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. X. A mighty Mutiny raised in Granada by a Phanatick Moor; The City surrendered to King Ferdinand; The Character of King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth; Their Triumphal Entry into Granada, and universal Joy for their Success.

THE Surrender of Granada being agreed upon in this manner, all had like to have been broke off again upon the following occasion. In all places the Multitude, but especially * 1.1 among the Moors, is Faithless, Disloyal, Changeable, inclinable to Mutiny, hates Peace and Quietness, and upon any small Motives runs into Sedition. A certain Moor, whose Name is not yet known, as if he were possessed with some Fury, or quite distracted, with violent Words ceased not to persuade the People to take Arms. He preached and harangued the Multitude at the Corners of Streets and in the Markets with a loud Voice and horrid Counte∣nance. In this manner he stirred up 20000 Men to take Arms, and run about like Men out

of their Senses. The cause of their Discontent, or what they aimed at, was unknown, and therefore the Remedy harder to be found. Boabdil, called the Little King, fearing they would offer Violence to him, kept close within the Alhambra. The Multitude are furious at first, but soon cool, chiefly they who had no Head, and were consequently weak, and knew not their own Minds Therefore the next day the King went to the Albaizin, where the People were well affected towards him: There he assembled such as he thought fit, with whom he expo∣stulated the Madness of the Mutiniers, shewing how absolute Necessity and not Affection had obliged him to Capitulate with the Enemy, when no other way was left to save the City from perishing by Sword and Famine. His Words made them calm, and the People were pacified. Many times Seditions are as easily suppressed as raised. What became of the Moor who caused the Mutiny is not known; it may be imagined he fled. King Boabdil warned by the Danger past; and fearing that before the expiration of the Days agreed upon for delivering up the City, new Troubles and Tumults might arise, he immediately sent a Letter to King Ferdinand, with a Present of two choice Horses, a Cymiter, and some Furniture. He adver∣tised him of what had hapned in the City, and how the People had Mutinied, therefore in∣viting him to come and take possession speedily, lest Delay might produce some Alteration. In short, he told him since God had so ordained it, he would the next day deliver up the Al∣hambra and Kingdom to him as Conqueror.

This Letter was brought to the Camp upon New-Year's Day: It is easie to imagin how * 1.2 great Satisfaction it gave to King Ferdinand. He ordered all things to be in a readiness the Day following for his Entrance, and that Day is still kept a Festival at Granada, in Memory of the Taking of that City. Having laid aside the Mourning he wore for his Son-in-Law Prince Alonso of Portugal, and put on his Royal Robes, he set out towards the Castle with his Army, in the same Order as if going to engage the Enemy. After him followed the Queen and her Children, then the Nobility clad in Cloth of Gold and rich Silks. When the King came in this pompous manner near to the Alhambra, Boabdil the Little King came out to meet him with 50 Horse. He offered to alight and kiss the Victor's Hand, but King Ferdinand would not permit it. Then fixing his Eyes upon the Ground with a sorrowful Countenance, he said, We are your Slaves, Invincible King; we deliver up this City and Kingdom to you, not doubting you will use us with Clemency and Moderation. This done, he put into his hands the Keys of the Castle; King Ferdinand gave them to the Queen, she to the Prince her Son, and he to D. In̄igo de Mendoça, Earl of Tendilla, whom the King appointed Governor of that City, and Captain General of that Kingdom. D. Peter de Granada was made head Alguazil of the City, and D. Alonso his Son Admiral of that Sea. The King entred the City with a good Party of Horse. A great Number of Noblemen and Prelates followed; among them the Chief were the Prelates of Toledo and Sevil, the Master of Santiago, the Marquess of Cadiz, and F. Ferdinand de Talavera, who of Bishop of Avila, was now Elect Archbishop of Granada: He having offered up his Prayers as is usual, set up the Banner, carried before the Cardinal of Toledo upon the highest Tower, and on the sides of it the King's and the Standard of San∣tiago. This Action was followed by the Acclamations of the whole Army. Then the King kneeling, returned Thanks to Almighty God, for that the Empire of the Infidels was extirpa∣ted in Spain, and the Holy Banner of the Cross set up in that City, where the Mahometan Su∣perstition had so long prevailed, and prayed that his Mercies might be continued unto him. After the Prayer, all the great Men came to congratulate his Success, and kneeling, kissed his Hand. The same they all did to the Queen and Prince. This Ceremony being ended, they returned in the same Order after Dinner to the Camp. To the Little King was given the Valley of Purchena, not long before taken from the Moors in the Kingdom of Murcia, with a sufficient Revenue; but he soon after went over into Africk: For they who have once been Kings, cannot ever patiently submit to lead a private Life. 500 Christian Captives were, ac∣cording as had been capitulated, set free without Ransom. They the next day, after hearing Mass, came in Procession to prostrate themselves before the King. They thanked the Soldiers, by whose means they obtained Liberty, and commending their Bravery, called them Fathers of their Country. Before the King entred the City, the Army took possession of the Gates, Towers, and Castles. That done, upon the 4th day they entred in the same manner as they had done before. All the Army sang Hymns of Praise and Thanksgiving to Almighty God for their great Success. King Ferdinand and Queen Elizabeth being richly clothed, in the prime of their Age, and having conquered that Kingdom, seemed to appear more Majestick than before. They shined above all others, and were equal as to themselves. Every one looked upon them as more than Human, and sent from Heaven for the Glory of Spain. It * 1.3 was they that restored Justice, which before them was corrupted, enacting excellent Laws for the publick Benefit. They settled Religion, restored Peace, and enlarged their Territories, not only in Spain, but at the same time in the utmost Bounds of the World. What is most to be commended, they bestowed Honours and Preferments, not according to Birth, or for Favour, but proportionably to the Merits of every one, which stirred up their Subjects to Virtue and Learning. Both the King and Queen were of a middle Stature, their Limbs well proportioned, their Countenances graceful, pleasing and yet grave; their Mien majestick, but their Complexion somewhat swarthy; especially the King's was tanned with being always in the Field, his Hair Chesnut-colour and long, his Beard trimmed after the manner of that

