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about the Alhambra； and seemed to be in unison with the place。 While
the count and countess； with the chaplain or secretary； were playing
their game of tresillo under the vestibule of the Court of Lions； she；
attended by Dolores； who acted as her maid of honor； would sit by
one of the fountains； and accompanying herself on the guitar； would
sing some of those popular romances which abound in Spain； or； what
was still more to my taste； some traditional ballad about the Moors。
Never shall I think of the Alhambra without remembering this
lovely little being； sporting in happy and innocent girlhood in its
marble halls； dancing to the sound of the Moorish castanets； or
mingling the silver warbling of her voice with the music of its
fountains。
Relics and Genealogies。
IF I HAD been pleased and interested by the count and his family； as
furnishing a picture of a Spanish domestic life； I was still more so
when apprised of historical circumstances which linked them with the
heroic times of Granada。 In fact； in this worthy old cavalier； so
totally unwarlike； or whose deeds in arms extended； at most； to a
war on swallows and martlets； I discovered a lineal descendant and
actual representative of Gonsalvo of Cordova； 〃the Grand Captain；〃 who
won some of his brightest laurels before the walls of Granada； and was
one of the cavaliers commissioned by Ferdinand and Isabella to
negotiate the terms of surrender； nay； more； the count was entitled；
did he choose it； to claim remote affinity with some of the ancient
Moorish princes； through a scion of his house； Don Pedro Venegas；
surnamed the Tornadizo； and by the same token； his daughter； the
fascinating little Carmen； might claim to be rightful representative
of the princess Cetimerien or the beautiful Lindaraxa。*
* Lest this should be deemed a mere stretch of fancy； the reader
is referred to the following genealogy； derived by the historian
Alcantara； from an Arabian manuscript； on parchment； in the archives
of the marquis of Corvera。 It is a specimen of the curious
affinities between Christians and Moslems； produced by capture and
intermarriages； during the Moorish wars。 From Aben Hud； the Moorish
king； the conqueror of the Almohades； was descended in right line
Cid Yahia Abraham Alnagar； prince of Almeria； who married a daughter
of King Bermejo。 They had three children； commonly called the
Cetimerian Princes。 1st。 Yusef ben Alhamar； who for a time usurped the
throne of Granada。 2d。 The Prince Nasar； who married the celebrated
Lindaraxa。 3d。 The Princess Cetimerien； who married Don Pedro Venegas；
captured by the Moors in his boyhood； a younger son of the House of
Luque； of which house the old count was the present head。
Understanding from the count that he had some curious relics of
the Conquest； preserved in his family archives； I accompanied him
early one morning down to his palace in Granada to examine them。 The
most important of these relics was the sword of the Grand Captain； a
weapon destitute of all ostentatious ornament； as the weapons of great
generals are apt to be； with a plain hilt of ivory and a broad thin
blade。 It might furnish a comment on hereditary honors； to see the
sword of the grand captain legitimately declined into such feeble
hands。
The other relics of the Conquest were a number of espingardas or
muskets of unwieldy size and ponderous weight； worthy to rank with
those enormous two…edged swords preserved in old armories； which
look like relics from the days of the giants。
Besides other hereditary honors； I found the old count was Alferez
mayor； or grand standard…bearer； in which capacity he was entitled
to bear the ancient standard of Ferdinand and Isabella； on certain
high and solemn occasions； and to wave it over their tombs。 I was
shown also the caparisons of velvet； sumptuously embroidered with gold
and silver； for six horses； with which he appeared in state when a new
sovereign was to be proclaimed in Granada and Seville； the count
mounting one of the horses； and the other five being led by lackeys in
rich liveries。
I had hoped to find among the relics and antiquities of the
count's palace； some specimens of the armor and weapons of the Moors
of Granada； such as I had heard were preserved as trophies by the
descendants of the Conquerors； but in this I was disappointed。 I was
the more curious in this particular； because an erroneous idea has
