The faithful
and indefatigable vizier accompanied the bearer of these letters to
Tunis, where he rejoined his exiled sovereign. The letters were
successful. Muhamed el Hayzari landed in Andalusia with five hundred
African horse, and was joined by the Abencerrages and others of his
adherents and by his Christian allies; wherever he appeared the people
submitted to him; troops sent against him deserted to his standard;
Granada was recovered without a blow; the usurper retreated to the
Alhambra, but was beheaded by his own soldiers (1428), after
reigning between two and three years.
El Hayzari, once more on the throne, heaped honors on the loyal
vizier, through whose faithful services he had been restored, and once
more the line of the Abencerrages basked in the sunshine of royal
favor. El Hayzari sent ambassadors to King Juan, thanking him for
his aid, and proposing a perpetual league of amity. The king of
Castile required homage and yearly tribute. These the left-handed
monarch refused, supposing the youthful king too, much engaged in
civil war to enforce his claims. Again the kingdom of Granada was
harassed by invasions, and its Vega laid waste. Various battles took
place with various success. But El Hayzari's greatest danger was
near at home. There was at that time in Granada a cavalier, Don
Pedro Venegas by name, a Moslem by faith, but Christian by descent,
whose early history borders on romance.
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