einforcement as he could spare under conduct
of a chosen captain, with orders to throw themselves into the city.

Intelligence of this reinforcement reached Boabdil el Chico in his royal
palace of the Alhambra. Filled with hostility against his uncle,
and desirous of proving his loyalty to the Castilian sovereigns, he
immediately sent forth a superior force of horse and foot under an able
commander to intercept the detachment. A sharp conflict ensued;
the troops of El Zagal were routed with great loss and fled back in
confusion to Guadix.

Boabdil, not being accustomed to victories, was flushed with this
melancholy triumph. He sent tidings of it to the Castilian sovereigns,
accompanied with rich silks, boxes of Arabian perfume, a cup of gold
richly wrought, and a female captive of Ubeda as presents to the queen,
and four Arabian steeds magnificently caparisoned, a sword and dagger
richly mounted, and several albornozes and other robes sumptuously
embroidered for the king. He entreated them at the same time always to
look upon him with favor as their devoted vassal.

Boabdil was fated to be unfortunate, even in his victories. His defeat
of the forces of his uncle destined to the relief of unhappy Malaga
shocked the feelings and cooled the loyalty of many of his best
adherents. The mere men of traffic might rejoice in their golden
interval of peace, but the chivalrous spirits of Granada spurned a
security purchased by such sacrifices of pride and affection. The people
at large, having gratified their love of change, began to question
whether they had acted generously by their old fighting monarch. "El
Zagal," said they, "was fierce and bloody, but then he was faithful to
his country; he was an usurper, it is true, but then he maintained the
glory of the crown which he usurped. If his sceptre was a rod of iron
to his subjects, it was a sword of steel against their enemies. This
Boabdil sacrifices religion, friends, country, everything, to a mere
shadow of royalty, and is content to hold a rush for a sceptre."

These factious murmurs soon reached the ears of Boabdil, and he
apprehended another of his customary reverses. He sent in all haste
to the Castilian sovereigns beseeching military aid to keep him on his
throne. Ferdinand graciously complied with a request so much in unison
with his policy. A detachment of one thousand cavalry and two thousand
infantry was sent under the command of Don Fernandez Gonsalvo of
Cordov