The general history of Spain from the first peopling of it by Tubal, till the death of King Ferdinand, who united the crowns of Castile and Aragon : with a continuation to the death of King Philip III / written in Spanish by the R.F.F. John de Mariana ; to which are added, two supplements, the first by F. Ferdinand Camargo y Salcedo, the other by F. Basil Varen de Soto, bringing it down to the present reign ; the whole translated from the Spanish by Capt. John Stevens.

CHAP. VII. The Marriage of Ferdinand King of Sicily with the Princess Elizabeth of Castile, and of the Duke of Guienne with the Princess Joanna, who is sworn Heiress of Castile: Dif∣ferences betwixt the Knights of Alcantara and their Master, and Troubles in Biscay: The Portugueses take Arzila and Tangier in Africk.

KIng Henry going into Andaluzia, was nobly entertained at Jaen by his Constable Irançu: Soon after, he reduced the City Cordova, delivered to him upon Articles by D. Alonso * 1.1 de Aguilar, and quelled the Tumults raised by that Gentleman and D. Peter de Cordova, Earl of Cabra. In the Summer he went to Sevil, and did the same there. The Moors did not in∣fest our Borders, being closely observed by those that Commanded on the Frontiers, and di∣vided among themselves. Alquirçote, Governor of Malaga, an able Soldier, finding himself Master of that City, rebelled against his King Albohaçen, many siding with him, who were disgusted by the King, or out of their natural Inconstancy. They came to a Battel, and * 1.2 Alquirçote being the weaker, was overthrown. He proposed a League with King Henry, and came to meet him at Archidona, on the Borders of the Kingdom of Granada, bringing great Presents, and was dismissed with a Promise of Succour. Hereupon Albohaçen made several Incur∣sions into the Christian Territories, carried away great Numbers of Captives and Cattel, and burnt all the Country. He did much more Mischief than had been usually done of late upon the like Occasions, yet took never a Town of Note. Many Parties of Moors over-ran Andaluzia and Murcia, but rather in the nature of Robbers, than in warlike manner. Let us return to the Princess Elizabeth, whom many great Princes courted: She was a Woman excellently Quali∣fied, and Virtuous; but above all, her Dower, which was no less than a Kingdom, drew so many to pretend to her. At last, Ferdinand King of Sicily took place of the Portuguese, who was a Widower, and the Duke of Berry being too much a Stranger. His Father the King of Aragon left no means unessayed, but gave rich Presents, and made large Promises. Gutierre de Cardena was her great Favourite, and Gonzalo Chacon his Uncle govern'd him: To the last was promised the Town of Casarrubios, and that of Arroyo Molinos; to the other the Town of Ma∣queda, besides rich Gifts in hand, and Assurances of Favours to come. By their means, with the Assistance of the Archbishop of Toledo, the Match was made up, and Articles agreed upon, which chiefly tended to the giving all due Respect to King Henry as long as he lived, and after his death that the whole Government should be in the Power of the Princess; so that the King should bestow no Preferments on Strangers, nor on others, without her Con∣sent. That Match was privately concluded. The War in Catalonia detained King Ferdinand, for Girona was again besieged by the Enemy, and at last forced to surrender: Besides, another Storm was raised in Navarre. Nicholas Bishop of Pamplona going to Tafalla to meet the Prin∣cess * 1.3 Eleanor, was murdered by the Procurement of Peter Peralta. Messengers were sent to the King of Aragon to demand Justice; they also complained the Murderer had possessed himself of Tudela, and that the King was too free in giving Charters to several Towns. They also prayed he would recover Estela and its Territory, still held by the Castillians. The Earl of Faux was dissacisfied, and seemed to threaten War; for which reason he was no less hateful to the King his Father-in-Law than Prince Charles had been. The King gave these Deputies good Words; but Peralta was not punished for that heinous Crime. The Princess Elizabeth being uneasie, fled from Ocan̄a towards Old Castile; and being denied admittance at Olmedo, went to Madrigal, where her Mother was. It was contrived by the Master of Santiago and Archbishop of Sevil to seize her; but they were disappointed by the Archbishop of Toledo and the Admiral, who with a Party of Horse carried her to Valladolid. King Ferdinand fearing to be disappointed, leaving the War in Catalonia, went away to Va∣lencia, to raise the Money he had promised his Bride to keep House. Thence he returned to Zaragoça, and so in a Disguize, with only four Persons attending him, came into Castile. At Osma he met the Earl of Trevin̄o, who was privy to the Match, and with him and 200 * 1.4 Horse removed to Duen̄as, a Town belonging to the Earl of Buendia, Brother to the Archbishop of Toledo: There he saluted his Bride, and on the 18th of October they were married at Valla∣dolid, the Archbishop of Toledo pretending he had a Dispensation from Pope Pius II. but it ap∣pears to have been false, by the Bull afterwards granted upon that occasion by Pope Sixtus IV. King Ferdinand was but 16 Years of Age, but proper and strong. The new married Couple sent

