fary, but though they fought like men in despa'r, they were at laft defeated with exceffive flaughter, and their king himself perished in the battle, being never more heard of. By this battle the Moors in a fhort time rendered themfeives mafters of aimoft a! Spain. The poor remains of the Goths were obliged to retire into the mountainous parts of Alturias, Burgos, and Bifcay: the inhabitants of Aragon, Catalonia, and Navarre, . though they might have made a confiderabie ftand against the enemy, chofe for the most part to retire into Fiance.

(13.) SPAIN, HISTORY OF, TILL THE DEFEATS OF THE MOORS BY PELAGIO AND CHARLES MARTEL. Ja 718, however, the power of the Gotha began again to revive under Feiagio or Playo, a prince of the royal blood, who headed thole that had retired to the mountains after the fatal battle of Xeres. The place where he first Jard the foundation of his government was in the Afturias, in the province of Liebana, about 27 miles in length and 12 in breadth. This is the moft inland part of the country, fuil of mountains enormoufly high, and fo much fortified by nature, that its inhabitants are capable of resisting almost any number of invaders. Aiakor the Saracen governor was no fooner informed of this revival of the Gothick kingdom, then he fent a powerful army, under the commud of one Alhaman, to crush Pelagio before he had time to eftabith his power. The king, though his forces were fuficiently numerous (every one of his fubjects arrived at man's citate being a foldier), did not think proper to venture a general engagement in the open field; but taking poft with part of them himself in a cavern in a very high mountain, he concealed the reft among precipices, giving orders to them to fall upon the enemy as foon as they should perceive him attacked by them. Thefe orders were punctually executed, though indeed Pelagio himself had repulfed his enemies. The flaughter was dreadful; for the troops who lay in ambuscade joining the reft, and rolling down huge ftones from the mountains upon the Moors (the name by which the Saracens were known in Spain), no fewer than 124,000 of thefe unhappy people perished in one day. The remainder fied till they were ftopped by a river, and beginning to coat it, part of a mountain fuddenly fell down, ftopped up the channel of the river, and either crushed or drowned, by the fudden rifing of the water, almost every one of that vaft army. The Moors were not fo much difheartened by this difalter, but that they made a fecoud attempt against Peiagio. Their fuccefs was as bad as ever, the greatest part of their army being cut in pieces or taken; in confcquence of which, they loft all the Afturias, and never dared to enter the lifts with Pelagio afterwads. Indeed, their bad fuccefs had in a great measure taken from them the defire of conquering a country where little or nothing was to be got; and there fore they rather directed their force against France, where they hoped for more piunder. Into this country they poured in prodigious multitudes; but were utterly defeated in 732, by Charles Martel, with the lofs of 300,000 men, as the hiftorians of thofe times affirm.

