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. The Moor Muza comes over with Supplies. His Actions. The Moorish Computation of Years, called Hegira. Abdalasis Son to Muza, his Actions. End of Count Julian, and his Family. Deplorable state of Spain.

WHilst these things were acti•••• in Spain, Muza was much perplex'd; on the one side he rejoyc'd that so noble a Province as Spain was subdu'd, and on the other it griev'd him that Tarif had gain'd all the honour and profit of that Expedition. He pass'd over into Spain with 12000 Men, and tho' some advis'd to join his Forces with Tarif, in order to sub∣due * 1.1 what still remain'd, he took the Councel of those wicked Christians, who held their in∣terest in more esteem than Conscience, and promis'd to assist him in reducing such places as held out. Count Julian, either in hope of greater rewards, or disgusted at Tarif, repair'd to Muza. From Algezira, where these Infidels landed, they march'd to Medina Sidonia; * 1.2 which after a Siege of some days they took by Assault. Next Carmona having made a good defence was entred by Stratagem; some of Count Julian's Souldiers either feigning to Desart, or being receiv'd as Merchants; for in this Authors vary, having possess'd themselves of one of the Gates. Many of the Goths resorted to Sevil, but upon the approach of the Enemy fled, and the Moors gave liberty to the Jews to inhabit it, mixt with their own People. Beja in Portugal had the same Fortune, but the People of Merida, tho' much weakned before, had the Courage to try their Fortune in the Field, and being over-power'd, having lost and killed many, were forc'd to take the shelter of the Walls. Muza taking a view of the City, said, It look'd as if People had been gather'd from all parts of the World to build it; that he would * 1.3 be a happy Man that were Master of it. Inflam'd with this desire, he sought means to possess him∣self of that place. Not far from the City was a Quarry, in which he laid an Ambush that night. Next day the Townsmen sallying were hemm'd in, and only a few fought their way back, the rest perish'd. This made them cautious for the future, and they resolv'd only to defend their Walls. Muza seeing the Siege was like to be tedious, apply'd all Engines then in use for battering the Walls, which the Besieg'd us'd all diligence to oppose; but they were few in number, and spent with labour. Whereupon they offer'd to treat, but upon such high terms, that Muza rejected them, and the Commissioners believing him so old he could not outlive the Siege, would abate nothing. The Moor finding in what they grounded their * 1.4 Confidence, black'd his grey Hairs, and sending for them again, they were so surpriz'd, not understanding the reason of his sudden change, that they immediately submitted to such Ar∣ticles as he would allow. At the same time the People of Beja and Ilipula, surpriz'd Sevil, and put to the Sword the Garrison the Moors had in that City; yet this avail'd them little, for soon after the Enemy came upon them, and again brought them into subjection. The manner of it was thus. Abdalasis, the Son of Muza, who came over into Spain with him, * 1.5 complain'd to his Father, that he had not given him an opportunity of signalizing himself. His Father finding he was in the right, gave him the Command of a strong Body of Moors, with whom he broke into the Country of Valencia, had several Encounters with those People, and took the Cities of Denia, Alicant, and Huerta, upon Articles, which were, That he should not profane the Churches, That the People might live peaceably in the Christian Re∣ligion, and only pay certain Taxes agreed upon. These things being perform'd in the Year 716. he return'd to Sevil, slew those that had revolted, then took Ilipula, and it may be ima∣gin'd destroy'd it: for whereas it was then a populous City, it is now only a small Town * 1.6 called Pen̄aflor, situate betwixt Cordova and Sevil. From Merida Muza, went away for To∣ledo; Tarif, for the more honour, came out as far as Talavera to meet him. They met with great demonstrations of Friendship and Affection, but all counterfeit. Tarif was fearful of being call'd to an account, and Muza envious of what he had done. Being come to Toledo, Tarif his accounts were call'd for, as well in regard to the charge of the War, as to the trea∣sure * 1.7 that had been taken. He endeavour'd with submission and Friendly Offices, to appease the Old Man. At length being reconcil'd, they set forwards together towards Zaragoça, which City, and many others, too tedious to relate, they took without any trouble, they all Surrendring themselves. Thus all Spain seem'd to be subdu'd the third Year after the first Army of Moors came over out of Africk. True it is, the farthest parts could not be brought under without much difficulty, as being defended by high, and almost inaccessible Mountains. Ʋlit the Miramamolin, understanding the success of his Arms, and the differences that were be∣twixt his Generals, Order'd them both to appear before him. Muza being about to depart, appointed his Son Abdalasis to govern in his absence; having first oblig'd the Moors to swear they would be Obedient to him. This done, Muza and Tarif, the two Famous Generals, * 1.8 prepar'd to Imbark; carrying with them all the Treasures the Goths, in so many Years, had heap'd up.

From this time forward, the old Computation of Years used in Spain, beginning at the Birth of Christ, or the Julian Account, was quite laid aside, and that used by the Moors, and called Hegira, that is, an Expedition, was taken up, which begins from the time that Ma∣homet

first took upon him the Title of King at Damascus. In what Year of our Lord this hap'ned, Authors do not agree, and this difference arises from that betwixt the Years of the Arabs and ours, theirs being 11 Days and 6 Hours less than ours, as consisting of only 354 Days. In my Opinion, the Account of the Arabs ought to commence in the Years of our Lord 722. on the 15th of July, as appears by the Annals of Toledo, composed above 300 Years ago.

