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. IX. The Death of King Alonso the Great. The Reigns of D. Garcia, and D. Ordonno, the second of Oviedo, and of Almundar, Abdalla, and Abderhaman of Cordova.

A Lmundar, the Son of Mahomet, succeeded his Father. He was generous and mild, and * 1.1 therefore at his Accession to the Crown, abolish'd an imposition of the tenths, the Peo∣ple of Cordova used to pay. They forgetting his favour Mutiny'd, and he being about to suppress them, dy'd before he had Reign'd full two Years, leaving behind him Six Sons, and Seven Daughters. Nevertheless Abdalla his Brother was chosen King by the Souldiers in the Year 888, and Reign'd 25 Years. The beginning of his Reign was full of trouble, by reason * 1.2 that Homar, a turbulent Moor, revolted, and drew to his Party Lisbon, Astapa, Sevil, and other Towns. Yet this was soon over, for Homar, of his own accord, submitted, and was reconcil'd to the King. This Ease in obtaining Pardon encourag'd him to rebel again, and the Moors being divided into Factions, betwixt the Families of the Humeyas and Alavecins, there never wanted some to side with any turbulent Spirit. Abdalla pursu'd Homar so close he was forc'd to fly to the Christians, and there receiv'd Baptism; tho' not with a good intention as afterwards appear'd. The Biscainers, under the Conduct of Zuria, thought to be of the Blood Royal of Scotland, and Son-in-law of Zenore, before-mention'd, revolted from King * 1.3 Alonso. D. Ordon̄o, sent by his Father to reduce them, was overcome in Battle, whereupon Zuria was declar'd Lord of Biscay. This Battle was fought hear a place then call'd Padura, but afterwards Ariogorriaga, which in the Language of Biscay signifies Bloody Stone. The na∣tural strength of that Country hindred the King from taking Revenge, besides his great Age, which made him now study to govern in Peace; building Churches, Forts and Cities, for the safe∣ty and conveniency of his Subjects. At the beginning of his Reign he rebuilt Sublancia and Cea, near Leon, and the Castle Guazon, on the Sea Coast, betwixt Oviedo and Gijon. Afterwards * 1.4 the Cities Porto, Viseo, Chaves, Oca, and Zamora: To his Son D. Garcia he recommended the Building of Toro. He took from the Moors Coimbra, Simancas, Duen̄as, and all the Territory of Campos. Besides, he rebuilt the Monastery of Sahagun, destroy'd by the Moors, one of the greatest in all Spain. His Revenues were too small for these mighty Expences, he was therefore obliged to raise new Taxes, at which the Subjects being disgusted, the Queen persuaded her Son, D. Garcia, to lay hold of that opportunity, and Rebel against his Father. D. Alonso, tho' Old and Decay'd, presently repaired to Zamora, took his Son, and * 1.5 caused him to be confined in the Castle Guazon. This did not put an end to the Troubles, for Nun̄o Hernandez, Earl of Castile, a Powerful Man, and Father-in-law to D. Garcia, made War upon the King, which lasted two Years, at the end of which, the Rebels prevailed, and the King weary of trouble, and coveting repose, resigned the Crown to his Son D. Garcia, and to his other Son D. Ordon̄o, gave the Lordship of Galicia, in the Year 910. The following * 1.6 Year, D. Alonso, after going in Pilgrimage to Santiago, and making an Incursion into the Country of the Moors, with the consent of his Son, dy'd at Zamora. His Body, and that * 1.7 of his Queen, were first Buried at Astorga, and thence Translated to Oviedo. At the same * 1.8 time dy'd at Cordova, Abdalla, King of the Moors, aged 72 Years, leaving 12 Sons and 13 Daughters. Abderhaman, the Grandson of Abdalla, and Son of Mahomet, succeeded his Grandfather; a thing not usual, for the Grandson to be preferred before the Sons of the * 1.9 Deceased. At his accession to the Crown he was 23 Years of Age, and enjoy'd it 50 Years. To his Name was added the Title of Almanzor Ledin Alla, that is, Defender of the Law of God; as also that of Miramamolin, or Prince of those that believe. Abderhaman may be count∣ed

among the greatest of the Moorish Kings. He spent all his Life in reconciling the diffe∣rences betwixt his People, adminstred Justice impartially, built a Castle near Cordova, took Ceuta in Africk, and Beautified many Cities of his Kingdom.

