chronicle of the conquest of granada-第87章

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　Mahomet　is　his　prophet！　　Return　to　my　cousin；　Cid　Hiaya；　tell　him　it　is　out　of　my　power　to　aid　him；　he　must　do　as　seems　to　him　for　the　best。　　The　people　of　Baza　have　performed　deeds　worthy　of　immortal　fame；　I　cannot　ask　them　to　encounter　further　ills　and　perils　in　maintaining　a　hopeless　defence。〃

The　reply　of　El　Zagal　determined　the　fate　of　the　city。　　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　fellow…commanders　capitulated；　and　were　granted　the　most　favorable　terms。　　The　cavaliers　and　soldiers　who　had　come　from　other　parts　to　the　defence　of　the　place　were　permitted　to　depart　with　their　arms；　horses；　and　effects。　　The　inhabitants　had　their　choice　either　to　depart　with　their　property　or　dwell　in　the　suburbs　in　the　enjoyment　of　their　religion　and　laws；　taking　an　oath　of　fealty　to　the　sovereigns　and　paying　the　same　tribute　they　had　paid　to　the　Moorish　kings。　　The　city　and　citadel　were　to　be　delivered　up　in　six　days；　within　which　period　the　inhabitants　were　to　remove　all　their　effects；　and　in　the　mean　time　they　were　to　place　as　hostages　fifteen　Moorish　youths；　sons　of　the　principal　inhabitants；　in　the　hands　of　the　commander　of　Leon。　　When　Cid　Hiaya　and　the　alcayde　Mohammed　came　to　deliver　up　the　hostages；　among　whom　were　the　sons　of　the　latter；　they　paid　homage　to　the　king　and　queen；　who　received　them　with　the　utmost　courtesy　and　kindness；　and　ordered　magnificent　presents　to　be　given　to　them；　and　likewise　to　the　other　Moorish　cavaliers；　consisting　of　money；　robes；　horses；　and　other　things　of　great　value。

The　prince　Cid　Hiaya　was　so　captivated　by　the　grace；　the　dignity；　and　generosity　of　Isabella　and　the　princely　courtesy　of　Ferdinand　that　he　vowed　never　again　to　draw　his　sword　against　such　magnanimous　sovereigns。　　The　queen；　charmed　with　his　gallant　bearing　and　his　animated　professions　of　devotion；　assured　him　that；　having　him　on　her　side；　she　already　considered　the　war　terminated　which　had　desolated　the　kingdom　of　Granada。

Mighty　and　irresistible　are　words　of　praise　from　the　lips　of　sovereigns。　　Cid　Hiaya　was　entirely　subdued　by　this　fair　speech　from　the　illustrious　Isabella。　　His　heart　burned　with　a　sudden　flame　of　loyalty　toward　the　sovereigns。　　He　begged　to　be　enrolled　amongst　the　most　devoted　of　their　subjects；　and　in　the　fervor　of　his　sudden　zeal　engaged　not　merely　to　dedicate　his　sword　to　their　service；　but　to　exert　all　his　influence；　which　was　great；　in　persuading　his　cousin；　Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal；　to　surrender　the　cities　of　Guadix　and　Almeria　and　to　give　up　all　further　hostilities。　　Nay；　so　powerful　was　the　effect　produced　upon　his　mind　by　his　conversation　with　the　sovereigns　that　it　extended　even　to　his　religion；　for　he　became　immediately　enlightened　as　to　the　heathenish　abominations　of　the　vile　sect　of　Mahomet；　and　struck　with　the　truths　of　Christianity　as　illustrated　by　such　powerful　monarchs。　　He　consented；　therefore；　to　be　baptized　and　to　be　gathered　into　the　fold　of　the　Church。　　The　pious　Agapida　indulges　in　a　triumphant　strain　of　exultation　on　the　sudden　and　surprising　conversion　of　this　princely　infidel：　he　considers　it　one　of　the　greatest　achievements　of　the　Catholic　sovereigns；　and　indeed　one　of　the　marvellous　occurrences　of　this　holy　war。　　〃But　it　is　given　to　saints　and　pious　monarchs；〃　says　he；　〃to　work　miracles　in　the　cause　of　the　faith；　and　such　did　the　most　Catholic　Ferdinand　in　the　conversion　of　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya。〃

Some　of　the　Arabian　writers　have　sought　to　lessen　the　wonder　of　this　miracle　by　alluding　to　great　revenues　granted　to　the　prince　and　his　heirs　by　the　Castilian　monarchs；　together　with　a　territory　in　Marchena；　with　towns；　lands；　and　vassals；　but　in　this　（says　Agapida）　we　only　see　a　wise　precaution　of　King　Ferdinand　to　clinch　and　secure　the　conversion　of　his　proselyte。　　The　policy　of　the　Catholic　monarch　was　at　all　times　equal　to　his　piety。　　Instead　also　of　vaunting　of　this　great　conversion　and　making　a　public　parade　of　the　entry　of　the　prince　into　the　Church；　King　Ferdinand　ordered　that　the　baptism　should　be　performed　in　private　and　kept　a　profound　secret。　　He　feared　that　Cid　Hiaya　might　otherwise　be　denounced　as　an　apostate　and　abhorred　and　abandoned　by　the　Moors；　and　thus　his　influence　destroyed　in　bringing　the　war　to　a　speedy　termination。*

