Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/325

299 UNIVERSITY OF ALCALA. 299 He now meditated a more difficult enterprise, the chapter XXI conquest of Oran. ^ '- — This place, situated about a league from the for- nis designs A ' ^ against mer, was one of the most considerable of the Mos- *^™'- lem possessions in the Mediterranean, being a prin- cipal mart for the trade of the Levant. It contained about twenty thousand inhabitants, was strongly fortified, and had acquired a degree of opulence by its extensive commerce, which enabled it to main- tain a swarm of cruisers, that swept this inland sea, and made fearful depredations on its populous borders.^ No sooner was Ferdinand quietly established again in the government, than Ximenes urged him to undertake this new conquest. The king saw its importance, but objected the want of funds. The cardinal, who was prepared for this, replied, that " he was ready to lend whatever sums were neces- sary, and to take sole charge of the expedition, leading it, if the king pleased, in person." Ferdi- nand, who had no objection to this mode of making acquisitions, more especially as it would open a vent for the turbulent spirits of his subjects, readily acquiesced in the proposition. The enterprise, however disproportionate it might seem to the resources of a private individual, was not beyond those of the cardinal. He had been carefully husbanding his revenues for some time 5 Zurita, Anales, torn. vi. lib. 6, Hist, de Espaila, torn. ii. lib. 28, cap. 15. — Gomez, De Rebus Ges- cap. 15 ; lib. 29, cap. 9. tis, fol. 77. — Robles, Vida de ^ Peter Martyr. Opus Epist,, Ximenez, cap. 17. — Carbajal, Ana- epist. 418. les, MS., afio 1507. — Mariana,