(14.) SPAIN, HISTORY OF, TILL THE DEFEAT OF THE MOORS BY CHARLEMAGNE. Pelagio died in 737, and foon after his death fuch inteltime divifions broke dut among the Moors, as greatly favoured the increase of the Chriftian pow. er. In 743 Alphonfo the Catholic, fon-in-law to Pelago, in conjunction with his brother Froth, paffed the mountains, and fell upon the northern part of Galicia; and meeting with little refiftance, he recovered al soft the whole of that province in a fingle campaign. Next year he invaded the plains of Leon and Caftile; and before the Moors could affemble any force to oppose him, he reduced Aftorgas, Leon, Saldagna, Montes de Oc Amaya, Alava, and all the country at the foot of the mountains. The year following he pushed his conquefts as far as the borders of Portugal, and the next campaign ravaged the country as tar as Caftile. Being fentible, however, that he was yet unable to defend the fat country which he had conquered, he laid the whole of it waite, oblige the Chriftians to retire to the mountains, and carried off all the Moors for flaves. Thus fecured by a defert frontier, he met with no interruption for fome years; during which time, as his kingdom advanced in frength, he allowed bis fubjects gradually to occupy part of the flat country, and to rebuild Leon and Aftorga, which he had demolished. He died in 757, and was fucceded by his fon Froiia. In his time Abdeirahman, the khalif's viceroy in Spain, threw off the yoke, and rendered hin self independent, fixing the feat of his government at Cor dova. (See CORDOVA.) Thus the inteftine divifions among the Moors were compofed; yet their fuccefs feems to have been little better than be fore; for, foon after, Froia encountered the Moors with fuch fuccefs, that 54,000 of them were killed on the fpot, and their general taken prifoner. Soon after he built the city of Oviedo, which he made the capital of his dominions, to be in a better condition to defend the flat country, which he now determined to people. In the year 758 the power of the Saracens received another blow by the rife of the kingdom of NAVARRE, This kingdom took its origin from an accidental meeting of gentlemen, to the number of 600, at the tomb of an hermit named John, who had died among the Pyrenees. At this place, where they had met on account of the fuppofed fanctity of the deceased, they took occafion to converte on the crueity of the Moors, the miferies to which the country was expofed, and the glory that would refult from throwing off their yoke; which, they fuppofed, might eafily be done, by reason of the ftrength of their country. On mature deli beration, the project was approved; one Don Garcia Ximenes was appointed king, as being of illuftrious birth, and looked upon as a perfon of great abilities. He recovered Ainfa, one of the principal towns of the country, out of the hands of the infidels; and his fucceffor Garcias Inigas extended his territories as far as Bifcay; however, the Moors fill poffeffed Portugal, Murcia, Andalufia, Valentia, Granada, Tortofa, and the interior part of the country as far as the moun tains of Caftile and Saragolia. Their internal dif fenfions, which revived after the death of Abdel

rahman,

hood the fum of 100,000 livres, and offered it fo du Guefelin." It is not my purpose (cried that generous warrior,) to opprefs the innocent people. The pope and his cardinals can fpare me double the fum from their own pockets. I therefore infift, that this money be restored to the owners; and if I hear they are defrauded of it, I will myfelf return from the other fide of the Pyrenees, and oblige you to make them restitution." The pope found the neceflity of fubmitting, and paid from his own treafury the fam demanded. A body of experienced and hardy foldiers, conducted by fo able a general, eafily prevailed over the king of Caftile, whofe fubjects were ready to join the enemy against their oppreffor. Peter fted from his dominions, took shelter in Guienne, and craved the protection of the prince of Wales, whom his father had invested with the fovereignty of the ceded provinces, under the title of the principality of Aquitaine. The prince promised his affillance to the dethroned monarch; and having obtained his father's confent, he levied an army, and let out on his enterprife. The firft lofs which Henry of Traftamara fuffered from the interpofition of the prince of Wales, was the recalling of the companies from his fervice; and fo much reverence did they pay to the name of Edward, that great numbers of them immediately withdrew from Spain, and inlifted under his ftandard. Henry, however, beloved by his new fubjects, and supported by the king of Arragon, was able to meet the enemy with an army of 100,000 men, three times the number of thofe commanded by the Black Prince: yet du Guefciin, and all his experienced officers, advifed him to delay a decifive action; fo high was their opinion of the valour and conduct of the English hero! But Henry, trufting to his numbers, ventured to give Edward battle on the banks of the Ebro, between Najara and Navarette; where the French and Spaniards were defeated, with the lofs of above 20,000 men, and du Guefclin and other officers of diftinction taken prifoners. All Caftile fubmitted to the victor; Peter was reftored to the throne, and Edward returned to Guienne with bis ufual glory; having not only overcome the greatest general of his age, but reftrained the moft blood-thirfty tyrant from executing vengeance on his prisoners. This gallant warrior had foon reafon to repent of his connections with a man like Peter, loft to all fenfe of virtue and honour. The ungrateful monfter refufed the ftipulated pay to the English forces. Edward abandoned him: be treated his fub

