Algarve, both of which he brought to submission: that district was then possessed by Muhamad Ben Said, who held it by right of inheritance, as he did Xilbe, which was one of its dependencies.

Here there came to the Infant a noble youth called Muhamad Aben Omar Ben Huseim Almahri of the commune of Xombos, near Xilbe. He was remarkably beautiful in person, endowed with a brilliant genius, and a good poet; he also possessed much learning, and as all these qualities were keenly appreciated by the Prince of Seville, who yielded to few in the accomplishments of the mind, he caused the youth to accompany him to the capital, where the rich endowments with which Aben Omar had been gifted were acknowledged by the King Aben Abed also, who soon took him into his favour. And this was the commencement of the great confidence with which Aben Omar was subsequently honoured by the sovereigns of Seville; from that time he had opportunities for the manifestation of those abilities which have rendered him celebrated both in Spain and beyond that country.

The King of Seville, Muhamad Aben Abed, then gave the tenancy of Libla as a fief to the general of his cavalry, Abdallah Ben Abdelaziz, but with the express remark, that he conferred it on him not because his father Abdelaziz had held it as his own, but for his good services. And it was in fact a well-merited reward, seeing that the zeal and loyalty of Abdallah towards his lord the King of Seville were such as to induce him to make an active and earnest war even on the lord of Carmona, whom he besieged in that very city, within which his fugitive and persecuted father had but a short time previously been generously and hospitably received; nay, Abdallah did so closely invest the place, that the inhabitants, wearied with the labours of resistance, and no longer able to suffer the many privations to which they were subjected, began to treat for the surrender of their city, declaring that they were not willing to die of hunger for a master who had proved himself unable to defend them.

These declarations, and the purpose they implied, reached the ears of the lord of Carmona, Mohamad El Barceli, and

departing secretly from the city by night, he fled to Malaga. This flight the inhabitants of Carmona soon discovered, when they at once surrendered the fortress, and declared themselves the vassals of Muhamad Ben Muhamad Ben Ismail, called Almuatedid Aben Abed, King of Seville.

When Muhamad Ben Abdallah El Barceli, lord of Carmona, arrived in Malaga, he implored the aid of Edris Ben Yahye, who received him as his good friend, and at once began to gather forces of horse and foot to give him the assistance he required; whereupon El Barceli departed for Ecija, which still remained his own, and having there assembled his cavalry, he joined the host provided by Edris, when both together they set forth against the troops of Seville.

But Aben Abed would not accept the offer of battle, and they could bring him only to insignificant skirmishes, in which the brave men of both sides fought with varying fortune. Yet El Barceli found it impossible to recover the city of Carmona, which was his chief intent; and after many conflicts of more or less importance, King Edris returned to Malaga, while El Barceli retired to his city of Ecija.

But scarcely had Edris Ben Yahye reposed himself from the fatigues of that expedition, when he was compelled again to sally forth in aid of his friend and ally, Habus of Sanhaga, lord of Granada, from whom he received intelligence of the plots formed against them both by Muhamad Aben Abed, King of Seville, the success of which was promoted to the utmost of their power by all the kinsmen and partizans of that crafty sovereign. Habus of Sanhaga furthermore warned his friend to beware of Muza Ben Afan, who, though apparently a faithful servant, was in fact in the interest of his enemies, and maintained a constant intelligence with the King of Seville. To this latter part of his friend's intelligence King Edris replied by sending Muza Ben Afan with letters to his court, and in these letters he exhorted Habus to reward the bearer as his services merited; when the lord of Granada, perfectly understanding his correspondent's intent, caused the head of Muza Ben Afan to be struck off immediately; that done, he

replied to the letters of Edris by assuring him that Muza had already received the appropriate reward of his loyalty and truth.

But Muza Ben Afan was the cousin of Muhamad Ben Edris, lord of Algezira, as well as of Edris Ben Yahye, king of Malaga; and when the former was made acquainted with his kinsman's death, he at once disposed his measures for taking vengeance for the same. With that intent, he availed himself of the absence of Edris, who had departed from his capital, repairing to the aid of Habus, and was then in the neighbourhood of Ronda, where his friend was engaged in daily conflict with the troops of Seville, led on by the Infant Muhamad Aben Abed.

He

Choosing his opportunity, therefore, Muhamad of Algezira advanced with a powerful army against Malaga, the greater part of his force consisting of African Negroes. entered the city without resistance, and being there joined by the Negroes who formed the guard of the Alcazaba, these last enthroned Muhamad Ben Edris in the palace, and he was there proclaimed King of Malaga by those Negro troops.

