[figure description] Page 201.[end figure description]

After the capture of Merida, Muza gave a
grand banquet to his captains and distinguished
warriors, in that magnificent city. At this martial
feast were many Arab cavaliers who had
been present in various battles, and they vied
with each other in recounting the daring enterprises
in which they had been engaged, and the
splendid triumphs they had witnessed. While
they talked with ardour and exultation, Abdalasis,
the son of Muza, alone kept silence, and sat
with a dejected countenance. At length, when
there was a pause, he turned to his father and
addressed him with modest earnestness. “My
lord and father,” said he, “I blush to hear your
warriors recount the toils and dangers they have
passed, while I have done nothing to entitle me
to their companionship. When I return to Egypt
and present myself before the caliph, he will ask
me of my services in Spain; what battle I have

[figure description] Page 202.[end figure description]

gained; what town or castle I have taken. How
shall I answer him? If you love me, then, as your
son, give me a command, intrust to me an enterprise,
and let me acquire a name worthy to be
mentioned among men.”

The eyes of Muza kindled with joy at finding
Abdalasis thus ambitious of renown in arms.
“Allah be praised!” exclaimed he, “the heart of
my son is in the right place. It is becoming in
youth to look upward and be aspiring. Thy
desire, Abdalasis, shall be gratified.”

An opportunity at that very time presented
itself to prove the prowess and discretion of the
youth. During the seige of Merida, the christian
troops which had taken refuge at Beja had reinforced
themselves from Peñaflor, and suddenly
returning, had presented themselves before the
gates of the city of Seville.[38] Certain of the
christian inhabitants threw open the gates and
admitted them. The troops rushed to the alcazar,
took it by surprise, and put many of the
moslem garrison to the sword; the residue made
their escape, and fled to the Arab camp before
Merida, leaving Seville in the hands of the
christians.

The veteran Muza, now that the seige of Merida
was at an end, was meditating the

[figure description] Page 203.[end figure description]

recapture and punishment of Seville at the very time
when Abdalasis addressed him. “Behold, my
son,” exclaimed he, “an enterprise worthy of
thy ambition. Take with thee all the troops thou
hast brought from Africa; reduce the city of Seville
again to subjection, and plant thy standard
upon its alcazar. But stop not there: carry thy
conquering sword into the southern parts of
Spain; thou wilt find there a harvest of glory yet
to be reaped.”

Abdalasis lost no time in departing upon this
enterprise. He took with him Count Julian,
Magued el Rumi, and the Bishop Oppas, that he
might benefit by their knowledge of the country.
When he came in sight of the fair city of Seville,
seated like a queen in the midst of its golden
plain, with the Guadalquivir flowing beneath its
walls, he gazed upon it with the admiration of a
lover, and lamented in his soul that he had to
visit it as an avenger. His troops, however, regarded
it with wrathful eyes, thinking only of its
rebellion and of the massacre of their countrymen
in the alcazar.

The principal people of the city had taken no
part in this gallant but fruitless insurrection; and
now, when they beheld the army of Abdalasis
encamped upon the banks of the Guadalquivir,
would fain have gone forth to make explanations,
and intercede for mercy. The populace, how

[figure description] Page 204.[end figure description]

ever, forbade any one to leave the city, and, barring
the gates, prepared to defend themselves to
the last.

The place was attacked with resistless fury.
The gates were soon burst open; the moslems
rushed in, panting for revenge. They confined
not their slaughter to the soldiery in the alcazar,
but roamed through every street, confounding
the innocent with the guilty in one bloody massacre,
and it was with the utmost difficulty that
Abdalasis could at length succeed in staying their
sanguinary career.[39]

The son of Muza proved himself as mild in
conquest as he had been intrepid in assault. The
moderation and benignity of his conduct soothed
the terrors of the vanquished, and his wise precautions
restored tranquility. Having made
proper regulations for the protection of the inhabitants,
he left a strong garrison in the place to
prevent any future insurrection, and then departed
on the further prosecution of his enterprise.

