University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

When King Ferdinand received the
defiance of the Moors, he made preparations
for bitter hostilities. The winter
season did not admit of an immediate
campaign: he contented himself, therefore,
with throwing strong garrisons into
all his towns and fortresses in the neighbourhood
of Granada, and gave the command
of all the frontier of Jaen to Inigo
Lopez de Mendoza, Count of Tendilla,
who had shown such consummate vigilance
and address in maintaining the
dangerous post of Alhama. This renowned
veteran established his head-quarters
in the mountain city of Alcala
la Real, within eight leagues of the city
of Granada, and commanding the most
important passes of that rugged frontier.

In the mean time, the city of Granada
resounded with the stir of war. The
chivalry of the nation had again control
of its councils; and the populace, having
once more resumed their weapons, were
anxious to wipe out the disgrace of their
late passive submission, by signal and
daring exploits.

Muza ben Abil Gazan was the soul of
action. He commanded the cavalry,
which he had disciplined with uncommon
skill. He was surrounded by the
noblest youth of Granada, who had
caught his own generous and martial
fire, and panted for the field; while the
common soldiers, devoted to his person,
were ready to follow him in the most
desperate enterprises. He did not allow
their courage to cool for want of action.
The gates of Granada once more poured
forth legions of light scouring cavalry,
which skirred the country up to the very
gates of the Christian fortresses; sweeping
off flocks and herds. The name of
Muza became formidable throughout the
frontier. He had many encounters with

the enemy, in the rough passes of the
mountains; in which the superior lightness
and dexterity of his cavalry gave
him the advantage. The sight of his
glistening legion, returning across the
vega with long cavalgadas of booty, was
hailed by the Moors as a revival of their
ancient triumphs; but when they beheld
Christian banners, borne into their gates
as trophies, the exultation of the light-minded
populace was beyond all bounds.
The winter passed away, the spring advanced;
yet Ferdinand delayed to take
the field. He knew the city of Granada
to be too strong and populous to be taken
by assault, and too full of provisions to
be speedily reduced by siege. "We must
have patience and perseverance," said
the politic monarch. "By ravaging the
country this year, we shall produce a
scarcity the next; and then the city may
be invested with effect."

An interval of peace, aided by the
quick vegetation of a prolific soil and
happy climate, had restored the vega to
all its luxuriance and beauty. The green
pastures on the borders of the Xenil were
covered with flocks and herds. The
blooming orchards gave promise of
abundant fruit; and the open plain was
waving with ripening corn. The time was
at hand to put in the sickle and reap the
golden harvest, when, suddenly, a torrent
of war came sweeping down from the
mountains; and Ferdinand, with an
army of five thousand horse and twenty
thousand foot, appeared before the walls
of Granada. He had left the queen and
princess at the fortress of Moclin; and
came, attended by the Duke of Medina
Sidonia, the Marquis of Cadiz, the Marquis
de Villena, the Counts of Ureña and
Cabras, Don Alonso de Aguilar, and
other renowned cavaliers. On this occasion
King Ferdinand, for the first time,
led his son, Prince Juan, into the field;
and bestowed upon him the dignity of
knighthood. As if to stimulate him to
grand achievements, the ceremony took
place on the banks of the grand canal,
almost beneath the embattled walls of
that warlike city, the object of such
daring enterprises; and in the midst of
that famous vega, which had been the
field of so many chivalrous exploits.
High above them shone resplendent the
red towers of the Alhambra, rising from
amidst delicious groves, with the standard
of Mahomet waving defiance to the Christian
arms.

The Duke of Medina Sidonia, and the
valiant Rodrigo Ponce de Leon, Marquis
of Cadiz, were sponsors; and all the
chivalry of the camp were assembled on
the occasion. The prince, after he had
been knighted, bestowed the same honour
on several youthful cavaliers of high rank,
just entering, like himself, on the career
of arms.

