aggressions of the Sevillian monarch; and although his resources were heavily taxed by the circumstance of his being frequently called on to repress the rebellious attempts of many rebel Alcaydes in various parts of his dependencies, he yet never lost any part of the dominions

he had inherited.

But the state of things here described prevented this prince from employing his arms against the Infidels, seeing that he was ever occupied in defending himself against those ambitious Moslemah, who, disregarding what ought to have been the common cause, concerned themselves only with what they believed to be their own particular interests. King Badis Ben Habus associated in his government, and declared his successor, his nephew, Abdallah Ben Balkin Ben Badis, a youth of admirable qualities, who was the delight of his people as he was the terror of his enemies, although but in the flower of his age.

Now it chanced about this time, that Taira, the daughter of the King of Seville, a princess of unequalled beauty and admirable grace, was seized with an ardent fever while still in the bloom of her spring; and, despite all the efforts of her physicians, she expired in the arms of her father, who doated on her with an inordinate love. The pain and grief which this event caused to Muhamad Ben Muhamad Ben Ismail were so great that he too was attacked by fever and trembling, accompanied by great confusion of the head and perpetual faintings: these were followed by profound stupor and melancholy. The sick man could obtain no sleep, he was at length unable to move his eyes, and thus partially paralysed, he then looked like a mere statue. The physicians feared his death, and applied stimulants, by which the vitality of their patient was to a certain extent restored, when the pains of his condition appeared to be alleviated.

He desired that his daughter should be interred before the entrance of his palace, and would not be dissuaded from beholding the pomp of her burial. The coffin of the princess was borne to her place of rest by the most important of her father's servants; and in despite of all that his physicians could urge to the contrary, Muhamad insisted on being conveyed to a window from which he could see the procession. The funeral ceremonies took place on the evening of a cer

tain Juma, in the moon of Giumada Primera; and the grief of the king as he saw the child of his love borne to her grave caused all the worst symptoms of his malady to return.

The stupor and melancholy from which he had been in some degree aroused now recurred: inflammation succeeded : the physicians employed all such means as their science suggested; but, although some slight alleviation of suffering was obtained, these remedies did not produce essential improvement. It is true that on the morrow of that unhappy Juma he was a little better, but towards the evening of Saturday, which was the day on which God had decreed that his agonies should find an end, the fever increased: Muhamad lost the power of speech, and at midnight his spirit returned to the mercy of God. At that moment there rose up a dolorous cry in his Alcazar; and through all the city the lamentations of his slaves and household made themselves heard.

The death of Muhamad Aben Abed took place between the Saturday and Sunday, which was the 2nd* day of the moon of Giumada Primera, in the year 461. The mournful event could not be concealed, and on the following day the Xuhudes and ministers of the king's council offered the oath of allegiance to his son, Prince Muha Maun Ben Muhamad Almutamed, who was then twenty-nine years, two months, and some days old. He was proclaimed, and led through the streets of the city on horseback by the principal Xeques and the generals of the army, who called him Adafir Almuyad Billah, with other august titles of good omen.

The new king caused the funeral ceremonies of his father to be performed with great magnificence, and commanded that he should be laid in the tomb of his grandfather, which was beneath the entrance of the Alcazar. The Cadi Muhamad Ben Ismail made the oration for him in the Aljama on that same evening of Sunday, the 3rd day of Giumada Primera, which was the night following that on which Aben Abed had given to God an account of his sins. He was fifty-seven years, three months, and seven days old at the time of his death, having been born on a Tuesday, seven days before the commencement of the moon Safar, in the

* Abu Meruan Ben Hayan says the 6th.—Condé.

year 407. His reign had endured twenty-eight years and two days.

This sovereign was the most powerful ruler in all Spain at that time of Alfitna or civil war: he was magnificent in his tastes and habits, but ambitious and voluptuous to an inordinate degree: he was moreover superstitious, timid, and cruel. He had earnestly exhorted his son to be on his guard against the Lamtunies or Almoravides, and recommended him to make himself master of, and carefully preserve, those two keys of Spain, Gebaltaric* and Algezira; but above all to gather into his own hands and unite into one empire, the divided provinces of Spain: all which, as Aben Abed did not scruple to affirm, belonged to him as Lord of Cordova.

CHAP. VI.-WAR BETWEEN THE KINGS OF TOLEDO AND SEVILLE. EACH PARTY CALLS IN THE AID OF THE CHRISTIANS.