Power ill gotten, for the most part is not lasting. So D. Garcia enjoyed the Kingdom, he took by Force from his Father only Three Years. During that time, he made War upon the Moors, wasted their Country, plundred their Towns, overthrew and took Prisoner Ayola, a Noble Moor, that offered to oppose him, yet through the neglect of his Keeper, he made his escape, near to a Town called Tremulo. The King dy'd at Zamora, in the Year 913. He left no Children, whereupon D. Ordon̄o his Brother succeeded him, and had been reckon∣ed * 1.10 a good Prince, had he not imbrued his Hands in the Blood of the Earls of Castile. His Reign lasted 9 Years and a half. At first to gain reputation and humble the Moors, he broke into the Kingdom of Toledo, and laid Siege to Talavera, a pleasant and strong City. An Army was sent by the King of Cordova, to relieve the Place, but it was defeated, the Town taken, plundred and burnt, because it could not be maintained, being encompassed on all sides with Garrisons of the Moors. The Governour and many more were taken, and the Christian Ar∣my returned home Victorious, and loaded with spoils. The King of Cordova fearing this beginning might be an Introduction to worse Consequences, sent to desire Assistance of the King of Mauritania, who sent him a considerable Body of Men, under the Command of his General Almotaraf. To these was joyned the Army of the Moors in Spain, Commanded by Avolalpaz, and thus they overran the Lands of the Christians, as far as the River Duero. Here the King met and gave them Battle, near to the Town of Santistevan de Gormaz, which was * 1.11 very Bloody, and for a long time the event seemed dubious, till the two Moorish Generals, and a great number of their Men being killed, the rest fled. That the advantage of this Victory might be the greater, they wasted all the Country of Lusitania, as far as Guadiana, but above all the Territories of Merida and Badajoz suffered. This struck such a Terror into those People, that they bought a Peace. It happened in the fifth Year of D. Ordon̄o, which was of Christ 918. After these great exploits, the King returning was received in manner of Tri∣umph into the City Leon, which he designed for the Seat of the Kings, and therefore en∣larged * 1.12 and beautified it, removing the Cathedral, which before was without the Walls, to his own Palace, formerly built with much Magnificence by the Moors for Baths. To add to the honour of the new Church, he caused himself to be Crowned in it by the Bishop, a thing not used before, and thus those Kings before called of Oviedo, came afterwards to be called of Leon. From henceforward the City Oviedo fell so much to decay, that it not only lost the Title of an Archbishoprick, but in our days it has no Vote in the States General or Parlia∣ment. Mean while Abderhaman Almanzor King of Cordova, meditating revenge for the losses sustained, through Lusitania broke into Galicia, and came as far as a Town called Ron∣donia, Sampyrus names it Mindonia. There the Armies of Christians and Moors met, and * 1.13 fought resolutely with great loss on both sides, till Night parted them, without any visible advantage on either side, tho' both boasted of the Victory, our side as having drove the Infi∣dels out of Galicia, they, for that they had sustained the Fight till Day, left them. Not long after the King of Cordova, having received supplies from Africk, wasted the Lands of Na∣varre and Biscay. The King of Leon, marched to the Assistance of D. Sancho Abarca King of Navarre. They came to a Battle in the Valley Juncaria, now Junquera, in the Year 921. It was disperately fought on both sides, yet the Moors got the Day, for the Count of Aragon * 1.14 was killed, two Bishops Dulcidius of Salamanca, and Hormogius of Tuy taken Prisoners, and that part of Biscay called Alava, was possess'd by the Moors. The ransom of the Bishops being agreed upon, they were set at Liberty, giving Hostages for the payment. Pelayus a Beautiful Youth, and Nephew to Hermogius was left for him. His Beauty and Modesty were equal, for the barbarous King lusting after him, used all possible means to bring him to consent to his beastly Appetite, first by kindness, and then by force, at which the Youth being provoked, struck him on the Face. Lust turning into rage upon this disappointment, the Youth was torn to Pieces, and cast into the River Guadalquivir, in the Year 925. In the Reign of D. Ordon̄o came to Spain, a Priest called Zanelus, sent by Pope John the 10th as his Nuncio (some * 1.15 say he was a Cardinal) to enquire into matters of Religion, and particularly the Ceremonies of the Mass, the Romans being persuaded that the Divine Office, according to the Gothish Form, was Erroneous and that false Doctrines were taught. Zanelus found all things confor∣mable to the Truth, only some small difference in the Ceremony, not the Essential part of the Mass, which he reported to the Pope in a great Congregation of Prelates, who all gave Thanks to Almighty God. To return to the King, the Fortune of War, seemed wholly changed after the Battle of Junquera. Nevertheless the two Kings of Leon and Navarre, made an incursion into the Country of the Moors, and wasted the Territory of Rioja, after which D. Ordon̄o returned to Zamora. In the midst of this joy dy'd the Queen Munina El∣vira, a Lady of great worth, and left these Sons, D. Sancho, D. Alonso, D. Ramiro, and D. Gracia, and one Daughter D^a. Ximena. After her Death, the King Marryed the Lady An∣gonta, a Woman of high Birth in Galicia, and in a little time put her away wrongfully, as appeared afterwards. Instead of her, he took Santiva Daughter of D. Garci In̄iguez, King of Navarre, with the consent of King Sancho her Brother. The two Kings joyning their Forces, broke into Rioja again, where they took Najara, and another Town called Vicaria. Thus far there

was more to praise in King Ordon̄o, than to discommend, the untimely Death he brought the Earls of Castile to, darkened all his Glory. But before we enter upon the Relation of that Affair, I will give a short Account of the rise and increase of some of the Chief Sovereign∣ties of Spain.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Kings of the Moors.
• * 1.2

  888.
• * 1.3

  Biscay Re∣bels.
• * 1.4

  King A∣lonso's publick Works.
• * 1.5

  The King's Son Rebels.
• * 1.6

  He re∣signs the Crown.
• * 1.7

  910.
• * 1.8

  His Death.
• * 1.9

  Abdalla dies, Ab∣derhaman succeeds.
• * 1.10

  913. King Or∣donno suc∣ceeds his his Bro∣ther.
• * 1.11

  A great Victory obtained by Christi∣ans.
• * 1.12

  918.
• * 1.13

  A Battle undecided.
• * 1.14

  921. The Chri∣stians de∣feated.
• * 1.15

  925. Zanelus the Pope's Nu∣nico in Spain