The Story of Majorca and MinorcaMarkham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
History
The Story of Majorca and Minorca
Markham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
Balearic Islands (Spain) -- History
The Moors were not without supporters outside the town, who were
ready to harass the Christians. One of the principal Moslem chiefs in
the mountains was Fatih-billah (‘Conqueror by the grace of God’), a
word corrupted by the Spaniards into ‘Infantilla.’ About two Spanish
leagues[3] from the town there was an abundant spring, with a channel
leading from it, bearing a copious supply of good water. The Christian
camp was pitched by the side of this channel. The place where the
spring rises is called Canet, near the foot of the mountains. The
actual spring was on a wooded hill sloping down to a beautiful little
valley, with the main range of the mountains on the other side.
Fatih-billah hoped to do irreparable injury to the besiegers by
cutting off their water-supply. So one night he went to Canet with
500 footmen and 100 horse, occupied the hill where the spring rises,
and began to turn the water into another channel. Directly this was
known at the camp, the King despatched a much larger force under En
Nuño and Torrella, which surprised the Moors at their work. There
was a desperate encounter on the hillside; Fatih-billah was killed,
his men were cut to pieces, and the spring remained in possession of
the Catalans. How changed is now the scene! The large country house
of the descendants of Torrella dominates the valley of Canet, with
its beautiful gardens and woods of fir-trees and heath beyond. The
hillside is terraced for olive-trees and carobs; and a few years ago a
stalactite cave was discovered there, several hundred yards in length,
the entrance to which is close to the spot where the battle between
En Nuño and Fatih-billah must have been fought. The cave was then
unknown. It would easily have held the whole of the Moorish force, and
the Catalans would have been unaware of their proximity. The discovery
appears to have been made owing to a perforation in the roof of the
cave which made a hole in a field above.
This was the last attempt to molest the besiegers from outside, or by
sallies in force. Nevertheless the King caused a tower called ‘El Torre
de las Lanoveras,’ between the capital and Porto Pi, to be fortified,
and a guard to be stationed there, so as to keep a close watch on the
movements of the enemy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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