chronicle of the conquest of granada-第88章

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regard？〃〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Moor；　〃I　have　left　behind　me；　in　the　towns　and　valleys　which　I　have　surrendered；　many　of　my　unhappy　countrymen；　with　their　wives　and　children；　who　cannot　tear　themselves　from　their　native　abodes。　　Give　me　your　royal　word　that　they　shall　be　protected　in　the　peaceable　enjoyment　of　their　religion　and　their　homes。〃〃We　promise　it；〃　said　Isabella；　〃they　shall　dwell　in　peace　and　security。　　But　for　thyself　what　dost　thou　ask　for　thyself？〃〃Nothing；〃　replied　Ali；　〃but　permission　to　pass　unmolested　with　my　horses　and　effects　into　Africa。〃

The　Castilian　monarchs　would　fain　have　forced　upon　him　gold　and　silver　and　superb　horses　richly　caparisoned；　not　as　rewards；　but　as　marks　of　personal　esteem；　but　Ali　Aben　Fahar　declined　all　presents　and　distinctions；　as　if　he　thought　it　criminal　to　flourish　individually　during　a　time　of　public　distress；　and　disdained　all　prosperity　that　seemed　to　grow　out　of　the　ruins　of　his　country。

Having　received　a　royal　passport；　he　gathered　together　his　horses　and　servants；　his　armor　and　weapons；　and　all　his　warlike　effects；　bade　adieu　to　his　weeping　countrymen　with　a　brow　stamped　with　anguish；　but　without　shedding　a　tear；　and；　mounting　his　Barbary　steed；　turned　his　back　upon　the　delightful　valleys　of　his　conquered　country；　departing　on　his　lonely　way　to　seek　a　soldier's　fortune　amidst　the　burning　sands　of　Africa。*

*Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　124；　Garibay；　lib。　40；　cap。　40；　Cura　de　　los　Palacios。



CHAPTER　LXXXII。

SUBMISSION　OF　EL　ZAGAL　TO　THE　CASTILIAN　SOVEREIGNS。


Evil　tidings　never　fail　by　the　way　through　lack　of　messengers：　they　are　wafted　on　the　wings　of　the　wind；　and　it　is　as　if　the　very　birds　of　the　air　would　bear　them　to　the　ear　of　the　unfortunate。　　The　old　king　El　Zagal　buried　himself　in　the　recesses　of　his　castle　to　hide　himself　from　the　light　of　day；　which　no　longer　shone　prosperously　upon　him；　but　every　hour　brought　missives　thundering　at　the　gate　with　the　tale　of　some　new　disaster。　　Fortress　after　fortress　had　laid　its　keys　at　the　feet　of　the　Christian　sovereigns：　strip　after　strip　of　warrior　mountain　and　green　fruitful　valleys　was　torn　from　his　domains　and　added　to　the　territories　of　the　conquerors。　　Scarcely　a　remnant　remained　to　him；　except　a　tract　of　the　Alpuxarras　and　the　noble　cities　of　Guadix　and　Almeria。　　No　one　any　longer　stood　in　awe　of　the　fierce　old　monarch；　the　terror　of　his　frown　had　declined　with　his　power。　　He　had　arrived　at　that　state　of　adversity　when　a　man's　friends　feel　emboldened　to　tell　him　hard　truths　and　to　give　him　unpalatable　advice；　and　when　his　spirit　is　bowed　down　to　listen　quietly　if　not　meekly。

El　Zagal　was　seated　on　his　divan；　his　whole　spirit　absorbed　in　rumination　on　the　transitory　nature　of　human　glory；　when　his　kinsman　and　brother…in…law；　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya；　was　announced。　That　illustrious　convert　to　the　true　faith　and　the　interests　of　the　conquerors　of　his　country　had　hastened　to　Guadix　with　all　the　fervor　of　a　new　proselyte；　eager　to　prove　his　zeal　in　the　service　of　Heaven　and　the　Castilian　sovereigns　by　persuading　the　old　monarch　to　abjure　his　faith　and　surrender　his　possessions。

Cid　Hiaya　still　bore　the　guise　of　a　Moslem；　for　his　conversion　was　as　yet　a　secret。　　The　stern　heart　of　El　Zagal　softened　at　beholding　the　face　of　a　kinsman　in　this　hour　of　adversity。　　He　folded　his　cousin　to　his　bosom；　and　gave　thanks　to　Allah　that　amidst　all　his　troubles　he　had　still　a　friend　and　counsellor　on　whom　he　might　rely。

Cid　Hiaya　soon　entered　upon　the　real　purpose　of　his　mission。　　He　represented　to　El　Zagal　the　desperate　state　of　affairs　and　the　irretrievable　decline　of　Moorish　power　in　the　kingdom　of　Granada。　〃Fate；〃　said　he；　〃is　against　our　arms；　our　ruin　is　written　in　the　heavens。　　Remember　the　prediction　of　the　astrologers　at　the　birth　of　your　nephew　Boabdil。　　We　hoped　that　their　prediction　was　accomplished　by　his　capture　at　Lucena；　but　it　is　now　evident　that　the　stars　portended　not　a　temporary　and　passing　reverse　of　the　kingdom；　but　a　final　overthrow。　　The　constant　succession　of　disasters　which　have　attended　our　efforts　show　that　the　sceptre　of　Granada　is　doomed　to　pass　into　the　hands　of　the　Christian　monarchs。　　Such；〃　concluded　the　prince　emphatically；　and　with　a　profound　and　pious　reverence；〃such　is　the　almighty　will　of　God。〃