Wherever he went his arms were victorious;
and his victories were always characterised by
the same magnanimity. At length he arrived
on the confines of that beautiful region comprising
lofty and precipitous mountains and rich and
delicious plains, afterwards known by the name
of the kingdom of Murcia. All this part of the

[figure description] Page 205.[end figure description]

country was defended by the veteran Theodomir,
who, by skilful management, had saved a
remnant of his forces after the defeat on the
banks of the Guadalete.

Theodomir was a stanch warrior, but a wary
and prudent man. He had experienced the
folly of opposing the Arabs in open field, where
their cavalry and armour gave them such superiority;
on their approach, therefore, he assembled
all his people capable of bearing arms,
and took possession of the cliffs and mountain
passes. “Here,” said he, “a simple goatherd,
who can hurl down rocks and stones, is as good
as a warrior, armed in proof.” In this way he
checked and harassed the moslem army in all
its movements; showering down missiles upon
it from overhanging precipices, and waylaying
it in narrow and rugged defiles, where a few
raw troops could make stand against a host.

Theodomir was in a fair way to baffle his foes
and oblige them to withdraw from his territories;
unfortunately, however, the wary veteran had
two sons with him, young men of hot and heady
valour, who considered all this prudence of their
father as savouring of cowardice, and who were
anxious to try their prowess in the open field.
“What glory,” said they, “is to be gained by
destroying an enemy in this way, from the covert
of rocks and thickets?”

[figure description] Page 206.[end figure description]

“You talk like young men,” replied the veteran.
“Glory is a prize one may fight for abroad,
but safety is the object when the enemy is at the
door.”

One day, however, the young men succeeded
in drawing down their father into the plain.
Abdalasis immediately seized on the opportunity
and threw himself between the Goths and
their mountain fastnesses. Theodomir saw too
late the danger into which he was betrayed.
“What can our raw troops do,” said he, “against
those squadrons of horse that move like castles?
Let us make a rapid retreat to Orihuela and
defend ourselves from behind its walls.”

“Father,” said the eldest son, “it is too late to
retreat, remain here with the reserve while my
brother and I advance. Fear nothing; am not
I your son, and would I not die to defend you?”

“In truth,” replied the veteran, “I have my
doubts whether you are my son. But if I remain
here, and you should all be killed, where
then would be my protection? Come,” added
he, turning to the second son, “I trust that thou
art virtually my son, let us hasten to retreat before
it is too late.”

“Father,” replied the youngest, “I have not a
doubt that I am honestly and thoroughly your
son, and as such I honour you; but I owe duty
likewise to my mother, and when I sallied to the

[figure description] Page 207.[end figure description]

war she gave me her blessing as long as I should
act with valour, but her curse should I prove
craven and fly the field. Fear nothing, father;
I will defend you while living, and even after
you are dead. You shall never fail of an honourable
sepulture among your kindred.”

“A pestilence on ye both,” cried Theodomir,
“for a brace of misbegotten madmen! what
care I, think ye, where ye lay my body when I
am dead. One day's existence in a hovel is
worth an age of interment in a marble sepulchre.
Come, my friends,” said he, turning to his
principal cavaliers, “let us leave these hot-headed
striplings and make our retreat; if we tarry
any longer the enemy will be upon us.”

Upon this the cavaliers and proud hidalgoes
drew up scornfully and tossed their heads:
“What do you see in us,” said they, “that you
think we will show our backs to the enemy?
Forward! was ever the good old gothic watch
word, and with that will we live and die!”

While time was lost in these disputes, the
moslem army kept advancing, until retreat was
no longer practicable. The battle was tumultuous
and bloody. Theodomir fought like a lion,
but it was all in vain: he saw his two sons cut
down and the greater part of their rash companions,
while his raw mountain troops fled in
all directions.

