22 GRANADA 



There remained now, of all the Moorish do- 

 minions in Europe, but the single city of Granada, 

 of which Mohammed XII., Boabdil, was at last 

 undisputed sovereign. He formed the manly 

 resolution to sell his hard-won crown as dearly 

 as possible. He sallied from Granada, took 

 Alhendin and Marchena by assault, and laid 

 waste the country in possession of the Christians. 

 Summoned by Ferdinand and Isabel to surrender 

 the city in accordance with an alleged treaty, 

 he replied, and probably with truth, that his 

 proud and exasperated subjects would not permit 

 him to do so. The population of Granada was 

 swollen by refugees from all parts of the kingdom 

 to thrice its normal figure. The Spanish king 

 perceived that the surest method to reduce it 

 was by blockade. With 20,000 men, including 

 some of the first chivalry of all Europe, he entered 

 the Vega, and built the town of Santa Fe, almost 

 at the gates of the threatened city. This per- 

 manent establishment of the Infidels on their 

 native soil plunged the Moors into profound 

 gloom. No ray of hope remained to the unfor- 

 tunate Boabdil. The city endured the horrors of 

 a famine. The Spanish fleet precluded all hope 

 of supplies from Africa, towards which country 

 the wretched people still turned in expectation of 

 help. The negotiations for the capitulation which 

 the Sultan most reluctantly entered upon in 



