Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/124

100 100 WAR OF GRANADA. PART commuted his petty sovereignty for a considerable '■ sum of money paid him by Ferdinand and Isabella, and soon after fell in battle in the service of an African prince, his kinsman. " Wretched man," exclaims a caustic chronicler of his nation, " who could lose his life in another's cause, though he did not dare to die in his own. Such," continues the Arabian, with characteristic resignation, " was the immutable decree of destiny. Blessed be Allah, who exalteth and debaseth the kings of the earth, according to his divine will, in whose fulfilment consists that eternal justice, which regulates all human affairs." The portal, through which King Abdallah for the last time issued from his capital, was at his request walled up, that none other might again pass through it. In this condition it remains to this day, a memorial of the sad destiny of the last of the kings of Granada. ^^ The fall of Granada excited general sensation throughout Christendom, where it was received as counterbalancing, in a manner, the loss of Constan- 21 Conde, Dominacion de los description of his person. "Apor- Arabes, torn. iii. cap. 90. — Car- trait of Boabdil el Chico is to be donne, Hist. d'Afrique et d'Es- seen in the picture gallery of the pagne, torn. iii. pp. 319, 320. — Generalife. He is represented with Garibay, Compendio, torn. iv. lib. a mild, handsome face, a fair com- 40, cap. 42. — Marmol, Rebelion plexion, and yellow hair. His dress de Moriscos, lib. 1, cap. 20. is of yellow brocade, relieved with Mr. Irving, in his beautiful Span- black velvet ; and he has a black ish Sketch-book, "The Albam- velvet cap, surmounted whh a bra," devotes a chapter to memen- crown. In the armory of Madrid tos of Boabdil, in which he traces are two suits of armour said to minutely the route of the deposed have belonged to him, one of solid monarch after quitting the gates of steel, with very little ornament ; the his capital. The same author, in morion closed. From the propor- the Appendix to his Chronicle of tions of these suits of armour, he Granada, concludes a notice of Ab- must have been of full stature and dallah's fate with the following vigorous form." Note, p. 398.