Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/480

334 WAR OF GRANADA. PART forty thousand foot. The duke of Medina Sidoriia, ' putting himself at the head of this powerful body, set forward without delay on his expedition. naisesthe When king Ferdinand in his progress to the south had reached the. little town of Adamuz, ahout five leagues from Cordova, he was informed of the advance of the Andalusian chivalry, and instantly sent instructions to the duke to delay his march, as he intended to come in person and assume the command. But the latter, returning a respectful apology for his disobedience, represented to his master the extremities to which the besieged were already reduced, and without waiting for a reply pushed on with the utmost vigor for Alhama. The Moorish monarch, alarmed at the approach of so powerful a reinforcement, saw himself in danger of being hemmed in between the garrison on the one side, and these new enemies on the other. With- out waiting their appearance on the crest of the eminence which separated him from them, he has- tily broke up his encampment, on the 29th of March, after a siege of more than three weeks, and retreated on his capital. '^ Meeting or The garrisou of Alhama viewed with astonish- the two ar- ™e8- ment the sudden departure of their enemies ; but their wonder was converted into joy, when they beheld the bright arms and banners of their coun- trymen, gleaming along the declivities of the moun tains. They rushed out with tumultuous transport ^6 Puljrar, Reyes Cnt61icos, pp. — Zufiiga, Annales de Sevilla, 183, 18i: Bernaidcz, Reyes Cat6- pp.392, 393.— Cardonne, Hist, licos, MS., cap. .')3. — Ferreras, d'Afrique et d'Espagne, torn, iii. Hist. d'Espagne, torn. vii. p. 572. p. 257.