A Spy in the Christian Camp.—Death of Aben Hud.—A Vital Blow to
Moslem Power.—Surrender of Cordova to King Fernando.
Aben Hud, the Moorish chief, who had been defeated by Alvar Perez
and Prince Alonzo before Xerez, was at this time in Ecija with a
large force, and disposed to hasten to the aid of Cordova, but his
recent defeat had made him cautious. He had in his camp a Christian
cavalier, Don Lorenzo Xuarez by name, who had been banished from
Castile by King Fernando. This cavalier offered to go as a spy into
the Christian camp, accompanied by three Christian horsemen, and to
bring accounts of its situation and strength. His offer was gladly
accepted, and Aben Hud promised to do nothing with his forces until
his return.
Don Lorenzo set out privately with his companions, and when he came
to the end of the bridge he alighted and took one of the three with
him, leaving the other two to guard the horses. He entered the camp
without impediment, and saw that it was small and of but little
force; for, though recruits had repaired from all quarters, they had
as yet arrived in but scanty numbers.
As Don Lorenzo approached the camp he saw a montero who stood
sentinel. “Friend,” said he, “do me the kindness to call to me some
person who is about the king, as I have something to tell him of
great importance.” The sentinel went in and brought out Don Otiella.
Don Lorenzo took him aside and said, “Do you not know me? I am Don
Lorenzo. I pray you tell the king that I entreat permission to enter
and communicate matters touching his safety.”
Don Otiella went in and awoke the king, who was sleeping, and
obtained permission for Don Lorenzo to enter. When the king beheld
him he was wroth at his presuming to return from exile; but Don
Lorenzo replied,—“Señor, your majesty banished me to the land of the
Moors to do me harm, but I believe it was intended by Heaven for the
welfare both of your majesty and myself.” Then he apprised the king
of the intention of Aben Hud to come with a great force against him,
and of the doubts and fears he entertained lest the army of the king
should be too powerful. Don Lorenzo, therefore, advised the king
to draw off as many troops as could be spared from the suburbs of
Cordova, and to give his camp as formidable an aspect as possible;
and that he would return and give Aben Hud such an account of the
power of the royal camp as would deter him from the attack. “If,”
continued Don Lorenzo, “I fail in diverting him from his enterprise,
I will come off with all my vassals and offer myself, and all I can
command, for the service of your majesty, and hope to be accepted for
my good intentions. As to what takes place in the Moorish camp, from
hence, in three days, I will send your majesty letters by this my
squire.”
The king thanked Don Lorenzo for his good intentions, and pardoned
him, and took him as his vassal; and Don Lorenzo said: “I beseech
your majesty to order that for three or four nights there be made
great fires in various parts of the camp, so that in case Aben Hud
should send scouts by night, there may be the appearance of a great
host.” The king promised it should be done, and Don Lorenzo took his
leave; rejoining his companions at the bridge, they mounted their
horses and travelled all night and returned to Ecija.
When Don Lorenzo appeared in presence of Aben Hud he had the air of
one fatigued and careworn. To the inquiries of the Moor he returned
answers full of alarm, magnifying the power and condition of the
royal forces. “Señor,” added he, “if you would be assured of the
truth of what I say, send out your scouts, and they will behold the
Christian tents whitening all the banks of the Guadalquivir, and
covering the country as the snow covers the mountains of Granada;
or at night they will see fires on hill and dale illumining all the
land.”
This intelligence redoubled the doubts and apprehensions of Aben
Hud. On the following day two Moorish horsemen arrived in all haste
from Zaen, king of Valencia, informing him that King James of Aragon
was coming against that place with a powerful army, and offering him
the supremacy of the place if he would hasten with all speed to its
relief.
Aben Hud, thus perplexed between two objects, asked advice of his
counselors, among whom was the perfidious Don Lorenzo. They observed
that the Christians, though they had possession of the suburbs of
Cordova, could not for a long time master the place. He would have
time, therefore, to relieve Valencia, and then turn his arms and
those of King Zaen against the host of King Fernando.
Aben Hud listened to their advice, and marched immediately for
Almeria, to take thence his ships to guard the port of Valencia.
