OF THE INSOLENT DEFIANCE OF TARFE THE MOOR, AND THE DARING EXPLOIT OF
HERNAN PEREZ DEL PULGAR.
When the Moorish knights beheld that all courteous challenges were
unavailing, they sought various means to provoke the Christian warriors
to the field. Sometimes a body of them, fleetly mounted, would gallop
up to the skirts of the camp and try who should hurl his lance farthest
within the barriers, having his name inscribed upon it or a label
affixed containing some taunting defiance. These bravadoes caused
great irritation; still, the Spanish warriors were restrained by the
prohibition of the king.
Among the Moorish cavaliers was one named Tarfe, renowned for strength
and daring spirit, but whose courage partook of fierce audacity rather
than chivalric heroism. In one of these sallies, when skirting
the Christian camp, this arrogant Moor outstripped his companions,
overleaped the barriers, and, galloping close to the royal quarters,
launched his lance so far within that it remained quivering in the earth
close by the pavilions of the sovereigns. The royal guards rushed forth
in pursuit, but the Moorish horsemen were already beyond the camp and
scouring in a cloud of dust for the city. Upon wresting the lance from
the earth a label was found upon it importing that it was intended for
the queen.
Nothing could equal the indignation of the Christian warriors at the
insolence of the bravado and the discourteous insult offered to the
queen. Hernan Perez del Pulgar, surnamed “He of the exploits,” was
present, and resolved not to be outbraved by this daring infidel. “Who
will stand by me,” said he, “in an enterprise of desperate peril?” The
Christian cavaliers well knew the harebrained valor of Hernan, yet
not one hesitated to step forward. He chose fifteen companions, all of
powerful arm and dauntless heart.
His project was to penetrate Granada in the dead of the night by a
secret pass made known to him by a Moorish renegade of the city, whom he
had christened Pedro Pulgar, and who was to act as guide. They were to
set fire to the Alcaiceria and other principal edifices, and then effect
their retreat as best they might. At the hour appointed the adventurous
troops set forth provided with combustibles. The renegade led them
silently to a drain or channel of the river Darro, up which they
proceeded cautiously, single file, until they halted under a bridge near
the royal gate. Here dismounting, Pulgar stationed six of his companions
to remain silent and motionless and keep guard, while, followed by the
rest and still guided by the renegade, he continued up the drain or
channel of the Darro, which passes under a part of the city, and was
thus enabled to make his way undiscovered into the streets. All was
dark and silent. At the command of Pulgar the renegade led him to the
principal mosque. Here the cavalier, pious as brave, threw himself on
his knees, and, drawing forth a parchment scroll on which was inscribed
in large letters “AVE MARIA,” nailed it to the door of the mosque, thus
converting the heathen edifice into a Christian chapel and dedicating it
to the Blessed Virgin. This done, he hastened to the Alcaiceria to
set it in a blaze. The combustibles were all placed, but Tristan de
Montemayor, who had charge of the firebrand, had carelessly left it
at the door of the mosque. It was too late to return there. Pulgar was
endeavoring to strike fire with flint and steel into the ravelled end of
a cord when he was startled by the approach of the Moorish guards going
the rounds. His hand was on his sword in an instant. Seconded by his
brave companions, he assailed the astonished Moors and put them to
flight. In a little while the whole city resounded with alarms, soldiers
were hurrying through the streets in every direction; but Pulgar, guided
by the renegade, made good his retreat by the channel of the Darro to
his companions at the bridge, and all, mounting their horses, spurred
back to the camp. The Moors were at a loss to imagine the meaning
of this wild and apparently fruitless assault, but great was their
exasperation on the following day when the trophy of hardihood and
prowess, the “AVE MARIA,” was discovered thus elevated in bravado in the
very centre of the city. The mosque thus boldly sanctified by Hernan del
Pulgar was actually consecrated into a cathedral after the capture of
Granada.*
* The account here given of the exploit of Hernan del Pulgar differs
from that given in the first edition, and is conformable to the record
of the fact in a manuscript called “The House of Salar,” existing in the
library of Salazar and cited by Alcantara in his History of Granada.
In commemoration of this daring feat of Pulgar, the emperor Charles V.
in after years conferred on that cavalier and on his descendants, the
marqueses of Salar, the privilege of sitting in the choir during high
mass, and assigned as the place of sepulture of Pulgar himself the
identical spot where he kneeled to affix the sacred scroll; and his tomb
is still held in great veneration. This Hernan Perez del Pulgar was a
man of letters, as well as art, and inscribed to Charles V. a summary of
the achievements of Gonsalvo of Cordova, surnamed the Great Captain,
who had been one of his comrades-in-arms. He is often confounded with
Hernando del Pulgar, historian and secretary to Queen Isabella. (See
note to Pulgar’s Chron. of the Catholic Sovereigns, part 3, c. iii.,
edit. Valencia, 1780.)