his tents, the only motive for that precaution: being now very near the city, where he knew that there was no lack of brave and enterprising cavaliers, Aben Radmir thought it needful to be on his guard that he might not suffer an unforeseen defeat, in consequence of the surprises which the leaders would almost certainly prepare for him.

Having remained for some time within these entrenchments, the Christian king then marched by Lagon to Guadiaxi, where he found a part of his force which he had left in a fortress of that district: next continuing his march through the eastern parts of Spain, he found himself on the road which he had taken in coming, the territory of Murcia and Xativa namely. Up to that time the Almoravides had constantly followed Aben Radmir, without losing sight of his banners, and this they did to prevent his people from making incursions on the neighbouring lands; but they carefully avoided coming to an engagement with the Christian forces.

The most authentic authorities declare that Aben Radmir lost a large part of his host by sickness before regaining his own dominions; the privations and fatigues of that prolonged march having greatly weakened the strength of his men, and the plague, which also appeared among them, carrying off many of those exhausted bands. Seeing that the mortality was increasing, the king made great haste to return to his states: "And of a truth," remarks the author of the 'Lightning,' "if Aben Radmir had some cause to feel vainglorious at the bold enterprise he had accomplished, yet on the other hand it is certain that he did nothing of importance therein; he effected little, in all that painful and perilous march, beyond the burning of certain villages and farms, with the ruin of their miserable inhabitants; but he neither took nor could enter any fortified place, small or great: insomuch that he may be said to have employed the campaign almost wholly in the destruction of peasants and shepherds, farms, hamlets, country-houses, and solitary dwellings of similar kind." "Yet in that enterprise," observes the same author, "the King Aben Radmir expended fifteen months, during which he did the Moslemah more good than harm, since he caused them to discover the

existence of enemies among those of their own people, and enabled them to put themselves on their guard against the traitors thus made known to them."

This, then, was the cause which had induced the Cadi Abul Belut Aben Raxid to pass over into Africa, and after consulting the king as to the best means to be adopted for making head against the danger thus menacing the Moslemah in Spain, the Cadi furthermore suggested the expediency of depriving the King of Saragossa of his sovereignty; since he had not only failed to defend his capital, but had formed a confederacy with the Christians, sending presents to the King Aben Radmir, from his friendship with whom infinite evils might redound to the Moslemah of Spain.

The advice given by Abul Belut Aben Raxid in relation to the Sovereign of Saragossa, did not appear to be unacceptable to King Aly Ben Juzef, and he replied, that since Aben Hud had entered into a league with the Christians, he had deserved to lose his kingdom, for which cause he gave orders to the effect that the general Abu Bekir Ben Tefelit should march an army into his territories without delay, and take possession of the state in the name of the Ameer Aly Ben Juzef.

CHAP. XXX.-PRINCE TAXFIN, THE SON OF JUZEF, ARRIVES IN

SPAIN.

HIS VICTORIES. ADVANTAGES GAINED BY THE ALMOHADES IN AFRICA. NATURAL DEATH OF THEIR CHIEF, EL MEHEDI.

WHEN the King of Saragossa was informed of the resolution taken by Aly Ben Juzef, and knew that a force was about to march against him, he wrote a letter to the Ameer, of which the substance was as follows:

"Thou well knowest, O king! that my father, Almostain Billah, wrote to the King of the Moslemah, Juzef Aben Taxfin, thy father, requiring that he should permit him to remain in quiet possession of his dominions, and requesting that there might be peace and friendship between them, to the end that each might give aid to the other against their common enemy. Conditions being then made, our fathers

remained confederate, nor would ever make war upon each other, for which cause the hearts of their people were permitted to rejoice in that peace which comes from good counsel, and is as the resplendent light which gladdens the life of all men. We too have enjoyed quiet and security, which hath not been troubled on thy part up to this time, although many circumstances have occurred in these states, the unfortunate causes of which I do not myself clearly perceive, unless they have proceeded from evil counsels that may have countervailed thy good intentions; but for some time it is certain, O my Lord! that a malevolent air hath been breathing over the land, or to speak more truly, a hurricane and tempestuous storm hath assailed us which brings us menaces of destruction and dismay. It will not be just that thou shouldst deprive us of our territories and states, since we have constantly maintained the friendliness existing between us-we have never broken the same, even in thought; nor during the period of the involuntary isolation from our brethren in which we have found ourselves, have we in any way infringed upon thy rights, O king! wherefore we could not but consider ourselves as vile and despicable, if we were now to suffer our cities to be taken from us without reason.