Letters to the Pope, King Henry, and other Princes and Great Men, excusing their being so hasty in marrying. They were forced to borrow Money for their Expences. About the same time, Henry, Son to Prince Henry of Aragon, was by the King his Uncle created Duke of Segorve, and Alonso the King's Bastard-Son Earl of Ribagorça. On the 6th of December died at Rome D. John Cavajal, Cardinal and Bishop of Plasencia: He was Auditor de Rota, Legate to Three Popes, and a Man of a good Life. He built a Bridge over Tagus in Estre∣madura, which is still called the Cardinal's Bridge.

Whilst King Henry was busie settling the Affairs of Sevil, advice was sent him from Cantil∣lana, by the Master of Santiago, of his Sister's Marriage: His Displeasure was very great. Immediately he set out for Truxillo, designing to give that Town to the Earl of Plasencia, for his good Services during the Troubles. The Townsmen resolved to oppose it; and therefore the King, rather than use Violence, gave him in lieu of it the Town of Arevalo in Old Castile; and because it was not worth so much as the other, added to it the Title of a Duke. At Truxillo, the Master of Alcantara, who had sided with Prince Alonso, was pardoned, and the King gave or restored the City Coria to Gutierre de Caceres and Solis his Brother. Thus many who deserved Punishment received Rewards. Here Letters were brought the King from his Sister, excusing her marrying, and promising she and her Husband would be as dutiful as if they were his Children, if he would treat them with the Affection of a Father. No other Answer was returned, but that the King at Segovia would consider of that Affair. Another Message was sent to Segovia, at the beginning of the Year 1470, to press the King to give * 1.5 leave to the Prince and Princess, that they might pay their Respects to him, promising their future Behaviour should make amends for the Displeasure they had done him. All the An∣swer was, a Business of that Importance required the Advice of the Nobility. This was the Pretence; but in reality he was offended at the Princess Elizabeth, and had fixed his Affection on his Daughter Joanna, whom Lewis King of France had sent to demand in Marriage for his Brother Charles, created Duke of Guienne. Besides, he pressed King Henry to join with him in calling a General Councel, in opposition to Pope Paul, with whom he was at va∣riance. This Request was flatly denied by the King; the Business of the Marriage was put off. At the same time. D. Alonso de Aguilar at Cordova, apprehended the Mareschal D. James de Cordova, who suspected no such Design. He was soon released by the King's Order; but thinking he should obtain no Satisfaction for that Wrong, went away to Granada, and thence with the Consent of the Moorish King, sent a Challenge to his Adversary to fight upon the Plain of Granada. On the appointed Day, having waited till Sun-set, and D. Alonso not appearing, he dragged his Effigies at his Horse's Tail: That done, he sent Letters to all Parts with Pictures representing that Passage. The Knights of Alcantara would not submit to * 1.6 their Master, and the Dispute came to open Hostility. The Master not being able alone to oppose so many, begged Assistance of his Brother Gutierre de Solis. They wanted Money, and Garci Alvarez de Toledo, Earl of Alva, lent them a Sum upon the Mortgage of the City Coria. Thus the Earls, afterwards Dukes of Alva, got that City, which being confirmed to them by Grants of Kings, remains in the Family to this day. Nothing remarkable hapned between the Master and Knights, only they hindred his Forces passing the River Tagus, and soon after they were dispersed. The Master being thus outed his Estate, died some Years after. D. John de Zun̄iga, Son to the Duke of Arevalo, succeeded him, and was the last Ma∣ster of Alcantara, he resigning up that Dignity to King Ferdinand. D. John Pacheco, Master of Santiago, lay sick at Ocen̄a, being greater in the King's Favour than ever, notwithstanding all his Misdemeanours; which occasioned the People to say he had bewitched the King; and it was given out the Court removed to Madrid only to be near him. When he returned to Court after his Sickness, the King went out to meet him, and gave him the Town of Esca∣lona; the Inhabitants whereof refusing to receive him, the King went thither in Person to deliver it to him. The Earl of Armagnac fled into Spain, for fear of being killed, because he privately marry'd the Earl of Faux's Daughter without her Father's Consent. He was well received by the King, and soon after returned into France, the Cardinal of Albi in that King's Name assuring him his Life; but it proved fatal to him, as will appear hereafter. The Bis∣cayners, who had been long divided into the Factions of On̄es and Gamboas, about this time fell * 1.7 into great Confusions: Peter Fernandez de Velasco, Earl of Haro, was sent by the King to ap∣pease them, which he soon did, banishing the two Heads of the Factions, called Peter de Avendan̄o, and John de Moxica. Pope Paul II. granted a Jubilee to all that gave Alms, two thirds thereof to be employed in rebuilding the Church of Segovia, and the rest for his own Use. King Henry went thither from Madrid to gain this Jubilee. In Portugal the Duke of Viseo died at Setuva on the 8th of September, being 37 Years of Age: James his Second Son succeeded him. He was buried in the Monastery of S. Francis in that City, and thence translated to the Church of the Conception at Beja, which, with the Monastery of Nuns it belonged to, was built by his Wife Beatrix. In Valladolid the People mutinied, and took up Arms against those that were descended of Jews, tho Christians themselves; King Ferdinand and his Queen could not quell them. The Party oppressed, implored the Protection of King Henry, by which means that City was reduced to his Obedience. The Earl of Bena∣vente was left to Govern there, and King Ferdinand with his Wife returned to Duen̄as: There that Queen was delivered of a Daughter of her own Name. Ambassadors came

