part03-第3章
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Alcazar of Seville; and the Alhambra of Granada; still bear
inscriptions fondly boasting of the power and permanency of their
dominion; can the boast be derided as arrogant and vain? Generation
after generation; century after century; passed away; and still they
maintained possession of the land。 A period elapsed longer than that
which has passed since England was subjugated by the Norman Conqueror;
and the descendants of Musa and Taric might as little anticipate being
driven into exile across the same straits; traversed by their
triumphant ancestors; as the descendants of Rollo and William; and
their veteran peers; may dream of being driven back to the shores of
Normandy。
With all this; however; the Moslem empire in Spain was but a
brilliant exotic; that took no permanent root in the soil it
embellished。 Severed from all their neighbors in the West; by
impassable barriers of faith and manners; and separated by seas and
deserts from their kindred of the East; the Morisco…spaniards were
an isolated people。 Their whole existence was a prolonged; though
gallant and chivalric struggle; for a foothold in a usurped land。
They were the outposts and frontiers of Islamism。 The peninsula
was the great battle…ground where the Gothic conquerors of the North
and the Moslem conquerors of the East; met and strove for mastery; and
the fiery courage of the Arab was at length subdued by the obstinate
and persevering valor of the Goth。
Never was the annihilation of a people more complete than that of
the Morisco…Spaniards。 Where are they? Ask the shores of Barbary and
its desert places。 The exiled remnant of their once powerful empire
disappeared among the barbarians of Africa; and ceased to be a nation。
They have not even left a distinct name behind them; though for nearly
eight centuries they were a distinct people。 The home of their
adoption; and of their occupation for ages; refuses to acknowledge
them; except as invaders and usurpers。 A few broken monuments are
all that remain to bear witness to their power and dominion; as
solitary rocks; left far in the interior; bear testimony to the extent
of some vast inundation。 Such is the Alhambra。 A Moslem pile in the
midst of a Christian land; an Oriental palace amidst the Gothic
edifices of the West; an elegant memento of a brave; intelligent;
and graceful people; who conquered; ruled; flourished; and passed
away。
The Jesuits' Library。
SINCE indulging in the foregoing reverie; my curiosity has been
aroused to know something of the princes; who left behind them this
monument of Oriental taste and magnificence; and whose names still
appear among the inscriptions on its walls。 To gratify this curiosity;
I have descended from this region of fancy and fable; where every
thing is liable to take an imaginary tint; and have carried my
researches among the dusty tomes of the old Jesuits' Library; in the
University。 This once boasted repository of erudition is now a mere
shadow of its former self; having been stripped of its manuscripts and
rarest works by the French; when masters of Granada; still it contains
among many ponderous tomes of the Jesuit fathers; which the French
were careful to leave behind; several curious tracts of Spanish
literature; and above all; a number of those antiquated
parchment…bound chronicles for which I have a particular veneration。
In this old library; I have passed many delightful hours of quiet;
undisturbed; literary foraging; for the keys of the doors and
bookcases were kindly intrusted to me; and I was left alone; to
rummage at my pleasure… a rare indulgence in these sanctuaries of
learning; which too often tantalize the thirsty student with the sight
of sealed fountains of knowledge。
In the course of these visits I gleaned a variety of facts
concerning historical characters connected with the Alhambra; some
of which I here subjoin; trusting they may prove acceptable to the
reader。
ALHAMAR
Alhamar。
The Founder of the Alhambra。
THE Moors of Granada regarded the Alhambra as a miracle of art;
and had a tradition that the king who founded it dealt in magic; or at
least in alchemy; by means whereof he procured the immense sums of
gold expended in its erection。 A brief view of his reign will show the
secret of his wealth。 He is known in Arabian history as Muhamed
Ibn…l…Ahmar; but his name in general is written simply Alhamar; and
was given to him; we are told; on account of his ruddy complexion。*
* Et porque era muy rubio llamaban lo los Moros Abenalhamar; que
quiere decir bermejo。。。 et porque los Moros lo llamaban Benalhamar que
quiere decir bermejo tomo los senales bermejos; segun que los
ovieron desputes los Reyes de Granada。… BLEDA; Cronica de Alfonso XI。
'And because his complexion was very ruddy the Moors called him
Abenalhamar; which means 〃vermilion〃。。。 and because the Moors called
him Benalhamar; which means vermilion; he took bright red for his
insignia; just as the Kings of Granada have done ever since。'
He was of the noble and opulent line of the Beni Nasar; or tribe
of Nasar; and was born in Arjona; in the year of the Hegira 592 (A。 D。
1195)。 At his birth the astrologers; we are told; cast his horoscope
according to Oriental custom; and pronounced it highly auspicious; and
a santon predicted for him a glorious career。 No expense was spared in
fitting him for the high destinies prognosticated。 Before he
attained the full years of manhood; the famous battle of the Navas (or
plains) of Tolosa shattered the Moorish empire; and eventually severed
the Moslems of Spain from the Moslems of Africa。 Factions soon arose
among the former; headed by warlike chiefs; ambitious of grasping
the sovereignty of the Peninsula。 Alhamar became engaged in these
wars; he was the general and leader of the Beni Nasar; and; as such;
he opposed and thwarted the ambition of Aben Hud; who had raised his
standard among the warlike mountains of the Alpuxarras; and been
proclaimed king of Murcia and Granada。 Many conflicts took place
between these warring chieftains; Alhamar dispossessed his rival of
several important places; and was proclaimed king of Jaen by his
soldiery; but he aspired to the sovereignty of the whole of Andalusia;
for he was of a sanguine spirit and lofty ambition。 His valor and
generosity went hand in hand; what he gained by the one he secured
by the other; and at the death of Aben Hud (A。 D。 1238); he became
sovereign of all the territories which owned allegiance to that
powerful chief He made his formal entry into Granada in the same year;
amid the enthusiastic shouts of the multitude; who hailed him as the
only one capable of uniting the various factions which prevailed;
and which threatened to lay the empire at the mercy of the Christian
princes。
Alhamar established his court in Granada; he was the first of the
illustrious line of Nasar that sat upon a throne。 He took immediate
measures to put his little kingdom in a posture of defence against the
assaults to be expected from his Christian neighbors; repairing and
strengthening the frontier posts and fortifying the capital。 Not
content with the provisions of the Moslem law; by which every man is
made a soldier; he raised a regular army to garrison his strong…holds;
allowing every soldier stationed on the frontier a portion of land for
the support of himself; his horse; and his family; thus interesting
him in the defence of the soil in which he had a property。 These
wise precautions were justified by events。 The Christians; profiting
by the dismemberment of the Moslem power; were rapidly regaining their
ancient territories。 James the Conqueror had subjected all Valencia;
and Ferdinand the Saint sat down in person before Jaen; the bulwark of
Granada。 Alhamar ventured to oppose him in open field; but met with
a signal defeat; and retired discomfited to his capital。 Jaen st