OF THE TREATMENT OF BOABDIL BY THE CASTILIAN SOVEREIGNS.
A stately convention was held by King Ferdinand in the ancient city of
Cordova, composed of several of the most reverend prelates and renowned
cavaliers of the kingdom, to determine upon the fate of the unfortunate
Boabdil.
Don Alonso de Cardenas, the worthy master of Santiago, was one of the
first who gave his counsel. He was a pious and zealous knight, rigid
in his devotion to the faith, and his holy zeal had been inflamed to
peculiar vehemence since his disastrous crusade among the mountains of
Malaga. He inveighed with ardor against any compromise or compact
with the infidels: the object of this war, he observed, was not the
subjection of the Moors, but their utter expulsion from the land,
so that there might no longer remain a single stain of Mahometanism
throughout Christian Spain. He gave it as his opinion, therefore, that
the captive king ought not to be set at liberty.
Roderigo Ponce de Leon, marques of Cadiz, on the contrary, spoke warmly
for the release of Boabdil. He pronounced it a measure of sound policy,
even if done without conditions. It would tend to keep up the civil war
in Granada, which was as a fire consuming the entrails of the enemy, and
effecting more for the interests of Spain, without expense, than all the
conquests of its arms.
The grand cardinal of Spain, Don Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, coincided
in opinion with the marques of Cadiz. Nay (added that pious prelate and
politic statesman), it would be sound wisdom to furnish the Moor with
men and money and all other necessaries to promote the civil war in
Granada: by this means would be produced great benefit to the service of
God, since we are assured by his infallible word that “a kingdom divided
against itself cannot stand.” *
* Salazar, Cronica del Gran Cardinal, p. 188.
Ferdinand weighed these counsels in his mind, but was slow in coming to
a decision: he was religiously attentive to his own interests (observes
Fray Antonio Agapida), knowing himself to be but an instrument of
Providence in this holy war, and that, therefore, in consulting his own
advantage he was promoting the interests of the faith. The opinion
of Queen Isabella relieved him from his perplexity. That high-minded
princess was zealous for the promotion of the faith, but not for the
extermination of the infidels. The Moorish kings had held their thrones
as vassals to her progenitors: she was content at present to accord
the same privilege, and that the royal prisoner should be liberated
on condition of becoming a vassal to the Crown. By this means might be
effected the deliverance of many Christian captives who were languishing
in Moorish chains.
King Ferdinand adopted the magnanimous measure recommended by the queen,
but he accompanied it with several shrewd conditions, exacting tribute,
military services, and safe passages and maintenance for Christian
troops throughout the places which should adhere to Boabdil. The captive
king readily submitted to these stipulations, and swore, after the
manner of his faith, to observe them with exactitude. A truce was
arranged for two years, during which the Castilian sovereigns engaged
to maintain him on his throne and to assist him in recovering all places
which he had lost during his captivity.
When Boabdil el Chico had solemnly agreed to this arrangement in the
castle of Porcuna, preparations were made to receive him in Cordova in
regal style. Superb steeds richly caparisoned and raiments of brocade
and silk and the most costly cloths, with all other articles of
sumptuous array, were furnished to him and to fifty Moorish cavaliers
who had come to treat for his ransom, that he might appear in state
befitting the monarch of Granada and the most distinguished vassal of
the Castilian sovereigns. Money also was advanced to maintain him in
suitable grandeur during his residence at the Castilian court and his
return to his dominions. Finally, it was ordered by the sovereigns that
when he came to Cordova all the nobles and dignitaries of the court
should go forth to receive him.
A question now arose among certain of those ancient and experienced
men who grow gray about a court in the profound study of forms and
ceremonials, with whom a point of punctilio is as a vast political
right, and who contract a sublime and awful idea of the external dignity
of the throne. Certain of these court sages propounded the momentous
question whether the Moorish monarch, coming to do homage as a vassal,
ought not to kneel and kiss the hand of the king. This was immediately
decided in the affirmative by a large number of ancient cavaliers,
accustomed (says Antonio Agapida) to the lofty punctilio of our most
dignified court and transcendent sovereigns. The king, therefore, was
informed by those who arranged the ceremonials that when the Moorish
monarch appeared in his presence he was expected to extend his royal
hand to receive the kiss of homage.
“I should certainly do so,” replied King Ferdinand, “were he at liberty
and in his own kingdom, but I certainly shall not do so, seeing that he
is a prisoner and in mine.”
The courtiers loudly applauded the magnanimity of this reply, though
many condemned it in secret as savoring of too much generosity toward an
infidel; and the worthy Jesuit, Fray Antonio Agapida, fully concurs in
their opinion.
The Moorish king entered Cordova with his little train of faithful
knights and escorted by all the nobility and chivalry of the Castilian
court. He was conducted with great state and ceremony to the royal
palace. When he came in presence of Ferdinand he knelt and offered to
kiss his hand, not merely in homage as his subject, but in gratitude for
his liberty. Ferdinand declined the token of vassalage, and raised him
graciously from the earth. An interpreter began, in the name of Boabdil,
to laud the magnanimity of the Castilian monarch and to promise the
most implicit submission. “Enough!” said King Ferdinand, interrupting
the interpreter in the midst of his harangue: “there is no need of
these compliments. I trust in his integrity that he will do everything
becoming a good man and a good king.” With these words he received
Boabdil el Chico into his royal friendship and protection.