them relinquished Spain as a country
where they could no longer live in security and independence, and
departed with their families for Africa; such as remained were suffered
to live in villages and hamlets and other unwalled places.*

* Garibay, lib. 13, cap. 39; Pulgar, part 3, cap. 132.

While Ferdinand was thus occupied at Guadix, dispensing justice and
mercy and receiving cities in exchange, the old monarch, Muley Abdallah,
surnamed El Zagal, appeared before him. He was haggard with care and
almost crazed with passion. He had found his little territory of Andarax
and his two thousand subjects as difficult to govern as had been the
distracted kingdom of Granada. The charm which had bound the Moors to
him was broken when he appeared in arms under the banner of Ferdinand.
He had returned from his inglorious campaign with his petty army of two
hundred men, followed by the execrations of the people of Granada and
the secret repining of those he had led into the field. No sooner had
his subjects heard of the successes of Boabdil el Chico than they
had seized their arms, assembled tumultuously, declared for the young
monarch, and threatened the life of El Zagal.* The unfortunate old
king had with difficulty evaded their fury; and this last lesson seemed
entirely to have cured him of his passion for sovereignty. He now
entreated Ferdinand to purchase the towns and castles and other
possessions which had been granted to him, offering them at a low rate,
and begging safe passage for himself and his followers to Africa. King
Ferdinand graciously complied with his wishes. He purchased of him
three-and-twenty towns and villages in the valleys of Andarax and
Alhaurin, for which he gave him five millions of maravedis. El Zagal
relinquished his right to one-half of the salinas or salt-pits of Malaha
in favor of his brother-in-law, Cid Hiaya. Having thus disposed of his
petty empire and possessions, he packed up all his treasure, of which he
had a great amount, and, followed by many Moorish families, passed over
to Africa.**

* Cura de los Palacios, cap. 97.

* *Conde, part 4, cap. 41.

And here let us cast an eye beyond the present period of our chronicle,
and trace the remaining career of El Zagal. His short and turbulent
reign and disastrous end would afford a wholesome lesson to unprincipled
ambition, were not all ambition of the kind fated to be blind to precept
and example. When he arrived in Afr