8 GRANADA 



the palace, and announced that Abu-1-Walid 

 was recovering from his wounds. The royal 

 order was that all present should take the 

 oath to the boy-prince, Muley Mohammed Ben 

 Ismail, as successor to the kingdom. When this 

 command had been obeyed, the wily Wizir 

 announced the death of Abu-1-Walid and the 

 accession of Mohammed IV. This was in the 

 year 1325. 



When he had freed himself from the control of 

 an unpopular regent, the young Sultan displayed 

 qualities of heart and mind in no way inferior to 

 those of his progenitors. It must be admitted 

 that Arab historians have been somewhat too 

 partial to this line of kings, for there is hardly 

 one who is not described more or less explicitly 

 as a paragon of all the virtues. Mohammed IV. 

 had to fight hard to hold his own against the 

 Spaniards on one side and the Africans on the 

 other. He took Gibraltar, and lost it again to 

 Abu-1-Hasan of Fez. But the African king was 

 soon after obliged to ask his help to hold the 

 fortress against the Christians. Mohammed 

 generously responded to the appeal, fell like 

 a thunderbolt upon the Spanish camp, and raised 

 the siege. He was ill repaid. In August 1333, 

 he was imprudent enough to reproach his African 

 allies with their inability to hold the fortress ; 

 and a day or two later, having sent his army 



