CHAPTER VI

Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

by Washington Irving

CHAPTER VI, CHRONICLE OF THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA by Washington Irving

HOW THE PEOPLE OF GRANADA WERE AFFECTED ON HEARING
OF THE CAPTURE OF ALHAMA, AND HOW THE MOORISH KING
SALLIED FORTH TO REGAIN IT.


A moorish horseman had spurred across the Vega, nor reined his
panting steed until he alighted at the gate of the Alhambra. He
brought tidings to Muley Abul Hassan of the attack upon Alhama.
"The Christians," said he, "are in the land. They came upon us, we
know not whence or how, and scaled the walls of the castle in the
night. There have been dreadful fighting and carnage in its towers
and courts; and when I spurred my steed from the gate of Alhama
the castle was in possession of the unbelievers."

Muley Abul Hassan felt for a moment as if swift retribution had come
upon him for the woes he had inflicted upon Zahara. Still, he
flattered himself that this had only been some transient inroad of
a party of marauders intent upon plunder, and that a little succor
thrown into the town would be sufficient to expel them from the
castle and drive them from the land. He ordered out, therefore, a
thousand of his chosen cavalry, and sent them in all speed to the
assistance of Alhama. They arrived before its walls the morning
after its capture: the Christian standards floated upon its towers,
and a body of cavalry poured forth from its gates and came wheeling
down into the plain to receive them.

The Moorish horsemen turned the reins of their steeds and galloped
back for Granada. They entered its gates in tumultuous confusion,
spreading terror and lamentation by their tidings. "Alhama is fallen!
Alhama is fallen!" exclaimed they; "the Christians garrison its walls;
the key of Granada is in the hands of the enemy!"

When the people heard these words they remembered the denunciation
of the santon. His prediction seemed still to resound in every ear,
and its fulfilment to be at hand. Nothing was heard throughout the
city but sighs and wailings. "Woe is me, Alhama!" was in every
mouth; and this ejaculation of deep sorrow and doleful foreboding
came to be the burden of a plaintive ballad which remains until the
present day.*

*The mournful little Spanish romance of "Ay de mi Alhama!" is
supposed to be of Moorish origin, and to embody the grief of
the people of Granada on this occasion.


Many aged men, who had taken refuge in Granada from other Moorish
dominions which had fallen into the power of the Christians, now
groaned in despair at the thoughts that war was to follow them into
this last retreat, to lay waste this pleasant land, and to bring trouble
and sorrow upon their declining years. The women were more loud
and vehement in their grief, for they beheld the evils impending over
their children, and what can restrain the agony of a mother's heart?
Many of them made their way through the halls of the Alhambra into
the presence of the king, weeping, and wailing, and tearing their
hair. "Accursed be the day," cried they, "that thou hast lit the flame
of war in our land! May the holy Prophet bear witness before Allah
that we and our children are innocent of this act! Upon thy head,
and upon the heads of thy posterity, until the end of the world, rest
the sin of the desolation of Zahara!*

*Garibay, lib. 40, c. 29.


Muley Abul Hassan remained unmoved amidst all this storm; his heart
was hardened (observes Fray Antonio Agapida) like that of Pharaoh,
to the end that through his blind violence and rage he might produce
the deliverance of the land from its heathen bondage. In fact, he
was a bold and fearless warrior, and trusted soon to make this blow
recoil upon the head of the enemy. He had ascertained that the
captors of Alhama were but a handful: they were in the centre of
his dominions, within a short distance of his capital. They were
deficient in munitions of war and provisions for sustaining a siege.
By a rapid movement he might surround them with a powerful army,
cut off all aid from their countrymen, and entrap them in the fortress
they had taken.

To think was to act with Muley Abul Hassan, but he was prone to act
with too much precipitation. He immediately set forth in person with
three thousand horse and fifty thousand foot, and in his eagerness
to arrive at the scene of action would not wait to provide artillery
and the various engines required in a siege. "The multitude of my
forces," said he, confidently, "will be sufficient to overwhelm the
enemy."

The marques of Cadiz, who thus held possession of Alhama, had
a chosen friend and faithful companion-in-arms, among the most
distinguished of the Christian chivalry. This was Don Alonso de
Cordova, senior and lord of the house of Aguilar, and brother of
Gonsalvo of Cordova, afterward renowned as grand captain of Spain.
As yet, Alonso de Aguilar was the glory of his name and race, for
his brother was but young in arms. He was one of the most hardy,
valiant, and enterprising of the Spanish knights, and foremost in
all service of a perilous and adventurous nature. He had not been
at hand to accompany his friend Ponce de Leon, marques of Cadiz,
in his inroad into the Moorish territory, but he hastily assembled a
number of retainers, horse and foot, and pressed forward to join
the enterprise. Arriving at the river Yeguas, he found the baggage
of the army still upon its banks, and took charge of it to carry it to
Alhama. The marques of Cadiz heard of the approach of his friend,
whose march was slow in consequence of being encumbered by the
baggage. He was within but a few leagues of Alhama when scouts
came hurrying into the place with intelligence that the Moorish king
was at hand with a powerful army. The marques of Cadiz was filled
with alarm lest De Aguilar should fall into the hands of the enemy.
Forgetting his own danger and thinking only of that of his friend,
he despatched a well-mounted messenger to ride full speed and
warn him not to approach.

