Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/333

ADMINISTRATION OF CASTILE. 189 But Isabella became convinced that all arrange- chapter ments for establishing permanent tranquillity in '. . Seville vrould be inefifectual, so lon^ as the feud cadiz 'm" ' _ ^ ® duke ol Me- continued betw^een the great families of Guzman diiasui.nna. and Ponce de Leon. The duke of Medina Sido- nia and the marquis of Cadiz, the heads of these houses, had possessed themselves of the royal towns and fortresses, as w^ell as of those w^hich, belong- ing to the city, were scattered over its circumjacent territory, where, as has been previously stated, they carried on war against each other, like in- dependent potentates. The former of these gran- dees had been the loyal supporter of Isabella in the War of the Succession. The marquis of Cadiz, on the other hand, connected by marriage with the house of Pacheco, had cautiously withheld his alle- giance, although he had not testified his hostility by any overt act. While the queen was hesitating as to the course she should pursue in reference to the marquis, who still kept himself aloof in his for- tified castle of Xerez, he suddenly presented him- self by night at her residence in Seville, accompa- nied only by two or three attendants. He took this step, doubtless, from the conviction that the Portuguese faction had nothing further to hope in a kingdom, where Isabella reigned not only by the fortune of war, but by the affections of the people ; and he now eagerly proffered his allegiance to her, excusing his previous conduct as he best could. The queen was too well satisfied with the submis- sion, however tardy, of this formidable vassal, to call him to severe account for past delinquencies.