Queens of old SpainHume, Martin A. S. (Martin Andrew Sharp)
Philosophy
Queens of old Spain
Hume, Martin A. S. (Martin Andrew Sharp)
Queens -- Spain; Spain -- History; Women -- Political activity
In December 1485, Isabel’s last child, Katharine, was born at Alcalá de
Henares, and through most of the stirring campaigns of 1486 the Queen
accompanied the army in their sieges of Moorish towns, and thence rode
with her husband right across Spain to far Santiago, crushing rebellion
(that of Count Lemos), holding courts of justice, punishing offences and
rewarding services on the way. The next spring again saw her in the
field against the important maritime city of Velez-Malaga, which was
captured in April; and in the autumn the great port of Malaga fell after
an heroic defence. But heroism of infidels aroused no clemency in the
breast of the Christian Queen. By her husband’s side, with cross borne
before them, and a crowd of shaven ecclesiastics around them, they rode
in triumph through the deserted city to the mosque, now purified into a
Christian cathedral. Christian captives in chains were dragged from
pestilent dungeons that the manacles might be struck from their palsied
limbs in the victors’ presence, and when the Christians had given thanks
to the Lord of Hosts, the whole starving population of Malaga were
assembled in the great courtyard of the fortress, and every soul was
condemned to slavery for life: some to be sent to Africa in exchange for
Christian captives; some to be sold to provide funds for the war, some
for presents for the Pope and other potentates and great nobles, whilst
all the valuables in the wealthy city were grabbed by greedy Ferdinand,
by one of his usually clever and heartless devices.[45]
[Illustration:
ISABEL THE CATHOLIC AT THE SURRENDER OF GRANADA.
_After a Painting by Pradilla._
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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