7

THE new king, Muhamad Almoatemed Aben Abed, did not permit the councils of his father to be forgotten: still in the best of his youth, brave as well as prudent, he was not cruel and sanguinary as his father had been, though resembling that sovereign in his magnificence, and in the liberality with which he stimulated the zeal of all whom he took into his service. In the height of prosperity, and when crowned by victory, Almoatemed Aben Abed still displayed a praiseworthy moderation: he restored to their homes all those whom the cruelty of his father had expatriated, and thus gained the hearts of many grateful subjects: the sole reproach uttered against him was that he displayed but little regard for religion. It was also the custom of this monarch to drink wine, which he used most especially in the time of war: and when they were about to enter the battle he permitted the forbidden beverage to all his people. Aben Abed was endowed with an excellent genius for poetry and com> posing verses, in which he competed with his friend MoezDaula, King of Almeria: but both those princes were

equally protectors of learning and the patrons of learned

men.

At this time there also died the Lord of Azahila, Abu Muhamad Huzeil Aben Racin, known as Aben Aslai. He was succeeded in his states by his brother, Abdelmalec Ben Chalf Abu Meruan, who was careful to continue in alliance with the powerful King of Toledo, Ismail Ben Dylnoun. That prince had no sooner heard of the death of Aben Abed, King of Seville, than he determined to try his fortune against the son of the departed monarch; and, with the troops which he had gathered from Valencia and Santamaria of the East, he made his way into the territories of Murcia and Tadmir, whose Walies, Abu Becar Aben Amer and Ahmed Ben Taher, had entered into an alliance with the King of Seville against Valencia and Toledo. But while he thus fell on the lands of Murcia and Tadmir with a powerful host, Almamun Aben Ismail Ben Dylnoun called for aid from the Christian people of Gallicia and Castille; who came to his assistance accordingly with a carefully selected body of cavalry.

Thus assailed, the Walies, Abu Becar and Aben Taher, wrote to their ally the King of Seville, entreating him to send them succour; seeing that they could not sustain the assault of the Toledan alone, since he was advancing against them with a very powerful host. To these letters the King of Seville, who was then much occupied by his wars with Malaga and Granada, replied by despatching his general and intimate friend, the crafty Aben Omar, of Sombos, with exact instructions as to the line of policy which he was to maintain in the assistance he was about to render, and in the general conduct of the war. Aben Omar thereupon departed from Seville, leading a vast force of cavalry, with two hundred camels, and other beasts of burthen beyond count. He left the city by the gate called Bab Macarena, but remained immediately in front of the same four days before his final departure; after which time he unfurled his banners, sounded his trumpets, and set forth for the land of Tadmir, gathering both troops and provisions along the whole line of his march.

In Murcia, Aben Omar was entertained in the house of Aben Taher, where he received the visits of the principal

inhabitants of the city, to whom he made so many promises and gave so much encouragement, that he left them full of confidence. His abode in Murcia was not extended beyond two days; but before his departure he obtained from Aben Taher ten thousand doubloons of gold, for the purpose of completing negociations with Ben Raymond, Lord of Barcelona, towards which city it was that Aben Omar then took his

way.

The Sevillian leader was received with much distinction by Raymond, the Barcelonian, and the eonvention between them was quickly made. The amount of succour to be furnished by the Lord of Barcelona being determined on the day when the force of Ben Raymond took the field Aben Omar paid him the ten thousand doubloons of gold which he had received from Aben Taher, with a promise of as much more when the Christian host should arrive in Murcia.

It was furthermore decided, for the greater security of both parties, that hostages should be given on either side, when the Lord of Barcelona sent the cousin of his son to accompany the army of Aben Omar, while the last-named general consigned to the hospitality of Ben Raymond a young prince, the son of his master, the King of Seville, who was called Raxid Ben Abed, promising at the same time that a force of Sevillians, equal to the army furnished by Raymond the Barcelonese, should take the field with the troops of that leader.

Aben Omar then wrote letters which he despatched to his lord by the hands of Ben Raymond's cousin, and wherein he requested the King of Seville to send his son and his people as had been agreed; whereupon Raymond commenced his march forthwith, having placed himself at the head of a brilliant body of cavalry, wherewith he set forth towards Murcia.

Arrived in that territory, he was there instantly joined by the forces of the King of Seville, with whom was the son of that monarch, even Raxid Ben Abed, who at once passed over to the Christian camp, where he remained as a hostage with the King Ben Raymond. Aben Omar then took the command of his master's troops, which were not very numerous, but with which he nevertheless proceeded towards Murcia. They found that city surrounded by the forces of