[figure description] Page 208.[end figure description]

Seeing there was no longer any hope, he
seized the bridle of a favourite page who was
near him, and who was about spurring for the
mountains. “Part not from me,” said he, “but
do thou at least attend to my counsel, my son;
and, of a truth, I believe thou art my son; for
thou art the offspring of one of my handmaids
who was kind unto me.” And indeed the youth
marvellously resembled him. Turning then the
reins of his own steed, and giving him the spur,
he fled amain from the field, followed by the
page; nor did he stop until he arrived within the
walls of Orihuela.

Ordering the gates to be barred and bolted,
he prepared to receive the enemy. There were
but few men in the city capable of bearing arms,
most of the youth having fallen in the field. He
caused the women, therefore, to clothe themselves
in male attire, to put on hats and helmets,
to take long reeds in their hands instead of lances,
and to cross their hair upon their chins in
semblance of beards. With these troops he
lined the walls and towers.

It was about the hour of twilight that Abdalasis
approached with his army, but he paused
when he saw the walls so numerously garrisoned.
Then Theodomir took a flag of truce in his hand,
and put a herald's tabard on the page, and they

[figure description] Page 209.[end figure description]

two sallied forth to capitulate, and were graciously
received by Abdalasis.

“I come,” said Theodomir, “on the behalf of
the commander of this city to treat for terms
worthy of your magnanimity and of his dignity.
You perceive that the city is capable of withstanding
a long siege, but he is desirous of
sparing the lives of his soldiers. Promise that
the inhabitants shall be at liberty to depart unmolested
with their property, and the city will be
delivered up to you tomorrow morning without
a blow; otherwise we are prepared to fight until
not a man be left.”

Abdalsis was well pleased to get so powerful
a place upon such easy terms, but stipulated
that the garrison should lay down their arms.
To this Theodomir readily assented, with the
exception, however, of the governor and his retinue,
which was granted out of consideration
for his dignity. The articles of capitulation
were then drawn out, and, when Abdalasis had
affixed his name and seal, Theodomir took the
pen and wrote his signature. “Behold in me,”
said he, “the governor of the city!”

Abdalasis was pleased with the hardihood of
the commander of the place in thus venturing
personally into his power, and entertained the
veteran with still greater honour. When Theodomir
returned to the city, he made known the

[figure description] Page 210.[end figure description]

capituation, and charged the inhabitants to pack
up their effects during the night and be ready to
sally forth in the morning.

At the dawn of day the gates were thrown
open, and Abdalasis looked to see a great force
issuing forth, but, to his surprise, beheld merely
Theodomir and his page in battered armour, followed
by a multitude of old men, women and
children.

Abdalasis waited until the whole had come
forth, then turning to Theodomir, “Where,” cried
he, “are the soldiers whom I saw last evening,
lining the walls and towers?”

“Soldiers have I none,” replied the veteran.
“As to my garrison, behold it before you. With
these women did I man my walls, and this, my
page, is my herald, guard and retinue.”

Upon this the Bishop Oppas and Count Julian
exclaimed that the capitulation was a base fraud
and ought not to be complied with; but Abdalasis
relished the stratagem of the old soldier,
and ordered that the stipulations of the treaty
should be faithfully performed. Nay, so high an
opinion did he conceive of the subtle wisdom of
this commander, that he permitted him to remain
in authority over the surrounding country on his
acknowledging allegiance and engaging to pay
tribute to the caliph; and all that part of Spain,
comprising the beautiful provinces of Murcia

[figure description] Page 211.[end figure description]

and Valencia, was long after known by the
Arabic name of its defender, and is still recorded
in Arabian chronicles as “The land of Tadmir.”

Having succeeded in subduing this rich and
fruitful region, and having gained great renown
for his generosity as well as valour, Abdalasis
returned with the chief part of his army to the
city of Seville. [40]

eaf221v3.n38

[38] Espinosa. Antq. y Grand. de Seville. L. 2. c. 3.

eaf221v3.n39

[39] Conde, P. 1. c. 14.

eaf221v3.n40

[40] Conde. P.1. Cronica del moro Rasis. Cron. gen. Espa
ña por Alonzo el Sabio. P.3. c. 1.

Previous section

Next section