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reader。

ALHAMAR

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Alhamar。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Founder　of　the　Alhambra。



　　THE　Moors　of　Granada　regarded　the　Alhambra　as　a　miracle　of　art；

and　had　a　tradition　that　the　king　who　founded　it　dealt　in　magic；　or　at

least　in　alchemy；　by　means　whereof　he　procured　the　immense　sums　of

gold　expended　in　its　erection。　A　brief　view　of　his　reign　will　show　the

secret　of　his　wealth。　He　is　known　in　Arabian　history　as　Muhamed

Ibn…l…Ahmar；　but　his　name　in　general　is　written　simply　Alhamar；　and

was　given　to　him；　we　are　told；　on　account　of　his　ruddy　complexion。*



　　*　Et　porque　era　muy　rubio　llamaban　lo　los　Moros　Abenalhamar；　que

quiere　decir　bermejo。。。　et　porque　los　Moros　lo　llamaban　Benalhamar　que

quiere　decir　bermejo　tomo　los　senales　bermejos；　segun　que　los

ovieron　desputes　los　Reyes　de　Granada。…　BLEDA；　Cronica　de　Alfonso　XI。

　　＇And　because　his　complexion　was　very　ruddy　the　Moors　called　him

Abenalhamar；　which　means　〃vermilion〃。。。　and　because　the　Moors　called

him　Benalhamar；　which　means　vermilion；　he　took　bright　red　for　his

insignia；　just　as　the　Kings　of　Granada　have　done　ever　since。＇



　　He　was　of　the　noble　and　opulent　line　of　the　Beni　Nasar；　or　tribe

of　Nasar；　and　was　born　in　Arjona；　in　the　year　of　the　Hegira　592　（A。　D。

1195）。　At　his　birth　the　astrologers；　we　are　told；　cast　his　horoscope

according　to　Oriental　custom；　and　pronounced　it　highly　auspicious；　and

a　santon　predicted　for　him　a　glorious　career。　No　expense　was　spared　in

fitting　him　for　the　high　destinies　prognosticated。　Before　he

attained　the　full　years　of　manhood；　the　famous　battle　of　the　Navas　（or

plains）　of　Tolosa　shattered　the　Moorish　empire；　and　eventually　severed

the　Moslems　of　Spain　from　the　Moslems　of　Africa。　Factions　soon　arose

among　the　former；　headed　by　warlike　chiefs；　ambitious　of　grasping

the　sovereignty　of　the　Peninsula。　Alhamar　became　engaged　in　these

wars；　he　was　the　general　and　leader　of　the　Beni　Nasar；　and；　as　such；

he　opposed　and　thwarted　the　ambition　of　Aben　Hud；　who　had　raised　his

standard　among　the　warlike　mountains　of　the　Alpuxarras；　and　been

proclaimed　king　of　Murcia　and　Granada。　Many　conflicts　took　place

between　these　warring　chieftains；　Alhamar　dispossessed　his　rival　of

several　important　places；　and　was　proclaimed　king　of　Jaen　by　his

soldiery；　but　he　aspired　to　the　sovereignty　of　the　whole　of　Andalusia；

for　he　was　of　a　sanguine　spirit　and　lofty　ambition。　His　valor　and

generosity　went　hand　in　hand；　what　he　gained　by　the　one　he　secured

by　the　other；　and　at　the　death　of　Aben　Hud　（A。　D。　1238）；　he　became

sovereign　of　all　the　territories　which　owned　allegiance　to　that

powerful　chief　He　made　his　formal　entry　into　Granada　in　the　same　year；

amid　the　enthusiastic　shouts　of　the　multitude；　who　hailed　him　as　the

only　one　capable　of　uniting　the　various　factions　which　prevailed；

and　which　threatened　to　lay　the　empire　at　the　mercy　of　the　Christian

princes。

　　Alhamar　established　his　court　in　Granada；　he　was　the　first　of　the

illustrious　line　of　Nasar　that　sat　upon　a　throne。　He　took　immediate

measures　to　put　his　little　kingdom　in　a　posture　of　defence　against　the

assaults　to　be　expected　from　his　Christian　neighbors；　repairing　and

strengthening　the　frontier　posts　and　fortifying　the　capital。　Not

