History of the Reign of Philip the Second King of Spain, Vol. 3: And Biographical & Critical MiscellaniesPrescott, William Hickling
History
History of the Reign of Philip the Second King of Spain, Vol. 3: And Biographical & Critical Miscellanies
Prescott, William Hickling
Philip II, King of Spain, 1527-1598; Spain -- History -- Philip II, 1556-1598
Meanwhile the marquis, instead of following up his victory, remained
torpid within the walls of Calahorra. Here he had desired the council to
provide stores for the subsistence of his army. To his dismay, none had
been provided; and as his own attempts to procure them were
unsuccessful, he soon found himself in the same condition as at Adra.
The famine-stricken troops, with little pay and less plunder, first
became discontented, then mutinous, and at length deserted in great
numbers. It was in vain that the irascible old chief poured out his
wrath in menaces and imprecations. His arrogant temper had made him
hated even more than he was feared by his soldiers. They now went off,
not stealthily and by night, but in the open day, whole companies at a
time, their arquebuses on their shoulders, and their matches
lighted.[186] When Don Diego Fajardo, the marquis's son, endeavoured to
stay them, one, more audacious than the rest, lodged a musket-ball in
his body. It was not long before the gallant array with which the
marquis had so proudly entered the Alpujarras, was reduced to less than
three thousand men. Among them were the Italian veterans, who refused to
tarnish their well-earned laurels by thus basely abandoning their
commander.
The council of war complained loudly to the king of the fatal inactivity
of the marquis, and of his neglect to follow up the advantages he had
gained. Los Velez angrily retorted by throwing the blame on that body,
for neglecting to furnish him with the supplies which would have enabled
him to do so. Philip, alarmed, with reason, at the critical aspect of
affairs, ordered the marquis of Mondejar to repair to court, that he
might confer with him on the state of the country. This was the avowed
motive for his recall. But, in truth, it seems probable that the king,
aware of that nobleman's leaning to a pacific policy, and of his
personal hostility to Los Velez, deemed it best to remove him altogether
from any share in the conduct of the war. This he did most effectually,
by sending him into honourable exile, first appointing him Viceroy of
Valentia, and afterwards raising him to the important post of Viceroy of
Naples. From this period the name of Mondejar no more appears on the
theatre of the Morisco war.[187]
[Sidenote: DECLINE OF ABEN-HUMEYA'S POPULARITY.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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