chronicle of the conquest of granada-第74章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ga。*

*Conversaciones　Malaguenas；　26；　as　cited　by　Alcantara　in　his　　History　of　Granada；　vol。　4；　c。　18。


As　to　the　great　mass　of　Moorish　inhabitants；　they　implored　that　they　might　not　be　scattered　and　sold　into　captivity；　but　might　be　permitted　to　ransom　themselves　by　an　amount　paid　within　a　certain　time。　　Upon　this　King　Ferdinand　took　the　advice　of　certain　of　his　ablest　counsellors。　　They　said　to　him：　〃If　you　hold　out　a　prospect　of　hopeless　captivity；　the　infidels　will　throw　all　their　gold　and　jewels　into　wells　and　pits；　and　you　will　lose　the　greater　part　of　the　spoil；　but　if　you　fix　a　general　rate　of　ransom；　and　receive　their　money　and　jewels　in　part　payment；　nothing　will　be　destroyed。〃　The　king　relished　greatly　this　advice；　and　it　was　arranged　that　all　the　inhabitants　should　be　ransomed　at　the　general　rate　of　thirty　doblas　or　pistoles　in　gold　for　each　individual；　male　or　female；　large　or　small；　that　all　their　gold；　jewels；　and　other　valuables　should　be　received　immediately　in　part　payment　of　the　general　amount；　and　that　the　residue　should　be　paid　within　eight　months　that　if　any　of　the　number；　actually　living；　should　die　in　the　interim；　their　ransom　should　nevertheless　be　paid。　　If；　however；　the　whole　of　the　amount　were　not　paid　at　the　expiration　of　the　eight　months；　they　should　all　be　considered　and　treated　as　slaves。

The　unfortunate　Moors　were　eager　to　catch　at　the　least　hope　of　future　liberty；　and　consented　to　these　hard　conditions。　　The　most　rigorous　precautions　were　taken　to　exact　them　to　the　uttermost。　　The　inhabitants　were　numbered　by　houses　and　families；　and　their　names　taken　down；　their　most　precious　effects　were　made　up　into　parcels；　and　sealed　and　inscribed　with　their　names；　and　they　were　ordered　to　repair　with　them　to　certain　large　corrales　or　enclosures　adjoining　the　Alcazaba；　which　were　surrounded　by　high　walls　and　overlooked　by　watch…towers；　to　which　places　the　cavalgadas　of　Christian　captives　had　usually　been　driven　to　be　confined　until　the　time　of　sale　like　cattle　in　a　market。　　The　Moors　were　obliged　to　leave　their　houses　one　by　one：　all　their　money；　necklaces；　bracelets；　and　anklets　of　gold；　pearl；　coral；　and　precious　stones　were　taken　from　them　at　the　threshold；　and　their　persons　so　rigorously　searched　that　they　carried　off　nothing　concealed。

Then　might　be　seen　old　men　and　helpless　women　and　tender　maidens；　some　of　high　birth　and　gentle　condition；　passing　through　the　streets；　heavily　burdened；　toward　the　Alcazaba。　　As　they　left　their　homes　they　smote　their　breasts　and　wrung　their　hands；　and　raised　their　weeping　eyes　to　heaven　in　anguish；　and　this　is　recorded　as　their　plaint：　〃O　Malaga！　city　so　renowned　and　beautiful！　where　now　is　the　strength　of　thy　castle；　where　the　grandeur　of　thy　towers？　　Of　what　avail　have　been　thy　mighty　walls　for　the　protection　of　thy　children？　　Behold　them　driven　from　thy　pleasant　abodes；　doomed　to　drag　out　a　life　of　bondage　in　a　foreign　land；　and　to　die　far　from　the　home　of　their　infancy！　　What　will　become　of　thy　old　men　and　matrons　when　their　gray　hairs　shall　be　no　longer　reverenced？　　What　will　become　of　thy　maidens；　so　delicately　reared　and　tenderly　cherished；　when　reduced　to　hard　and　menial　servitude？　　Behold　thy　once　happy　families　scattered　asunder；　never　again　to　be　unitedsons　separated　from　their　fathers；　husbands　from　their　wives；　and　tender　children　from　their　mothers：　they　will　bewail　each　other　in　foreign　lands；　but　their　lamentations　will　be　the　scoff　of　the　stranger。　　O　Malaga！　city　of　our　birth！　who　can　behold　thy　desolation　and　not　shed　tears　of　bitterness？〃*

*Pulgar；　Reyes　Catolicos；　c。　93。


When　Malaga　was　completely　secured　a　detachment　was　sent　against　two　fortresses　near　the　sea；　called　Mixas　and　Osuna；　which　had　frequently　harassed　the　Christian　camp。　　The　inhabitants　were　threatened　with　the　sword　unless　they　instantly　surrendered。　　They　claimed　the　same　terms　that　had　been　granted　to　Malaga；　imagining　them　to　be　freedom　of　person　and　security　of　property。　　Their　claim　was　granted：　they　were　transported　to　Malaga　with　all　their　riches；　and　on　arriving　there　were　overwhelmed　with　consternation　at　finding　themselves　captives。　　〃Ferdinand；〃　observes　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃was　a　man　of　his　word；　they　were　shut　up　in　the　enclosure　at　the　Alcazaba　with　the　people　of　Malaga　and　shared　their　fate。〃