content　with　the　provisions　of　the　Moslem　law；　by　which　every　man　is

made　a　soldier；　he　raised　a　regular　army　to　garrison　his　strong…holds；

allowing　every　soldier　stationed　on　the　frontier　a　portion　of　land　for

the　support　of　himself；　his　horse；　and　his　family；　thus　interesting

him　in　the　defence　of　the　soil　in　which　he　had　a　property。　These

wise　precautions　were　justified　by　events。　The　Christians；　profiting

by　the　dismemberment　of　the　Moslem　power；　were　rapidly　regaining　their

ancient　territories。　James　the　Conqueror　had　subjected　all　Valencia；

and　Ferdinand　the　Saint　sat　down　in　person　before　Jaen；　the　bulwark　of

Granada。　Alhamar　ventured　to　oppose　him　in　open　field；　but　met　with

a　signal　defeat；　and　retired　discomfited　to　his　capital。　Jaen　still

held　out；　and　kept　the　enemy　at　bay　during　an　entire　winter；　but

Ferdinand　swore　not　to　raise　his　camp　until　he　had　gained　possession

of　the　place。　Alhamar　found　it　impossible　to　throw　reinforcements　into

the　besieged　city；　he　saw　that　its　fall　must　be　followed　by　the

investment　of　his　capital；　and　was　conscious　of　the　insufficiency　of

his　means　to　cope　with　the　potent　sovereign　of　Castile。　Taking　a

sudden　resolution；　therefore；　he　repaired　privately　to　the　Christian

camp；　made　his　unexpected　appearance　in　the　presence　of　King

Ferdinand；　and　frankly　announced　himself　as　the　king　of　Granada。　〃I

come；〃　said　he；　〃confiding　in　your　good　faith；　to　put　myself　under

your　protection。　Take　all　I　possess　and　receive　me　as　your　vassal〃；　so

saying；　he　knelt　and　kissed　the　king's　hand　in　token　of　allegiance。

　　Ferdinand　was　won　by　this　instance　of　confiding　faith；　and

determined　not　to　be　outdone　in　generosity。　He　raised　his　late　enemy

from　the　earth；　embraced　him　as　a　friend；　and；　refusing　the　wealth

he　offered；　left　him　sovereign　of　his　dominions；　under　the　feudal

tenure　of　a　yearly　tribute；　attendance　at　the　Cortes　as　one　of　the

nobles　of　the　empire；　and　service　in　war　with　a　certain　number　of

horsemen。　He　moreover　conferred　on　him　the　honor　of　knighthood；　and

armed　him　with　his　own　hands。

　　It　was　not　long　after　this　that　Alhamar　was　called　upon；　for　his

military　services；　to　aid　King　Ferdinand　in　his　famous　siege　of

Seville。　The　Moorish　king　sallied　forth　with　five　hundred　chosen

horsemen　of　Granada；　than　whom　none　in　the　world　knew　better　how　to

manage　the　steed　or　wield　the　lance。　It　was　a　humiliating　service；

however；　for　they　had　to　draw　the　sword　against　their　brethren　of

the　faith。

　　Alhamar　gained　a　melancholy　distinction　by　his　prowess　in　this

renowned　conquest；　but　more　true　honor　by　the　humanity　which　he

prevailed　upon　Ferdinand　to　introduce　into　the　usages　of　war。　When

in　1248　the　famous　city　of　Seville　surrendered　to　the　Castilian

monarch；　Alhamar　returned　sad　and　full　of　care　to　his　dominions。　He

saw　the　gathering　ills　that　menaced　the　Moslem　cause；　and　uttered　an

ejaculation　often　used　by　him　in　moments　of　anxiety　and　trouble…

〃How　straitened　and　wretched　would　be　our　life；　if　our　hope　were　not

so　spacious　and　extensive。〃　〃Que　angosta　y　miserable　seria　nuestra

vida；　sino　fuera　tan　dilatada　y　espaciosa　nuestra　esperanza！〃

　　As　he　approached　Granada　on　his　return　he　beheld　arches　of　triumph

which　had　been　erected　in　honor　of　his　martial　exploits。　The　people

thronged　forth　to　see　him　with　impatient　joy；　for　his　benignant　rule

