HOW BOABDIL EL CHICO TOOK THE FIELD, AND HIS EXPEDITION AGAINST
ALHENDIN.
For thirty days had the Vega been overrun by the Christian forces, and
that vast plain, late so luxuriant and beautiful, was one wide scene of
desolation. The destroying army, having accomplished its task, passed
over the bridge of Pinos and wound up into the mountains on the way to
Cordova, bearing away the spoils of towns and villages and driving off
flocks and herds in long dusty columns. The sound of the last Christian
trumpet died away along the side of the mountain of Elvira, and not a
hostile squadron was seen glistening on the mournful fields of the Vega.
The eyes of Boabdil el Chico were at length opened to the real policy of
King Ferdinand, and he saw that he had no longer anything to depend
upon but the valor of his arm. No time was to be lost in hastening to
counteract the effect of the late Christian ravage and
in opening the channel for distant supplies to Granada.
Scarcely had the retiring squadrons of Ferdinand disappeared among the
mountains when Boabdil buckled on his armor, sallied forth from the
Alhambra, and prepared to take the field. When the populace beheld him
actually in arms against his late ally, both parties thronged with zeal
to his standard. The hardy inhabitants also of the Sierra Nevada, or
chain of snow-capped mountains which rise above Granada, descended from
their heights and hastened into the city gates to proffer their devotion
to their youthful king. The great square of the Vivarrambla shone
with legions of cavalry decked with the colors and devices of the most
ancient Moorish families, and marshalled forth by the patriot Muza to
follow the king to battle.
It was on the 15th of June that Boabdil once more issued forth from the
gates of Granada on martial enterprise. A few leagues from the city,
within full view of it, and at the entrance of the Alpuxarras mountains,
stood the powerful castle of Alhendin. It was built on an eminence
rising from the midst of a small town, and commanding a great part of
the Vega and the main road to the rich valleys of the Alpuxarras. The
castle was commanded by a valiant Christian cavalier named Mendo de
Quexada, and garrisoned by two hundred and fifty men, all seasoned and
experienced warriors. It was a continual thorn in the side of Granada:
the laborers of the Vega were swept off from their fields by its hardy
soldiers; convoys were cut off in the passes of the mountains; and, as
the garrison commanded a full view of the gates of the city, no band of
merchants could venture forth on their needful journeys without being
swooped up by the war-hawks of Alhendin.
It was against this important fortress that Boabdil first led his
troops, and for six days and nights it was closely besieged. The
alcayde and his veteran garrison defended themselves valiantly, but were
exhausted by fatigue and constant watchfulness; for the Moors, being
continually relieved by fresh troops from Granada, kept up an unremitted
and vigorous attack. Twice the barbican was forced, and twice the
assailants were driven forth headlong with excessive loss. The garrison,
however, was diminished in number by the killed and wounded; there were
no longer soldiers sufficient to man the walls and gateway; and the
brave alcayde was compelled to retire with his surviving force to
the keep of the castle, in which he continued to make a desperate
resistance.
The Moors now approached the foot of the tower under shelter of wooden
screens covered with wet hides to ward off missiles and combustibles.
They went to work vigorously to undermine the tower, placing props of
wood under the foundations, to be afterward set on fire, so as to give
the besiegers time to escape before the edifice should fall. Some of
the Moors plied their crossbows and arquebuses to defend the workmen
and drive the Christians from the walls, while the latter showered
down stones and darts and melted pitch and flaming combustibles on the
miners.
The brave Mendo de Quexada had cast many an anxious eye across the Vega
in hopes of seeing some Christian force hastening to his assistance. Not
a gleam of spear or helm was to be descried, for no one had dreamt of
this sudden irruption of the Moors. The alcayde beheld his bravest
men dead or wounded around him, while the remainder were sinking with
watchfulness and fatigue. In defiance of all opposition, the Moors had
accomplished their mine; the fire was brought before the walls that
was to be applied to the stanchions in case the garrison persisted in
defence. In a little while the tower would crumble beneath him, and be
rent and hurled a ruin to the plain. At the very last moment the brave
alcayde made the signal of surrender. He marched forth with the
remnant of his veteran garrison, who were all made prisoners. Boabdil
immediately ordered the walls of the fortress to be razed and fire to
be applied to the stanchions, that the place might never again become a
stronghold to the Christians and a scourge to Granada. The alcayde and
his fellow-captives were led in dejected convoy across the Vega, when
they heard a tremendous crash behind them. They turned to look upon
their late fortress, but beheld nothing but a heap of tumbling ruins and
a vast column of smoke and dust where once had stood the lofty tower of
Alhendin.