CHAPTER XLV.
Attempt of El Zagal upon the life of Boabdil; and
how the latter was roused to action.
No sooner did the last squadron of
Christian cavalry disappear behind the
mountain of Elvira, and the note of its
trumpets die away upon the ear, than the
long-suppressed wrath of old Muley El
Zagal burst forth. He determined no
longer to be half a king, reigning over a
divided kingdom in a divided capital; but
to exterminate by any means, fair or foul,
his nephew Boabdil and his confederates.
He turned furiously upon those, whose
factious conduct had deterred him from
sallying upon the foe. Some he punished
by confiscations, others by banishment,
others by death. Once undisputed monarch
of the entire kingdom, he trusted
to his military skill to retrieve his fortune,
and drive the Christians over the
frontier.
Boabdil, however, had again retired to
Velez el Blanco, on the confines of Murcia,
where he could avail himself, in case
of emergency, of any assistance or protection
afforded him by the policy of
Ferdinand. His defeat had blighted his
reviving fortunes, for the people considered
him as inevitably doomed to misfortune.
Still, while he lived, El Zagal
knew he would be a rallying-point for
faction, and liable, at any moment, to be
elevated into power by the capricious
multitude. He had recourse, therefore,
to the most perfidious means to compass
his destruction. He sent ambassadors to
him, representing the necessity of concord,
for the salvation of the kingdom;
and even offering to resign the title of
king, and to become subject to his sway,
on receiving some estate, on which he
could live in tranquil retirement. But,
while the ambassadors bore these words
of peace, they were furnished with poisoned
herbs, which they were to administer
secretly to Boabdil; and, if they
failed in this attempt, they had pledged
themselves to despatch him openly, while
engaged in conversation. They were
instigated to this treason by promises of
great reward, and by assurances from
the alfaquis, that Boabdil was an apostate,
whose death would be acceptable to
Heaven.
The young monarch was secretly apprised
of the concerted treason, and refused
an audience to the ambassadors.
He denounced his uncle as the murderer
of his father and his kindred, and the
usurper of his throne, and vowed never
to relent in hostility to him, until he
should place his head on the walls of the
Alhambra.
Open war again broke out between the
two monarchs, though feebly carried on,
in consequence of their mutual embarrassments.
Ferdinand again extended
his assistance to Boabdil, ordering the
commanders of his fortresses to aid him
in all enterprises against his uncle, and
against such places as refused to acknowledge
him as king. And Don Juan
de Benavides, who commanded in Loxa,
even made inroads, in his name, into the
territories of Almeria, Baza, and Guadix,
which owned allegiance to El Zagal.
The unfortunate Boabdil had three
great evils to contend with; the inconstancy
of his subjects, the hostility of his
uncle, and the friendship of Ferdinand.
The last was by far the most baneful;
his fortunes withered under it. He was
looked upon as the enemy of his faith
and of his country. The cities shut their
gates against him. The people cursed
him. Even the scanty band of cavaliers,
who had hitherto followed his ill-starred
banner, began to desert him; for he had
not wherewithal to reward, or even to
support them. His spirits sank with his
fortune; and he feared that, in a little
time, he should not have a spot of earth
whereon to place his standard, or an adherent
to rally under it.
In the midst of his despondency, he
received a message from his lion-hearted
mother, the sultana Ayxa la Horra.
"For shame," said she, "to linger about
the borders of your kingdom, when a
usurper is seated in your capital! Why
look abroad for perfidious aid, when you
have loyal hearts beating true to you in
Granada? The albaycen is ready to
throw open its gates to receive you.
Strike home vigorously. A sudden blow
may mend all, or make an end. A
throne, or a grave! for a king, there is
no honourable medium."
Boabdil was of an undecided character:
but there are circumstances which bring
the most wavering to a decision, and,
when once resolved, they are apt to act
with a daring impulse, unknown to
steadier judgments. The message of
the sultana roused him from a dream.
Granada, beautiful Granada! with its
stately Alhambra, its delicious gardens,
its gushing and limpid fountains, sparkling
among groves of orange, citron, and
myrtle, rose before him. "What have
I done," exclaimed he, "that I should be
an exile from this paradise of my forefathers,
a wanderer and fugitive in my
own kingdom, while a murderous usurper
sits proudly upon my throne? Surely,
Allah will befriend the righteous cause:
one blow, and all may be my own!"
He summoned his scanty band of cavaliers.
"Who is ready to follow his
monarch unto the death?" said he; and
every one laid his hand upon his cimeter.
"Enough!" said he: "let each man arm
himself, and prepare his steed in secret,
for an enterprise of toil and peril: if we
succeed, our reward is empire!"
