soldiery of
monks and friars. The sacred melody of Christian bells was again heard
among the mountains, calling to early matins or sounding the Angelus at
the solemn hour of evening."*

* The worthy curate of Los Palacios intimates in his chronicle that
this melody, so grateful to the ears of pious Christians, was a source
of perpetual torment to the ears of infidels.

While this part of the kingdom was thus reduced by the Christian sword,
the central part, round the city of Granada, forming the heart of the
Moorish territory, was held in vassalage of the Castilian monarch by
Boabdil, surnamed El Chico. That unfortunate prince lost no occasion
to propitiate the conquerors of his country by acts of homage and by
professions that must have been foreign to his heart. No sooner had
he heard of the capture of Malaga than he sent congratulations to
the Catholic sovereigns, accompanied with presents of horses richly
caparisoned for the king, and precious cloth of gold and Oriental
perfumes for the queen. His congratulations and his presents were
received with the utmost graciousness, and the short-sighted prince,
lulled by the temporary and politic forbearance of Ferdinand, flattered
himself that he was securing the lasting friendship of that monarch.

The policy of Boabdil had its transient and superficial advantages. The
portion of Moorish territory under his immediate sway had a respite from
the calamities of war, the husbandmen cultivated their luxuriant fields
in security, and the Vega of Granada once more blossomed like the rose.
The merchants again carried on a gainful traffic: the gates of the city
were thronged with beasts of burden, bringing the rich products of every
clime. Yet, while the people of Granada rejoiced in their teeming fields
and crowded marts, they secretly despised the policy which had procured
them these advantages, and held Boabdil for little better than an
apostate and an unbeliever. Muley Abdallah el Zagal was now the hope of
the unconquered part of the kingdom, and every Moor whose spirit was not
quite subdued with his fortunes lauded the valor of the old monarch and
his fidelity to the faith, and wished success to his standard.

El Zagal, though he no longer sat enthroned in the Alhambra, yet reigned
over more considerable domains than his nephew. His territories
extended from the frontier of Jaen along the borders of Murcia to
the Mediterranean, and reached into the centre of the ki