While at Almeria a Moor named Aben Arramin, and who was his especial
favorite, invited him to a banquet. The unsuspecting Aben Hud threw
off his cares for the time, and giving loose to conviviality in
the house of his favorite, drank freely of the winecup that was
insidiously pressed upon him, until he became intoxicated. He was
then suffocated by the traitor in a trough of water, and it was given
out that he had died of apoplexy.
At the death of Aben Hud, his host fell asunder, and every one hied
him to his home, whereupon Don Lorenzo and the Christians who were
with him hastened to King Fernando, by whom they were graciously
received and admitted into his royal service.
The death of Aben Hud was a vital blow to Moslem power, and spread
confusion throughout Andalusia. When the people of Cordova heard of
it, and of the dismemberment of his army, all courage withered from
their hearts. Day after day the army of King Fernando was increasing
the roads were covered with foot-soldiers hastening to his standard;
every hidalgo who could bestride a horse spurred to the banks of the
Guadalquivir to be present at the downfall of Cordova. The noblest
cavaliers of Castile were continually seen marching into the camp
with banners flying and long trains of retainers.
The inhabitants held out as long as there was help or hope; but they
were exhausted by frequent combats and long and increasing famine,
and now the death of Aben Hud cut off all chance of succor. With sad
and broken spirits, therefore, they surrendered their noble city
to King Fernando, after a siege of six months and six days. The
surrender took place on Sunday, the twenty-ninth day of July, the
feast of the glorious Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, in the year of
the Incarnation one thousand two hundred and thirty-six.
The inhabitants were permitted to march forth in personal safety,
but to take nothing with them. “Thus,” exclaims the pious Agapida,
“was the city of Cordova, the queen of the cities of Andalusia, which
so long had been the seat of the power and grandeur of the Moors,
cleansed from all the impurities of Mahomet and restored to the
dominion of the true faith.”
King Fernando immediately ordered the cross to be elevated on the
tower of the principal mosque, and beside it the royal standard;
while the bishops, the clergy, and all the people chanted _Te Deum
Laudamus_, as a song of triumph for this great victory of the
faith.[78]
[78] _Cron. Gen. de España_, pt. 4. Bleda, lib. 4, c. 10.
The king, having now gained full possession of the city, began to
repair, embellish, and improve it. The grand mosque, the greatest
and most magnificent in Spain, was now converted into a holy
Catholic church. The bishops and other clergy walked round it in
solemn procession, sprinkling holy water in every nook and corner,
and performing all other rites and ceremonies necessary to purify
and sanctify it. They erected an altar in it, also, in honor of the
Virgin, and chanted masses with great fervor and unction. In this way
they consecrated it to the true faith, and made it the cathedral of
the city.
In this mosque were found the bells of the church of San Iago in
Gallicia, which the Alhagib Almanzor, in the year of our Redemption
nine hundred and seventy-five, had brought off in triumph and placed
here, turned with their mouths upward to serve as lamps, and remain
shining mementos of his victory. King Fernando ordered that these
bells should be restored to the church of San Iago; and as Christians
had been obliged to bring those bells hither on their shoulders, so
infidels were compelled in like manner to carry them back. Great
was the popular triumph when these bells had their tongues restored
to them, and were once more enabled to fill the air with their holy
clangor.
Having ordered all things for the security and welfare of the city,
the king placed it under the government of Don Tello Alonzo de
Meneses; he appointed Don Alvar Perez de Castro, also, general of
the frontier, having his stronghold in the castle of the rock of
Martos. The king then returned, covered with glory, to Toledo.
The fame of the recovery of the renowned city of Cordova, which
for five hundred and twenty-two years had been in the power of
the infidels, soon spread throughout the kingdom, and people came
crowding from every part to inhabit it. The gates which lately had
been thronged with steel-clad warriors were now besieged by peaceful
wayfarers of all kinds, conducting trains of mules laden with their
effects and all their household wealth; and so great was the throng
that in a little while there were not houses sufficient to receive
them.
King Fernando, having restored the bells to San Iago, had others
suspended in the tower of the mosque, whence the muezzin had been
accustomed to call the Moslems to their worship. “When the pilgrims,”
says Fray Antonio Agapida, “who repaired to Cordova, heard the holy
sound of these bells chiming from the tower of the cathedral, their
hearts leaped for joy, and they invoked blessings on the head of the
pious King Fernando.”
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