CALIPHS OF SPAIN. 51 



tyranny, and the negligence of the last princes of 

 the house, lost them the conquests which had been 

 won by the valour of their ancestors, and were the 

 causes of this fine kingdom passing into other hands. 

 Lieutenants and viziers rebelled, and aspired to inde- 

 pendent rule. The Caliph Hesliam was deposed by 

 the army, and with him was finally extinguished the 

 power of the Spanish Ommiades (A. D. 1036). 



Their downfall became the signal for feuds and 

 contentions ; usurpers divided the sovereignty among 

 themselves, and there arose as many dynasties as 

 there were principal towais. Malaga, Algesiras, 

 Cordova, Toledo, Seville, Jaen, Lisbon, Tortosa, 

 Badajos, Saragossa, Valencia, Murcia, Almeria, 

 Denia, and the Balearic Isles, had each its separate 

 king and government. In consequence of their 

 mutual jealousies, frequent wars, massacres, and 

 intestine commotions, these petty monarchs either 

 fell a prey to each other, or were gradually subdued 

 by the ancient possessors of the country. The 

 little province of Granada alone maintained its inde- 

 pendence, reinforced by subsidies from Africa and 

 the fugitive Moslems from the cities conquered by 

 the Christians. For nearly three centuries it con- 

 tinued to increase in population, wealth, and power ; 

 and was governed by the laws and religion of Mo- 

 hammed, until it was finally destroyed by the arms 

 of Ferdinand and Isabella, whose fortunate marriage 

 imited the crowns of Castile and Arragon, and an- 

 nexed to their dominions all the inferior principali- 

 ties of the kingdom. Thousands of the zealous and 

 conscientious followers of the Arabian Prophet were 

 put to the sword or driven into exile, and the more 

 timid compelled to a nominal acknowledgment of 

 the gospel. The surrender of Granada, after ten 

 years of incessant fighting, terminated the dominion 

 of the Moors in Spain, which had endured 778 years, 

 and engaged the Christians in 3700 battles. '"' This 

 great triumph of our holy Catholic faith," says the 



