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. V. The Tumults in Aragon, and Catalonia; Several Towns taken from the Moores; A Sedition in Galicia; King Albohardil attacks the Castle call'd Albaizin in Granada, and is repulsed; Azamor on the Coast of Africk delivered to the Portugueses.

SOme small Tumults hapned in Aragon, but those in Catalonia were more dangerous, yet * 1.1 the Prudence of King Ferdinand overcame them all. The City Zaragoça is seated in a Plain on the Banks of the River Ebro, and is in Beauty, Riches, and number of Inhabitants, almost equal to the best in Spain. This Place has often Mutinied in defence of its Priviledges, as it hapned at this time. John de Burgos, the King's Alguazil, gave some ill Language to Peter Cerdan, the Chief of the Aldermen, and Head of their Counsel. Others coming in apprehended the Alguazil, Tried, Condemned, and Hanged him, which was a great Affront to the King. He was then upon the point of entring upon the Kingdom of Granada with his Army, and therefore sent Orders to John Hernandez de Heredia, supream Governor of that Kingdom, to punish all that had a Hand in that Affair with the utmost rigor, and at the same time told the Deputies sent by the City, that no harm should be done; for he was ex∣pert in Dissembling. The Head of the Aldermen could not be apprehended, because the Chief Justice of Aragon protected him, but Martin Pertusa, who was the next, and had been very active in the Business of the Alguazil, was suddenly Executed, the King's Letters being carried before him upon a Spear to awe the People, who were ready to Rescue him. This struck a Terror into the others, and so the Sedition was appeased. Soon after another Tu∣mult hapned upon account of a more Hainous Crime than the last. Peter Arbuc was Inquisi∣tor in that City, and punished Offenders according to their Crimes. Certain wicked Mur∣derers, under colour of standing up for their Liberties, attempted to Murder him in his Bed, but not being able to force the Iron Bars of his Window, they Stabbed him in the Church before the High Altar, as he was at Mattins, on the 14th of September. He died not till the night following, which time he spent in Singing Praises to Almighty God. His Body was buried in the same place where they Murdered him, and soon after a Lamp was hung over his Grave, an Honour never allowed to any but Canonized Saints Charles V. the Emperor, obtained of Pope Paul III. that his Feast might be Celebrated on the 15th of September, as is duely now observed. All his Murderers died unfortunately within a year. After this, for the safety of the Inquisitors, they were lodged in the Castle called Del Aljaferia. This in Aragon. In Catalonia, and particularly the Territory of Ampurias, those Vassals who are vulgarly called Pageses, were oppressed by their Landlords, and Treated like Slaves. Those Lords obliged them to pay the heavy Impositions laid on them by the Moores, pleading Prescription to justifie this Proceeding. The Histories of Catalonia do not mention what Impositions these were, they only say they were very heavy, and that none was exempt from them but such as Ran∣somed themselves like Slaves. This moved the People often to take up Arms to deliver them∣selves from that Tyranny, but the Efforts of the Multitude for the most part are weak. They had recourse to their Kings for Redress, and several of them ordered those Impositions to be moderated, yet the Nobility would not part with any thing of what had been left them by their Ancestors. King Ferdinand at last, with his usual. Success, and good Conduct, put an end to all those Debates. From Alcala de Henarez the King and Queen went to Segovia, and thence to Medina del Campo. By the way they visited D. Garzia de Toledo, created by the King Duke of Alva, who now lived retired by reason of his great Age, having left his Son Frede∣rick to serve in his place. This the King did not only to Honour him, but to Reconcile him to the Constable Peter Fernandez de Velasco, to whom with D. Alonso de Fonseca, Archbishop of Sevil, he intended to leave the Government of Castile, whilst he prosecuted the War in Granada. In order to it he went to Guadalupe, where on the 28th of April he decided * 1.2 the Affair of the Pageses, ordaining, that in lieu of the old Imposition every one of those Vassals should pay to his Lord 70 Sueldos, or Shillings of Barcelona yearly, which tho a heavy Burden, was joyfully accepted by those People, and the more for that they were allowed to buy it off at 20 years purchase. Thus after long Disputes that part of Spain was pacified. In Portugal all was quiet since the death of those Nobles we have spoken of, and the King laboured to make his Kingdom renowned. Azamor, a City in Mauritania Tingitana on the Ocean, ha∣ving * 1.3 formerly been Tributary to the King of Portugal, now took an Oath of Fidelity to him, and in acknowledgment of subjection obliged it self to give yearly 10000 Alosas, which is a sort of Fish that abounds there. It was a greater Honour to that Nation and its Princes, that they had not only formerly maintained their Liberty, and Erected a Kingdom to which they had no good Title, but did now subdue remote Cities and Provinces to their great glory and advantage.