The　unhappy　captives　remained　thus　crowded　in　the　courtyards　of　the　Alcazaba；　like　sheep　in　a　fold；　until　they　could　be　sent　by　sea　and　land　to　Seville。　　They　were　then　distributed　about　in　city　and　country；　each　Christian　family　having　one　or　more　to　feed　and　maintain　as　servants　until　the　term　fixed　for　the　payment　of　the　residue　of　the　ransom　should　expire。　　The　captives　had　obtained　permission　that　several　of　their　number　should　go　about　among　　the　Moorish　towns　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada　collecting　contributions　to　aid　in　the　purchase　of　their　liberties；　but　these　towns　were　too　much　impoverished　by　the　war　and　engrossed　by　their　own　distresses　to　lend　a　listening　ear；　so　the　time　expired　without　the　residue　of　the　ransom　being　paid；　and　all　the　captives　of　Malaga；　to　the　number；　as　some　say；　of　eleven；　and　others　of　fifteen；　thousand；　became　slaves。　　〃Never；〃　exclaims　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　in　one　of　his　usual　bursts　of　zeal　and　loyalty；〃never　has　there　been　recorded　a　more　adroit　and　sagacious　arrangement　than　this　made　by　the　Catholic　monarch；　by　which　he　not　only　secured　all　the　property　and　half　of　the　ransom　of　these　infidels；　but　finally　got　possession　of　their　persons　into　the　bargain。　　This　truly　may　be　considered　one　of　the　greatest　triumphs　of　the　pious　and　politic　Ferdinand；　and　as　raising　him　above　the　generality　of　conquerors；　who　have　merely　the　valor　to　gain　victories；　but　lack　the　prudence　and　management　necessary　to　turn　them　to　account。〃*

*The　detestable　policy　of　Ferdinand　in　regard　to　the　Moorish　　captives　of　Malaga　is　recorded　at　length　by　the　curate　of　Los　　Palacios　（c。　87）；　a　contemporary；　a　zealous　admirer　of　the　king；　　and　one　of　the　most　honest　of　chroniclers；　who　really　thought　　he　was　recording　a　notable　instance　of　sagacious　piety。



CHAPTER　LXVII。

HOW　KING　FERDINAND　PREPARED　TO　CARRY　THE　WAR　INTO　A　　　　　DIFFERENT　PART　OF　THE　TERRITORIES　OF　THE　MOORS。


The　western　part　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada　had　now　been　conquered　by　the　Christian　arms。　　The　seaport　of　Malaga　was　captured；　the　fierce　and　warlike　inhabitants　of　Serrania　de　Ronda　and　the　other　mountain…holds　of　the　frontier　were　all　disarmed　and　reduced　to　peaceful　and　laborious　vassalage；　their　haughty　fortresses；　which　had　so　long　overawed　the　valleys　of　Andalusia；　now　displayed　the　standard　of　Castile　and　Aragon；　the　watch…towers　which　crowned　every　height；　whence　the　infidels　had　kept　a　vulture　eye　over　the　Christian　territories；　were　now　either　dismantled　or　garrisoned　with　Catholic　troops。　　〃What　signalized　and　sanctified　this　great　triumph；〃　adds　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃were　the　emblems　of　ecclesiastical　domination　which　everywhere　appeared。　　In　every　direction　rose　stately　convents　and　monasteries；　those　fortresses　of　the　faith　garrisoned　by　its　spiritual　soldiery　of　monks　and　friars。　The　sacred　melody　of　Christian　bells　was　again　heard　among　the　mountains；　calling　to　early　matins　or　sounding　the　Angelus　at　the　solemn　hour　of　evening。〃*

*The　worthy　curate　of　Los　Palacios　intimates　in　his　chronicle　that　　this　melody；　so　grateful　to　the　ears　of　pious　Christians；　was　a　　source　of　perpetual　torment　to　the　ears　of　infidels。


While　this　part　of　the　kingdom　was　thus　reduced　by　the　Christian　sword；　the　central　part；　round　the　city　of　Granada；　forming　the　heart　of　the　Moorish　territory；　was　held　in　vassalage　of　the　Castilian　monarch　by　Boabdil；　surnamed　El　Chico。　　That　unfortunate　prince　lost　no　occasion　to　propitiate　the　conquerors　of　his　country　by　acts　of　homage　and　by　professions　that　must　have　been　foreign　to　his　heart。　　No　sooner　had　he　heard　of　the　capture　of　Malaga　than　he　sent　congratulations　to　the　Catholic　sovereigns；　accompanied　with　presents　of　horses　richly　caparisoned　for　the　king；　and　precious　cloth　of　gold　and　Oriental　perfumes　for　the　queen。　　His　congratulations　and　his　presents　were　received　with　the　utmost　graciousness