In the year 1456, on the occasion of a great foray into the Vega
by the Christians, Aben Ismael, to secure a peace, agreed to pay the
king of Castile a certain tribute annually, and at the same time to
liberate six hundred Christian captives; or, should the number of
captives fall short, to make it up in Moorish hostages. Aben Ismael
fulfilled the rigorous terms of the treaty, and reigned for a number
of years with more tranquillity than usually fell to the lot of the
monarchs of that belligerent kingdom. Granada enjoyed a great state of
prosperity during his reign, and was the seat of festivity and
splendor. His sultana was a daughter of Cid Hiaya Abraham Alnayar,
prince of Almeria; and he had by her two sons, Abul Hassan, and Abi
Abdallah, surnamed El Zagal, the father and uncle of Boabdil. We
approach now the eventful period signalized by the conquest of
Granada.
Muley Abul Hassan succeeded to the throne on the death of his father
in 1465. One of his first acts was to refuse payment of the
degrading tribute exacted by the Castilian monarch. His refusal was
one of the causes of the subsequent disastrous war. I confine
myself, however, to facts connected with the fortunes of the
Abencerrages and the charges advanced against Boabdil.
The reader will recollect that Don Pedro Venegas, surnamed El
Tornadizo, when he fled from Granada in 1433, left behind him two
sons, Abul Cacim and Reduan, and a daughter, Cetimerien.
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