The Kingdom of the Moores decayed apace: Civil Discord consumed them no less than the Enemy abroad. In the City of Granada, Boabdil being called in by his Party, possessed him∣self of a Castle called Albaycin, and the Citizens sought and killed one another in the Streets. Yet they joined to oppose the Christians, and the danger being over to War among them∣selves * 1.4 again. An Alsaqui, which is in the Nature of a Priest, esteemed a Holy Man, went

about the Streets proclaiming their Madness, and threatning speedy ruin unless they grew wiser in time. His Words moved the People, and therefore through his Mediation, and of others of his Profession, the Two Kings came to an Agreement upon these Terms. That the Uncle should still keep Granada, Almeria, and Malaga; all the rest should belong to his Nephew Boabdil, who, I guess, resided in the Albaycin before-mentioned, tho our Historians do not mention it. Their chief design was, that Boabdil should have all those Places which they imagined the Christians would first attack, because he was in League with King Ferdinand. The Christians were not ignorant of their Policy, therefore having assembled their Forces they resolved to attempt Loxa. Boabdil advanced with 500 Horse to stop the passage of our Men, who were to march through uncouth and difficult ways. Nevertheless they came to the Suburbs of the City, where they had a Skirmish with the Moores whom they forced back into * 1.5 the Walls. The Army was divided into 3 parts, the better to compass the Town, and the Bridge that led to it broken down. But the Christians built two others, to secure the Commu∣nication for themselves. A breach being made by the Cannon, and all things in readiness to assault it, the City surrendred the 9th day of the Siege, capitulating for liberty to depart with as much of their Goods as they could carry. Boabdil coming to the Camp, fell down on his Knees, protesting it was against his Will he had broke his Faith, and that he was forced to it. His Excuses were allowed, and he pardoned, because it was convenient to wink at his Faults, to keep up the Division that was among the Moores. King Ferdinand fortified the City, and gave the Command of it to Alvaro de Luna, Lord of Fuentiduen̄a, and Grandson to the Constable D. Alvaro de Luna. This done he marched to reduce other Places. Some few made resistance, but in vain, the most surrendred. Among others Illora was taken on the 28th of June, and after it Ban̄os, Zagra, and Moclin. Some of these Places were very strong, and might have held out long, being near Granada, whence they could be relieved. The Com∣mand of Illora was given to Gonçalo Fernandez de Cordova, afterwards the famous General in Italy. The Citizens of Granada used to call Illora the Right Eye, and Moclin the Buckler of that City, for which reason they began to despair of maintaining themselves, besides that the Christians destroyed all the Country about them. Nevertheless Albohardil sent part of his Horse to the Bridge called De los Pinos, a Place well known for the Slaughter of our Men made there formerly. These were to hinder the Christians passing the River Xenil. He him∣self stayed in the City to prevent Disorders. The Moores could not hinder the Christians pas∣sing the River, but charged the Left Squadron that passed, which was commanded by D. In̄igo de Mendoça Duke del Infant ado. Our Men were hard put to it, being beset by 1000 Horse and 10000 Foot, but the other Forces coming to their Rescue the Moores retired. Still our Men pursued close upon their Rear, and the Fight was renewed in the Olive Gardens of the City. D. John de Aragon, Earl of Ribagorça, signalized himself in this Ingagement, and had his Horse killed under him. King Ferdinand, the Summer being near spent, Garrisoned the Towns he had taken, and left D. Frederick, Son to the Duke of Alva, to Command on the Frontiers, by that means ending the Competition betwixt the Nobility of Andaluzia about that Post. At this time Galicia was in an uproar, because the Earl of Lemos had possessed himself of Pon∣ferrada, a very strong Town, and turned out the King's Garrison. The Earl upon his sub∣mission was pardoned, only that Town with some others were taken from him, and annexed to the Crown. The King and Queen having performed their Devotions at Santiago, returned to Salamanca, at the beginning of the year 1487. Here they resolved to erect a new supream Court in Galicia, to curb that Mutinous People. Frederick, Son to the Duke of Alva, was * 1.6 ambitious of signalizing himself. A great number of Christian Captives that were kept in the Dungeons of Malaga gave intelligence, that if the Christians attempted the Town, they would break Prison, and let them into the Town. Six hundred Horse sent by him to this pur∣pose were disappointed, because the Rivers were swelled and impassable. In the City Gra∣nada the Animosities ran as high as ever betwixt the Two Moorish Kings, insomuch that Albo∣hardil having brought Forces from Guadix and Baça, attacked the Castle of Albaicin and en∣tred it. Boabdil coming on with his Guard, soon repulsed his Enemy. They fought despe∣rately in the place before the great Mosque, and many were killed on both sides. King Ferdi∣nand came from Salamanca to Cordova on the 2d of March. Thence, understanding the dan∣ger that King his Confederate was in, he sent him Succours under the Command of Ferdinand Alvarez de Gadea, Commander of Colomera. With this Supply he gained much upon his Ad∣versary, to the great destruction of the Citizens, who like Mad men ran to their Ruin, siding with the Two Kings.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tumults in Aragon and Cata∣lonia.
• * 1.2

  1482.
• * 1.3

  Azamor in Africk submits to the Portugue∣ses.
• * 1.4

  Divisions among the Infi∣dels.
• * 1.5

  Loxa and other Places taken.
• * 1.6

  1487.