*Conde；　tom。　3；　cap。　40。


The　veteran　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan　was　likewise　won　by　the　magnanimity　and　munificence　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　and　entreated　to　be　received　into　their　service；　and　his　example　was　followed　by　many　other　Moorish　cavaliers；　whose　services　were　generously　accepted　and　magnificently　rewarded。

Thus；　after　a　siege　of　six　months　and　twenty　days；　the　city　of　Baza　surrendered　on　the　4th　of　December；　1489；　the　festival　of　the　glorious　Santa　Barbara；　who　is　said　in　the　Catholic　calendar　to　preside　over　thunder　and　lightning；　fire　and　gunpowder；　and　all　kinds　of　combustious　explosions。　　The　king　and　queen　made　their　solemn　and　triumphant　entry　on　the　following　day；　and　the　public　joy　was　heightened　by　the　sight　of　upward　of　five　hundred　Christian　captives；　men；　women；　and　children；　delivered　from　the　Moorish　dungeons。

The　loss　of　the　Christians　in　this　siege　amounted　to　twenty　thousand　men；　of　whom　seventeen　thousand　died　of　disease；　and　not　a　few　of　mere　colda　kind　of　death　（says　the　historian　Mariana）　peculiarly　uncomfortable；　but　（adds　the　venerable　Jesuit）　as　these　latter　were　chiefly　people　of　ignoble　rank；　baggage…carriers　and　such…like；　the　loss　was　not　of　great　importance。

The　surrender　of　Baza　was　followed　by　that　of　Almunecar；　Tavernas；　and　most　of　the　fortresses　of　the　Alpuxarras　mountains；　the　inhabitants　hoped　by　prompt　and　voluntary　submission　to　secure　equally　favorable　terms　with　those　granted　to　the　captured　city；　and　the　alcaydes　to　receive　similar　rewards　to　those　lavished　on　its　commanders；　nor　were　either　of　them　disappointed。　　The　inhabitants　were　permitted　to　remain　as　mudexares　in　the　quiet　enjoyment　of　their　property　and　religion；　and　as　to　the　alcaydes；　when　they　came　to　the　camp　to　render　up　their　charges　they　were　received　by　Ferdinand　with　distinguished　favor；　and　rewarded　with　presents　of　money　in　proportion　to　the　importance　of　the　places　they　had　commanded。　　Care　was　taken　by　the　politic　monarch；　however；　not　to　wound　their　pride　nor　shock　their　delicacy；　so　these　sums　were　paid　under　color　of　arrears　due　to　them　for　their　services　to　the　former　government。　　Ferdinand　had　conquered　by　dint　of　sword　in　the　earlier　part　of　the　war；　but　he　found　gold　as　potent　as　steel　in　this　campaign　of　Baza。

With　several　of　these　mercenary　chieftains　came　one　named　Ali　Aben　Fahar；　a　seasoned　warrior　who　had　held　many　important　commands。　He　was　a　Moor　of　a　lofty；　stern；　and　melancholy　aspect；　and　stood　silent　and　apart　while　his　companions　surrendered　their　several　fortresses　and　retired　laden　with　treasure。　　When　it　came　to　his　turn　to　speak；　he　addressed　the　sovereigns　with　the　frankness　of　a　soldier；　but　with　the　tone　of　dejection　and　despair。

〃I　am　a　Moor；〃　said　he；　〃and　of　Moorish　lineage；　and　am　alcayde　of　the　fair　towns　and　castles　of　Purchena　and　Paterna。　　These　were　entrusted　to　me　to　defend；　but　those　who　should　have　stood　by　me　have　lost　all　strength　and　courage　and　seek　only　for　security。　　These　fortresses；　therefore；　most　potent　sovereigns；　are　yours　whenever　you　will　send　to　take　possession　of　them。〃

Large　sums　of　gold　were　immediately　ordered　by　Ferdinand　to　be　delivered　to　the　alcayde　as　a　recompense　for　so　important　a　surrender。　　The　Moor；　however；　put　back　the　gift　with　a　firm　and　dignified　demeanor。　　〃I　came　not；〃　said　he；　〃to　sell　what　is　not　mine；　but　to　yield　what　fortune　has　made　yours；　and　Your　Majesties　may　rest　assured　that　had　I　been　properly　seconded　death　would　have　been　the　price　at　which　I　would　have　sold　my　fortresses；　and　not　the　gold　you　offer　me。〃

The　Castilian　monarchs　were　struck　with　the　lofty　and　loyal　spirit　of　the　Moor；　and　desired　to　engage　a　man　of　such　fidelity　in　their　service；　but　the　proud　Moslem　could　not　be　induced　to　serve　the　enemies　of　his　nation　and　his　faith。

〃Is　there　nothing；　then；〃　said　Queen　Isabella；　〃that　we　can　do　to　gratify　thee；　and　to　prove　to　thee　our　regard？〃〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Moor；　〃I　have　left　behind　me；　in　the　towns　and　valleys　which　I　have　surre