King Fernando’s Expedition to Andalusia.—Siege of Jaen.—Secret
Departure of Aben Alhamar for the Christian Camp.—He Acknowledges
himself the Vassal of the King, who enters Jaen in Triumph.
It was in the middle of August, 1245, that King Fernando set out on
his grand expedition to Andalusia, whence he was never to return.
All that autumn he pursued the same destructive course as in his
preceding campaigns, laying waste the country with fire and sword in
the vicinity of Jaen and to Alcala la Real. The town, too, of Illora,
built on a lofty rock and fancying itself secure, was captured and
given a prey to flames, which was as a bale-fire to the country.
Thence he descended into the beautiful Vega of Granada, ravaging that
earthly paradise. Aben Alhamar sallied forth from Granada with what
forces he could collect, and a bloody battle ensued about twelve
miles from Granada. A part of the troops of Aben Alhamar were hasty
levies, inhabitants of the city, and but little accustomed to combat;
they lost courage, gave way, and threw the better part of the troops
in disorder; a retreat took place which ended in a headlong flight,
in which there was great carnage.[82]
[82] Conde, tom. iii. c. 5.
Content for the present with the ravage he had made and the victory
he had gained, King Fernando now drew off his troops and repaired
to his frontier hold of Martos, where they might rest after their
fatigues in security.
Here he was joined by Don Pelayo Perez Correa, the Grand Master
of Santiago. This valiant cavalier, who was as sage and shrewd in
council as he was adroit and daring in the field, had aided the
youthful Prince Alfonso in completing the tranquilization of Murcia,
and leaving him in the quiet administration of affairs in that
kingdom, had since been on a pious and political mission to the court
of Rome. He arrived most opportunely at Martos, to aid the king with
his counsels, for there was none in whose wisdom and loyalty the king
had more confidence.
The grand master listened to all the plans of the king for the
humiliation of the haughty King of Granada; he then gravely but most
respectfully objected to the course the king was pursuing. He held
the mere ravaging the country of little ultimate benefit. It harassed
and irritated, but did not destroy the enemy, while it fatigued and
demoralized the army. To conquer the country, they must not lay waste
the field, but take the towns; so long as the Moors retained their
strongholds, so long they had dominion over the land. He advised,
therefore, as a signal blow to the power of the Moorish king, the
capture of the city of Jaen. This was a city of immense strength,
the bulwark of the kingdom; it was well supplied with provisions
and the munitions of war; strongly garrisoned and commanded by Abu
Omar, native of Cordova, a general of cavalry, and one of the bravest
officers of Aben Alhamar. King Fernando had already besieged it in
vain, but the reasoning of the grand master had either convinced his
reason or touched his pride. He set himself down before the walls of
Jaen declaring he would never raise the siege until he was master
of the place. For a long time the siege was carried on in the depth
of winter, in defiance of rain and tempests. Aben Alhamar was in
despair: he could not relieve the place; he could not again venture
on a battle with the king after his late defeat. He saw that Jaen
must fall, and feared it would be followed by the fall of Granada. He
was a man of ardent spirit and quick and generous impulses. Taking a
sudden resolution, he departed secretly for the Christian camp, and
made his way to the presence of King Fernando. “Behold before you,”
said he, “the King of Granada. Resistance I find unavailing; I come,
trusting to your magnanimity and good faith, to put myself under your
protection and acknowledge myself your vassal.” So sayings, he knelt
and kissed the king’s hand in token of homage.
“King Fernando,” say the old chroniclers, “was not to be outdone in
generosity. He raised his late enemy from the earth, embraced him as
a friend, and left him in the sovereignty of his dominions; the good
king, however, was as politic as he was generous. He received Aben
Alhamar as a vassal; conditioned for the delivery of Jaen into his
hands; for the yearly payment of one half of his revenues; for his
attendance at the cortes as one of the nobles of the empire, and his
aiding Castile in war with a certain number of horsemen.”
In compliance with these conditions, Jaen was given up to the
Christian king, who entered it in triumph about the end of
February.[83] His first care was to repair in grand procession,
bearing the holy cross, to the principal mosque, which was purified
and sanctified by the Bishop of Cordova, and erected into a cathedral
and dedicated to the most holy Virgin Mary.
[83] _Notas para la Vida_, etc., p. 562.
He remained some time in Jaen, giving repose to his troops,
regulating the affairs of this important place, disposing of houses
and estates among his warriors who had most distinguished themselves,
and amply rewarding the priests and monks who had aided him with
their prayers.
As to Aben Alhamar, he returned to Granada, relieved from
apprehension of impending ruin to his kingdom, but deeply humiliated
at having to come under the yoke of vassalage. He consoled himself
by prosecuting the arts of peace, improving the condition of his
people, building hospitals, founding institutions of learning, and
beautifying his capital with those magnificent edifices which remain
the admiration of posterity; for now it was that he commenced to
build the Alhambra.
NOTE.—There is some dispute among historians as to the duration of
the siege and the date of the surrender of Jaen. Some make the
siege endure eight months, from August into the middle of April. The
authentic Agapida adopts the opinion of the author of _Notas para
la Vida del Santo Rey_, etc., who makes the siege begin on the 31st
December and end about 26th February.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]