Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/65

41 CONQUEST OF MALAGA. 41 proclaimed, that he would receive a certain sum, if chapter paid within nine months, as the ransom of the L_ whole population, and that their personal effects should be admitted in part payment. This sum averaged about thirty doblas a head, including in the estimate all those who might die before the de- termination of the period assigned. The ransom, thus stipulated, proved more than the unhappy peo- ple could raise, either by themselves, or agents em- ployed to solicit contributions among their brethren of Granada and Africa ; at the same time, it so far deluded their hopes, that they gave in a full inven- tory of their effects to the treasury. By this shrewd device, Ferdinand obtained complete possession both of the persons and property of his victims.^" Malaga was computed to contain from eleven cruei poucy O J^ of the vie- to fifteen thousand inhabitants, exclusive of sev- ^°"- eral thousand foreign auxiliaries, within its gates at the time of surrender. One cannot, at this day, read the melancholy details of its story, with- out feelings of horror and indignation. It is im- possible to vindicate the dreadful sentence pass- ed on this unfortunate people for a display of he- roism, which should have excited admiration in every generous bosom. It was obviously most re- pugnant to Isabella's natural disposition, and must 30 Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, Not a word of comment escapes MS., cap. 87. — L. Marineo, Co- the Castilian historians on this sas Memorables, fol. 176. — Con- merciless rigor of the conqueror de, Dominacion de los Arabes, towards the vanquished. It is ev- tom. iii. p. 238. — Cardonne, Hist, ident that Ferdinand did no vio- d'Afrique et d'Espagne, torn. iii. lence to the feelings of his ortho- p. 296. — Carbajal, Anales, MS., dox subjects. Tacendo clamant. auo 1487. VOL. II. 6