had　won　all　hearts。　Wherever　he　passed　he　was　hailed　with　acclamations

as　〃El　Ghalib！〃　（the　conqueror）。　Alhamar　gave　a　melancholy　shake　of

the　head　on　hearing　the　appellation。　〃Wa　le　ghalib　il　Allah！〃

（〃There　is　no　conqueror　but　God！〃）；　exclaimed　he。　From　that　time

forward　this　exclamation　became　his　motto；　and　the　motto　of　his

descendants；　and　appears　to　this　day　emblazoned　on　his　escutcheons

in　the　halls　of　the　Alhambra。

　　Alhamar　had　purchased　peace　by　submission　to　the　Christian　yoke；　but

he　was　conscious　that；　with　elements　so　discordant　and　motives　for

hostility　so　deep　and　ancient；　it　could　not　be　permanent。　Acting；

therefore；　upon　the　old　maxim；　〃arm　thyself　in　peace　and　clothe

thyself　in　summer；〃　he　improved　the　present　interval　of　tranquillity

by　fortifying　his　dominions；　replenishing　his　arsenals；　and

promoting　those　useful　arts　which　give　wealth　and　real　power。　He

confided　the　command　of　his　various　cities　to　such　as　had

distinguished　themselves　by　valor　and　prudence；　and　who　seemed　most

acceptable　to　the　people。　He　organized　a　vigilant　police；　and

established　rigid　rules　for　the　administration　of　justice。　The　poor

and　the　distressed　always　found　ready　admission　to　his　presence；　and

he　attended　personally　to　their　assistance　and　redress。　He　erected

hospitals　for　the　blind；　the　aged；　and　infirm；　and　all　those　incapable

of　labor；　and　visited　them　frequently；　not　on　set　days　with　pomp　and

form；　so　as　to　give　time　for　every　thing　to　be　put　in　order；　and　every

abuse　concealed；　but　suddenly；　and　unexpectedly；　informing　himself；　by

actual　observation　and　close　inquiry；　of　the　treatment　of　the　sick；

and　the　conduct　of　those　appointed　to　administer　to　their　relief。　He

founded　schools　and　colleges；　which　he　visited　in　the　same　manner；

inspecting　personally　the　instruction　of　the　youth。　He　established

butcheries　and　public　ovens；　that　the　people　might　be　furnished　with

wholesome　provisions　at　just　and　regular　prices。　He　introduced

abundant　streams　of　water　into　the　city；　erecting　baths　and　fountains；

and　constructing　aqueducts　and　canals　to　irrigate　and　fertilize　the

Vega。　By　these　means　prosperity　and　abundance　prevailed　in　this

beautiful　city；　its　gates　were　thronged　with　commerce；　and　its

warehouses　filled　with　luxuries　and　merchandise　of　every　clime　and

country。

　　He　moreover　gave　premiums　and　privileges　to　the　best　artisans；

improved　the　breed　of　horses　and　other　domestic　animals；　encouraged

husbandry；　and　increased　the　natural　fertility　of　the　soil　twofold

by　his　protection；　making　the　lovely　valleys　of　his　kingdom　to　bloom

like　gardens。　He　fostered　also　the　growth　and　fabrication　of　silk；

until　the　looms　of　Granada　surpassed　even　those　of　Syria　in　the

fineness　and　beauty　of　their　productions。　He　moreover　caused　the　mines

of　gold　and　silver　and　other　metals；　found　in　the　mountainous

regions　of　his　dominions；　to　be　diligently　worked；　and　was　the　first

king　of　Granada　who　struck　money　of　gold　and　silver　with　his　name；

taking　great　care　that　the　coins　should　be　skilfully　executed。

　　It　was　towards　the　middle　of　the　thirteenth　century；　and　just

after　his　return　from　the　siege　of　Seville；　that　he　commenced　the

splendid　palace　of　the　Alhambra；　superintending　the　building　of　it

in　person；　mingling　frequently　among　the　artists　and　workmen；　and

directing　t