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34. CHAPTER XXXIV.
Enterprise of the knights of Calatrava against Zalea.

While these events were taking place on the
northern frontier of the kingdom of Granada, the
important fortress of Alhama was neglected, and its
commander, Don Gutiere de Padilla, clavero of
Calatrava, reduced to great perplexity. The remnant
of the foraging party, which had been surprised
and massacred by the fierce El Zagal when on his
way to Granada to receive the crown, had returned
in confusion and dismay to the fortress. They could
only speak of their own disgrace, being obliged to
abandon their cavalgada, and to fly, pursued by a
superior force: of the flower of their party, the
gallant knights of Calatrava, who had remained behind
in the valley, they knew nothing. A few days
cleared up all the mystery of their fate: tidings were
brought that their bloody heads had been borne in
triumph into Granada by the ferocious El Zagal.
The surviving knights of Calatrava, who formed a
part of the garrison, burned to revenge the death of
their comrades, and to wipe out the stigma of this
defeat; but the clavero had been rendered cautious
by disaster,—he resisted all their entreaties for a
foray. His garrison was weakened by the loss of so
many of its bravest men; the vega was patrolled by
numerous and powerful squadrons, sent forth by the

warlike El Zagal; above all, the movements of the
garrison were watched by the warriors of Zalea, a
strong town, only two leagues distant, on the road
towards Loxa. This place was a continual check
upon Alhama when in its most powerful state, placing
ambuscades to entrap the christian cavaliers in the
course of their sallies. Frequent and bloody skirmishes
had taken place, in consequence; and the
troops of Alhama, when returning from their forays,
had often to fight their way back through the squadrons
of Zalea. Thus surrounded by dangers, Don
Gutiere de Padilla restrained the eagerness of his
troops for a sally, knowing that any additional disaster
might be followed by the loss of Alhama.

In the meanwhile, provisions began to grow scarce;
they were unable to forage the country as usual for
supplies, and depended for relief upon the Castilian
sovereigns. The defeat of the count de Cabra filled
the measure of their perplexities, as it interrupted
the intended reinforcements and supplies. To such
extremity were they reduced, that they were compelled
to kill some of their horses for provisions.

The worthy clavero, Don Gutiere de Padilla, was
pondering one day on this gloomy state of affairs,
when a Moor was brought before him who had surrendered
himself at the gate of Alhama, and claimed
an audience. Don Gutiere was accustomed to visits
of the kind from renegado Moors, who roamed the
country as spies and adalides; but the countenance
of this man was quite unknown to him. He had a
box strapped to his shoulders, containing divers articles

of traffic, and appeared to be one of those
itinerant traders, who often resorted to Alhama and
the other garrison towns, under pretext of vending
trivial merchandise, such as amulets, perfumes, and
trinkets, but who often produced rich shawls, golden
chains and necklaces, and valuable gems and jewels.

The Moor requested a private conference with
the clavero: “I have a precious jewel,” said he, “to
dispose of.”

“I want no jewels,” replied Don Gutiere.

“For the sake of him who died on the cross, the
great prophet of your faith,” said the Moor, solemnly,
“refuse not my request; the jewel I speak of you
alone can purchase, but I can only treat about it in
secret.”

Don Gutiere perceived there was something hidden
under these mystic and figurative terms, in which
the Moors were often accustomed to talk. He motioned
to his attendants to retire. When they were
alone, the Moor looked cautiously round the apartment,
and then, approaching close to the knight, demanded
in a low voice, “What will you give me, if I
deliver the fortress of Zalea into your hands?”

Don Gutiere looked with surprise at the humble
individual that made such a suggestion.

“What means have you,” said he, “of effecting
such a proposition?”

“I have a brother in the garrison of Zalea,” replied
the Moor, “who, for a proper compensation,
would admit a body of troops into the citadel.”

Don Gutiere turned a scrutinizing eye upon the

Moor. “What right have I to believe,” said he,
“that thou wilt be truer to me, than to those of thy
blood and thy religion?”

“I renounce all ties to them, either of blood or
religion,” replied the Moor; “my mother was a
christian captive; her country shall henceforth be
my country, and her faith my faith.”[1]

The doubts of Don Gutiere were not dispelled by
this profession of mongrel christianity. “Granting
the sincerity of thy conversion,” said he, “art thou
under no obligations of gratitude or duty to the alcayde
of the fortress thou wouldst betray?”

The eyes of the Moor flashed fire at the words;
he gnashed his teeth with fury. “The alcayde,”
cried he, “is a dog! He has deprived my brother
of his just share of booty; he has robbed me of my
merchandise, treated me worse than a Jew when I
murmured at his injustice, and ordered me to be
thrust forth ignominiously from his walls. May the
curse of God fall upon my head, if I rest content
until I have full revenge!”

“Enough,” said Don Gutiere; “I trust more to
thy revenge than thy religion.”

The good clavero called a council of his officers.
The knights of Calatrava were unanimous for the
enterprise—zealous to appease the manes of their
slaughtered comrades. Don Gutiere reminded them
of the state of the garrison, enfeebled by their late
loss, and scarcely sufficient for the defence of the

walls. The cavaliers replied, that there was no
achievement without risk, and that there would have
been no great actions recorded in history, had there
not been daring spirits ready to peril life to gain
renown.

Don Gutiere yielded to the wishes of his knights,
for to have resisted any further might have drawn on
him the imputation of timidity: he ascertained by
trusty spies that every thing in Zalea remained in
the usual state, and he made all the requisite arrangements
for the attack.

When the appointed night arrived, all the cavaliers
were anxious to engage in the enterprise; but
the individuals were decided by lot. They set out,
under the guidance of the Moor; and when they had
arrived in the vicinity of Zalea, they bound his hands
behind his back, and their leader pledged his knightly
word to strike him dead, on the first sign of treachery.
He then bade him to lead the way.

It was near midnight, when they reached the walls
of the fortress. They passed silently along until they
found themselves below the citadel. Here their
guide made a low and preconcerted signal: it was
answered from above, and a cord let down from the
wall. The knights attached to it a ladder, which was
drawn up and fastened. Gutiere Muñoz was the
first that mounted, followed by Pedro de Alvanado,
both brave and hardy soldiers. A handful succeeded:
they were attacked by a party of guards, but held
them at bay until more of their comrades ascended;
with their assistance, they gained possession of a

tower and part of the wall. The garrison, by this
time, was aroused; but before they could reach the
scene of action, most of the cavaliers were within
the battlements. A bloody contest raged for about
an hour—several of the christians were slain, but
many of the Moors; at length the whole citadel was
carried, and the town submitted without resistance.

Thus did the gallant knights of Calatrava gain the
strong town of Zalea with scarcely any loss, and
atone for the inglorious defeat of their companions
by El Zagal. They found the magazines of the
place well stored with provisions, and were enabled
to carry a seasonable supply to their own famishing
garrison.

The tidings of this event reached the sovereigns,
just after the surrender of Cambil and Albahar.
They were greatly rejoiced at this additional success
of their arms, and immediately sent strong reinforcements
and ample supplies for both Alhama and Zalea.
They then dismissed the army for the winter. Ferdinand
and Isabella retired to Alcala de Henares,
where the queen, on the 16th of December, 1485,
gave birth to the princess Catharine, afterwards wife
of Henry VIII. of England. Thus prosperously
terminated the checkered campaign of this important
year.