moment when their enemies began to enter the city, which they did at the hour of Alazar.

On the following day the Chotba was made for Abdelmumen Ben Aly in all the mosques of Seville; and at the same time the city of Malaga likewise surrendered to his power, when Alhakem Ben Hasnoun was appointed to be Alcayde thereof.

The Christian auxiliaries of Aben Gania were not idle on their part during all these movements: they took the fortress of Andujar by force of arms, as they did that of Baiza, and some others. Aben Gania had in the meantime made all things ready for besieging Cordova, which he pressed so closely that the defenders of the city were compelled to yield it to the constancy of the Almoravide general, and all they could do was to prevent the Christians, who were his auxiliaries, from entering it on the first day. On the second, however, which was the last of the moon Xaban, the Infidels made their way into the city, when they fastened their horses in the principal Aljama; nay, their hands presumed to profane the Mushaf of the Caliph Othman Ben Afan, which had been brought from Syria by the Kings of the Beni Omeyas, and was preserved therein; but that treasure God would not permit to perish in their unfaithful keeping.

The inhabitants did not fail to suffer numerous vexations at the hands of the Christians during the time that those misbelievers remained in the city; but that was not a long period, seeing that when the Infidels received intelligence of the surrender of Xeres, Sidonia, and Seville, to Abdelmumen Ben Aly, they held a council, in which it was decided that it would be advisable for them to return for that time to their own territories, there to gather forces for opposing the Almohades with all the power they could command, that resolve being also taken by the Moslemah of the party of Aben Gania and the Almoravides, as well as by the Christians who were subjects of the Embalatur.

It is true that Aladfuns Ben Sancho, the Christian Embalatur, would very gladly have retained possession of Cordova, and desired much to remain there, but Aben Gania found means to persuade the monarch to content himself

with the city of Bieza, which was nearer to his own frontiers of Medina Toledo,-may God restore that city to Islam!— and it was thus that they finally agreed: whereupon the people of the Embalatur departed from Cordova, leaving the Count Almanrik in Bieza as Wali for the Christians.

Now the populace of Cordova did not consider Aben Gania with favourable eyes, because of his alliance with the Infidel, and as the General Mohamad Ben Omar was in his company, the people declared for that leader, and desired to have him for their Ameer. Nor did Aben Gania find it good policy to oppose their wishes; but Mohamad Ben Omar, knowing the inconstancy of the popular favour, and fearing, moreover, lest Aben Gania might be offended by his acceptance, declined the offers made to him, accepting them only at the instance of Aben Gania himself, who advised him to yield to the desire of the people. Mohamad Ben Omar did not remain in the city more than twelve days after his proclamation, but disappeared from the place, having first made known his determination to Aben Gania. He also left a letter written with his own hand for the magistrates and council of Cordova, in which he took leave of them, not desiring to wait until the unstable wheel of fortune should precipitate him from the summit of his perilous command.

Yet

Mohamad Ben Omar then repaired to Algarve, where he served as an adventurer in the force there acting against the rebels of the party led by Abu Mohamad Ben Samail Aben Wazir. Here his numerous merits and singular bravery could not be concealed; but being severely wounded in a sanguinary battle, he was taken prisoner and carried to the rebel Samail, who, recognising his former friend, yet forgot the ancient amity that had reigned between them, and commanded that the eyes of Mohamad Omar should be put out; that done, he cast him into a prison, where he caused the unhappy general to be confined with much rigour. It is true that when the Almohades entered Baiza they set the unhappy Omar at liberty, and he retired to Sale, where he died in the year 558.

In the east of Spain, Abu Mohamad Aben Ayadh continued to persecute all who still adhered to the party which had been led by Abdallah Ben Fetah El Thograi; but he

also held in check the Christians, who were labouring to extend their conquests in the territories of Murcia, making repeated incursions on their frontiers, and doing them incalculable injury. But one night, as the general thus sallied forth with a strong force of cavalry to protect the frontier from an expected onslaught of the Infidel and of the rebels of Beni Giomail, who were infesting the confines of Uklis, he was compelled to make his way through a narrow pass commanded by heights which were in the hands of the foe. Here his people were assailed by flights of arrows and vast masses of stone, which the enemy cast down on them from above; when the General Aben Ayadh was so grievously wounded by an arrow, that he lived only one day after receiving that wound, having passed to the mercy of Allah on Giuma, the 22nd of Rebie Primera, in the year 542.

The cavaliers by whom he was accompanied took heavy vengeance for his death, but they had no other consolation. They carried his body, carefully embalmed and enclosed in a precious casket, to Valencia, where he was interred with much pomp, all the city making great lamentation for his loss, and the people accompanying his body to the tomb with tears of sincere regret, seeing that Muhamad Aben Ayadh was in truth an excellent governor, and one who potently protected his frontiers: he was besides most liberal to all men, and generous in the extreme: the time of his rule was two years, nine months, and twenty days.