Ferdinand did not loiter in carrying
his desolating plans into execution. He
detached parties in every direction to
scour the country. Villages were sacked,
burnt and destroyed; and the lovely vega
once more was laid waste with fire and
sword. The ravage was carried so close
to Granada, that the city was wrapped in
the smoke of its hamlets and gardens.
The dismal cloud rolled up the hill, and
hung about the towers of the Alhambra;
where the unfortunate Boabdil still remained,
shut up from the indignation
of his subjects. The hapless monarch
smote his breast, as he looked down
from his mountain palace on the desolation
effected by his late ally. He dared
not even show himself in arms among
the populace; for they cursed him, as
the cause of the miseries brought anew
to their doors. The Moors, however,
did not suffer the Christians to carry on
their ravages as unmolested as in former
years. Muza incited them to incessant
sallies. He divided his cavalry into
small squadrons, each led by a daring
commander. They were taught to hover
round the Christian camp; to harass it
from various and opposite quarters, cutting
off convoys and straggling detachments;
to waylay the army in its
ravaging expeditions, lurking among
rocks and passes of the mountains, or
in hollows and thickets of the plain; and
practising a thousand stratagems and
surprises.

The Christian army had one day
spread itself out, rather unguardedly,
in its foraging about the vega. As the
troops commanded by the Marquis de
Villena approached the skirts of the
mountains, they beheld a number of
Moorish peasants, hastily driving a herd

of cattle into a narrow glen. The soldiers,
eager for booty, pressed in pursuit
of them. Scarcely had they entered
the glen, when shouts arose from every
side, and they were furiously attacked
by an ambuscade of horse and foot.
Some of the Christians took to flight;
others stood their ground, and fought
valiantly. The Moors had the vantage
ground. Some showered darts and arrows
from the clefts of the rocks; others
fought hand to hand, on the plain; while
their cavalry, rapid as lightning in their
movements, carried havoc into the midst
of the Christian forces. The Marquis
de Villena, with his brother, Don Alonso
de Pacheco, at the first onset of the
Moors, spurred into the hottest of the
fight. They had scarce entered, when
Don Alonso was struck lifeless from his
horse, before the eyes of his brother.
Estevan de Suzon, a gallant captain,
fell, fighting bravely by the side of the
marquis; who remained with his chamberlain
Solier, and a handful of knights,
surrounded by the enemy. Several cavaliers,
from other parts of the army,
hastened to their assistance; when King
Ferdinand, seeing that the Moors had
the vantage ground, and that the Christians
were suffering severely, gave signal
for retreat. The marquis obeyed
slowly and reluctantly; for his heart
was full of grief and rage at the death
of his brother. As he was retiring, he
beheld his faithful chamberlain, Solier,
defending himself bravely against six
Moors. The marquis turned, and rushed
to his rescue. He killed two of the
enemy with his own hand, and put the
rest to flight. One of the Moors, however,
in retreating, rose in his stirrups,
and, hurling his lance at the marquis,
wounded him in the right arm, and crippled
him for life.

In consequence of this wound, the
marquis was ever after obliged to write
his signature with his left hand, though
capable of managing his lance with his
right. The queen demanded one day
of him, why he had adventured his life
for that of a domestic. "Does not
your majesty think," replied he, "that
I ought to risk one life for him, who
would have adventured three for me,
had he possessed them?" The queen
was charmed with the magnanimity of
the reply; and often quoted the marquis,
as setting an heroic example to the chivalry
of the age.

Such was one of the many ambuscades
concerted by Muza; nor did he
hesitate, at times, to present a bold front
to the Christian forces, and defy them
in the open field. King Ferdinand soon
perceived, however, that the Moors seldom
provoked a battle without having
the advantage of ground; and that,
though the Christians generally appeared
to have the victory, they suffered the
greatest loss; for retreating was a part
of the Moorish system, by which they
would draw their pursuers into confusion,
and then turn upon them with a
more violent and fatal attack. He commanded
his captains, therefore, to decline
all challenges to skirmish, and to pursue
a secure system of destruction; ravaging
the country, and doing all possible injury
to the enemy, with slight risk to themselves.