him to terms, by the valour and conduct of Ber trand du Guefelia, one of the most accomphibed captains of thofe times, who r Charles had the difcernment to choose as the inftrument of his victorics. He alfo fettled the affairs of Britanny by acknowledging the title of Mountfort, and receiving homage for his dominions. But much was yet to be done. On the conclufion of the peace of Bretigni, the many military adventurers who had followed the fortunes of Edward, being difperfed into the feveral provinces, and polliffed of strongholds, refused to lay down their arms, or relinquish a course of life to which they were now accustomed, and by which alone they could earn a fubfiftence. They affociated themselves with the banditti, who were already inured to the habits of rapine and violence; and, under the name of companies and companions, became a terror to all the peaceable inhabitants. Some English and Gafcon gentlemen of character were not alhamed to take the command of thefe ruffians, whofe num. ber amounted to near 40,000, and who bore the appearance of regular armies rather than bands of robbers. As Charies was not able by power to redress fo enormous a grievance, he was led by receffity, as well as by the turn of his character, to correct it by policy; to difcover fome method of discharging into foreign countries this dangerous and inteftine evil; and an occafion now offered. Alphonfo XI. K. of Caftile, who took the city of Algezira from the Moors, after a famous hege of two years, during which artillery are fuid firft to have been used by the befieged, had been fucceeded by his fou Peter I. furnamed the Cruel, a prince equally perfidious, debauched, and bloody. He began his reign with the murder of his father's mitress Leonora de Gufman: his nobies fell every day the victims of his severity: he put to death his cousin and one of his naturai brothers, from groundiefa jalouly; and he caufed his queen Blanche de Bourbon, of the blood of France, to be thrown into prifon and afterwards poisoned, that he might enjoy Mary de Padella, with whom he was violently enamoured. Henry count of Traftamara, the king's natural brother, alarmed at the fate of his family, and dreading his own, took arms against the tyrant; but having failed in the attempt, he fled to France, where he found the minds of men much inflamed against Peter, on account of the murder of the French princess. He asked permiffion of Charles to enlift the com. panies in his fervice, and to lead them into Caftile against his brother. The French king, charmn. ed with the project, employed du Guefclin in negociating with the leaders of thefe banditti. The treaty was foon concluded; and du Guefelin having completed his levies, led the army firft to A. vignon, where the Pope then refided, and de. manded fword in hand, abfolution for his ruffian foldiers, who had been excommunicated, and the fum of 200,000 livres for their fubfence. The firft was readily promifed him; but fome diffi. culty being made with regard to the fecond, du Guefctin replied," My fellows may make a thift to do without your abfolution, but the money is abfolutely necefiary." dis holiness then extorted from the inhabitants of the city and its neighbour VOL. XXI. PART I:

jects with the utmost barbarity; their animofity was roufed against him; and du Guefelin having obtained his ranfom, returned to Caftile with the count of Traftamara, and fome forces levied anew in France. They were joined by the Spanish malecontents; and having no longer the Black Prince to encounter, they gained a complete victory over Peter in the neigbourhood of Toledo. The tyrant now took refuge in a castle, where he was foon after belieged by the victors, and taken prifoner in endeavouring to make his efcape. He was conducted to his brother Henry; againit whom he is faid to have rushed in a tranfport of age, difarmed as he was. Henry flew him with

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his own hand, in refentment of his cruelties; and, though a bastard was himself placed on the throne of Caftile, which he traufmitted to his pofterity.