Abdalasis for some time Governed the Province he had received of his Father, with Pru∣dence and Wisdom. Great Multitudes resorted out of Africk, to Plant and People that vast Country, left almost waste by the late Wars. They had Lands assigned them, and Sevil was appointed to be the Metropolis of the new Empire, in respect to its greatness, strength and commodious Situation. Egilona, King Roderick's Queen was among the other Prisoners, she was Young, Beautiful and Comely. The Governour caused her to be brought to his Pre∣sence, * 1.9 and at first sight fell in love with her to such a degree, that he took her to Wife, without debarring her the Exercise of the Christian Religion. He held her in great Esteem all his Life-time; for besides her Beauty, she was Discreet, and in all his Affairs he was di∣rected by her, to that degree, that by her persuasion, he took upon him the State of a King, and was Crowned. In the Country of Antequera, where it Borders upon Malaga, there is a Mountain, called Abdalasis, perhaps, it took the Name from this Prince. Some also be∣lieve, that Almaguera, a Town belonging to the Knights of St. James, had the Name of Ma∣gued the Moorish General, who, 'tis said, used to drink the Water of a Fountain hard by it; and in the Arabick, Alma, is Water, from which Word and Magued, they suppose the Name Almaguer was compounded. At present, there are no Fountains in that Town, but all the People make use of Wells. There is no doubt but there has been as great a change in the Names of Places, as in other things, which causes great Confusion; for the Moorish Ge∣nerals, to perpetuate their Memory, gave their own Names and Sirnames, to Towns. There * 1.10 is no certainty of what became of Count Julian, but it is a received Opinion, without the Testimony of any Author to back it, that his Wife was Stoned to Death, a Son of his cast Headlong from a Tower at Ceuta, and that himself was Condemned to perpetual Imprison∣ment by the Moors, he so much laboured to serve. In a Castle called Loharri, near the City Huesca, is shown a Stone Tomb without the Church of the Castle, where it is reported he was Bury'd. The Archbishop D. Roderick, and D. Lucas de Tuy, affirm, That both he, and the Sons of King Witiza, were deprived of all they possessed, and he put to Death. Certain it is, Spain was now in a deplorable condition, almost all brought under the Dominion of the Moors. There was no sort of Misery but the Christians endured, Women were Ravished from their Husbands, Children from their Parents, and all they possessed, taken from them, with∣out * 1.11 any Redress to be hoped for. The Country yielded not its usual Product, both in regard of the unseasonableness of the Weather, and for want of Labourers. The Churches were Pro∣phaned and Burnt, dead Bodies lay about the Streets and High-ways, and nothing was to be seen or heard, but Sighs and Tears. Nor was there any Calamity, but what Spain groaned under, God permitting the Innocent to suffer with the Guilty, to punish the horrid Wicked∣ness of those Times. Nevertheless, in some part of Biscay, Navarre, Galicia and Asturias, the Christians still held out, rather, because the Places were almost inaccessible; and the Moors sleighted them, than that they had any sufficient Force to make head. Those who were subject to, and mixed with the Moors, began to be called Mixti Arabes, and afterwards, cor∣ruptly Mozarabes. They had the free Exercise of Christian Religion, with Churches, and Monasteries of Men and Women, as before. The Bishops, lest they should be scornfully treated, retired with many of the Clergy into Galicia, and the Bishop of Iria Flavia, that is, el Padron, assigned many of them Tyths, and other Ecclesiastical Revenues to live upon. Thus Spain was destroy'd, and thus ended the Kingdom of the Goths. The Kingdom and Nation of the Goths were thus Subverted, in my Opinion, by a peculiar Providence, that out of their Ashes might rise a New and Holy Spain, greater in Strength and Dominions, to be the Defence and Bulwark of the Catholick Religion. This was the Opinion of F. Mariana, and not without reason; for he writ when Philip II. of Spain was Lord of the East and West-Indies, by the Addition of the Kingdom of Portugal, as he mentions in this place. To what a low Ebb the Affairs of Spain are reduced since, will appear by the Sequel of the History, when we draw near our Times. Let us conclude this Book, to begin another with the Resurrection of Spain after these mor∣tal Calamities.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Muza comes in∣to Spain.
• * 1.2

  Takes se∣veral Towns.
• * 1.3

  Merida re∣duc'd.
• * 1.4

  An odd Project, if true.
• * 1.5

  Abdalasis Son to Muza, his Actions.
• * 1.6

  716.
• * 1.7

  Muza and Tarif at Variance.
• * 1.8

  The Ma∣hometan computa∣tion of time call'd He∣gira us'd in Spain.
• * 1.9

  Abdalasis the Moor, Marries the Wi∣dow of K. Rhoderick.
• * 1.10

  End of Count Ju∣lian and his Fami∣ly.
• * 1.11

  Deplora∣ble State of Spain.