were supposed to be more particularly favourable to the Alameries, and besieged several strong towns which held for that party.

Hairan, for his part, had meanwhile retired to the territory of Jaen, and assembling the banners of the towns in that region, he formed a league with them, when they agreed to proclaim the Wali of Jaen, who was an illustrious cavalier of the house of Omeya, the lawful king of Spain. This was Abderahman Ben Muhamad Ben Abdelmelic Ben Abderahman Anasir, called Almortadi and Abul Motaraf, a virtuous man, who possessed vast riches, was of a liberal as well as upright mind, and had secured the love of all that land by the excellencies of his character. The name alone of that cavalier, who was the great-grandson of Abderahman the Great, lent a powerful impulse to the party of the Alameries. The towns and people of those mountain regions proclaimed him their king and lord with acclamations of gladness: and Hairan the Sclavonian, with all the Alcaides and Alameries then present, took the oath of fidelity and obedience to his rule: the only person who excused himself, under various suppositions and pretences, was El Sanhagi, Wali of Granada and Elvira.

CHAP. CXI.-OF ABDERAHMAN ALMORTADI.

THE Proclamation of Abderahman, the fifth of that name in the house of the Omeyas of Spain, with the oath of allegiance taken by his people, was celebrated in the city of Jaen with much solemnity and with many demonstrations of public gladness. Abderahman appointed the Selavonian Hairan to be Hagib of his house and state, when the latter convoked the Walies of the cities in his master's name, causing them to assemble troops, with which he marched against the forces of King Aly Ben Hamud.

The two hosts met near Baza, and an obstinate battle ensued, when the army led by Gilfeya conquered, and Hairan Alameri was compelled to retire. He then withdrew

from fortress to fortress, being under the necessity of sustaining a skirmishing fight at every movement.

In one of these combats the Sclavonian general was severely wounded, and his cavaliers being dispersed, he was fain to conceal himself in a remote quarter of Baza, when his soldiers, believing him to be dead or a prisoner, returned to Jaen much discouraged and very sad at the loss of their leader. But after the lapse of a few days, the Sclavonian found means to inform King Abderahman and his cavaliers of his safety; and this intelligence caused them to rejoice greatly, since they had already given him up for lost. The king sent a body of troops to serve as his guard, and these being joined by others from his own city of Almeria, they bore him to that place almost as it were in triumph. He was then immediately surrounded by a great concourse of Selavonians and Alameries, the Alcaides of Denia, Tadmir, and Jativa, also repairing to Almeria, each with his respective banners.

Through the whole extent of eastern Spain the Chotba had now been made for the King Abderahman Almortadi, and all the people of those districts prepared to restore the house of Omeya to the throne of Cordova, being resolved to drive thence the usurper Aly Ben Hamud. The fame of this resolve, and the proclamation of Abderahman, were soon carried through all the provinces of the realm, when the people declared for him in every part. Valencia, Tortosa, Tarragona, and Saragossa, all proclaimed themselves of his party, and the Walies of those provinces sent in their letters of allegiance.

This caused much anxiety to the King Aly Ben Hamud, and he despatched his most carefully selected cavalry to his general Saib of Sanhaga, whom he had appointed Wali of Granada and Elvira, commanding him to press on the war against King Abderahman and his partizans with the utmost constancy. There were, indeed, many who gave their wishes to that king, but they did not all proceed with equal zeal and courage thus the number who gathered round his banners was not large, and the principal part of his strength was in the number of his cities.

Gilfeya and the Wali of Granada and Elvira were meanwhile infesting the territories and Comarcas of Jaen, in

fulfillment of the commands of their lord, while King Abderahman, with his followers, secured themselves in the mountain region of the Alpujarras, and in the strong position of Jaen itself, the city and fortress, that is to say. King Aly Ben Hamud marched in person, with a powerful army, against the Sclavonian Hairan, whom he attacked and besieged in Almeria. After a stubborn resistance he took that city by storm. Hairan fell pierced by many lances as he fought in defence of the place, and so grievously wounded as to be almost dead, was borne to the presence of the conqueror, the Alcazar having surrendered on conditions, and because its defenders were acting in the conviction that their leader had already expired. Almost senseless from loss of blood, the Sclavonian was placed before Ben Hamud, when the latter, forgetting the good service he had formerly received at the hands of the vanquished general, cut off the head of him who had but a few moments to breathe, with his own sword. Then, having taken measures for securing the city of Almeria, Aly returned to Cordova, content with his triumph, and believing that all the discords of the country would soon be at an end, since the restless and rebellious Hairan was at length dead.

