chronicle of the conquest of granada-第77章

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them　from　this　fearful　peril。　　El　Zagal　abandoned　the　assault；　but　set　fire　to　the　town　in　his　rage　and　disappointment；　and　retired　to　his　stronghold　of　Guadix。

The　example　of　El　Zagal　roused　his　adherents　to　action。　　Two　bold　Moorish　alcaydes；　Ali　Aliatar　and　Yzan　Aliatar；　commanding　the　fortresses　of　Alhenden　and　Salobrena；　laid　waste　the　country　of　the　subjects　of　Boabdil　and　the　places　which　had　recently　submitted　to　the　Christians：　they　swept　off　the　cattle；　carried　off　captives；　and　harassed　the　whole　of　the　newly…conquered　frontier。

The　Moors　also　of　Almeria　and　Tavernas　and　Purchena　made　inroads　into　Murcia；　and　carried　fire　and　sword　into　its　most　fertile　regions。　On　the　opposite　frontier　also；　among　the　wild　valleys　and　rugged　recesses　of　the　Sierra　Bermeja；　or　Red　Mountains；　many　of　the　Moors　who　had　lately　submitted　again　flew　to　arms。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　suppressed　by　timely　vigilance　the　rebellion　of　the　mountain…　town　of　Gausin；　situated　on　a　high　peak　almost　among　the　clouds；　but　others　of　the　Moors　fortified　themselves　in　rock…built　towers　and　castles；　inhabited　solely　by　warriors；　whence　they　carried　on　a　continual　war　of　forage　and　depredation；　sweeping　down　into　the　valleys　and　carrying　off　flocks　and　herds　and　all　kinds　of　booty　to　these　eagle…nests；　to　which　it　was　perilous　and　fruitless　to　pursue　them。

The　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　closes　his　history　of　this　checkered　year　in　quite　a　different　strain　from　those　triumphant　periods　with　which　he　is　accustomed　to　wind　up　the　victorious　campaigns　of　the　sovereigns。　　〃Great　and　mighty；〃　says　this　venerable　chronicler；　〃were　the　floods　and　tempests　which　prevailed　throughout　the　kingdoms　of　Castile　and　Aragon　about　this　time。　　It　seemed　as　though　the　windows　of　heaven　were　again　opened　and　a　second　deluge　overwhelming　the　face　of　nature。　　The　clouds　burst　as　it　were　in　cataracts　upon　the　earth；　torrents　rushed　down　from　the　mountains；　overflowing　the　valleys；　brooks　were　swelled　into　raging　rivers；　houses　were　undermined；　mills　were　swept　away　by　their　own　streams；　the　affrighted　shepherds　saw　their　flocks　drowned　in　the　midst　of　the　pasture；　and　were　fain　to　take　refuge　for　their　lives　in　towers　and　high　places。　　The　Guadalquivir　for　a　time　became　a　roaring　and　tumultuous　sea；　inundating　the　immense　plain　of　the　Tablada　and　filling　the　fair　city　of　Seville　with　affright。

〃A　vast　black　cloud　moved　over　the　land；　accompanied　by　a　hurricane　and　a　trembling　of　the　earth。　　Houses　were　unroofed；　the　walls　and　battlements　of　fortresses　shaken；　and　lofty　towers　rocked　to　their　foundations。　　Ships　riding　at　anchor　were　either　stranded　or　swallowed　up；　others；　under　sail；　were　tossed　to　and　fro　upon　mountain　waves　and　cast　upon　the　land；　where　the　whirlwind　rent　them　in　pieces　and　scattered　them　in　fragments　in　the　air。　　Doleful　was　the　ruin　and　great　the　terror　where　this　baleful　cloud　passed　by；　and　it　left　a　long　track　of　desolation　over　sea　and　land。　　Some　of　the　faint…hearted；〃　adds　Antonio　Agapida；　〃looked　upon　this　torment　of　the　elements　as　a　prodigious　event；　out　of　the　course　of　nature。　In　the　weakness　of　their　fears　they　connected　it　with　those　troubles　which　occurred　in　various　places；　considering　it　a　portent　of　some　great　calamity　about　to　be　wrought　by　the　violence　of　the　bloody…　handed　El　Zagal　and　his　fierce　adherents。〃*

*See　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　91；　Palencia；　De　Bello　Granad。；　　lib。　8。



CHAPTER　LXX。

HOW　KING　FERDINAND　PREPARED　TO　BESIEGE　THE　CITY　OF　　　　　BAZA；　AND　HOW　THE　CITY　PREPARED　FOR　DEFENCE。


The　stormy　winter　had　passed　away；　and　the　spring　of　1489　was　advancing；　yet　the　heavy　rains　had　broken　up　the　roads；　the　mountain…brooks　were　swollen　to　raging　torrents；　and　the　late　shallow　and　peaceful　rivers　were　deep；　turbulent；　and　dangerous。　The　Christian　troops　had　been　summoned　to　assemble　in　early　spring　on　the　frontiers　of　Jaen；　but　were　slow　in　arriving　at　the　appointed　place。　　They　were　entangled　in　the　miry　defiles　of　the　mountains　or　fretted　impatiently　on　the　banks　of　impassable　floods。　It　was　late　in　the　month　of　May　before　they　assembled　in　sufficient　force　to　attempt　the　proposed　invasion；　when　at　length　a　valiant　army　of　thirteen　thousand　horse　and　forty　thousand　foot　marched　merrily　over　the　border。　　The　queen　remained　at　the　city　of　Jaen　with　the　prince…royal　and　the　princesses　her　children；　accompanied　and　supported　by　the　venerable　cardinal　of　Spain　and　those　reverend　prelates　who　assisted　in　her　councils　throughout　this　holy　war。

