Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/64

40 40 WAR OF GRANADA. PART L Sentence passed ou llicm. IVary de- vice of Fer- Jiiiauil. The dreadful doom of slavery was denounced on the assembled multitude. One third was to be transported into Africa in exchange for an equal number of Christian captives detained there ; and all, who had relatives or friends in this predicament, were required to furnish a specification of them. Another third was appropriated to reimburse the state for the expenses of the war. The remainder were to be distributed as presents at home and abroad. Thus, one hundred of the flower of the African warriors were sent to the pope, who incor- porated them into his guard, and converted them all in the course of the year, sajs the Curate of Los Palacios, into very good Christians. Fifty of the most beautiful Moorish girls were presented by Isa- bella to the queen of Naples, thirty to the queen of Portugal, others to the ladies of her court ; and the residue of both sexes were apportioned among the nobles, cavaliers, and inferior members of the army, according to their respective rank and services. ^^ As it was apprehended that the Malagans, ren- dered desperate by the prospect of a hopeless, in- terminable captivity, might destroy or secrete their jewels, plate, and other precious effects, in which this wealthy city abounded, rather than suffer them to fall into the hands of their enemies, Ferdinand devised a politic expedient for preventing it. He inal, until he expired under re- peated wounds. A number of relapsed Jews were at the same time condemned to the flames. "These," says father Abarca, " were tho fit cs and illuminations most grateful to the Catholic piety of our sovereigns"? Abarca, Reyes de Aragon, torn. ii. rey 30, cap. 3. "-'9 Pulgar, Reyes Cat61icos, ubi supra. — Bernaldez, Reyes Cato- licos, MS., ubi supra. — Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 62.