In this year of 408, and on Tuesday, the 9th of the moon Xaban, there died at Cordova, which was his native place, the Cadi of Ecija, Suleiman Ben Chalaf, called Aben Gamron. He lived in the Chandac of the Aragegila suburb, and prayed in the mosque of Almonthir: his remains were buried with great pomp in the Macbora or cemetery of Om Salema, and the prayer was made for him by the Cadi Junor Ben Abdallah.

Even in the city of Cordova, and in his own Alcazar, King Aly Ben Hamud had many enemies, all of whom were more or less zealous partizans of the King Abderahman Almortadi. The same might be said of Seville, and through all Spain the nobles were for the most part on the side of Abderahman. Yet was Aly Ben Hamud not discouraged, but was constantly employed in preparing himself for the continuance of the struggle; and having despatched a large part of his forces to join the generals Gilfeya and El Sanhagi, in the district of Granada, he was now himself on

the point of setting forth to join them, in the hope of putting an end to the war. It was the intention of Aly to attack the city of Jaen, where King Abderahman made his residence, with all his forces, and everything was made ready for that purpose; the baggage train and guards of the king had even passed the gates of the city, and halted only to wait for his arrival; when, before leaving Cordova, King Aly entered his apartments to take a bath. There, the Sclavonians who attended him having been won to their cause, as is supposed, by the Alameries then in Cordova, seized the unfortunate Aly, and wickedly drowned their lord while thus helpless in their hands.

Such was the unhappy end of the King Aly Ben Hamud. His death took place in the moon of Dylcada, of the year 408.

Aly Ben Hamud was in the 45th year of his age when he thus died; he was tall of stature, and of handsome person; his eyes were black, he was slight and spare of figure, and a man of severe and virtuous life, but very cruel to his enemies. He was King of Cordova one year and nine months. His death was publicly reported to be an accident or natural misfortune, and so did his guards and more trustworthy servants believe it to be. God alone knows all things.

CHAP. CXII.-OF ALCASIM BEN HAMUD, BROTHER OF ALY.

THE Generals of King Aly's guards, and all the followers of that prince, proclaimed his brother Alcasim Ben Hamud, Lord of Algezira Alhadra, as King of Spain; and this they did in Cordova with one accord, going through all the streets to make public his inauguration, and calling him El Manun. The event of his brother's death was made known to Alcasim with incredible rapidity, and he hastened to the capital followed by a force of four thousand horsemen, insomuch that his enemies had not time to impede his entrance or excite any movement against him; wherefore many of the nobles of Cordova saw themselves compelled

to swear allegiance to him and became his followers in their own despite.

One of the earliest cares of Alcasim was to command a rigid investigation to be made into the cause of his brother's death. The Sclavonians who had served him in his bath were subjected to unheard-of tortures, and in the midst of these they confessed that they had murdered the king to satisfy the vengeance of certain among the Alameries and others, whom the cruelties of Aly Ben Hamud had made his enemies.

And now, although these Sclavonians did not name any particular person, yet Alcasim Ben Hamud caused many of the nobles to be put to death without any other proof of guilt than the presumption that they were his brother's enemies, arising from the fact that he had punished or put to death other nobles who were their kinsmen.

All men now feared Alcasim, and trembled in his presence, the principal families of the city being those most heavily oppressed. Many cavaliers fled the capital, and passed over to King Abderahman Almortadi, insomuch that the vengeance taken by Alcasim Ben Hamud enriched the party of his rival by the addition of many powerful nobles to his banners. The reports of certain victories gained by the people of Jaen over the Wali of Granada also came at this time to increase the hopes of those who were attached to the family of Omeya, while they augmented the fears and distrust of the followers of the Hamudes in equal proportion.

When the news of Aly Ben Hamud's death reached Cebta, his son Yahye passed instantly into Spain with such forces as he could collect on the spur of the moment, leaving orders that numerous bands of cavalry should follow him to support what he called his rights; Yahye Ben Aly pretending that the succession to the throne of Spain belonged to him. Now that prince formed a large part of his army from cavalry of the Negros of Sus, a ferocious people long inured to war; and this body of barbarian youth had departed from Africa, swearing to crown their leader in Cordova, or to die fighting in his cause. With these troops came many valiant Moorish and Alara