The inhabitants of Valencia then proclaimed Abu Abdallah Mohamad Ben Sad for their Wali, as Aben Ayadh had declared that they should do; and in Murcia, likewise, the people received the Naib of Aben Ayadh to be their Wali, so soon as they received intelligence of their previous ruler's death. This man, even Aly Ben Obeidallah Abul Hassan, had indeed been already entrusted with the government of the city by Muhamad Aben Ayadh himself, who had given him charge of the place at his own departure for the campaign of Uklis. Aly Ben Obeidallah therefore remained in the government until the arrival at Murcia of Mohamad Ben Sad El Gazami Aben Mardanis, which event · occurred at the end of the moon Giumada Segunda. Then

the new Wali, Aly Ben Obeidallah, went forth to meet El Gazami, and said, "My lord, thou knowest that it is by thy means I have obtained this city, and for thee have I held it; thine it is, wherefore do thou enter and take possession." Thereupon Abu Abdullah Muhamad Ben Sad was proclaimed with all solemnity.*

The son-in-law of Abu Abdallah, even the Lord of Segura, Aben Hemsek, then came to visit and salute him with due deference. He was the Naib of his father-in-law in Valencia, and Abu Abdallah placed much confidence in his ability as well as integrity. The festivities, which had been very magnificent, having terminated, Abu Abdallah returned to Valencia, leaving his son-in-law, Aben Hemshek, to be Wali of Murcia; and the latter appointed the General Aben Suar to the government of Segura, which he held for Aben Hemshek. The departure of Abu Abdallah Aben Sad from Murcia took place in the moon of Regeb, in that same year of 542.

CHAP. XLI.-OF THE CONQUESTS WHICH THE CHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO MAKE IN THE TERRITORY OF THE MOSLEMAH; OF THE VICTORIES OBTAINED BY THE ALMOHADES IN AFRICA; AND OF THE WONDERFUL MACHINES THAT WERE MADE AT THIS TIME.

THE Christians were now powerfully aided by the alliances they had contracted with certain leaders of the Moslemah themselves, and were thus enabled to wrong the latter with the greater facility. Connected with the party of Aben Gania and the malcontents of Murcia, they were likewise in alliance with the partizans of the house of Aben Hud, and therefore found no difficulty in crossing the frontier, which they did with a numerous army, destroying the products of the fields and carrying off the flocks of the inhabitants, until they arrived on the confines of Almeria, marking their path by the desolation they left behind

them.

There came as chief of the Christians the Embalatur

That ceremony took place on the first day of Giumada Primera not Segunda, in the year 542.-Condé.

Alfonso himself, and the host led was such as to cover plain and mountain; nor did all the founts and rivers suffice them for drink, while the whole product of the land was insufficient to maintain the hordes of infantry and cavalry then following the banners of the Christian sovereign.

The Consul Ferdilando of Gallicia was also a general of the Infidels on that occasion, as were the Count Radmir, the Count Armengudi, and other rulers from Afranc, as well as from the remaining frontier lines of the Infidel. Count Raymond also came, arriving by sea with numerous ships, and the Christian bands invested the city of Almeria by land and water, so that nothing but eagles could enter therein. Then the Moslemah, who wanted provisions, after having sustained a siege of three months, and perceiving no hope of succour from any part, began to think of surrendering the place on such conditions as they could obtain, seeing that they had lost the flower of their cavalry in the frequent sallies which they had made, and there no longer remained in the city men capable of defending the place: they resigned it to the Embalatur accordingly at the close of the year 542, having received assurance of safety for their lives.

It is true that the General Aben Gania, who had caused all these misfortunes by his alliances with the Infidel, had sought to mitigate the sufferings of the people, whose lands he had devastated, and whose towns he had taken, by the benefits of various kinds which he conferred upon them. Thus he had left such officers of Abu Giafar Ben Hamdain's party as were acceptable to the inhabitants in the governments they occupied, permitting his Alcaydes to retain the fortresses which they had held for Abu Giafar Ben Hamdain, as he did in respect of Abul Casim Achib Ben Edris of Ronda, the former secretary of Abu Giafar Ben Hamdain, and who had been his Almoxarife* in Cordova, ever serving his lord with much ability, as well as loyalty and good faith.

But Abul Casim Ben Edris did not long retain the government of his native city of Ronda, since the Alcayde of Arcos, Abul Hamri, who had not gone over to the party

Almoxarife: Lieutenant.