University of Virginia Library

7. CHAPTER VII.
Of the city of Malaga, and its inhabitants.

The city of Malaga lies in the lap of a fertile valley,
surrounded by mountains, excepting on the part
which lies open to the sea. As it was one of the
most important, so it was one of the strongest, cities
of the Moorish kingdom. It was fortified by walls
of prodigious strength, studded with a great number
of huge towers. On the land side, it was protected
by a natural barrier of mountains; and on the other,
the waves of the Mediterranean beat against the
foundations of its massive bulwarks.

At one end of the city, near the sea, on a high
mound, stood the Alcazaba or citadel,—a fortress of
great strength. Immediately above this, rose a steep
and rocky mount, on the top of which, in old times,
had been a Pharo or light-house, from which the
height derived its name of Gibralfaro.[1] It was at
present crowned by an immense castle, which, from
its lofty and cragged situation, its vast walls and
mighty towers, was deemed impregnable. It communicated
with the Alcazaba by a covered way, six
paces broad, leading down between two walls, along
the profile or ridge of the rock. The castle of Gibralfaro
commanded both citadel and city, and was capable,

if both were taken, of maintaining a siege. Two
large suburbs adjoined the city: in the one towards
the sea, were the dwelling-houses of the most opulent
inhabitants, adorned with hanging gardens; the other,
on the land side, was thickly peopled, and surrounded
by strong walls and towers.

Malaga possessed a brave and numerous garrison,
and the common people were active, hardy, and
resolute; but the city was rich and commercial, and
under the habitual control of numerous opulent merchants,
who dreaded the ruinous consequences of a
siege. They were little zealous for the warlike renown
of their city, and longed rather to participate
in the enviable security of property, and the lucrative
privileges of safe traffic with the christian territories,
granted to all places which declared for Boabdil.
At the head of these gainful citizens was Ali Dordux,
a mighty merchant of uncounted wealth, whose ships
traded to every part of the Levant, and whose word
was as a law in Malaga. Ali Dordux assembled the
most opulent and important of his commercial brethren,
and they repaired in a body to the Alcazaba,
where they were received by the alcayde, Albozen
Connixa, with that deference generally shown to men
of their great local dignity and power of purse. Ali
Dordux was ample and stately in his form, and fluent
and emphatic in his discourse; his eloquence had an
effect therefore upon the alcayde, as he represented
the hopelessness of a defence of Malaga, the misery
that must attend a siege, and the ruin that must follow
a capture by force of arms. On the other hand,

he set forth the grace that might be obtained from
the Castilian sovereigns, by an early and voluntary
acknowledgment of Boabdil as king; the peaceful
possession of their property, and the profitable commerce
with the christian ports, that would be allowed
them. He was seconded by his weighty and important
coadjutors; and the alcayde, accustomed to
regard them as the arbiters of the affairs of the place,
yielded to their united counsels. He departed, therefore,
with all speed, to the christian camp, empowered
to arrange a capitulation with the Castilian monarch;
and in the mean time, his brother remained in
command of the Alcazaba.

There was at this time, as alcayde, in the old cragbuilt
castle of Gibralfaro, a warlike and fiery Moor,
an implacable enemy of the christians. This was no
other than Hamet Zeli, surnamed El Zegri, the once
formidable alcayde of Ronda, and the terror of its
mountains. He had never forgiven the capture of
his favorite fortress, and panted for vengeance on
the christians. Notwithstanding his reverses, he had
retained the favor of El Zagal, who knew how to
appreciate a bold warrior of the kind, and had
placed him in command of this important fortress
of Gibralfaro.

Hamet el Zegri had gathered round him the remnant
of his band of Gomeres, with others of the same
tribe. These fierce warriors were nestled, like so
many war-hawks, about their lofty cliff. They looked
down with martial contempt upon the commercial
city of Malaga, which they were placed to protect;

or rather, they esteemed it only for its military importance,
and its capability of defence. They held
no communion with its trading, gainful inhabitants,
and even considered the garrison of the Alcazaba as
their inferiors. War was their pursuit and passion;
they rejoiced in its turbulent and perilous scenes;
and, confident in the strength of the city, and, above
all, of their castle, they set at defiance the menace
of christian invasion. There were among them, also,
many apostate Moors, who had once embraced christianity,
but had since recanted, and had fled from the
vengeance of the Inquisition. These were desperadoes,
who had no mercy to expect, should they again
fall into the hands of the enemy.