"But God will not permit that this rupture shall take place between us, causing such evil and injury to both as would make our common enemy triumph in our misfortunes: we have hitherto maintained the league of friendship entered into by our forefather: whether in public or in private, do not thou, then, give occasion-either by the evil intentions or the ignorance of thy counsellors—for the disturbance of this good harmony; and for myself, God, who is over all, and penetrates the secrets of every heart, knows the purity of mine intentions and my good-will as to thee ward. None can impede the fulfilment of that which God hath determined, but the day will come when the unjust provoker of evil and of the sorrows of war shall appear his true light; God, who is the Judge and Righteous Rewarder of those who do evil, shall then decide between us and those who seek to put discord and strife between thee and me. I repeat, that God is a Just Judge: and herewith I bid thee farewell."

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When this letter, written by Abu Meruan Aben Hud, reached the hands of Aly Ben Juzef, the latter changed his purpose, and commanded the general Abu Bekir Aben Tefelit to discontinue his preparations for entering on the territories of Saragossa, which he ordered him to leave undisturbed.

About that time the King Aly was much occupied with the fortifications of his city of Morocco, which he surrounded by forts and strong walls, amply supplied with high towers. He commenced the construction of these works in the moon of Giumada Primera and the year 520, and expended on them seventy thousand mitcals of gold. That beautiful and durable erection was completed in about eight months, the masonry being such, that, when finished, it proved to be one of the finest structures in the world. King Aly also built the great mosque, with its lofty tower and Almimbar.

In this year of 520 the king's brother, Abu Tahir Temim, who had been his Naib or vicegerent in Spain, departed to the mercy of Allah he died in Andalusia, and that event caused infinite sorrow to Aly Ben Juzef, seeing that Prince Temim had ever been his most faithful friend and counsellor in all the great cares of his reign, consoling him amidst all his troubles, which were very heavy, nay, even almost continuous: it was on him indeed that King Aly reposed all the cares of government as regarded the Spanish provinces. Prince Temim died in the city of Granada, and was buried there with much honour. In his place the king sent his son Taxfin, who passed over to Spain with five thousand Almoravide horse. Having assembled a sufficient force, the Ameer Taxfin then directed his march on the territory of Toledo, which he laid waste, and taking the fortress of Hacena by storm, he devastated the whole surrounding country.

Nor were the Christians idle on their part: they gathered a large army from Gallicia and Castile, the Christian nobles aiding their kings with all their strength, all proposing to fall upon the land of Algarve. When their banners were assembled, the Infidel host was found to amount to many thousand men, and with these they entered the territory of Merida, burning the towns, putting the inhabitants to death, and driving off the flocks.

The Ameer Taxfin hurried to the protection of the country with his Almoravides, and arriving in the vicinity of Badajoz, the two armies met near the renowned battlefield of Zalacca, where the grandfather of Prince Taxfin had before defeated the Christian foe. When he found himself in face of his enemy, Taxfin, though still very young, arranged his order of battle with great ability and intelligence he disposed his cavalry and marksmen in closely compact and well-placed divisions, himself, with the principal Xeques and generals, retaining the command of the main body. The army of the Faithful bore very beautiful banners, which they carried aloft on their long staves, those of the Almoravides being of pure white, with the motto "Le illa Allah, le gallid illa Allah." The two wings were formed by the Andalusians and by certain Cabilas of Africa, the right being occupied by the Spanish cavaliers with their richly tinted pennons, also very beautiful; nor were those of the left wing inferior, whether in hue or splendour, and these last waved over the tribes of Zeneta, Haxima, and other Cabilas.

The two armies commenced their movement amidst the loud alarm of Atambours and trumpets; the battle was quickly begun with terrible impetuosity and fearful cries; it continued through a great part of the day with nearly equal fortune on both sides, but at the hour of Adobar the Christians began to yield, and Taxfin, perceiving this, rode eagerly among his people on all sides, fighting in his own person with admirable valour. The Moslemah becoming aware of the advantage they were obtaining, then proclaimed the victory as if already obtained, and this dismayed the hearts of the foe, on whom the Faithful now fell with renewed energy, until at length they drove them from the field, when a flight commenced which soon ended in disorderly rout. The field of battle remained covered with corpses, an acceptable feast to the beasts and birds of prey; but the carnage was furthermore increased by the eagerness of the pursuit, which was continued by the Moslemah until deep in the night. This great battle was fought at FohosAssehab, and Prince Taxfin returning to Cordova, thence wrote to his father an account of that fortunate event, which took place in the year 520.