been entertained by many； as to the costumes of the Moors of Spain；
supposing them to be of the usual oriental type。 On the contrary； we
have it on the authority of their own writers； that they adopted in
many respects the fashions of the Christians。 The turban；
especially； so identified in idea with the Moslem； was generally
abandoned； except in the western provinces； where it continued in
use among people of rank and wealth； and those holding places under
government。 A woollen cap； red or green； was commonly worn as a
substitute； probably the same kind originating in Barbary； and known
by the name of Tunis or Fez； which at the present day is worn
throughout the east； though generally under the turban。 The Jews
were obliged to wear them of a yellow color。
In Murcia； Valencia； and other eastern provinces； men of the highest
rank might be seen in public bareheaded。 The warrior king； Aben Hud；
never wore a turban； neither did his rival and competitor Al Hamar；
the founder of the Alhambra。 A short cloak called Taylasan similar
to that seen in Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries；
was worn by all ranks。 It had a hood or cape which people of condition
sometimes drew over the head； but the lower class never。
A Moslem cavalier in the thirteenth century； as described by Ibnu
Said； was equipped for war very much in the Christian style。 Over a
complete suit of mail he wore a short scarlet tunic。 His helmet was of
polished steel； a shield was slung at his back； he wielded a huge
spear with a broad point； sometimes a double point。 His saddle was
cumbrous； projecting very much in front and in rear； and he rode
with a banner fluttering behind him。
In the time of Al Khattib of Granada； who wrote in the fourteenth
century； the Moslems of Andalus had resumed the Oriental costumes； and
were again clad and armed in Arabic fashion： with light helmet； thin
but well tempered cuirass； long slender lance； commonly of reed；
Arabian saddle and leathern buckler； made of double folds of the
skin of the antelope。 A wonderful luxury prevailed at that time in the
arms and equipments of the Granadian cavaliers。 Their armor was inlaid
with gold and silver。 Their cimeters were of the keenest Damascus
blades； with sheaths richly wrought and enamelled； and belts of golden
filagree studded with gems。 Their daggers of Fez had jewelled hilts；
and their lances were set off with gay banderoles。 Their horses were
caparisoned in correspondent style； with velvet and embroidery。
All this minute description； given by a contemporary； and an
author of distinction； verifies those gallant pictures in the old
Morisco Spanish ballads which have sometimes been deemed apocryphal；
and gives a vivid idea of the brilliant appearance of the chivalry
of Granada； when marshalled forth in warlike array； or when
celebrating the chivalrous fetes of the Vivarrambla。
The Generalife。
HIGH ABOVE the Alhambra； on the breast of the mountain； amidst
embowered gardens and stately terraces； rise the lofty towers and
white walls of the Generalife； a fairy palace； full of storied
recollections。 Here is still to be seen the famous cypresses of
enormous size which flourished in the time of the Moors； and which
tradition has connected with the fabulous story of Boabdil and his
sultana。
Here are preserved the portraits of many who figured in the romantic
drama of the Conquest。 Ferdinand and Isabella； Ponce de Leon； the
gallant marquis of Cadiz； and Garcilaso de la Vega； who slew in
desperate fight Tarfe the Moor； a champion of Herculean strength。 Here
too hangs a portrait which has long passed for that of the unfortunate
Boabdil； but which is said to be that of Aben Hud； the Moorish king
from whom descended the princes of Almeria。 From one of these princes；
who joined the standard of Ferdinand and Isabella towards the close of
the Conquest； and was christianized by the name of Don Pedro de
Granada Venegas； was descended the present proprietor of the palace；
the marquis of Campotejar。 The proprietor； however； dwells in a
foreign land； and the palace has no longer a princely inhabitant。
Yet here is every thing to delight a southern voluptuary： fruits；
flowers； fragrance； green arbors and myrtle hedges； delicate air and
gushing waters。 Here I had an opportunity of witnessing those scenes
which painters are fond of depicting about southern palaces and
gardens。 It was the saint's day of the count's daughter； and she had