The　plan　of　King　Ferdinand　was　to　lay　siege　to　the　city　of　Baza；　the　key　of　the　remaining　possessions　of　the　Moor。　　That　important　fortress　taken；　Guadix　and　Almeria　must　soon　follow；　and　then　the　power　of　El　Zagal　would　be　at　an　end。　　As　the　Catholic　king　advanced　he　had　first　to　secure　various　castles　and　strongholds　in　the　vicinity　of　Baza　which　might　otherwise　harass　his　army。　　Some　of　these　made　obstinate　resistance；　especially　the　town　of　Zujar。　　The　Christians　assailed　the　walls　with　various　machines　to　sap　them　and　batter　them　down。　　The　brave　alcayde；　Hubec　Abdilbar；　opposed　force　to　force　and　engine　to　engine。　　He　manned　his　towers　with　his　bravest　warriors；　who　rained　down　an　iron　shower　upon　the　enemy；　and　he　linked　caldrons　together　by　strong　chains　and　cast　fire　from　them；　consuming　the　wooden　engines　of　their　assailants　and　those　who　managed　them。

The　siege　was　protracted　for　several　days：　the　bravery　of　the　alcayde　could　not　save　his　fortress　from　an　overwhelming　foe；　but　it　gained　him　honorable　terms。　　Ferdinand　permitted　the　garrison　and　the　inhabitants　to　repair　with　their　effects　to　Baza；　and　the　valiant　Hubec　marched　forth　with　the　remnant　of　his　force　and　took　he　way　to　that　devoted　city。

The　delays　caused　to　the　invading　army　by　these　various　circumstances　had　been　diligently　improved　by　El　Zagal；　who　felt　that　he　was　now　making　his　last　stand　for　empire；　and　that　this　campaign　would　decide　whether　he　should　continue　a　king　or　sink　into　a　vassal。　　He　was　but　a　few　leagues　from　Baza；　at　the　city　of　Guadix。　This　last　was　the　most　important　point　of　his　remaining　territories；　being　a　kind　of　bulwark　between　them　and　the　hostile　city　of　Granada；　the　seat　of　his　nephew's　power。　　Though　he　heard　of　the　tide　of　war；　therefore；　collecting　and　rolling　toward　the　city　of　Baza；　he　dared　not　go　in　person　to　its　assistance。　　He　dreaded　that　should　he　leave　Guadix；　Boabdil　would　attack　him　in　the　rear　while　the　Christian　army　was　battling　with　him　in　front。　　El　Zagal　trusted　in　the　great　strength　of　Baza　to　defy　any　violent　assault；　and　profited　by　the　delays　of　the　Christian　army　to　supply　it　with　all　possible　means　of　defence。　　He　sent　thither　all　the　troops　he　could　spare　from　his　garrison　of　Guadix；　and　despatched　missives　throughout　his　territories　calling　upon　all　true　Moslems　to　hasten　to　Baza　and　make　a　devoted　stand　in　defence　of　their　homes；　their　liberties；　and　their　religion。　　The　cities　of　Tavernas　and　Purchena　and　the　surrounding　heights　and　valleys　responded　to　his　orders　and　sent　forth　their　fighting…men　to　the　field。　　The　rocky　fastnesses　of　the　Alpuxarras　resounded　with　the　din　of　arms：　troops　of　horse　and　bodies　of　foot…　soldiers　were　seen　winding　down　the　rugged　cliffs　and　defiles　of　those　marble　mountains　and　hastening　toward　Baza。　　Many　brave　cavaliers　of　Granada　also；　spurning　the　quiet　and　security　of　Christian　vassalage；　secretly　left　the　city　and　hastened　to　join　their　fighting　countrymen。　　The　great　dependence　of　El　Zagal；　however；　was　upon　the　valor　and　loyalty　of　his　cousin　and　brother…in…law；　Cid　Hiaya　Alnagar；*　who　was　alcayde　of　Almeriaa　cavalier　experienced　in　warfare　and　redoubtable　in　the　field。　　He　wrote　to　him　to　leave　Almeria　and　repair　with　all　speed　at　the　head　of　his　troops　to　Baza。　　Cid　Hiaya　departed　immediately　with　ten　thousand　of　the　bravest　Moors　in　the　kingdom。　　These　were　for　the　most　part　hardy　mountaineers；　tempered　to　sun　and　storm　and　tried　in　many　a　combat。　　None　equalled　them　for　a　sally　or　a　skirmish。　　They　were　adroit　in　executing　a　thousand　stratagems；　ambuscadoes；　and　evolutions。　　Impetuous　in　their　assaults；　yet　governed　in　their　utmost　fury　by　a　word　or　sign　from　their　commander；　at　the　sound　of　a　tr