Age, his Eye-brows large, his Head bald, his Mouth small, his Lips red, his Teeth little and thin, his Back broad, his Neck streight, his Voice sharp, quick of Speech, of a sharp Wit, of a sound Judgment, of a courteous Disposition, and easie of Access. In Martial Affairs he was expert, in Matters of Government not to be parallel'd; so great a Lover of Business, that it seemed to be his Delight and Diversion. His Body was not pampered with Pleasures, but inured to Labour. His Diet was temperate, and his Garb modest. He was an excellent Horseman. When young, he was addicted to Cards and Dice, grown more stayed, his chief Sport was Hawking. The Queen had a good Face, fair Hair, dark Eyes, she used no Paints or Washes, and had a singular Modesty and Gravity in her Looks. She was very Devout, and a Lover of Learning, bore her Husband Affection, but mixed with Jealousie. She had some knowledge of the Latin Tongue, which her Husband wanted, having no Learning given him in his Youth; yet he loved to read History, and converse with Learned Men. The same Day that King Ferdinand was born, as some relate, a certain Carmelite Friar of Naples, esteemed a Holy Man, said to King Alonso, Unkle to King Ferdinand, This Day in the Kingdom of Ara∣gon is born a Prince of your Family; Heaven promises him a large Empire, great Riches and Prospe∣rity; he shall be very Devout, of a virtuous Inclination, and a great Defender of Christianity. Amidst so many Virtues, considering human Frailty, there could not be wanting some Allay of Vice. Avarice, which is laid to his Charge, may be well excused with the lowness of the Revenue. The Wickedness of those Times was the cause of the Severity and Rigour he is blamed for. Foreign Writers accuse him of a wicked Craft, and that he valued not his Word where it was for his Advantage to break it. I will not dispute how true this is. He contracted Af∣finity with the Greatest Princes in all Christendom, as the Kings of England and Portugal, and the Dukes of Austria. Several other Princes were near of Kin to him, for he was Unkle to Anne Dutchess of Britany, as Brother to her Grandmother by the Mother's side. He was Cousin German to Ferdinand King of Naples, and great Unkle to Catherine Queen of Navarre, as brother to her Grandmother. This particularly is laid to his Charge, That without any regard of Kindred, only thro' Ambition of enlarging his Dominions, he thrust this Lady and her Husband out of their Kingdom, and obliged them to retire to France Others excuse him upon pretence of Religion, and the Pope's Command; but that is a weak Defence. Great Troubles ensued hereupon. Henry d' Albret, Son to that Queen, endeavoured to recover his Kingdom with more Valour than good Fortune. He had by the Lady Margaret, Sister to Francis King of France, one Daughter and Heiress, called Joanna, who married Anthony of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme, and was Mother to that Henry who married Margaret the Sister of Three Kings of France, viz. Francis II. Charles and Henry; who all dying without Issue, he inherited that Crown as next of the Male Line. Notwithstanding, the People of France pretended he could not inherit, because he had embraced the then new-broached Heresies that spread abroad in France. But let us leave this to put an end to the Affair of Granada. King Ferdinand and Queen Eliza∣beth having taken possession of that City by the special Providence of God, the Moors remain∣ing in that part of Spain, were for ever after brought under the Dominion and Government of the Christians. This solemn Entry was upon Friday the 6th of January, 1492. and accor∣ding to the Arabian Account the Year 897 of the Hegira, on the 8th of the Month which they * 1.4 call Rahib Haraba: Which Day, as it is a Feast of great Solemnity throughout the Christian World, as being the Epiphany of our Lord, so was it particularly Joyful and Fortunate to all Spain, and no less unhappy to the Moors: For by their Extirpation, the Honour of Spain was restored, and a great Province added to the Christian Dominions. All other Provinces of Christendom were made Partakers of this Joy, and particularly Pope Innocent had a large account given him of the Reduction of all Spain to its former Obedience to the Church. In all Parts there were Bonfires and Sports celebrated in token of Joy, and Men, Women, and Children went in Procession to the Churches, to give Thanks to Almighty God for so signal a Mercy. Rome was rejoycing for the Peace concluded betwixt the Pope and King of Naples, when John de Estrada, King Fedinand's Ambassador, brought this happy News. In token of their great Satisfaction, the Pope, Cardinals, and People of Rome went in Procession to the Spanish Church of Santiago; there the Divine Office was performed with great Solem∣nity, and a Sermon suitable to the Occasion preached; in which the Preacher highly extolled the King and Queen, and magnified the Valour of, and Victories obtained by the Spanish Na∣tion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Phana∣tick Moor.
• * 1.2

  Granada surrender∣ed to K. Ferdinand.
• * 1.3

  Character of K. Fer∣dinand and Q. Eliza∣beth.
• * 1.4

  1492.