The first determination of Alonso de Aguilar when he heard that the
Moorish king was at hand was to take a strong position in the
mountains and await his coming. The madness of an attempt with his
handful of men to oppose an immense army was represented to him
with such force as to induce him to abandon the idea; he then thought
of throwing himself into Alhama to share the fortunes of his friend;
but it was now too late. The Moor would infallibly intercept him,
and he should only give the marques the additional distress of
beholding him captured beneath his walls. It was even urged upon
him that he had no time for delay if he would consult his own safety,
which could only be ensured by an immediate retreat into the
Christian territory. This last opinion was confirmed by the return
of scouts, who brought information that Muley Abul Hassan had
received notice of his movements, and was rapidly advancing in quest
of him. It was with infinite reluctance that Don Alonso de Aguilar
yielded to these united and powerful reasons. Proudly and sullenly
he drew off his forces, laden with the baggage of the army, and made
an unwilling retreat toward Antiquera. Muley Abul Hassan pursued
him for some distance through the mountains, but soon gave up the
chase and turned with his forces upon Alhama.

As the army approached the town they beheld the fields strewn
with the dead bodies of their countrymen, who had fallen in defence
of the place, and had been cast forth and left unburied by the
Christians. There they lay, mangled and exposed to every indignity,
while droves of half-famished dogs were preying upon them and
fighting and howling over their hideous repast.* Furious at the
sight, the Moors, in the first transports of their rage, attacked
those ravenous animals: their next measure was to vent their fury
upon the Christians. They rushed like madmen to the walls, applied
scaling-ladders in all parts without waiting for the necessary
mantelets and other protections-- thinking by attacking suddenly
and at various points to distract the enemy and overcome them by
the force of numbers.

*Pulgar, Cronica.


The marques of Cadiz, with his confederate commanders, distributed
themselves along the walls to direct and animate their men in the
defence. The Moors in their blind fury often assailed the most
difficult and dangerous places. Darts, stones, and all kinds of
missiles were hurled down upon their defenceless heads. As fast
as they mounted they were cut down or dashed from the battlements,
their ladders overturned, and all who were on them precipitated
headlong below.

Muley Abul Hassan stormed with passion at the sight: he sent
detachment after detachment to scale the walls, but in vain; they
were like waves rushing upon a rock, only to dash themselves to
pieces. The Moors lay in heaps beneath the wall, and among them
many of the bravest cavaliers of Granada. The Christians also
sallied frequently from the gates, and made great havoc in the
irregular multitude of assailants.

Muley Abul Hassan now became sensible of his error in hurrying from
Granada without the proper engines for a siege. Destitute of all
means to batter the fortifications, the town remained uninjured,
defying the mighty army which raged and roamed before it. Incensed
at being thus foiled, Muley Abul Hassan gave orders to undermine the
walls. The Moors advanced with shouts to the attempt. They were
received with a deadly fire from the ramparts, which drove them from
their works. Repeatedly were they repulsed, and repeatedly did they
return to the charge. The Christians not merely galled them from
the battlements, but issued forth and cut them down in the
excavations they were attempting to form. The contest lasted
throughout a whole day, and by evening two thousand Moors were
either killed or wounded.

Muley Abul Hassan now abandoned all hope of carrying the place
by assault, and attempted to distress it into terms by turning the
channel of the river which runs by its walls. On this stream the
inhabitants depended for their supply of water, the place being
destitute of fountains and cisterns, from which circumstance it is
called Alhama "la seca," or "the dry."

A desperate conflict ensued on the banks of the river, the Moors
endeavoring to plant palisades in its bed to divert the stream, and
the Christians striving to prevent them. The Spanish commanders
exposed themselves to the utmost danger to animate their men, who
were repeatedly driven back into the town. The marques of Cadiz was
often up to his knees in the stream fighting hand to hand with the
Moors. The water ran red with blood, and was encumbered with dead
bodies. At length the overwhelming numbers of the Moors gave them
the advantage, and they succeeded in diverting the greater part of
the water. The Christians had to struggle severely to supply
themselves from the feeble rill which remained. They sallied to the
river by a subterraneous passage, but the Moorish crossbowmen
stationed themselves on the opposite bank, keeping up a heavy fire
upon the Christians whenever they attempted to fill their vessels
from the scanty and turbid stream. One party of the Christians had,
therefore, to fight while another drew water. At all hours of the
day and night this deadly strife was maintained, until it seemed as
if every drop of water were purchased with a drop of blood.

In the mean time the sufferings of the town became intense. None
but the soldiery and their horses were allowed the precious beverage
so dearly earned, and even that in quantities that only tantalized
their wants. The wounded, who could not sally to procure it, were
almost destitute, while the unhappy prisoners shut up in the mosques
were reduced to frightful extremities. Many perished raving mad,
fancying themselves swimming in boundless seas, yet unable to
assuage their thirst. Many of the soldiers lay parched and panting
along the battlements, no longer able to draw a bowstring or hurl
a stone; while above five thousand Moors, stationed upon a rocky
height which overlooked part of the town, kept up a galling fire
into it with slings and crossbows, so that the marques of Cadiz was
obliged to heighten the battlements by using the doors from the
private dwellings.

The Christian cavaliers, exposed to this extreme peril and in
imminent danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, despatched
fleet messengers to Seville and Cordova, entreating the chivalry of
Andalusia to hasten to their aid. They sent likewise, imploring
assistance from the king and queen, who at that time held their
court in Medina del Campo. In the midst of their distress a tank or
cistern of water was fortunately discovered in the city, which gave
temporary relief to their sufferings.