INTRODUCTION. ALTHOUGH the following Chronicle bears the name of the venera ble Fray Antonio Agapida, it is rather a superstructure reared pon the fragments which remain of his work. It may be asked, Who is this same Agapida, who is cited with such deference, yet whose name is not to be found in any of the catalogues of Spanish authors? The question is hard to answer: he appears to have been one of the many indefatigable authors of Spain, whe have filled the libraries of convents and cathedrals with their tom.es, without ever dreaming of bringing their labors to the press. He evidently was deeply and accurately informed of the particu lars of the wars between his countrymen and the Moors-a tract of history but too much overgrown with the weeds of fable. His glowing zeal, also, in the cause of the Catholic faith, entitles him to be held up as a model of the good old orthodox chroniclers, who recorded with such pious exultation the united triumphs of the cross and the sword. It is deeply to be regretted, therefore, that his manuscripts, deposited in the libraries of various convents, have been dispersed during the late convulsions in Spain, so that nothing is now to be met of them but disjointed frag ments. These, however, are too precious to be suffered to fall into oblivion, as they contain many curious facts. not to be found in any other historian. In the following work, therefore, the manuscript of the worthy Fray Antonio will be adopted, wher ever it exists entire; but will be filled up, extended, illustrated, and corroborated, by citations from various authors, both Spanish and Arabian, who have treated of the subject. Those who may wish to know how far the work is indebted to the chronicle of Fray Antonio Agapida, may readily satisfy their curiosity by referring to his manuscript fragments, carefully preserved in the library of the Escurial. Before entering upon the history, it may be as well to notice the opinions of certain of the most learned and devout historiographers of former times, relative to this war. Marinus Siculus, historian to Charles V., pronounces it a war to avenge ancient injuries received by the Christians from the Moors, to recover the kingdom of Granada, and to extend the name and honor of the Christian religion. Estevan de Garibay, one of the most distinguished Spanish historians, regards the war as a special act of divine clemency towards the Moors; to the end that those barbarians and infidels, who had dragged out so many centuries under the diabolical op. pression of the absurd sect of Mahomet, should at length be reduced to the Christian faith.* Padre Mariana, also, a venerable Jesuit, and the most renowned historian of Spain, considers the past domination of the Moors a scourge inflicted on the Spanish nation for its iniquities; but the conquest of Granada, the reward of Heaven for its great act of propitiation in establishing the glorious tribunal of the Inquisition! No sooner (says the worthy father) was this holy office opened in Spain, than there shone forth a resplendent light Lucio Marino Siculo, Cosas Memorabiles de España, lib. 20. Then it was, that, through divine favor, the nation increased in power, and became competent to overthrow and trample down the Moorish domination.* Having thus cited high and venerable authority for consider ing this war in the light of one of those pious enterprises denominated crusades, we trust we have said enough to engage the Christian reader to follow us into the field, and stand by us to the very issue of the encounter. NOTE TO THE REVISED EDITION. The foregoing introduction, prefixed to the former editions of this work, has been somewhat of a detriment to it. Fray Antonio Agapida was found to be an imaginary personage; and this threw a doubt over the credibility of his chronicle; which was increased by a vein of irony, indulged here and there, and by the occasional heightening of some of the incidents, and the romantic coloring of some of the scenes. or two explanatory may therefore be of service.t A word The idea of the work was suggested while I was occupied at Madrid in writing the life of Columbus. In searching for traces of his early life, I was led among the scenes of the war of Granada; he having followed the Spanish sovereigns in some of their campaigns, and been present at the surrender of the Moorish capital. I actually wove some of these scenes into the biography; but found they occupied an undue space, and stood out in romantic relief, not in unison with the general course of the narrative. My mind, however, had become so excited by the stirring events and romantic achievements of this war, that I could not return • Mariana, Hist. España, lib. 25, c. 1. + Many of the observations in this note have already appeared in an explanatory article which, at Mr. Murray's request, the author furnished to the London Quarterly Review |