THE CITY OF THE MOOR 17 



capital. There were popular rejoicings, but 

 the wiser Moors shook their heads and predicted 

 that the ruins of Zahara would fall upon their 

 own city. 



The fiery chivalry of Andalusia were not slow 

 to retaliate. Two months after the capture of 

 Zahara, the more important Grenadine strong- 

 hold of Alhama was taken by storm by the forces 

 of the Marquis of Cadiz. The news produced 

 the utmost consternation in Granada. Abu-1- 

 Hassan at once set out with 53,000 men, and 

 invested the place. Ferdinand the Catholic, 

 who had now conceived the idea of reducing 

 the whole kingdom of Granada, hurried to 

 its relief ; but he had only reached Lucena 

 when tidings arrived of the raising of the siege 

 by the Marquis's hereditary foe, the Duke of 

 Medina Sidonia. Abu-1-Hassan returned to the 

 attack a few weeks later, and Ferdinand resumed 

 his advance, before which the Moors retired. 

 The Catholic sovereigns made their triumphal 

 entry into Alhama on May 14, 1482. 



Great preparations were made throughout 

 Castile and Aragon for the prosecution of the 

 war, but the army actually assembled before 

 Loja on July i 16,000 men fell far short of 

 Ferdinand's requirements and expectations. The 

 town was ably defended by one of the bravest 

 Moorish chieftains, Ali Atar, who repulsed the 



B 



