Granada (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...with booty. Obliged to travel by the most unfrequented and difficult roads, they soon began to be exhausted by fatigue. The Moors avoided a close encounter, but harassed them from the heights, rolled down stones upon them, and, before long, the retreat became a disorderly flight, in which the spoil was thrown away, and care only taken for escape with life. In some places, such was their position in relation to their foes, that they were slaughtered without being able to defend themselves, like the first invaders of Spain in the defile leading to the cavern of Covadonga. Eventually, not more than half the number returned; and these came back, not, as they had marched proudly forth, in all the pomp of warlike array, but as defeated and scattered fugitives. The enterprise had been undertaken a chiefly by the chivalry of Andalusia; and there were few families of rank which had not to deplore the captivity or death of some of their principal members. SECTION IV. CAPTURE OF KING BOABDIL; AND PARTIAL SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES. This success had been won by the followers of old Abul Hassan. Boabdil, at Granada, knowing that popular favour is uncertain, in order to secure its continuance, planned an attack on the Spanish town of Lucena, a few miles across the frontier, about forty miles to the north-west of the capital. A large body of his Knights, as well as other soldiers, accompanied him. About the middle of April they sallied forth, passed by Lucena almost to Cordova, (thirty miles further to the north, ) and returned with a rich booty to Lucena, which they began to besiege on the 21st of April. But the Commandant there, having heard of the projected expedition, had put the place into a condition of defending itself till relieved, and had..