Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/89

65 ion be- SIEGE OF BAZA. 65 and Valencia, for such sums as they were willine; chapter XIV. to advance on them. '^ Such were the efforts made ^— by this high-spirited woman, for the furtherance of her patriotic enterprise. The extraordinary results, which she was enabled to effect, are less to be as- cribed to the authority of her station, than to that perfect confidence in her wisdom and virtue, with which she had inspired the whole nation, and which secured their earnest cooperation in all her under- takings. The empire, which she thus exercised, indeed, was far more extended than any station however exalted, or any authority however des- potic, can confer ; for it was over the hearts of her people. Notwithstanding the vigor with which the siege ^;^°'"i o o o of the I was pressed. Baza made no demonstration of sub- "^°^'^" mission. The garrison was indeed greatly reduced in number ; the ammunition was nearly expended ; yet there still remained abundant supplies of pro- visions in the town, and no signs of despondency appeared among the people. Even the women of the place, with a spirit emulating that of the dames of ancient Carthage, freely gave up their jewels, bracelets, necklaces, and other personal ornaments, 16 Pulgar, Reyes Catolicos, cap. torn. vi. Ilustracion 6,) which ap- 118. — Archivo de Simancas, in pear to have been extremely rich Mem. de la Acad, de Hist., torn, and numerous, for a period an- vi. p. 311. terior to the discovery of those The city of Valencia lent 35,000 countries, whose mines have since florins on the crown and 20,000 furnished Europe with its Ujou- on a collar of rubies. They terie. Isabella, however, set so lit- were not wholly redeemed till tie value on them, that she divest- 1495. Sefior Clemencin has given ed herself of most of them in a catalogue of the royal jewels, favor of her daughters, (see Mem. de la Acad, de Hist., VOL. II. 9