e
sovereigns. He begged to be enrolled amongst the most devoted of their
subjects, and in the fervor of his sudden zeal engaged not merely to
dedicate his sword to their service, but to exert all his influence,
which was great, in persuading his cousin, Muley Abdallah el Zagal, to
surrender the cities of Guadix and Almeria and to give up all further
hostilities. Nay, so powerful was the effect produced upon his mind
by his conversation with the sovereigns that it extended even to his
religion; for he became immediately enlightened as to the heathenish
abominations of the vile sect of Mahomet, and struck with the truths
of Christianity as illustrated by such powerful monarchs. He consented,
therefore, to be baptized and to be gathered into the fold of the
Church. The pious Agapida indulges in a triumphant strain of exultation
on the sudden and surprising conversion of this princely infidel:
he considers it one of the greatest achievements of the Catholic
sovereigns, and indeed one of the marvellous occurrences of this holy
war. "But it is given to saints and pious monarchs," says he, "to work
miracles in the cause of the faith; and such did the most Catholic
Ferdinand in the conversion of the prince Cid Hiaya."

Some of the Arabian writers have sought to lessen the wonder of this
miracle by alluding to great revenues granted to the prince and his
heirs by the Castilian monarchs, together with a territory in Marchena,
with towns, lands, and vassals; but in this (says Agapida) we only see a
wise precaution of King Ferdinand to clinch and secure the conversion of
his proselyte. The policy of the Catholic monarch was at all times equal
to his piety. Instead also of vaunting of this great conversion and
making a public parade of the entry of the prince into the Church, King
Ferdinand ordered that the baptism should be performed in private and
kept a profound secret. He feared that Cid Hiaya might otherwise be
denounced as an apostate and abhorred and abandoned by the Moors,
and thus his influence destroyed in bringing the war to a speedy
termination.*

* Conde, tom. 3, cap. 40.

The veteran Mohammed Ibn Hassan was likewise won by the magnanimity and
munificence of the Castilian sovereigns, and entreated to be received
into their service; and his example was followed by many other Moorish
cavaliers, whose services were generously accepted and magnificently
rewarded.

Thus; after a siege of six months and twenty d