CHAPTER XX

Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

by Washington Irving

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

OF THE TREATMENT OF BOABDIL BY THE CASTILIAN SOVEREIGNS.


A stately convention was held by King Ferdinand in the ancient city
of Cordova, composed of several of the most reverend prelates and
renowned cavaliers of the kingdom, to determine upon the fate of the
unfortunate Boabdil.

Don Alonso de Cardenas, the worthy master of Santiago, was one of
the first who gave his counsel. He was a pious and zealous knight,
rigid in his devotion to the faith, and his holy zeal had been
inflamed to peculiar vehemence since his disastrous crusade among
the mountains of Malaga. He inveighed with ardor against any
compromise or compact with the infidels: the object of this war,
he observed, was not the subjection of the Moors, but their utter
expulsion from the land, so that there might no longer remain a
single stain of Mahometanism throughout Christian Spain. He gave
it as his opinion, therefore, that the captive king ought not to be
set at liberty.

Roderigo Ponce de Leon, marques of Cadiz, on the contrary, spoke
warmly for the release of Boabdil. He pronounced it a measure of
sound policy, even if done without conditions. It would tend to keep
up the civil war in Granada, which was as a fire consuming the
entrails of the enemy, and effecting more for the interests of
Spain, without expense, than all the conquests of its arms.

The grand cardinal of Spain, Don Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza,
coincided in opinion with the marques of Cadiz. Nay (added that
pious prelate and politic statesman), it would be sound wisdom to
furnish the Moor with men and money and all other necessaries to
promote the civil war in Granada: by this means would be produced
great benefit to the service of God, since we are assured by his
infallible word that "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand."*

*Salazar, Cronica del Gran Cardinal, p. 188.


Ferdinand weighed these counsels in his mind, but was slow in coming
to a decision: he was religiously attentive to his own interests
(observes Fray Antonio Agapida), knowing himself to be but an
instrument of Providence in this holy war, and that, therefore, in
consulting his own advantage he was promoting the interests of
the faith. The opinion of Queen Isabella relieved him from his
perplexity. That high-minded princess was zealous for the promotion
of the faith, but not for the extermination of the infidels. The
Moorish kings had held their thrones as vassals to her progenitors:
she was content at present to accord the same privilege, and that
the royal prisoner should be liberated on condition of becoming a
vassal to the Crown. By this means might be effected the deliverance
of many Christian captives who were languishing in Moorish chains.

King Ferdinand adopted the magnanimous measure recommended by
the queen, but he accompanied it with several shrewd conditions,
exacting tribute, military services, and safe passages and
maintenance for Christian troops throughout the places which should
adhere to Boabdil. The captive king readily submitted to these
stipulations, and swore, after the manner of his faith, to observe
them with exactitude. A truce was arranged for two years, during
which the Castilian sovereigns engaged to maintain him on his throne
and to assist him in recovering all places which he had lost during
his captivity.

When Boabdil el Chico had solemnly agreed to this arrangement in the
castle of Porcuna, preparations were made to receive him in Cordova
in regal style. Superb steeds richly caparisoned and raiments of
brocade and silk and the most costly cloths, with all other articles
of sumptuous array, were furnished to him and to fifty Moorish
cavaliers who had come to treat for his ransom, that he might appear
in state befitting the monarch of Granada and the most distinguished
vassal of the Castilian sovereigns. Money also was advanced to
maintain him in suitable grandeur during his residence at the
Castilian court and his return to his dominions. Finally, it was
ordered by the sovereigns that when he came to Cordova all the
nobles and dignitaries of the court should go forth to receive him.

A question now arose among certain of those ancient and experienced
men who grow gray about a court in the profound study of forms and
ceremonials, with whom a point of punctilio is as a vast political
right, and who contract a sublime and awful idea of the external
dignity of the throne. Certain of these court sages propounded the
momentous question whether the Moorish monarch, coming to do
homage as a vassal, ought not to kneel and kiss the hand of the
king. This was immediately decided in the affirmative by a large
number of ancient cavaliers, accustomed (says Antonio Agapida)
to the lofty punctilio of our most dignified court and transcendent
sovereigns. The king, therefore, was informed by those who arranged
the ceremonials that when the Moorish monarch appeared in his
presence he was expected to extend his royal hand to receive the
kiss of homage.

"I should certainly do so," replied King Ferdinand, "were he at
liberty and in his own kingdom, but I certainly shall not do so,
seeing that he is a prisoner and in mine."

The courtiers loudly applauded the magnanimity of this reply, though
many condemned it in secret as savoring of too much generosity
toward an infidel; and the worthy Jesuit, Fray Antonio Agapida,
fully concurs in their opinion.

The Moorish king entered Cordova with his little train of faithful
knights and escorted by all the nobility and chivalry of the
Castilian court. He was conducted with great state and ceremony
to the royal palace. When he came in presence of Ferdinand he knelt
and offered to kiss his hand, not merely in homage as his subject,
but in gratitude for his liberty. Ferdinand declined the token of
vassalage, and raised him graciously from the earth. An interpreter
began, in the name of Boabdil, to laud the magnanimity of the
Castilian monarch and to promise the most implicit submision.
"Enough!" said King Ferdinand, interrupting the interpreter in the
midst of his harangue: "there is no need of these compliments. I
trust in his integrity that he will do everything becoming a good
man and a good king." With these words he received Boabdil el
Chico into his royal friendship and protection.