Chapter V

Doubtful martyrs--No persecution raging--The Muzarabes--Churches in Cordova--Arab description of a church--Monasteries outside the city--Voluntary martyrs, chiefly from Cordova--No ferment at Elvira--Enthusiasts not a large body--Their leaders--The moderate party--Objections against the martyrs--Voluntary martyrdoms forbidden by the Church--Answer of apologists--Evidence as to persecution--Apologists inconsistent--Eulogius and Alvar--Reviling of Mohammed--Martyrs worked no miracles--Defence of apologists illogical--Martyrs put to death not by idolaters--Death without torture--Their bodies corrupted--Moslem taunts--Effect of martyrdoms on the Moslems--Prohibition of relics--Traffic in relics--They work miracles--Relics taken from Spain to France--Expedition of monks for that purpose--St Vincent's body--Relics of George, Aurelius, etc., carried off--Return to France--Measures of the moderate party--Of the Moslems--Reccafredus--supported by the majority of Christians--Fanatics coerced--Anathematized--Action of king--Suspects political movement--Revolt at Toledo--Grand Council--Measures against zealots--Meditated persecution--The extreme party broken up--Apostasies--Reason of these--The exceptor Gomez--The decision of the Council--Cessation of martyrdoms 54-73

CHAPTER VI.

National party--Revolt of Spaniards against Arabs--Martyrs in battle--Martyrdoms under Abdurrahman III.--Pelagius--Argentea--The monks of Cardena--Eugenia--No real persecution under the Great Khalif--General view of Christian Church in Spain under Abdurrahman II.--Civil position of Christians--Councils--Neglect of Latin--Arabic compulsory--Protests of Alvar, etc.--Latin forgotten--Cultivation of Moslem learning--Moslem theology--Church abuses--Simony--Breach of canons--Unworthy priests--Rival pastors--Heresy in the Church--Depravity of clergy--Their apostasy--Their deposition--Muzarabes--Free Christians in the North--The Church in the North--Its dangerous position--Cut short by Almanzor--Clergy oppress Christians--Count of Cordova--Ill-treats the Christians--Councils--Held by Elipandus--By Reccafredus--By Hostegesis--Jews and Moslems summoned--Council held by Basilius 73-86

CHAPTER VII.

Khalifate saved by Abdurrahman III.--Commander of the Faithful--His character--Embassy to the Emperor of the West--Return embassy--John of Gorz--Detained in Cordova--Messengers from the king--Cause of detention--John of Gorz and John of Cordova--The king's threats--Dead-lock--Fresh embassy to Otho--A second embassy from Otho--First embassy received--Condescension of Sultan--Tolerance of Moslems--Mohammed's injunctions--Tolerant Mohammedan rulers elsewhere--Alcuin--Arnold of Citeaux--Bernard, Archbishop of Toledo--Christians tolerated, even encouraged--"Officer of protection"--Christian courts--Censors--Sclavonian bodyguard--Arab pride of race--Partial Amalgamation of races--Alliances between Arabs and Christians--Intermarriages--Offspring of these--The maiden tribute--Evidence in its favour--No myth--Conversions--Mohammedan view of apostasy 86-98

CHAPTER VIII.

Arab factions--Berbers--Spaniards--Muwallads--Despised by Arabs--Revolts at Cordova, &c.--Intrigues with the Franks--Letter of Louis--Revolt of Toledo--Christians and Muwallads make common cause--Omar--Begins life as a bandit--Captured--Escapes--Heads the national party--Becomes a Christian--Utterly defeated--Muwallads desert him--Death of Omar--Stronghold of Bobastro captured--End of rebellion--Christians under Abdurrahman III.--Almanzor--Anarchy--End of Khalifate--Knowledge of Christianity and Mohammedanism slight among those of the opposite creed--Christian writers on Islam--Eulogius--Mohammed's relation to Christianity--Alvar--Unfair to Mohammed--His ignorance of the Koran--Prophecy of Daniel.--Moslem knowledge of Christianity--Mistaken idea of the Trinity--Ibn Hazm--St James of Compostella 98-114