But the people of Malaga, by whom their sovereign was much esteemed and beloved, would not permit him to be thus deprived of his throne: they took arms against the Negroes, whom they compelled to shut themselves up in the Alcazaba, which the blacks then fortified and defended with much bravery. The men of Malaga next formed a great encampment, and besieged the fortress very closely; but desiring nothing more than to rid themselves of those who had thus seized the throne, they proposed favourable conditions to the Negroes, many of whom passed over in effect to their camp, while those who remained, perceiving that their numbers were daily diminishing, while they had not the means of replacing those deserters, no longer dared to make sallies on the Malagan defences.

The people of Malaga took care to inform their king of what was doing in his capital, and Edris returned without delay, bringing with him an increase of force, and pressing the siege of his Alcazar with the utmost earnestness. He offered the security of their lives to all such of the Negroes as should then surrender themselves to his mercy, but

threatened with inevitable destruction whomsoever he should find in the palace when once he had entered it by force of arms. By these threats and promises, Edris induced the Negroes to quit the fortress, and they all fled by night through a deep fosse, when Muhamad of Algezira, perceiving himself to be abandoned by his followers, resigned his fate to the hands of his cousin, nothing doubting but that the latter would condemn him to immediate death: but Edris spared his life, commanding him merely to depart from Spain and repair to his stronghold of Hisn Airache, where Mohamad had secured his treasures, and where his daughter was already awaiting him; the whole household and family of the baffled usurper was in like manner permitted to depart with him in all security.

Edris then secured himself in the possession of Algezira, and having freed his hands of the troubles and difficulties with which his enemies had beset him, he passed over into Africa, where he instantly occupied the cities of Tangier and Cebta. Such of the Negroes as desired to take service with him he incorporated with his army left in Spain, but all who did not desire to remain in that country he permitted to depart for their homes.

When Edris had been some short time in Africa, the Albarguetine Sclavonians, Razikala and Sekan, who had been governors of Cebta and Tangier, did their utmost to cause him new disquietudes; but the people, who abhorred those rulers for their covetousness, cruelty, and oppression, were far from taking part in their projects: instead of favouring their intentions, they betrayed them publicly, and accusing them before the king, even Edris, they said to him, "Muley, these Sclavonians who accompany and surround thee are traitors, who pretend to be serving thee, but are in truth of a false and disloyal heart; they are contriving thy downfall, and have formed conspiracies against thy life, but do thou suffer us to reward them as their perfidy merits."

King Edris would have examined into the truth of these allegations, but before he could take any steps for that purpose, the rage of the people, long restrained, broke forth against those their tyrants; nor was it possible to liberate the unhappy men from their fierce and terrible hands.

They dragged their victims from the presence of the king, and a few minutes later were found to have hewed them into a hundred pieces.

No long time after this event, King Edris returned to Andalusia, taking with him his younger son, but leaving the elder in Africa as his Wali for Cebta and Tangier.

In the year 452 died Abdelaziz Almanzor, King of Valencia, when he was succeeded by his son Abderahman Ben Abdelaziz, who was son-in-law to the King Dylnoun of Toledo, and called himself Almudafar. It was much against his will that he had sent his people to take part in the wars of Andalusia, but being commanded to do so by the authority of his father, as we have related above, he could not refuse to obey while that sovereign was in life.

CHAP. IV. OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE KINGS OF TOLEDO AND CORDOVA, AND OF THE DARK TREACHERY COMMITTED BY THE KING OF SEVILLE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING ACCESS TO CORDOVA.

ISMAIL Ben Dylnoun Ben Ahmed, King of Toledo, entered the territories of Cordova with a very powerful host, and defeated the troops of Muhamad, King of Cordova, as well as those sent him from Seville and Badajoz, in many encounters, finally putting them to a total rout in a sanguinary battle which was fought on the banks of the river Algodor, or Water of the Surprises,-so called from the many statagems and deceits which had been practised by the experienced generals who had led the opposing armies in that struggle.

The forces of Cordova were commanded by Hariz Ben Alhakem Alcasha, one of the most valiant generals in Andalusia. The battle continued through the whole day, and the conquerors, who were those of Toledo, Valencia, and the land of Azahila united, pursued their retreating enemies even to the mountains that border on the Campagna of Cordova.

The news of this defeat carried dismay into the Mezuar or council of the King of Cordova, while they caused heavy fears in the city, and brought confusion to the face of the