not above 800 Horse, and 1000 Foot, a small number to the multitude of the Enemies. However relying on the Justice of their Cause, they engaged, and it was resolutely fought on both sides. At length, thro' the special Providence of God, and Valour of the Catholicks, the Enemy was put to flight, the Earls escap'd, but the King was kill'd upon the place, with several Argonians of note; yet the number of the Dead was not great. Every Body said the King had deserved that end for favouring of Hereticks, (tho' in other respects, he was so true a Son of the Church, that he got the name of Peter the Catholick) and also for his Lewdness, which transported him so far as to put away his Queen, a Woman of singular Virtue, upon pretence of Consanguinity, and that she had been Marry'd to the Earl of Cominges, tho' that Marriage had been declared invalid. This Lady was now at Rome, and daily expected Judgment should be given for her, when the news of the King's Death was brought. His Body was buried by the Knights of S. John, in the Monastery of Ximena, where Queen San∣cha his Mother lies.
He left only one Son, called Jayme, or James, but four Years of Age. There were yet living, Ferdinand, Brother to the Deceased, and Abbot of Montaragon, and consequently, a professed Monk, and Sancho, Earl of Roussillon, his Uncle, of a great age, as being Uncle to the late King. These two, notwithstanding the Profession of the one, and the Age of the other, had thoughts of Usurping the Crown. To this purpose, they endeavoured to gain the Nobility and People, giving out that D. Jayme was a Bastard, and they consequent∣ly next Heirs. This design was no way pleasing to the Prelates and Nobles. Especially Pe∣ter Fernandez de Açagra, Lord of Albarazin, was concerned there should be any talk of Exclu∣ding the Child, and that he should be then as a Prisoner in the hands of Simon of Montfort. Having therefore consulted the other Nobles, they sent an Embassador to Pope Innocent, de∣siring he would command Montfort to deliver up the Child, whom all acknowledged as their King. The Pope readily condescended, and sent Orders to his Legate, the Cardinal of Be∣navente, then in the War against the Hereticks, to give all satisfaction to the Argonians, if what they demanded, were just. Mean while, Montfort had taken Toulouze, the Nest, and chief Recepticle of the Hereticks. The Legate gathered a Synod at Montpelier, where it was unanimously agreed to give all that had been taken in War, to Simon of Montfort, as a Reward for his good service. The Bishop of Embrun, was sent to the Pope, to obtain a Confirmation of this their Decree. This was the posture of Affairs in France. In Spain, a vio∣lent Famine rag'd, by reason of the Drought. After the Famine, as is usual, follow'd the Plague, caused by the unusual things eaten for want. Many Towns were quite Unpeopled, especially in the Kingdom of Toledo, where this Calamity was most destructive, as being the highest part of all Spain. Roderick, Archbishop of Toledo, was a great help to the Poor, gi∣ving extraordinary Alms, and stirring up others to do the like. Whereupon King Alonso, afterwards at Burgos, gave him 20 Villages, and the Chancellorship of Castile, the highest Dignity next the King, to him, and his Successors, the Archbishops for ever. This Office, the Archbishops exercised by themselves, or their Deputies, till the time of the Archbishop Giles de Albornoz, when by reason of his absence, and the confusion of the times, it was gi∣ven to others; and now those Prelates retain nothing but the bare Title. King Alonso being at Burgos, desired to be reconciled to the King of Leon, with whom he had been offended ever since he put away his Daughter Berengaria. Both Kings met at Valladolid, where all differences were composed, and particularly, they agreed, that Carpio and Monterey, should be demolished, because there arose Debates about them. This done, the King of Leon returned to his Country, taking along with him, by the consent of the King of Castile, James Lopez de Haro, to employ him in his Wars against the Moors. James de Haro, was then in great Repute, so besides his Son, a good number of Men follow'd him, desiring to serve un∣der so experienced a General. The King of Castile, tho' old, would not slip the opportuni∣ty of making his advantage of the Moors, under a consternation for their late losses. The King of Leon began the War in that part of old Lusitania, now called Estremadura, where having plundred and wasted all the Country, he took from the Moors, a Town of Alcantara, seated on the Banks of Tagus, which he gave to the Knights of Calatrava. This was the Ori∣ginal of the Knights of Alcantara, at first subject to the Order of Calatrava, now indepen∣dant of them, having obtained a Bull from Pope Julius II. to that effect. The Habit of Ca∣latrava formerly was a Scapular, with a Hood over their Cloths, like the Fryers; since Pope Benedict XIII. changed it, and instead of the Hood, they wear a red Cross Fleury. Those of Alantara wear the same form of Cross, but green on a white Cloak. Both observe the Rule of S. Bernard, and are subject to the Order of Cistercians. Alonso, King of Castile, advanced with his Forces as far as Baeça, which the Moors had again recovered, and laid Siege to that City, after ravaging all the open Country. Jame Lopez de Haro, the War of Estrema∣dura being ended, came thither. Tho' they made their utmost Efforts, yet could they not take that City, for want of Provisions. A Truce was therefore concluded with the Moors, and the Ar∣my drew off to furnish themselves with Necessaries. But for the scarcity which was that Year, it had been a good opportunity of subduing the Moors, they being then divided among themselves and distracted with intestine Wars. Mahomet, Sirnamed the Green, King of the Moors, after the loss of the memorable Battle of Nabas de Tolofa, went over into Africk, to recruit his Forces. In his absence, his Brother Zeit Abenzeit, possessed himself of Valencia and Monviedro, with all their