(19.) SPAIN, HISTORY OF, TO THE ACCESSION OF FERDINAND V. AND ISABELLA. After the death of Peter the Cruel, nothing remarkable happened in Spain for almoft a whole century; but the debaucheries of Henry IV. of Caftile roufed the refentment of his nobles, and produced a moft fingular infurrection, which led to the aggrandizement of the Spanish monarchy. This prince, furnamed the Impotent, though continually furrounded with women, began his unhappy reign in 1454. He was totally enervated by his pleasures; and every thing in his court confpired to fet the Caftilians an example of the most ab ject flattery and moft abandoned licentioufnefs. The queen, a daughter of Portugal, lived as openly with her paramours and her gallants, as the king did with his minions and his miftreffes. Pleafure was the only object, and effeminacy the only recommendation to favour: the affairs of the ftate went every day into disorder; till the nobility, with the archbishop of Toledo at their head, combining against the weak and flagitious adminiftration of Henry, arrogated to themselves, as one of the privileges of their order, the right of trying and paffing fentence on their fovereign, which they executed in a manner unprecedented in hiftory. All the malecontent nobility were fummoned to meet at Avila: a spacious theatre was erected in a plain without the walls of the town: an image, reprefenting the king, was feated on a throne, clad with royal robes, with a crown on its head, a fceptre in its hand, and the fword of justice by its fide. The accusation against Henry was read, and the sentence of depofition, pronounced, in prefence of a numerous aflembly. At the clofe of the first article of the charge, the archbishop of Toledo advanced, and tore the crown from the head of the image; at the clofe of the fecond the count of Placentia fnatched the fword of justice from its fide; at the clofe of the third, the count of Benavente wrefted the fceptre from its hand; and at the clofe of the laft, Don Diego Lopez de Stuniga tumbled it headlong from the throne. At the fame inftant, Don Alphonfo, Henry's brother, a boy of about 12 years of age, was proclaimed king of Caftile and Leon in his ftead. This extraordinary pro reeding was followed by a civil war, which did not cease til some time after the death of the young prince, on whom the nobles had then beitowed the kingdom. The archbishop and his party then continued to carry on war in the name of Habella the king's fifler to whom they gave the title of Infunta; and Henry could not extricate himself out of thefe troubies, nor remain quiet upon his throne till he had figned one of the most humiliating treaties ever extorted from a fove reign; he acknowledged his fifter Ifabella the only lawful heirefs of his kingdom, in prejudice to the rights of his reputed daughter Joan, whom the molecontents affirmed to be the offspring of an adulterous commerce between the queen and Dona Cueva. The grand object of the malecontent party now was the marriage of the prin

cefs Ifabella, upon which, it was evident, the fecu. rity of the crown and the happiness of the people muft in a great measure depend. The alliance was fought by feveral princes: the king of Por tugal offered her his hand; the king of France demanded her for his brother, and the king of Arragon for his fon Ferdinand. The malecontents very wifely preferred the Arragonian prince, and Isabella prudently made the fame choice: articles were drawn up: and they were privately married by the archbishop of Toledo. Henry was enraged at this alliance, which he forefaw would utterly ruin his authority, by furnishing his rebellious fubjects with the fupport of a powerful neighbouring prince. He difinherited his fifter, and established the rights of his daughter. A furious civil war desolated the kingdom. The names of Joan and Ifabella refounded from every quarter, and were everywhere the summons to arms. But peace was at length brought about. Henry was reconciled to his fifter and Ferdinand; though it does not appear that he ever renewed Isabella's right to the fucceffion: for he affirmed to his last moments, that he believed Joan to be his own daughter. The queen fwore to the fame effect; and Henry left a teftamentary deed, tranfmitting the crown to this princess, who was proclaimed queen of Caftile at Placentia. But the fuperior fortune and arms of Ferdinand and Isabella prevailed: the king of Portugal was obliged to aban don his niece and intended bride, after many ineffectual struggles, and feveral years of war. Joan retired into a convent; and the death of Ferdinand's father, which happened about this time, added the kingdoms of Arragon and Sicily to thofe of Leon and Caftile.

(20.) SPAIN, HISTORY OF, TO THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA. Ferdinand and Isabella were perfons of great prudence, and, as fovereigns, highly worthy of imitation: but they do not seem to have merited all the praises bestowed upon them by the Spanish hiftorians. They did not live like man and wife, having all things in common under the direction of the hufband; but like two princes in clofe alliance; they neither loved nor hated each other; were feldom in company together; had each a separate council; and were frequently jealous of one another in the administration. But they were infeparably united in their common interefts; always acting upon the fame principles, and forwarding the fame ends. Their first object was the regulation of their government, which the civil wars had thrown into the greatest diforder. Rapine, outrage, and murder, were become fo common, as not only to interrupt commerce, but in a great measure to fufpend all intercourfe between one place and another. Thefe evils the joint fovereigns fuppreffed by their wife policy, at the fame time that they extended the royal prero gative. About the middle of the 13th century, the cities in the kingdom of Arragon, and after their example thofe in Caftile, had formed themfelves into an affociation, named the Holy Brother bood. They exacted a certain contribution from each of the affociated towns; they levied a con fiderable body of troops, to protect travellers and purfue criminals; and they appointed judges, who opened courts in various parts of the king

dom.