ur
principal Epochs.

The _first_ will extend from the commencement of the Conquests of the
Arabs to the Establishment of the Dynasty of the Ommiade princes at
Cordova: the _second_ will include the reigns of the Caliphs of the
West: in the _third_ will be related all that can now be ascertained
concerning the various small kingdoms erected from the ruins of the
Caliphate of Cordova: and the _fourth_ will comprehend a narration of
the prominent events in the lives of the successive sovereigns of the
Kingdom of Grenada, until the {xvii} period of the final expulsion of
the Mussulmans from that country.

Care has been taken to compare the dates according to the Mohammedan
method of computing time, with the periods fixed by the ordinary mode
of arrangement. Some of the Spanish historians, Garabai for instance,
do not agree with the Arabian chronologists in relation to the years of
the Hegira. I have thought proper to follow the Arabian authorities,
and have adopted, with occasional corrections, the chronological
arrangements of M. Cardonne, whose personal assurance I possess, that
he attaches high importance to his calculations on this subject. I
have thus reason to hope that this little work will serve to elucidate
many points hitherto doubtful in relation to this matter.

The proper names of the Moors vary even more in the different
authorities than their statements respecting the date of events, either
in consequence of the difficulty of pronouncing them, or from ignorance
of their proper {xviii} orthography. In instances of this character I
have always given the preference to such as appeared to be most
generally adopted, and were, at the same time, most harmonious in sound.

{19}

A HISTORY OF THE MOORS OF SPAIN.

FIRST EPOCH.

THE CONQUESTS OF THE ARABS OR MOORS.

_Extending from the end of the Sixth Century to the middle of the
Eighth._

The primitive Moors were the inhabitants of the vast portion of Africa
bounded on the east by Egypt, on the north by the Mediterranean, on the
west by the Atlantic, and on the south by the deserts of Barbary.

The origin of the Moors, or Mauritanians, is, like that of most other
ancient nations, obscure, and the information we possess concerning
their early history confusedly mingled with fables. The fact, however,
appears to be established, that Asiatic emigrations were, from the
earliest times, made into Africa. In addition to this, the {20}
historian