CHAPTER LXXIX

Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

by Washington Irving

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

ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN THE CHRISTIANS AND MOORS BEFORE
BAZA, AND THE DEVOTION OF THE INHABITANTS TO THE
DEFENCE OF THEIR CITY.


When King Ferdinand beheld the ravage and confusion produced by
a single autumnal storm, and bethought him of all the maladies to
which a besieging camp is exposed in inclement seasons, he began
to feel his compassion kindling for the suffering people of Baza, and
an inclination to grant them more favorable terms. He sent, therefore,
several messages to the alcayde Mohammed Ibn Hassan offering
liberty of person and security of property for the inhabitants and
large rewards for himself if he would surrender the city.

The veteran was not to be dazzled by the splendid offers of the
monarch: he had received exaggerated accounts of the damage done
to the Christian camp by the late storm, and of the sufferings and
discontents of the army in consequence of the transient interruption
of supplies: he considered the overtures of Ferdinand as proofs of
the desperate state of his affairs. "A little more patience, a little
more patience," said the shrewd old warrior, "and we shall see
this cloud of Christian locusts driven away before the winter
storms. When they once turn their backs, it will be our turn to
strike; and, with the help of Allah, the blow shall be decisive." He
sent a firm though courteous refusal to the Castilian monarch, and
in the mean time animated his companions to sally forth with more
spirit than ever to attack the Spanish outposts and those laboring
in the trenches. The consequence was a daily occurrence of daring
and bloody skirmishes that cost the lives of many of the bravest
and most adventurous cavaliers of either army.

In one of these sallies nearly three hundred horse and two thousand
foot mounted the heights behind the city to capture the Christians who
were employed upon the works. They came by surprise upon a body
of guards, esquires of the count de Urena, killed some, put the rest
to flight, and pursued them down the mountain until they came in
sight of a small force under the count de Tendilla and Gonsalvo of
Cordova. The Moors came rushing down with such fury that many of
the men of the count de Tendilla took to flight. The count braced his
buckler, grasped his trusty weapon, and stood his ground with his
accustomed prowess. Gonsalvo of Cordova ranged himself by his side,
and, marshalling the troops which remained with them, they made a
valiant front to the Moors.

The infidels pressed them hard, and were gaining the advantage when
Alonso de Aguilar, hearing of the danger of his brother Gonsalvo, flew
to his assistance, accompanied by the count of Urena and a body of
their troops. A fight ensued from cliff to cliff and glen to glen. The
Moors were fewer in number, but excelled in the dexterity and
lightness requisite for scrambling skirmishes. They were at length
driven from their vantage-ground, and pursued by Alonso de Aguilar
and his brother Gonsalvo to the very suburbs of the city, leaving
many of their bravest men upon the field.

Such was one of innumerable rough encounters daily taking place, in
which many brave cavaliers were slain without apparent benefit to
either party. The Moors, notwithstanding repeated defeats and
losses, continued to sally forth daily with astonishing spirit and
vigor, and the obstinacy of their defence seemed to increase with
their sufferings.

The prince Cid Hiaya was ever foremost in these sallies, but
grew daily more despairing of success. All the money in the
military chest was expended, and there was no longer wherewithal
to pay the hired troops. Still, the veteran Mohammed undertook to
provide for this emergency. Summoning the principal inhabitants,
he represented the necessity of some exertion and sacrifice on their
part to maintain the defence of the city. "The enemy," said he,
"dreads the approach of winter, and our perseverance drives him
to despair. A little longer, and he will leave you in quiet enjoyment
of your homes and families. But our troops must be paid to keep
them in good heart. Our money is exhausted and all our supplies
are cut off. It is impossible to continue our defence without your aid."

Upon this the citizens consulted together, and collected all their
vessels of gold and silver and brought them to Mohammed. "Take
these," said they, "and coin or sell or pledge them for money
wherewith to pay the troops." The women of Baza also were seized
with generous emulation. "Shall we deck ourselves with gorgeous
apparel," said they, "when our country is desolate and its defenders
in want of bread?" So they took their collars and bracelets and
anklets and other ornaments of gold, and all their jewels, and put
them in the hands of the veteran alcayde. "Take these spoils of our
vanity," said they, "and let them contribute to the defence of our
homes and families. If Baza be delivered, we need no jewels to
grace our rejoicing; and if Baza fall, of what avail are ornaments
to the captive?"

By these contributions was Mohammed enabled to pay the soldiery
and carry on the defence of the city with unabated spirit.

Tidings were speedily conveyed to King Ferdinand of this generous
devotion on the part of the people of Baza, and the hopes which the
Moorish commanders gave them that the Christian army would soon
abandon the siege in despair. "They shall have a convincing proof
of the fallacy of such hopes," said the politic monarch: so he wrote
forthwith to Queen Isabella praying her to come to the camp in
state, with all her train and retinue, and publicly to take up her
residence there for the winter. By this means the Moors would be
convinced of the settled determination of the sovereigns to persist
in the siege until the city should surrender, and he trusted they
would be brought to speedy capitulation.