from France to press the Marriage before Treated of, and it was now agreed to. All things being concluded, the Marquess of Santillana brought the Princess Joanna, for which Service, and for having kept her, the King gave him the Towns of Alcoçer, Valdolivas, and Salmeron, which belonged to the Marquess de Villena, in the Right of his Wife the Countess of Santistevan, who in lieu of it had the Town of Requena, with all the Duties belonging to it, which are consi∣derable, because that place is near the Frontiers of Valencia. A Monastery of Carthusians called Paular, between Segovia and Buytrago, was the place appointed for Contracting the Princess. Thither went the King and Queen, with their Daughter, and the Master of San∣tiago, * 1.8 the Archbishop of Sevil, the Duke of Arevalo, the Bishop of Siguença, and his Bro∣thers, there they all publickly renounced the Allegiance Sworn to the Princess Elizabeth. On the 26th of October the Ceremony of the Princesses Marriage was performed. The King and Queen Swore she was their Lawful Daughter, and the Nobility did Homage to her, and she was Sworn Heiress of the Kingdom. After the Solemnity, as they returned to Segovia, there arose such a Storm of Wind, Rain, and Snow, that the French Ambassadors were in danger, and some of their Servants perished, which some looked upon as an ill Omen to that Wed∣ding. From Segovia the Ambassadors returned home, well satisfied with their Negociation, the Bishop of Siguença, by the Kings Order, accompanying them as far as Burgos. This had been the Occasion of a Bloody War between Spain and France, had not Heaven prevented it. For the King of France had not long before a Son born, which cut off the Duke of Guienne's hopes of inheriting that Crown, and he died two years after, as shall be related in its place.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rebels re∣duced.
• * 1.2

  Rebelli∣ous Moors defeated.
• * 1.3

  A Bishop murdered.
• * 1.4

  Ferdinand King of Sicily mar∣ries Eliza∣besh Sister to the King of Castile.
• * 1.5

  1470.
• * 1.6

  Diffe∣rence be∣twixt the Knights of Alcan∣tara and their Ma∣ster.
• * 1.7

  Confusion in Biscay.
• * 1.8

  Joanna Princess of Castile Contract∣ed to the Duke of Guienne.