route, and induced many cavaliers to proceed at the head
of bands of recruits to Spain, and join the opponents of the Mussulmans.

The general rendezvous was at Toledo, at which point there were soon
collected more than sixty thousand crusaders from Italy and France, who
united themselves with the soldiers of Castile. The King of Aragon,
Peter II., the same who afterward perished in the war of the Albigense,
led his valiant army to the place of meeting, and Sancho VIII., king of
Navarre, was not backward in presenting himself at the head of his
brave subjects. The Portuguese had recently lost their king, but they
despatched their best warriors to Toledo. In short, all Spain flew to
arms. There was general union for the promotion of mutual safety; for
never, since the time of King Rodrique, had the Christians been placed
in such imminent danger.

It was at the foot of the Sierra Morena, at a place named _Las Navas de
Toloza_, that the three Spanish princes encountered the Moors, A.D.
1212, Heg. 609.

Mohammed El Nazir had taken possession of the mountain gorges through
which it had been the intention of the Christians to approach {103} his
camp. The adroit African thus designed, either to force his opponents
to turn back, which would expose them to the danger of a failure of
provisions, or to overwhelm them in the pass if they should attempt to
enter it. Upon discovering this circumstance, a council was called by
the embarrassed Christian leaders. Alphonso was desirous of attempting
the passage, but the kings of Navarre and Aragon advised a retreat. In
the midst of this dilemma, a shepherd presented himself before them,
and offered to conduct them through a defile of the mountain, with
which he was familiar. This proposal, which was the salvation of their
army, was eagerly accepted, and the shepherd guided the Catholic
sovereigns through difficult paths and across rocks and torrents,
until, with their followers, they finally succeeded in attaining the
summit of the mountain.

There, suddenly presenting themselves before the eyes of the astonished
Moors, they were engaged for the space of two days in preparing
themselves for the conflict, by prayer, confession, and the solemn
reception of the holy sacrament Their leaders set an example to the
soldiers in this zealous devotion; and the prelates and {104}
ecclesiastics, of whom there were a great number in the camp, after
having absolved these devout warriors,