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CHAPTER XIII.

THE ALHAMBRA CONTINUED. ITS FOUNDER. COURT OF MYRTLES. ANTE-ROOM OF THE COURT OF LIONS. COURT OF LIONS-ITS FOUNTAINS, ARCADES AND PAVILIONS. HALL OF THE ABENCERRAJES. GOVERNMENT AND ITS EFFECTS. STAINS OF THE MARBLE FLOOR-TALES TO ACCOUNT FOR THEM FICTIONAL. BOABDIL NOT GUILTY OF THE CHARGE OF MASSACRE OF THE ABENCERRAJES, WHATEVER THE TRUTH OF HIS TREASON AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND HIS APOSTACY TO HIS RACE AND RELIGION. INJUSTICE OF TRANSFERRING THE ACCUSATION TO ABUL HASSAN. DISCOLORATION OF THE FLOOR DEPENDENT UPON NATURAL CAUSES.

DIFFERENT opinions have been expressed by writers on the Alhambra as to who was the founder of this fortress-palace; some, ascribing its design and commencement to Ibn-l-ahmar-sometimes called Alhamar-the first King of Granada; others, to his son Abu Abdillah, the second sovereign. It is probable from the frequent repetition of the Arabic inscription. "Wā lā ghālib illa Allā "—there is no conqueror, but Allah-amid the decorations of the earlier parts of the palace, that the former laid the foundation and built these. For, it was on his return to Granada from the conquest of Seville, in the siege and capture of which city by Ferdinand III,

he had assisted-from motives of revenge against the son of its King-that, his subjects saluting him as Conqueror," he made that reply, which afterwards became a chief motto and ornament of his palace, as it was esteemed a proof of his piety. However this may be, succeeding sovereigns seemed to vie with each other, in adding to, and embellishing the royal residence; until the reign of Yusuf, who completed its gorgeousness; a gorgeousness, however, of such harmonious colouring, so subdued by interwoven beauty of shape, and shade, and hue, that nature, might well look on it and feel, that art had pardonably, pilfered from her domain of loveliness. It must have been, indeed, a fit abode for sovereignty-becoming the beauty, and the duty of righteousness; for which alone should sovereignty have being. And it was meet, that his hand, which made it thus, should open to it also, as it finally did, the Gate of the Law, which should know no wrong.

The following historical sketch, setting forth more fully the above statement, may be read with interest. The facts are gathered chiefly from a notice of the Kings of Granada from the conquest of that city by the Arabs to the expulsion of the Moors-by Pasqual de Gayangos.

After the conquest of Spain by the Arabs no mention. is made of Granada until A.D. 767, when the following is of record by their historians. The governor of the Province, of which Granada was a dependency, built there the fortress Kal'at Al-hamra-the red castlenow known as the Vermilion tower, on the hill overThe civil wars ensuing between the

looking the town.

Arabians and those of mixed Arab and Spanish blood

the Arab mulados-whence the Spanish mulatos applied to those of colour-resulted in the defeat of the former in other parts of the Province, and to their taking refuge in the fortress of Granada. Eventually the independent kingdom sprung from the feuds which led to the establishment of the Umeyah dynasty. Its founder, Zegri Ibn Menad, strengthened Granada and transmitted his power in his family. His nephew Habus Ibn Måkesen who succeeded him in 1019-20, made Granada the seat of his court. Among other buildings erected by him to strengthen and dignify his new capital was the Kassabah, a strong fortress within walls embracing the crest of a hill; the ruins of which, under the name of Alcazabah, are still seen within the present Alhambra enclosure. So great was the estimation in which Granada, from the fertility of the adjacent Vega, and the beauty and defensibility of its own position, was held, that, in the Moorish civil wars of the Peninsula it became subject to constant fluctuations of fortune. All its masters, however, were Moors, who well knew the importance of its fortress-crowned hills. As was said by the chieftain Ibn Ghāniyyah-"Spain is like a shield, the arm-hole of which is Granada; let us hold the straps thereof tight and the shield shall never drop from our hand.”

It was not until 629 A.H. (A.D. 1232) that Granada. escaped, for a season, from the evils of civil strife. A successful insurrectionist of the Kalifate of Cordova, Ibnu-l-ahmar, who had maintained an independent government at Jaen, marched thence on Granada, which fell into his hands. Possessing many qualifications for government, he soon acquired the attachment of the

people by devotiug himself to the peaceful pursuits of life, and to the general welfare. By the administration of justice, encouragement of agricultural industry, manufactures, and trade, and promoting objects of public utility, he not only secured the attachment of those at home, but possessed himself of the confidence of his co-religionists elsewhere to such an extent as to draw multitudes from other parts of Spain; who, from the vicissitudes of war and the oppression of their rulers, were weary of the uncertainty and apprehension which paralyzed industry and prosperity.

From the time of accession to sovereignty of Ibnu-lahmar-sometimes called Mohammed Ibn Jusuf, whence Mohammed I-the progress of Granada in general welfare, wealth, and power, was unexampled. Schools, colleges, and hospitals, were founded; aqueducts, baths, and bazaars, built; and canals made throughout his dominions for irrigating and fertilizing the soil. The Kingdom of Granada became in fact, under his rule, a field of industry of all kinds, throughout its length and breadth; a mart for the exchange of articles of comfort and luxury; the home of the Samaritan; and the abode of learning, art, and happiness. Ibn-l-ahmar built, and was the first Moorish monarch who occupied the Alhambra palace; although his son, Mohammed II, extended and beautified still further that matchless residence of royalty.

The Kassabah, or enclosed citadel, which it has already been said was previously erected, was called Kassabah Al-hamra, either from the fortress now called the Vermilion Tower or an opposite cliff with which it was connected by a wall, or from the material of which

it was built containing oxide of iron giving a red colour to the structure. Within this fortified enclosure Mohammed I erected the palace, called Kassu-l'-hamra, the palace of the Alhamra, from its being within the walls of that fortress; not from the name of its builder Ibn-l-ahmar, as erroneously said by some.

The Kingdom of Granada, thus established by Ibn-lahmar-Mohammed I-and which for two centuries and a half withstood the misfortunes that befell other parts of the Moorish dominion in Spain, was after the death of its founder A.D. 1272 ruled over by his son under the title of Mohammed II. This monarch, though repeatedly engaged in resisting the gradually advancing arms of the Spaniards for the recovery of their lost dominion, inherited nevertheless the nobler qualities of his father, and like him gave encouragement to industry and the arts. He also expended vast treasures in the enlargement and decoration of the Alhambra Palace. His son Abu Abdillah-Mohammed III-built the magnificent Mosque (Arabic Mesjid, whence the Spanish Mesquita) within the precincts of the Alhambra; which is thus described by Ibnu-l-Khattib the historio"" It was ornamented with Mosaic grapher of Granada. work and exquisite tracery of the most beautiful, and intricate patterns, intermixed with silver flowers, and graceful arches, supported by innumerable pillars of finest polished marble. Indeed, what with the solidity of the structure, the elegance of the design, and the beauty of the proportions, I do not hesitate to say, that the building has not its like in the country: and I have frequently heard our best architects say, that they had never seen or heard of a building which can be com