Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada, from the mss. of Fray Antonio AgapidaIrving, Washington
History
Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada, from the mss. of Fray Antonio Agapida
Irving, Washington
Granada (Spain : Reino) -- History -- Spanish Conquest, 1476-1492
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, afterward wife of Henry VIII. of
England. Thus prosperously terminated the checkered campaign of this
important year.
CHAPTER XXXV.
DEATH OF MULEY ABUL HASSAN.
Muley Abdallah el Zagal had been received with great acclamations
at Granada on his return from defeating the count de Cabra. He had
endeavored to turn his victory to the greatest advantage with his
subjects, giving tilts and tournaments and other public festivities in
which the Moors delighted. The loss of the castles of Cambil and Albahar
and of the fortress of Zalea, however, checked this sudden tide of
popularity, and some of the fickle populace began to doubt whether they
had not been rather precipitate in deposing his brother, Muley Abul
Hassan.
That superannuated monarch remained in his faithful town of Almunecar,
on the border of the Mediterranean, surrounded by a few adherents,
together with his wife Zoraya and his children, and he had all his
treasures safe in his possession. The fiery heart of the old king was
almost burnt out, and all his powers of doing either harm or good seemed
at an end.
While in this passive and helpless state his brother, El Zagal,
manifested a sudden anxiety for his health. He had him removed, with all
tenderness and care, to Salobrena, another fortress on the Mediterranean
coast, famous for its pure and salubrious air; and the alcayde, who was
a devoted adherent to El Zagal, was charged to have especial care that
nothing was wanting to the comfort and solace of his brother.
Salobrena was a small town, situated on a lofty and rocky hill in
the midst of a beautiful and fertile vega shut up on three sides
by mountains and opening on the fourth to the Mediterranean. It was
protected by strong walls and a powerful castle, and, being deemed
impregnable, was often used by the Moorish kings as a place of deposit
for their treasures. They were accustomed also to assign it as a
residence for such of their sons and brothers as might endanger the
security of their reign. Here the princes lived in luxurious repose:
they had delicious gardens, perfumed baths, a harem of beauties at their
command--nothing was denied them but the liberty to depart: that alone
was wanting to render this abode an earthly paradise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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