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. VIII. The Tumults and Confusions in Aragon, Sardinia, and Navarre; The King of Castile Labours to Reduce his Rebels; Pope Paul II. Dies, Sixtus IV. Chosen; King Alonso of Portugal takes Arzila and Tangier in Africk.

AS the Power of Aragon had been increased by the Marriage in Castile, so was its Quiet much disturbed by the War which still continued in Catalonia, and new Commotions * 1.1 in Sardinia and Navarre. Leonard de Alagon, Son to Artal de Alagon and Benedicta de Arborea, in her Right pretended to the Estate of that Family, the Marquess de Oristan Salvador de Ar∣borea dying without Issue. He sought to do himself Right by force of Arms, and took se∣veral Towns belonging to the King and other great Men. Nicholas Carros, the Viceroy, had not a sufficient Strength to suppress him. In Navarre the Earl of Faux, with the Assistance of the Biamonteses, possessed himself of great part of the Kingdom, and laid Siege to Tudela. The King sent the Archbishop of Zaragoça before, and notwithstanding his great Age, fol∣lowed him with a good Force, which obliged his Son in Law to raise the Siege. A Treaty was set on foot, and at length at Olite it was Agreed, That the King of Aragon should still retain the Title of King of Navarre, but the Government should be wholly in the Power of the Earl of Faux and his Wife. News was here brought them of a sad Misfortune that had happened in France, which was, That at a Feast of Tilting made by Charles Duke of Guienne for Joy of his Marriage, a Splinter from his own Lance broke upon his Adversary, struck Gaston, Son to the Earl of Faux, through the sight of his Helmet, and killed him. This was on the 27th of November. He was 26 years of Age. His Body was carried to Bourdeaux, and there buried in the Cathedral of that City. He left Two Children by his Wife Magdalen, a Son call'd Francis Phebus, and a Daughter named Catherine, who both came to the Crown of Navarre. This grieved the King of Aragon, but above all the Danger of his Son Ferdinand, whom he thought not safe to leave in Castile, where he had many Enemies, and among them that King, nor yet to call him away unless he had secured his Succession to that Crown. He was the more perplexed, for that the Bishop of Toledo, a Man of great Power, was Discon∣tented, and took it ill that King Ferdinand was more Familiar with, and had more Confi∣dence in Guterre de Cardenas, and the Admiral D. Alonso Enriquez, than in him. Besides, that King had let fall a word, signifying, That he would not suffer himself to be governed by any Man. This troubled the Archbishop, and he resolved to withdraw. The King of Aragon being informed of it, endeavoured to appease him, writing a Letter to his Son, wherein he Advised him to Prefer the Archbishop before all others, and use him as a Father. Yet this did not fully satisfie the Archbishop. The Affairs of Aragon were in a good posture in Catalonia, for John Duke of Lorrain died at Barcelona upon the 16th of December, and was buried in the Cathedral. The Rebels were not at all dismayed hereat, but hoping the King of France would stand by them, published an Ordinance, enjoining all Places that were without Governours, not to admit of any, unless Renee Duke of Anjou, or his Grandson Nicholas, Son to the de∣ceased, came to them in Person. In Castile the King of Aragon used all Means to Oblige the Nobility. D. John Pacheco was promised his Estate should be enlarged, and the Archbishop of Toledo, that his Sons Troylo and Lope, should be Preferred and Provided for. Many others of the Nobility were reduced either by Fair Promises, or great Gifts, yet neither D. John Pacheco, nor the Archbishop, could be prevailed upon. King Henry used the same Art, especially to∣wards

