Capitulation of Seville.—Dispersion of the Moorish
Inhabitants.—Triumphant Entry of King Fernando.
About this time there arrived in Seville a Moorish alfaqui, named
Orias, with a large company of warriors, who came to this war as if
performing a pilgrimage, for it was considered a holy war no less
by infidels than Christians. This Orias was of a politic and crafty
nature, and he suggested to the commander of Seville a stratagem by
which they might get Prince Alfonso in their power, and compel King
Fernando to raise the siege by way of ransom. The counsel of Orias
was adopted, after a consultation with the principal cavaliers,
and measures taken to carry it into execution; a Moor was sent,
therefore, as if secretly and by stealth, to Prince Alfonso, and
offered to put him in possession of two towers of the wall, if he
would come in person to receive them, which towers once in his
possession, it would be easy to overpower the city.
Prince Alfonso listened to the envoy with seeming eagerness, but
suspected some deceit, and thought it unwise to put his person in
such jeopardy. Lest, however, there should be truth in his proposals,
a party of chosen cavaliers were sent as if to take possession of
the towers, and with them was Don Pero Nuñez de Guzman, disguised as
the prince.
When they came to the place where the Moors had appointed to meet
them, they beheld a party of infidels, strongly armed, who advanced
with sinister looks, and attempted to surround Don Nuñez, but he,
being on his guard, put spurs to his horse, and, breaking through the
midst of them, escaped. His companions followed his example, all but
one, who was struck from his horse and cut to pieces by the Moors.[96]
[96] _Cronica General_, pt. 4, p. 424.
Just after this event there arrived a great reinforcement to the camp
from the city of Cordova, bringing provisions and various munitions
of war. Finding his army thus increased, the king had a consultation
with Admiral Bonifaz, and determined completely to cut off all
communication between Seville and Triana, for the Moors still crossed
the river occasionally by fording. When they were about to carry
their plan into effect, the crafty Alfaqui Orias crossed to Triana,
accompanied by a number of Ganzules. He was charged with instructions
to the garrison, and to concert some mode of reuniting their forces,
or of effecting some blow upon the Christian camp; for unless they
could effect a union and coöperation, it would be impossible to make
much longer resistance.
Scarce had Orias passed, when the Christian sentinels gave notice.
Upon this, a detachment of the Christian army immediately crossed
and took possession of the opposite shore, and Admiral Bonifaz
stationed his fleet in the middle of the river. Thus the return of
Orias was prevented, and all intercourse between the places, even
by messenger, completely interrupted. The city and Triana were now
severally attacked, and unable to render each other assistance. The
Moors were daily diminishing in number; many slain in battle, many
taken captive, and many dying of hunger and disease. The Christian
forces were daily augmenting, and were animated by continual success,
whereas mutiny and sedition began to break out among the inhabitants
of the city. The Moorish commander Axataf, therefore, seeing all
further resistance vain, sent ambassadors to capitulate with King
Fernando. It was a hard and humiliating struggle to resign this fair
city, the queen of Andalusia, the seat of Moorish sway and splendor,
and which had been under Moorish domination ever since the Conquest.
The valiant Axataf endeavored to make various conditions; that King
Fernando should raise the siege on receiving the tribute which had
hitherto been paid to the miramamolin. This being peremptorily
refused, he offered to give up a third of the city, and then half,
building at his own cost a wall to divide the Moorish part from the
Christian. King Fernando, however, would listen to no such terms.
He demanded the entire surrender of the place, with the exception
of the persons and effects of the inhabitants, and permitting the
commander to retain possession of St. Lucar, Aznal Farache, and
Niebla. The commander of Seville saw the sword suspended over his
head, and had to submit; the capitulations of the surrender were
signed, when Axataf made one last request, that he might be permitted
to demolish the grand mosque and the principal tower (or Giralda) of
the city.[97] He felt that these would remain perpetual monuments of
his disgrace. The Prince Alfonso was present when this last demand
was made, and his father looked at him significantly, as if he
desired the reply to come from his lips. The prince rose indignantly
and exclaimed, that if there should be a single tile missing from
the temple or a single brick from the tower, it should be paid by so
many lives that the streets of Seville should run with blood. The
Moors were silenced by this reply, and prepared with heavy hearts to
fulfill the capitulation. One month was allowed them for the purpose,
the alcazar or citadel of Seville being given up to the Christians as
a security.
[97] _Mariana_, L. 13, c. 7.
On the twenty-third day of November this important fortress was
surrendered, after a siege of eighteen months. A deputation of the
principal Moors came forth and presented King Fernando with the keys
of the city; at the same time the aljamia, or council of the Jews,
presented him with the key of Jewry, the quarter of the city which
they inhabited. This key was notable for its curious workmanship. It
was formed of all kinds of metals. The guards of it were wrought into
letters, bearing the following signification,—“God will open—the
king will enter.” On the ring was inscribed in Hebrew,—“The King of
kings will enter; all the world will behold him.” This key is still
preserved in the cathedral of Seville, in the place where repose the
remains of the sainted King Fernando.[98]
[98] In Castile, whenever the kings entered any place where
there was a synagogue, the Jews assembled in council and paid to
the Monteros, or bull-fighters, twelve maravedis each, to guard
them, that they should receive no harm from the the Christians;
being held in such contempt and odium, that it was necessary they
should be under the safeguard of the king, not to be injured or
insulted.[A]
[A] Zuniga, _Annales de Sevilla_.
During the month of grace the Moors sold such of their effects as
they could not carry with them, and the king provided vessels for
such as chose to depart for Africa. Upwards of one hundred thousand,
it is said, were thus convoyed by Admiral Bonifaz, while upwards of
two hundred thousand dispersed themselves throughout such of the
territory of Andalusia as still remained in possession of the Moors.
When the month was expired, and the city was evacuated by its Moorish
inhabitants, King Fernando the Saint entered in solemn triumph, in a
grand religious and military procession. There were all the captains
and cavaliers of the army, in shining armor, with the prelates, and
masters of the religious and military orders, and the nobility of
Castile, Leon, and Aragon, in their richest apparel. The streets
resounded with the swelling notes of martial music and with the
joyous acclamations of the multitude.
In the midst of the procession was the venerable effigy of the most
Holy Mary, on a triumphal car of silver, wrought with admirable
skill; and immediately after followed the pious king, with a drawn
sword in his hand, and on his left was Prince Alfonso and the other
princes.
The procession advanced to the principal mosque, which had been
purified and consecrated as a Christian temple, where the triumphal
car of the Holy Virgin was placed at the grand altar. Here the pious
king knelt and returned thanks to Heaven and the Virgin for this
signal victory, and all present chanted _Te Deum Laudamus_.
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