i 4 GRANADA 



anticipated inevitable assassination by dying 

 after sixteen months of authority ; and for the 

 third time, Mohammed VIII. was proclaimed 

 at Granada (1432). Hostilities with Castile 

 were at once renewed. This time the fortune 

 of war was with the Moors, who routed their 

 opponents at Illora, Archidona, and Castril. 

 But Mohammed VIII. 's star was never long in the 

 ascendant. He quarrelled with the powerful 

 family of the Abencerrages ; and, deprived of 

 their support, was finally expelled from his 

 kingdom, by his kinsman, Aben Osmin.* The 

 usurper was victorious over the Christians and 

 took several strongholds, but his army suffered 

 at last a bloody defeat at Alporchones. This 

 reverse seems to have maddened Osmin, who 

 henceforward conducted himself as a tyrant of 

 the old Roman type. Revolutions had now 

 become as frequent in Granada as in some South 

 American states. The usurper ran his brief 

 career, and was then forced to make room for 

 Mohammed VIII. 's cousin Said. Granada was 

 all for peace. Tribute was paid to Enrique IV. 

 of Castile, Christian captives released all in 

 vain. The intermittent warfare went on as before. 

 Jaen, Archidona, Gibraltar, were lost, despite 

 the desperate valour of the Prince, Muley Hassan, 

 and of the Chieftain, Ibrahim, who, on being 



* Known as Mohammed"* X. 