Such were the fierce elements of the garrison of
Gibralfaro; and its rage may easily be conceived, at
hearing that Malaga was to be given up without a
blow; that they were to sink into christian vassals,
under the intermediate sway of Boabdil el Chico;
and that the alcayde of the Alcazaba had departed,
to arrange the terms of capitulation.

Hamet el Zegri determined to avert, by desperate
means, the threatened degradation. He knew that
there was a large party in the city faithful to El
Zagal, being composed of warlike men, who had
taken refuge from the various mountain towns which
had been captured: their feelings were desperate as
their fortunes, and, like Hamet, they panted for revenge
upon the christians. With these he had a
secret conference, and received assurances of their

adherence to him in any measures of defence. As
to the counsel of the peaceful inhabitants, he considered
it unworthy the consideration of a soldier;
and he spurned at the interference of the wealthy
merchant Ali Dordux, in matters of warfare.

“Still,” said Hamet el Zegri, “let us proceed
regularly.” So he descended with his Gomeres to
the citadel, entered it suddenly, put to death the
brother of the alcayde, and such of the garrison as
made any demur, and then summoned the principal
inhabitants of Malaga, to deliberate on measures for
the welfare of the city.[2] The wealthy merchants
again mounted to the citadel, excepting Ali Dordux,
who refused to obey the summons. They entered
with hearts filled with awe, for they found Hamet
surrounded by his grim African guard, and all the
stern array of military power, and they beheld the
bloody traces of the recent massacre.

Hamet el Zegri rolled a dark and searching eye
upon the assembly. “Who,” said he, “is loyal and
devoted to Muley Abdalla el Zagal?” Every one
present asserted his loyalty. “Good!” said Hamet;
“and who is ready to prove his devotion to his sovereign,
by defending this his important city to the last
extremity?” Every one present declared his readiness.
“Enough!” observed Hamet; “the alcayde
Albozen Connixa has proved himself a traitor to his
sovereign, and to you all; for he has conspired to

deliver the place to the christians. It behoves you
to choose some other commander, capable of defending
your city against the approaching enemy.” The
assembly declared unanimously, that there was no
one so worthy of the command as himself. So
Hamet el Zegri was appointed alcayde of Malaga,
and immediately proceeded to man the forts and
towers with his partisans, and to make every preparation
for a desperate resistance.

Intelligence of these occurrences put an end to
the negotiations between king Ferdinand and the
superseded alcayde Albozen Connixa, and it was
supposed there was no alternative but to lay siege to
the place. The marques of Cadiz, however, found
at Velez a Moorish cavalier of some note, a native
of Malaga, who offered to tamper with Hamet el
Zegri for the surrender of the city, or at least of the
castle of Gibralfaro. The marques communicated
this to the king: “I put this business, and the key
of my treasury, into your hands,” said Ferdinand;
“act, stipulate, and disburse, in my name, as you
think proper.”

The marques armed the Moor with his own lance,
cuirass, and target, and mounted him on one of his
own horses. He equipped in similar style, also,
another Moor, his companion and relation. They
bore secret letters to Hamet from the marques, offering
him the town of Coin in perpetual inheritance,
and four thousand doblas in gold, if he would deliver
up Gibralfaro; together with large sums, to be distributed
among his officers and soldiers: and he of

fered unlimited rewards for the surrender of the
city.[3]

Hamet had a warrior's admiration of the marques
of Cadiz, and received his messengers with courtesy
in his fortress of Gibralfaro. He even listened to
their propositions with patience, and dismissed them
in safety, though with an absolute refusal. The marques
thought his reply was not so peremptory as to
discourage another effort. The emissaries were dispatched,
therefore, a second time, with further propositions.
They approached Malaga in the night, but
found the guards doubled, patrols abroad, and the
whole place on the alert. They were discovered,
pursued, and only saved themselves by the fleetness
of their steeds, and their knowledge of the passes of
the mountains.

Finding all attempts to tamper with the faith of
Hamet el Zegri utterly futile, king Ferdinand publicly
summoned the city to surrender, offering the
most favorable terms in case of immediate compliance;
but threatening captivity to all the inhabitants,
in case of resistance.

The message was delivered in presence of the
principal inhabitants, who, however, were too much
in awe of the stern alcayde to utter a word. Hamet
el Zegri then rose haughtily, and replied, that the
city of Malaga had not been confided to him to be
surrendered, but defended; and the king should witness
how he acquitted himself of his charge.[4]

The messengers returned with formidable accounts
of the force of the garrison, the strength of the fortifications,
and the determined spirit of the commander
and his men. The king immediately sent orders to
have the heavy artillery forwarded from Antiquera;
and, on the 7th of May, marched with his army towards
Malaga.