the Archbishop. It was thought he would not be overcome by fair Means only, there∣fore Vasco de Contreras took from him the Town of Perales. The Archbishop gathering some Forces besieged that Town, but the King at the beginning of the year 1471, hasted to Ma∣drid, * 1.2 and marching thence with 800 Men, raised the Siege, which done, he returned back to Madrid, and the Archbishop to Alcalà. A new way was found to reduce the Rebellious Pre∣lates, * 1.3 but especially those of Toledo and Segovia. The King obtained of the Pope Two Bulls, one whereof Cited the Bishop of Segovia to Appear before him at Rome within 90. days after the Notification of it. By the other the Archbishop was Commanded to Submit to the King, and in case he was Refractory, 4 Canons of Toledo were empowered to draw up a Pro∣cess against him, and send it to Rome. These 4 Canons were appointed by the Chapter, but through the Contrivance of the Master of Santiago they proceeded not upon that Affair. To the Master of Santiago the King gave the Town of Alcaraz, and to D. Roderick Ponce, Earl of Arcos, the Island of Cadiz, and the Title of a Marquess, by way of Portion with Beatrix Daughter to the Master of Santiago, in order to make an Interest against the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who was an Enemy to them both. Biscay was again in an uproar, Avendan̄o and Moxica, the Heads of the Mutineers, being returned from Banishment by the help of the Earl of Trevin̄o, who assisted them in hatred to Peter Fernandez de Velasco, Earl of Haro, who ba∣nished them. Both these Noblemen marched with Forces into Biscay, and on the 27th of April came to a Battle near a Town called Monguia. The Earl of Trevin̄o was strongest in Foot, which were of most use in that uncouth Countrey, so that he overthrew his Adversary. Many were killed, especially of the Gentry, and more made Prisoners. King Henry hearing of it, posted away to Burgos, and thence to Ordun̄a, upon his coming all was presently quiet. He made a Truce between the Two Parties till such time as they could be fully Recon∣ciled, and set all the Prisoners free. After this great Levies were made throughout Castile, and the Nobility was summoned, to the end to force King Ferdinand and Elizabeth his Queen, to depart the Kingdom; yet by the Advice of the Master of Santiago this Design was laid aside. Toledo and Sevil mutinied at the same time, both Cities being divided into Factions. Those * 1.4 of Toledo were the Ayalas and Silvas. The Earl of Cifuentes was Head of the Silvas, and he of Fuensalida of the Ayalas. To put an end to these Contentions, by the Advice of the Bi∣shop F. Peter de Silva, the Earl of Cifuentes Married Ellenor, Daughter to him of Fuensalida. What was designed to produce a Peace, proved the cause of greater Discord, not only the Earl of Cifuentes, but John de Ribera, his Uncle, being admitted into the City against the Kings will, one of them coming to be Married, and the other to honour that Solemnity. The Faction of the Silvas having got their Chief among them, armed against their Adversa∣ries with such fury, that King Henry was forced to come thither in Person, and having ap∣peased the Tumult, deprived the Earl of Fuensalida of the Government of the City, which he had held many years, and put Garci Lopez into that Command, with the Title of Deputy. At Sevil the Marquess of Cadiz was expelled that City by the Duke of Medina Sidonia. Hence ensued a formal War, which was ended by D. Yn̄igo Lopez de Mendoça, Earl of Tendilla, sent thither to that purpose, he using more Art than Force or Severity. Medina Sidonia was restored to its Owner. It was a very great loss for Castile, that Pope Paul II. died on the 25th of * 1.5 July. During his Papacy he did much for the good and advantage of Spain. On the 9th of August was chosen in his place the Cardinal Francis de Ruvere of the Order of Friers Minors, he took the Name of Sixtus IV. a Man of no less Merit than his Predecessor, and as well af∣fected towards Spain. At the same time a Body of Moores broke into the inward parts of An∣daluzia, and made great havock in the Territory of Alcantara; The Booty they took was so great, they could observe no Order in marching. In Revenge for this Affront, and to Divert the Enemy, by the King's Order, the Marquess of Cadiz, with his Forces, took the Town of Cardella in the Kingdom of Granada by force, but he leaving a weak Garison in the place, it was soon recovered by the Moores.

This Year was Fortunate to Portugal. King Alonso about the middle of August set sail from * 1.6 Lisbon with a Fleet, consisting of 300 Sail between great and small, resolving to renew the War in Africk. With him went Prince John his Son, that he might learn his first Military Rudiments in that Holy War, and all the Flower of the Nobility and Souldiery of the King∣dom. The Army consisted of about 30000 Men. At his first landing he took from the Moores the Town of Arzila, in which above 2000 Infidels were killed, and 5000 sold as Slaves, which raised a great Sum of Money. This Success was not bought without Blood, for several Persons of Note among the Portugueses were killed, and among them D. Alvaro de Castro, Earl of Montesanto, and D. John Coutin̄o, Earl of Marialva, whose dead Body the King having seen, turning to his Son, he said, God grant you prove so great a Souldier. The Example of Arzila so terrified the Moores of Tangier, that they abandoned it, the Command of which Place the King gave to Roderick Merlo. Henry de Meneses, Earl of Valencia, was left Governour of Arzila and Alcaçar. Having in so short a time concluded such Noble Exploits, the King returned with his Fleet in safety to Portugal. D. Alonso Vasconcellos was in this Expedition created Earl of Penella, as a Reward of his good Service.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Troubles in Aragon, Sardinia, and Na∣varre.
• * 1.2

  1471.
• * 1.3

  Method of reduc∣ing the Rebelli∣ous Pre∣lates.
• * 1.4

  Mutiny at Toledo and Sevil.
• * 1.5

  Pope Paul II. dies, Sixtus IV. chosen.
• * 1.6

  Tangier and Arzi∣la taken by the King of Portugal.