友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

chronicle of the conquest of granada-第124章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



itations and alarms; was gradually sinking into the grave; a prey to devouring melancholy。 Her death took place toward the end of August。  Hernando de Zafra apprised King Ferdinand of the event as one propitious to his purposes; removing an obstacle to the embarkation; which was now fixed for the month of September。  Zafra was instructed to accompany the exiles until he saw them landed on the African coast。

The embarkation; however; did not take place until some time in the month of October。  A caracca had been prepared at the port of Adra for Boabdil and his immediate family and friends。  Another caracca and two galliots received a number of faithful adherents; amounting; it is said; to eleven hundred and thirty; who followed their prince into exile。

A crowd of his former subjects witnessed his embarkation。  As the sails were unfurled and swelled to the breeze; and the vessel bearing Boabdil parted from the land; the spectators would fain have given him a farewell cheering; but the humbled state of their once proud sovereign forced itself upon their minds; and the ominous surname of his youth rose involuntarily to their tongues: 〃Farewell; Boabdil!  Allah preserve thee; 'El Zogoybi!'〃 burst spontaneously from their lips。  The unlucky appellation sank into the heart of the expatriated monarch; and tears dimmed his eyes as the snowy summits of the mountains of Granada gradually faded from his view。

He was received with welcome at the court of his relative; Muley Ahmed; caliph of Fez; the same who had treated El Zagal with such cruelty in his exile。  For thirty…four years he resided in this court; treated with great consideration; and built a palace or alcazar at Fez; in which; it is said; he endeavored to emulate the beauties and delights of the Alhambra。

The last we find recorded of him is in the year 1536; when he followed the caliph to the field to repel the invasion of two brothers of the famous line of the Xerifes; who at the head of Berber troops had taken the city of Morocco and threatened Fez。 The armies came in sight of each other on the banks of the Guadal Hawit; or river of slaves; at the ford of Balcuba。  The river was deep; the banks were high and broken; and the ford could only be passed in single file; for three days the armies remained firing at each other across the stream; neither venturing to attempt the dangerous ford。 At length the caliph divided his army into three battalions: the command of the first he gave to his brother…in…law and to Aliatar; son of the old alcayde of Loxa; another division he commanded himself; and the third; composed of his best marksmen; he put under the command of his son; the prince of Fez; and Boabdil; now a gray…haired veteran。  The last mentioned column took the lead; dashed boldly across the ford; scrambled up the opposite bank; and attempted to keep the enemy employed until the other battalions should have time to cross。  The rebel army; however; attacked them with such fury that the son of the king of Fez and several of the bravest alcaydes were slain upon the spot; multitudes were driven back into the river; which was already crowded with passing troops。 A dreadful confusion took place; the horse trampled upon the foot; the enemy pressed on them with fearful slaughter; those who escaped the sword perished by the stream; the river was choked by the dead bodies of men and horses and by the scattered baggage of the army。 In this scene of horrible carnage fell Boabdil; truly called El Zogoybi; or the Unluckyan instance; says the ancient chronicler; of the scornful caprice of fortune; dying in defence of the kingdom of another after wanting spirit to die in defence of his own。*

*Marmol; Descrip。 de Africa; p。 1; 1。 2; c。 40; idem; Hist。 Reb。 de  los Moros; lib。 1; c。 21。


The aspersion of the chronicler is more caustic than correct。  Boabdil never showed a want of courage in the defence of Granada; but he wanted firmness and decision: he was beset from the first by perplexities; and ultimately by the artifices of Ferdinand and the treachery of those in whom he most confided。*

*In revising this account of the ultimate fortunes of Boabdil the  author has availed himself of facts recently brought out in  Alcantara's History of Granada; which throw strong lights on  certain parts of the subject hitherto covered with obscurity。


ZORAYA; THE STAR OF THE MORNING。

Notwithstanding the deadly rivalship of this youthful sultana with Ayxa la Horra; the virtuous mother of Boabdil; and the disasters to which her ambitious intrigues gave rise; the placable spirit of Boabdil bore her no lasting enmity。  After the death of his father he treated her with respect and kindness; and evinced a brotherly feeling toward her sons Cad and Nazar。  In the capitulations for the surrender of Granada he took care of her interests; and the possessions which he obtained for her were in his neighborhood in the valleys of the Alpuxarras。  Zoraya; however; under the influence of Queen Isabella; returned to the Christian faith; the religion of her infancy; and resumed her Spanish name of Isabella。  Her two sons; Cad and Nazar; were baptized under the names of Don Fernando and Don Juan de Granada; and were permitted to take the titles of infantas or princes。  They intermarried with noble Spanish families; and the dukes of Granada; resident in Valladolid; are descendants of Don Juan (once Nazar); and preserve to the present day the blazon of their royal ancestor; Muley Abul Hassan; and his motto; Le Galib ile Ala; God alone is conqueror。


FATE OF ABEN COMIXA。

An ancient chronicle which has long remained in manuscript; but has been published of late years in the collection of Spanish historical documents;* informs us of the subsequent fortunes of the perfidious Aben Comixa。  Discarded and despised by Boabdil for his treachery; he repaired to the Spanish court; and obtained favor in the eyes of the devout queen Isabella by embracing the Christian religion; being baptized under her auspices with the name of Don Juan de Granada。 He even carried his zeal for his newly…adopted creed so far as to become a Franciscan friar。  By degrees his affected piety grew cool and the friar's garb became irksome。  Taking occasion of the sailing of some Venetian galleys from Almeria; he threw off his religious habit; embarked on board of one of them; and crossed to Africa; where he landed in the dress of a Spanish cavalier。

*Padilla; Cronica de Felipe el Hermosa; cap。 18; y 19; as cited  by Alcantara。


In a private interview with Abderraman; the Moorish king of Bujia; he related his whole history; and declared that he had always been and still was at heart a true Mahometan。  Such skill had he in inspiring confidence that the Moorish king took him into favor and appointed him governor of Algiers。  While enjoying his new dignity a Spanish squadron of four galleys; under the celebrated count Pedro de Navarro; anchored in the harbor in 1509。  Aben Comixa paid the squadron a visit of ceremony in his capacity of governor; gave the count repeated fetes; and in secret conversations with him laid open all the affairs of the king of Bujia; and offered; if the count should return with sufficient force; to deliv
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!