life, insomuch that an infinite multitude perished in Medina Fez, the streets and squares of the place being filled with the corpses of the slain. The king likewise put to death aore than three thousand men of the Comarcas neighbouring to Fez, with many more from Cairvan, and not a few Andalusians, who were also among the defenders. Those who had taken flight at an earlier period of the carnage were more fortunate, and made good their escape, directing their steps to the confines of Teliman.

This was the second great conquest of Juzef Ben Taxfin, whose solemn entrance into the city of Fez took place on Thursday, the 2nd day of Giumada Segunda, in the year 462. He had no sooner obtained possession of the place than he commanded that it should be fortified, and caused the wall to be cast down, by which the Barrio or quarter of the Andalusians had originally been separated from that occupied by the people of Cairvan, as hath been heretofore described, thereby reducing the two Barrios to one large quarter or district. He also caused mosques to be constructed in every division of the town; and if in any great street or square there was found to be no mosque, he compelled the inhabitants of the district to build one. Juzef Ben Taxfin likewise erected or restored the Aljamas, and built exchanges for the merchants, with great Caravanserais for the same, and markets for the convenience of all men remaining in Fez to see that all these labours were duly proceeded with, until the moon of Safer, in the year 463, when he departed and repaired to Velad Muluya, where he took possession of the fortress called Felat. In the year

464, the conquering monarch was engaged in extensive preparations with the firm resolve to subjugate the remaining parts of Almagreb by force of arms; but the Xeques of the Zeneta tribe, with those of Masamuda, Gomara, and other Cabilas of Barbary, came to submit themselves without further contest, proclaiming Juzef Ben Taxfin their lord.

CHAP. XI.-OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE ALMORAVIDE JUZEF BEN TAXFIN CONTINUED HIS CONQUESTS.

By their submission, as above mentioned, the tribes obtained their pardon from the victorious sovereign, and he left them in the possession of their lands. He now passed through all his dominions in Almagreb, accompanied by a large body of troops, enquiring into the condition of the people in every part, and taking such measures as he found needful for ensuring the good government of all: nay, to effect this last-mentioned object ever appeared to Juzef Ben Taxfin the most important of his undertakings, and the first duty of a prince.

In the year 465, Juzef obtained possession of the city of Aldanah in Velad Tangier, which he took by force of arms and entered by storm. He also occupied Mount Aloudaun, which he took in like manner at this time. In the year 467, the king made himself master of Gebal Gieza, Beni Macoud, and Beni Rahina, where he put to death much people. The lands of Almagreb were by his command divided into provinces during the course of the same year.

In the moon of Dylhagia, also of the year 467, the star Almekak made its appearance in Almagreb, and was likewise seen in the country of Spain.

Now Juzef Ben Taxfin gave the government of Velad Almagreb to Yezed Ben Abi Bekir; that of Mudain Mekineza, Velad Meklala, and Velad Fezaun, he gave to Omar Ben Zuleiman ; Medina Fez and its Comarcas he bestowed on Davoud Ben Aixa; and Sigilmesa, with Daraa, he entrusted to his own son Temim, on whom he furthermore conferred the government of Medina Agmat, Morocco, Velad Asous, a part of Velad Masamuda, and Velad Temizana.

It was at this time that the King of Seville, even Muhamad Aben Abed Almutamed, having been made acquainted with the vast power exercised by Juzef Ben Taxfin in Africa, and with the victories obtained by that monarch, desired to secure his friendship; and this he did the more earnestly because it appeared to him that if he could prevail on the African prince to occupy the arms of Muhamad Barqueti of Cebta, and those of the rulers in the

district of Tangiers, he should himself be thereby enabled to complete his conquests in Andalusia with the greater facility. He therefore wrote letters to Juzef Ben Taxfin, requesting his alliance, and exhorting the African sovereign to aid him with his power in the defence of Islam; but King Juzef replied, that he could not pass into Spain until he had made himself master of Cebta and Tangiers; wherefore, as it was precisely the object of Aben Abed that Juzef Ben Taxfin should make war on the lords of those cities and their Comarcas, he wrote again to offer assistance in that war, promising to attack Muhamad El Barqueti from the coast, provided Juzef could come against them from the desert, and so take care that the rulers of Cebta and Tangiers should be effectually surrounded.

All this was then accomplished as designed, the people of Aben Abed, King of Seville, putting to sea as he had proposed, and assisting Juzef Ben Taxfin to occupy the cities of Cebta and Tangiers, which he did in the year 470.

