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
Seeing heaven and earth, as it were, combined against them, the Moors
lost all heart: they capitulated, and were permitted to depart with
their effects, leaving behind all arms and munitions of war.
The Catholic army (says Antonio Agapida) entered Moclin in solemn state,
not as a licentious host intent upon plunder and desolation, but as a
band of Christian warriors coming to purify and regenerate the land. The
standard of the cross, that ensign of this holy crusade, was borne in
the advance, followed by the other banners of the army. Then came the
king and queen at the head of a vast number of armed cavaliers. They
were accompanied by a band of priests and friars, with the choir of
the royal chapel chanting the canticle “Te Deum laudamus.” As they were
moving through the streets in this solemn manner, every sound hushed
excepting the anthem of the choir, they suddenly heard, issuing as it
were from under ground, a chorus of voices chanting in solemn response
“Benedictum qui venit in nomine Domini.” * The procession paused in
wonder. The sounds rose from Christian captives, and among them several
priests, who were confined in subterraneous dungeons.
* Marino Siculo.
The heart of Isabella was greatly touched. She ordered the captives to
be drawn forth from their cells, and was still more moved at beholding,
by their wan, discolored, and emaciated appearance, how much they had
suffered. Their hair and beards were overgrown and shagged; they were
wasted by hunger, half naked, and in chains. She ordered that they
should be clothed and cherished, and money furnished them to bear them
to their homes.*
* Illescas, Hist. Pontif., lib. 6, c. 20, \0xA4 1.
Several of the captives were brave cavaliers who had been wounded and
made prisoners in the defeat of the count de Cabra by El Zagal in the
preceding year. There were also found other melancholy traces of that
disastrous affair. On visiting the narrow pass where the defeat had
taken place, the remains of several Christian warriors were found in
thickets or hidden behind rocks or in the clefts of the mountains. These
were some who had been struck from their horses and wounded too severely
to fly. They had crawled away from the scene of action, and concealed
themselves to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy, and had thus
perished miserably and alone. The remains of those of note were known by
their armor and devices, and were mourned over by their companions who
had shared the disaster of that day.*
* Pulgar, part 3, cap. 61.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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