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While these events were passing in Cordova,
the one-eyed Arab general, Taric el Tuerto,
having subdued the city and vega of Granada,
and the Mountains of the Sun and Air, directed
his march into the interior of the kingdom to attack
the ancient city of Toledo, the capital of the
gothic kings. So great was the terror caused
by the rapid conquests of the invaders, that at
the very rumour of their approach, many of the
inhabitants, though thus in the very citadel of the
kingdom, abandoned it and fled to the mountains
with their families. Enough remained,
however, to have made a formidable defence;
and, as the city was seated on a lofty rock, surrounded
by massive walls and towers, and almost
girdled by the Tagus, it threatened a long resistance.
The Arab warriors pitched their tents in
the vega, on the borders of the river, and prepared
for a tedious siege.

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One evening, as Taric was seated in his tent
meditating on the mode in which he should assail
this rock-built city, certain of the patroles of
the camp brought a stranger before him. “As
we were going our rounds,” said they, “we beheld
this man lowered down with cords from a
tower, and he delivered himself into our hands,
praying to be conducted to thy presence, that
he might reveal to thee certain things important
for thee to know.”

Taric fixed his eyes upon the stranger: he
was a Jewish rabbi, with a long beard which
spread upon his gabardine, and descended even
to his girdle. “What hast thou to reveal?” said
he to the Israelite. “What I have to reveal,”
replied the other, “is for thee alone to hear; command
then, I intreat thee, that these men withdraw.”
When they were alone he addressed
Taric in Arabic: “Know, O leader of the host
of Islam,” said he, “that I am sent to thee on
the part of the children of Israel, resident in
Toledo. We have been oppressed and insulted
by the christians in the time of their prosperity,
and now that they are threatened with siege,
they have taken from us all our provisions and
our money; they have compelled us to work
like slaves, repairing their walls; and they oblige
us to bear arms and guard a part of the towers.
We abhor their yoke, and are ready, if thou wilt

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receive us as subjects, and permit us the free
enjoyment of our religion and our property, to
deliver the towers we guard into thy hands, and
to give thee safe entrance into the city.”

The Arab chief was overjoyed at this proposition,
and he rendered much honour to the rabbi,
and gave orders to clothe him in a costly robe,
and to perfume his beard with essences of a
pleasant odour, so that he was the most sweet
smelling of his tribe; and he said, “Make thy
words good, and put me in possession of the city,
and I will do all and more than thou hast required,
and will bestow countless wealth upon
thee and they brethren.”

Then a plan was devised between them by
which the city was to be betrayed and given up.
“But how shall I be secured,” said he, “that all
thy tribe will fulfil what thou hast engaged, and
that this is not a stratagem to get me and my
people into your power?”

“This shall be thy assurance,” replied the
rabbi: “Ten of the principal Israelites will
come to this tent and remain as hostages.”

“It is enough,” said Taric; and he made oath
to accomplish all that he had promised; and the
Jewish hostages came and delivered themselves
into his hands.

On a dark night, a chosen band of moslem
warriors approached the part of the walls

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guarded by the Jews, and were secretly admitted
into a postern gate and concealed within
a tower. Three thousand Arabs were at the
same time placed in ambush among rocks
and thickets, in a place on the opposite side of
the river, commanding a view of the city. On
the following morning Taric ravaged the gardens
of the valley, and set fire to the farm
houses, and then breaking up his camp marched
off as if abandoning the siege.

The people of Toledo gazed with astonishment
from their walls at the retiring squadrons
of the enemy, and scarcely could credit their
unexpected deliverance; before night there was
not a turban nor a hostile lance to be seen in the
vega. They attributed it all to the special intervention
of their patron saint, Leocadia; and the
following day being palm Sunday, they sallied
forth in procession, man, woman, and child, to
the church of that blessed saint, which is situated
without the walls, that they might return thanks
for her marvellous protection.

When all Toledo had thus poured itself forth,
and was marching with cross and relic and
solemn chaunt towards the chapel, the Arabs,
who had been concealed in the tower, rushed
forth and barred the gates of the city. While
some guarded the gates, others dispersed themselves
about the streets, slaying all who made

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resistance; and others kindled a fire and made
a column of smoke on the top of the citadel. At
sight of this signal, the Arabs, in ambush, beyond
the river, rose with a great shout, and attacked
the multitude who were thronging to the church
of St. Leocadia. There was a great massacre,
although the people were without arms, and
made no resistance; and it is said, in ancient
chronicles, that it was the apostate Bishop Oppas
who guided the moslems to their prey, and
incited them to this slaughter. The pious reader,
says Fray Antonio Agapida, will be slow to
believe such turpitude; but there is nothing more
venomous than the rancour of an apostate priest;
for the best things in this world, when corrupted,
become the worst and most baneful.

Many of the christians had taken refuge within
the church, and had barred the doors, but Oppas
commanded that fire should be set to the portals,
threatening to put every one within to the sword.
Happily the veteran Taric arrived just in time
to stay the fury of this reverend renegado. He
ordered the trumpets to call off the troops from
the carnage, and extended grace to all the surviving
inhabitants. They were permitted to
remain in quiet possession of their homes and
effects, paying only a moderate tribute; and
they were allowed to exercise the rites of their
religion in the existing churches, to the number

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of seven, but were prohibited from erecting any
others. Those who preferred to leave the city
were suffered to depart in safety, but not to take
with them any of their wealth.

Immense spoil was found by Taric in the
alcazar, or royal castle, situated on a rocky eminence,
in the highest part of the city. Among
the regalia treasured up in a secret chamber,
were twenty-five regal crowns of fine gold, garnished
with jacynths, amethysts, diamonds, and
other precious stones. These were the crowns
of the different gothic kings who had reigned in
Spain; it having been the usage, on the death of
each king, to deposit his crown in this treasury,
inscribing on it his name and age.[31]

When Taric was thus in possession of the city,
the Jews came to him in procession, with songs
and dances and the sound of timbrel and psaltry,
hailing him as their lord, and reminding him of
his promises.

The son of Ishmael kept his word with the
children of Israel; they were protected in the
possession of all their wealth and the exercise of
their religion, and were, moreover, rewarded
with jewels of gold and jewels of silver, and
much monies.†

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