Now for this war of Cebta and Tangiers, Juzef Ben Taxfin had summoned to his aid the forces of Jaleh Ben Amran, who appeared with twelve thousand well-selected horsemen of the Almoravides, reinforced by twenty thousand men from the tribes of Almagreb and Zeneta. When these troops arrived on the borders of Tangiers, there went forth to their encounter the Hagib, Socra El Barqueti, with such strength as he could make. That general was now of great age, he had lived more than one hundred years, yet he bravely exclaimed, "By Allah! while I am in life, the trumpets of the Almoravides must not be heard in Cebta."

The two armies met in battle on the banks of the Guadimena, when the conflict, which was a very sanguinary one, was maintained with a superhuman valour on both sides; but the brave old Socra died with his sword in his hand, when his troops fell into disorder, and fled routed from the field. The Almoravides then continued their march towards Tangiers, which they took, but the Hagib Dhialdola Yahye, son of the noble Socra, still remained in Cebta. The victory obtained in the Guadimena by the troops of Saleh Ben Amran was duly made known to Juzef Ben Taxfin, to whom that intelligence was highly acceptable.

In the year 472, Juzef sent his general Mezdeli to make

the conquest of Medina Telinzan, and that commander repaired to the city above-named accordingly with twenty thousand Almoravide troops. They took the place with but little delay, defeating and slaying the Ameer of Telinzan, even Yala Ben Yala. That done, Mezdeli returned to Morocco, where the King Juzef then was, and into which city the successful general entered with his victorious army in the year 473.

In that year the impress stamped on the coined money was changed; Juzef Ben Taxfin then inscribing his own name thereon. The same year beheld the conquests of the cities of Agersif and Melila, with that of the whole territory of Araif; Medina Tekrur was also taken at this time, when the walls were razed and the city destroyed; nor was it ever again rebuilt.

At the commencement of the year 474, the city of Wahida rebelled against the power of Juzef Ben Taxfin; but it was taken by storm. In this year the king likewise subjugated the lands and tribes of Beni Barnetin, when he beheaded the Xeques who had been the leaders of the conquered Cabilas. He then proceeded against Telidzan, which he took for the second time. That conquest was followed by those of Medina Tunis and Medina Wahran, with that of Gebal Guacasris and all the east country, even to Gezair. After this the King Juzef Ben Taxfin returned to Morocco, which city he entered in the moon of Rebie Segunda, of the year 475.*

In the same year, Juzef once more received letters from Almutamed Aben Abed, King of Seville, wherein that sovereign entreated his assistance, and sought to obtain his friendship; when Juzef promised to pass into Spain so soon as he had freed his hands from the war of Cebta, with which they were then occupied.

It was at this time that Alfonso Ben Ferdeland,† King of the Christians, directed his march against Andalusia, into which country he poured an immense host of warriors gathered from the Infidel bands of Afranc (which is France)

A.D. 1082: or, as other computators have it, 1085.

+ Ferdinand; whom the Arabic authors call indifferently Ferdiland, Ferdeland, and Ferdanun.

their troops having joined those of Galelikia* and Castille, as hal also the banners of the Albakenses, who are the dwellers at the foot of those mountains which separate Spain from the land of Afranc. With these forces Alfonso took his way towards Saragossa, burning the towns through which he passed, cutting up the cultivated fields, and putting the inhabitants of all to the edge of the sword. The people fled before his troops in terror, and on every side there arose the wail of death and desolation, seeing that Alfonso Ben Ferdiland spared the life of noue but those who were unable to oppose him. The brave King of Saragossa was unable to resist this torrent; and all Spain now beheld itself inundated by the furious bands of the Infidel, who were led on by merciless tyrants, cruelly oppressing the unhappy Moslemah of every province in the land.

When the Ameers of Spain beheld that spectacle, they were at length compelled to open their eyes to the true state of things, and they perceived but too clearly that Alfonso Ben Ferdeland would quickly find means to accomplish all his designs, unless they on their parts could oppose some more effectual resistance to his forces than they had hitherto been able to bring against them.

We have already related the fact that Abul Walid Albage, Cadi of Cordova and Governor of that city for Aben Abed King of Seville, had invited all the Ameers to send their Alimes, Alfakees, and Cadies, from the various Aljamas of Spain to a council to be held in the capital of Aben Abed; these ambassadors assembling accordingly in the city of Seville, whither they had been convoked by the Cadi of Cordova aforesaid, in concert with his master, Aben Abed the king.

The danger of universal ruin with which they were threatened was then discussed between the grave men forming that conference, when all were of opinion that letters should be written to every Ameer of Spain, exhorting all to the common defence of the country against the Christians, and calling upon every ruler to instruct the Walies and Alcaides of the cities and fortress on the frontiers, to the

* Gallicia.