apartments　of　her　valiant　treasurer；　Ruy　Lopez；　whence　she　had　a　view　of　the　whole　city；　but　the　king　established　his　quarters　in　the　warrior　castle　of　Gibralfaro。

And　now　came　to　be　considered　the　disposition　of　the　Moorish　prisoners。　　All　those　who　were　strangers　in　the　city；　and　had　either　taken　refuge　there　or　had　entered　to　defend　it；　were　at　once　considered　slaves。　　They　were　divided　into　three　lots：　one　was　set　apart　for　the　service　of　God　in　redeeming　Christian　captives　from　bondage；　either　in　the　kingdom　of　Granada　or　in　Africa；　the　second　lot　was　divided　among　those　who　had　aided　either　in　field　or　cabinet　in　the　present　siege；　according　to　their　rank；　the　third　was　appropriated　to　defray　by　their　sale　the　great　expenses　incurred　in　the　reduction　of　the　place。　　A　hundred　of　the　Gomeres　were　sent　as　presents　to　Pope　Innocent　VIII。；　and　were　led　in　triumph　through　the　streets　of　Rome；　and　afterward　converted　to　Christianity。　　Fifty　Moorish　maidens　were　sent　to　the　queen　Joanna　of　Naples；　sister　to　King　Ferdinand；　and　thirty　to　the　queen　of　Portugal。　　Isabella　made　presents　of　others　to　the　ladies　of　her　household　and　of　the　noble　families　of　Spain。

Among　the　inhabitants　of　Malaga　were　four　hundred　and　fifty　Moorish　Jews；　for　the　most　part　women；　speaking　the　Arabic　language　and　dressed　in　the　Moresco　fashion。　　These　were　ransomed　by　a　wealthy　Jew　of　Castile；　farmer…general　of　the　royal　revenues　derived　from　the　Jews　of　Spain。　　He　agreed　to　make　up　within　a　certain　time　the　sum　of　twenty　thousand　doblas；　or　pistoles　of　gold；　all　the　money　and　jewels　of　the　captives　being　taken　in　part　payment。　　They　were　sent　to　Castile　in　two　armed　galleys。　　As　to　Ali　Dordux；　such　favors　and　honors　were　heaped　upon　him　by　the　Spanish　sovereigns　for　his　considerate　mediation　in　the　surrender　that　the　disinterestedness　of　his　conduct　has　often　been　called　in　question。　　He　was　appointed　chief　justice　and　alcayde　of　the＇10＇mudexares　or　Moorish　subjects；　and　was　presented　with　twenty　houses；　one　public　bakery；　and　several　orchards；　vineyards；　and　tracts　of　open　country。　　He　retired　to　Antiquera；　where　he　died　several　years　afterward；　leaving　his　estate　and　name　to　his　son；　Mohamed　Dordux。　　The　latter　embraced　the　Christian　faith；　as　did　his　wife；　the　daughter　of　a　Moorish　noble。　　On　being　baptized　he　received　the　name　of　Don　Fernando　de　Malaga；　his　wife　that　of　Isabella；　after　the　queen。　　They　were　incorporated　with　the　nobility　of　Castile；　and　their　descendants　still　bear　the　name　of　Malaga。*

*Conversaciones　Malaguenas；　26；　as　cited　by　Alcantara　in　his　　History　of　Granada；　vol。　4；　c。