Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/121

SURRENDER OF THE CAPITAL. 97 As the column under the grand cardinal advanced chapter . XV. up the Hill of Martyrs, over vrhich a road had been '- — constructed for the passage of the artillery, he was met by the Moorish prince Abdallah, attended by fifty cavaliers, who descending the hill rode up to the position occupied by Ferdinand on the banks of the Xenil. As the Moor approached the Span- ish king, he would have thrown himself from his horse, and saluted his hand in token of homage, but Ferdinand hastily prevented him, embracing him with every mark of sympathy and regard. Abdallah then delivered up the keys of the Alham- bra to his conqueror saying, " They are thine, O king, since Allah so decrees it ; use thy success with clemency and moderation." Ferdinand would have uttered some words of consolation to the un- fortunate prince, but he moved forward with de- jected air to the spot occupied by Isabella, and, after similar acts of obeisance, passed on to join his family, who had preceded him with his most valu- able effects on the route to the Alpuxarras. ^^ The sovereigns during this time waited with im- The cross 1 • 1 p 1 • /^ raised on patience the signal of the occupation of the city by ^J^'^"'™- the cardinal's troops, which, winding slowly along the outer circuit of the walls, as previously arranged, in order to spare the feelings of the citizens as far as possible, entered by what is now called the gate of Los Molinos. In a short time, the large silver 18 Marmol, Rebelion de Moris- Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. 102. cos, ubi supra. — Conde, Domi- — Zurita, Anales, torn. iv. cap. nacion de los Arabes, torn. iii. cap. 90. — Oviedo, Quincuagenas, MS., 43. — Pedraza, Antiguedad de bat. 1, quinc. 1, dial. 28. Granada, fol. 76. — Bernaldez, VOL. II. 13