Chapter I: Preface

In no boastful spirit I gratefully acknowledge the flattering success of _Old Court Life in France_, written twenty years ago. It is precisely owing to the favour with which the public in England, America, and on the Continent still honour this work that I have endeavoured to reproduce on the same plan some pictures of early Spanish history comparatively little known to the general public.

Nothing can possibly be more thrilling and more romantic.

It is with the earlier and less known passages of old Court life I have dealt down to the reign of Ferdinand and Isabel, from which period the history of Spain loses its peculiar identity and becomes merged into that of Europe.

If I have loved the courtly history I also love the country. A great part of this work was written in Spain, in the very places where the events occurred. May the reader share the same enthusiasm I felt in describing them!

AUTHORITIES

Dozy--Histories.

Mrs. Humphry Ward in Smith’s Dictionary of Christian Biography on
Gothic Ecclesiastical History.

Biographie Universelle.

Bradley--Story of the Nations.

Lane Poole--The Moors.

Romanceros, Ballads of the Cid, Ballads of Bernardo del Carpio.

Lockhart--Spanish Ballads.

Cid Campeador, by Prince Odescalchi.

Storia de Don Pedro Abogado da los Tribunales Nacionales.

Chronicles of King Alfonso El Sabio.

Washington Irving’s Works.

Murray’s Guide for Spain.

Diary of an Idle Woman in Spain.

Prescott’s History of Ferdinand and Isabel.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.--INTRODUCTION 1

II.--DON RODERICH.--GATHERING OF THE CHIEFS.--TRIAL OF WITICA 39

III.--DON RODERICH’S PERFIDY 58

IV.--DON JULIAN GOES OVER TO THE MOORS 76

V.--LANDING OF THE MOORS.--THE EVE OF BATTLE 83

VI.--BATTLE OF GUADALETE.--OVERTHROW OF DON RODERICH 92

VII.--CORDOBA.--PELISTES.--DON JULIAN.--FLORINDA 100

VIII.--FRANDINA AND HER SON PUT TO DEATH BY ALABOR 112

IX.--THE MOORS AT SEVILLE.--MOUSA AND ABDUL-ASIS 124

X.--ABDUL-ASIS AND EGILONA 135

XI.--THE MOORS AT CORDOBA 154

XII.--ABDURRAMAN, SULTAN OF CORDOBA 160

XIII.--ONESINDA AND KERIM 168

XIV.--TRAGIC DEATH OF ONESINDA 176

XV.--PELAYO PROCLAIMED KING BY THE GOTHS 182

XVI.--BERNARDO DEL CARPIO 190

XVII.--KING ALONSO 202

XVIII.--BERNARDO DEL CARPIO’S VOW 208

XIX.--BERNARDO LEADS THE GOTHS AGAINST CHARLEMAGNE 214

XX.--DEATH OF SIR ROLAND THE BRAVE 221

XXI.--BERNARDO LEARNS THE SECRET OF HIS BIRTH.--JOINS THE MOORS 226

XXII.--EL CONDE DE CASTILA 237

XXIII.--DOÑA AVA 249

XXIV.--MARRIAGE OF DOÑA AVA AND EL CONDE DE CASTILA.--TREACHERY OF DOÑA TERESA 257

XXV.--DOÑA AVA OUTWITS DON SANCHO AND RELEASES HER HUSBAND 265

XXVI.--THE CID--1037 276

XXVII.--DON DIEGO LAYNEZ AND THE CONDE DE GORMEZ 280

XXVIII.--DON RODRIGO (THE CID) KILLS THE CONDE DE GORMEZ 285

XXIX.--MARRIAGE OF THE CID AND DOÑA XIMENA 292

XXX.--DEATH OF KING FERNANDO.--DOÑA URRACA AT ZAMORA 299

XXXI.--DON ALFONSO BANISHES THE CID 305

XXXII.--THE CID BIDS DOÑA XIMENA FAREWELL 311

XXXIII.--ADVENTURES OF THE CID.--DEATH AND BURIAL 315

XXXIV.--FERNANDO EL SANTO 326

XXXV.--DON PEDRO 340

ILLUSTRATIONS IN PHOTOGRAVURE

PAGE

ENTRANCE TO THE MOSQUE OF THE ALHAMBRA _Frontispiece_

THE GUADALQUIVIR AND MOSQUE, CORDOVA 22

THE ALHAMBRA, GRANADA, AND THE VEGA FROM THE GENERALIFE 52

INTERIOR OF THE GREAT MOSQUE, CORDOVA 82

TORRE DEL MIHRAB AND GRANADA 110

MOORISH MILLS IN THE GUADALQUIVIR, AT CORDOVA 142

A PROCLAMATION IN GRANADA, BY BOABDIL 166

From a painting by Placido Francés, National Exhibition of Fine Arts, Madrid, 1884.

THE GENERALIFE, GRANADA 204

ILLUSTRATIONS OTHER THAN PHOTOGRAVURE

A VIEW IN TOLEDO 10

IN THE CATHEDRAL--CORDOVA 34

From an etching by Samuel Colman.

THE CLOISTERS, TOLEDO 42

THE EXTERIOR OF THE GREAT MOSQUE AT CORDOVA 60

THE GATE OF THE MOSQUE OF CORDOVA 74

MOHAMMED 82

A VIEW OF MECCA IN THE 17TH CENTURY 96

THE GOLDEN TOWER, SEVILLE 102

INTERIOR OF SAN ISIDORO, WITH TOMBS OF KINGS 118

CHURCH OF SAN ISIDORO (LEON) 130

PANTEON DE LOS REYES, THE BURIAL PLACE OF THE ANCIENT KINGS OF LEON 154

THE CHARLEMAGNE OF EPIC 172

From the painting by Albrecht Dürer.

THE ROMAN BRIDGE AT SALAMANCA 184

THE BRIDGE, GATEWAY, AND CATHEDRAL OF BURGOS 196

THE CATHEDRAL OF ZAMORA, ELEVENTH CENTURY 210

THE WALLS OF ZAMORA 224

A MOORISH GATEWAY (BURGOS) 232

THE GATEWAY ON SITE OF ANCIENT PUERTA DE SERRANOS (VALENCIA) 244

THE PUERTA DI SANTA MARIA, BURGOS 260

THE GIRALDA, SEVILLE 282

THE BRIDGE AT SARAGOSSA 304

A DRINKING FOUNTAIN IN SEVILLE 316

Photo Levy et Fils.

A VIEW OF THE INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL AT BURGOS 330

Photo Levy et Fils.

THE BURGOS CATHEDRAL 342

Old Court Life in Spain