CHAPTER LXIV

Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

by Washington Irving

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

HOW THE CITY OF MALAGA CAPITULATED.


The people of Malaga, being no longer overawed by Hamet el Zegri
and his Gomeres, turned to Ali Dordux, the magnanimous merchant,
and put the fate of the city into his hands. He had already gained
the alcaydes of the castle of the Genoese and of the citadel into his
party, and in the late confusion had gained the sway over those
important fortresses. He now associated himself with the alfaqui
Abraham Alhariz and four of the principal inhabitants, and, forming
a provisional junta, they sent heralds to the Christian sovereigns
offering to surrender the city on certain terms protecting the
persons and property of the inhabitants, permitting them to reside
as mudexares or tributary vassals either in Malaga or elsewhere.

When the herald arrived at the camp and made known their mission
to King Ferdinand, his anger was kindled. "Return to your fellow-
citizens," said he, "and tell them that the day of grace is gone by.
They have persisted in a fruitless defence until they are driven by
necessity to capitulate; they must surrender unconditionally and
abide the fate of the vanquished. Those who merit death shall
suffer death; those who merit captivity shall be made captives."

This stern reply spread consternation among the people of Malaga,
but Ali Dordux comforted them, and undertook to go in person and
pray for favorable terms. When the people beheld this great and
wealthy merchant, who was so eminent in their city, departing
with his associates on this mission, they plucked up heart, for they
said, "Surely the Christian king will not turn a deaf ear to such a
man as Ali Dordux."

Ferdinand, however, would not even admit the ambassadors to
his presence. "Send them to the devil!" said he in a great passion
to the commander of Leon; "I'll not see them. Let them get back
to their city. They shall all surrender to my mercy as vanquished
enemies."*

*Cura de los Palacios, cap. 84.


To give emphasis to this reply he ordered a general discharge
from all the artillery and batteries, and there was a great shout
throughout the camp, and all the lombards and catapults and
other engines of war thundered furiously upon the city, doing
great damage.

Ali Dordux and his companions returned to the city with downcast
countenances, and could scarce make the reply of the Christian
sovereign be heard for the roaring of the artillery, the tumbling
of the walls, and the cries of women and children. The citizens
were greatly astonished and dismayed when they found the little
respect paid to their most eminent man; but the warriors who were
in the city exclaimed, "What has this merchant to do with questions
between men of battle? Let us not address the enemy as abject
suppliants who have no power to injure, but as valiant men who
have weapons in their hands."

So they despatched another message to the Christian sovereigns,
offering to yield up the city and all their effects on condition of
being secured in their personal liberty. Should this be denied, they
declared they would hang from the battlements fifteen hundred
Christian captives, male and female--that they would put all their
old men, their women, and children into the citadel, set fire to the
city, and sally forth, sword in hand, to fight until the last gasp. "In
this way," said they, "the Spanish sovereigns shall gain a bloody
victory, and the fall of Malaga be renowned while the world endures."

To this fierce and swelling message Ferdinand replied that if a
single Christian captive were injured, not a Moor in Malaga but
should be put to the edge of the sword.

A great conflict of counsels now arose in Malaga. The warriors were
for following up their menace by some desperate act of vengeance or
of self-devotion. Those who had families looked with anguish upon
their wives and daughters, and thought it better to die than live to
see them captives. By degrees, however, the transports of passion
and despair subsided, the love of life resumed its sway, and they
turned once more to Ali Dordux as the man most prudent in council
and able in negotiation. By his advice fourteen of the principal
inhabitants were chosen from the fourteen districts of the city, and
sent to the camp bearing a long letter couched in terms of the most
humble supplication.

Various debates now took place in the Christian camp. Many of the
cavaliers were exasperated against Malaga for its long resistance,
which had caused the death of many of their relatives and favorite
companions. It had long been a stronghold also for Moorish
depredators and the mart where most of the warriors captured in
the Axarquia had been exposed in triumph and sold to slavery. They
represented, moreover, that there were many Moorish cities yet to be
besieged, and that an example ought to be made of Malaga to prevent
all obstinate resistance thereafter. They advised, therefore, that all
the inhabitants should be put to the sword.*

*Pulgar.


The humane heart of Isabella revolted at such sanguinary counsels:
she insisted that their triumph should not be disgraced by cruelty.
Ferdinand, however, was inflexible in refusing to grant any
preliminary terms, insisting on an unconditional surrender.

The people of Malaga now abandoned themselves to paroxysms of
despair; on one side they saw famine and death, on the other slavery
and chains. The mere men of the sword, who had no families to
protect, were loud for signalizing their fall by some illustrious action.
"Let us sacrifice our Christian captives, and then destroy ourselves,"
cried some. "Let us put all the women and children to death, set fire
to the city, fall on the Christian camp, and die sword in hand," cried
others.

Ali Dordux gradually made his voice be heard amidst the general
clamor. He addressed himself to the principal inhabitants and to
those who had children. "Let those who live by the sword die by
the sword," cried he, "but let us not follow their desperate counsels.
Who knows what sparks of pity may be awakened in the bosoms
of the Christian sovereigns when they behold our unoffending wives
and daughters and our helpless little ones? The Christian queen,
they say, is full of mercy."

At these words the hearts of the unhappy people of Malaga yearned
over their families, and they empowered Ali Dordux to deliver up their
city to the mercy of the Castilian sovereigns.

The merchant now went to and fro, and had several communications
with Ferdinand and Isabella, and interested several principal
cavaliers in his cause; and he sent rich presents to the king and
queen of Oriental merchandise and silks and stuffs of gold and
jewels and precious stones and spices and perfumes, and many other
sumptuous things, which he had accumulated in his great tradings
with the East; and he gradually found favor in the eyes of the
sovereigns.* Finding that there was nothing to be obtained for
the city, he now, like a prudent man and able merchant, began to
negotiate for himself and his immediate friends. He represented
that from the first they had been desirous of yielding up the city,
but had been prevented by warlike and high-handed men, who had
threatened their lives; he entreated, therefore, that mercy might
be extended to them, and that they might not be confounded with
the guilty.

*MS. Chron. of Valera.


The sovereigns had accepted the presents of Ali Dordux--how
could they then turn a deaf ear to his petition? So they granted a
pardon to him and to forty families which he named, and it was
agreed that they should be protected in their liberties and property,
and permitted to reside in Malaga as mudexares or Moslem vassals,
and to follow their customary pursuits.* All this being arranged, Ali
Dordux delivered up twenty of the principal inhabitants to remain as
hostages until the whole city should be placed in the possession of
the Christians.

*Cura de los Palacios, cap. 84.


Don Gutierrez de Cardenas, senior commander of Leon, now entered
the city armed cap-a-pie, on horseback, and took possession in the
name of the Castilian sovereigns. He was followed by his retainers
and by the captains and cavaliers of the army, and in a little while
the standards of the cross and of the blessed Santiago and of the
Catholic sovereigns were elevated on the principal tower of the
Alcazaba. When these standards were beheld from the camp, the
queen and the princess and the ladies of the court and all the royal
retinue knelt down and gave thanks and praises to the Holy Virgin
and to Santiago for this great triumph of the faith; and the bishops
and other clergy who were present and the choristers of the royal
chapel chanted "Te Deum Laudamus" and "Gloria in Excelsis."