El　Zagal　listened　to　these　words　in　mute　attention；　without　so　much　as　moving　a　muscle　of　his　face　or　winking　an　eyelid。　　When　the　prince　had　concluded　he　remained　for　a　long　time　silent　and　pensive；　at　length；　heaving　a　profound　sigh　from　the　very　bottom　of　his　heart；　〃Alahuma　subahana　hu！〃　exclaimed　he〃the　will　of　God　be　done！　Yes；　my　cousin；　it　is　but　too　evident　that　such　is　the　will　of　Allah；　and　what　he　wills　he　fails　not　to　accomplish。　　Had　not　he　decreed　the　fall　of　Granada；　this　arm　and　this　scimetar　would　have　maintained　it。〃*

*Conde；　tom。　3；　c。　40。


〃What　then　remains；〃　said　Cid　Hiaya；　〃but　to　draw　the　most　advantage　from　the　wreck　of　empire　left　to　you？　　To　persist　in　a　war　is　to　bring　complete　desolation　upon　the　land　and　ruin　and　death　upon　its　faithful　inhabitants。　　Are　you　disposed　to　yield　up　your　remaining　towns　to　your　nephew　El　Chico；　that　they　may　augment　his　power　and　derive　protection　from　his　alliance　with　the　Christian　sovereigns？〃

The　eye　of　El　Zagal　flashed　fire　at　this　suggestion。　　He　grasped　the　hilt　of　his　scimetar　and　gnashed　his　teeth　in　fury。　　〃Never；〃　cried　he；　〃will　I　make　terms　with　that　recreant　and　slave。　　Sooner　would　I　see　the　banners　of　the　Christian　monarchs　floating　above　my　walls　than　they　should　add　to　the　possessions　of　the　vassal　Boabdil！〃

Cid　Hiaya　immediately　seized　upon　this　idea；　and　urged　El　Zagal　to　make　a　frank　and　entire　surrender。　　〃Trust；〃　said　he；　〃to　the　magnanimity　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　they　will　doubtless　grant　you　high　and　honorable　terms。　　It　is　better　to　yield　to　them　as　friends　what　they　must　infallibly　and　before　long　wrest　from　you　as　enemies；　for　such；　my　cousin；　is　the　almighty　will　of　God。〃

''Alahuma　subahana　hu！〃　repeated　El　Zagal〃the　will　of　God　be　done！〃　　So　the　old　monarch　bowed　his　haughty　neck　and　agreed　to　surrender　his　territories　to　the　enemies　of　his　faith；　rather　than　suffer　them　to　augment　the　Moslem　power　under　the　sway　of　his　nephew。

Cid　Hiaya　now　returned　to　Baza；　empowered　by　El　Zagal　to　treat　on　his　behalf　with　the　Christian　sovereigns。　　The　prince　felt　a　species　of　exultation　as　he　expatiated　on　the　rich　relics　of　empire　which　he　was　authorized　to　cede。　　There　was　a　great　part　of　that　line　of　mountains　extending　from　the　metropolis　to　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　with　their　series　of　beautiful　green　valleys　like　precious　emeralds　set　in　a　golden　chain。　　Above　all；　there　were　Guadix　and　Almeria；　two　of　the　most　inestimable　jewels　in　the　crown　of　Granada。

In　return　for　these　possessions　and　for　the　claim　of　El　Zagal　to　the　rest　of　the　kingdom　the　sovereigns　received　him　into　their　friendship　and　alliance；　and　gave　him　in　perpetual　inheritance　the　territory　of　Andarax　and　the　valley　of　Alhaurin　in　the　Alpuxarras；　with　the　fourth　part　of　the　salinas　or　salt…pits　of　Malaha。　　He　was　to　enjoy　the　title　of　king　of　Andarax；　with　two　thousand　mudexares；　or　conquered　Moors；　for　subjects；　and　his　revenues　were　to　be　made　up　to　the　sum　of　four　millions　of　maravedis。　　All　these　he　was　to　hold　as　a　vassal　of　the　Castilian　Crown。

These　arrangements　being　made；　Cid　Hiaya　returned　with　them　to　Muley　Abdallah；　and　it　was　concerted　that　the　ceremony　of　surrender　and　homage　should　take　place　at　the　city　of　Almeria。

On　the　17th　of　December；　King　Ferdinand　departed　for　that　city。　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　principal　officers；　incorporated　with　a　division　commanded　by　the　count　de　Tendilla；　marched　in　the　van…guard。　The　king　was　with　the　centre　of　the　army；　and　the　queen　with　the　rear…guard。　　In　this　martial　state　Ferdinand　passed　by　several　of　the　newly…acquired　towns；　exulting　in　these　trophies　of　his　policy　rather　than　his　valor。　　In　traversing　the　mountainous　region　which　extends　toward　the　Mediterranean　the　army　suffered　exceedingly　from　raging　vandavales；　or　south…west　gales；　accompanied　by　snow…storms。　Several　of　the　soldiers　and　many　horses　and　beasts　perished　with　the　cold。　　One　of　the　divisions　under　the　marq