forward　this　exclamation　became　his　motto；　and　the　motto　of　his
  descendants；　and　appears　to　this　day　emblazoned　on　his　escutcheons
  in　the　halls　of　the　Alhambra。
  Alhamar　had　purchased　peace　by　submission　to　the　Christian　yoke；　but
  he　was　conscious　that；　with　elements　so　discordant　and　motives　for
  hostility　so　deep　and　ancient；　it　could　not　be　permanent。　Acting；
  therefore；　upon　the　old　maxim；　〃arm　thyself　in　peace　and　clothe
  thyself　in　summer；〃　he　improved　the　present　interval　of　tranquillity
  by　fortifying　his　dominions；　replenishing　his　arsenals；　and
  promoting　those　useful　arts　which　give　wealth　and　real　power。　He
  confided　the　command　of　his　various　cities　to　such　as　had
  distinguished　themselves　by　valor　and　prudence；　and　who　seemed　most
  acceptable　to　the　people。　He　organized　a　vigilant　police；　and
  established　rigid　rules　for　the　administration　of　justice。　The　poor
  and　the　distressed　always　found　ready　admission　to　his　presence；　and
  he　attended　personally　to　their　assistance　and　redress。　He　erected
  hospitals　for　the　blind；　the　aged；　and　infirm；　and　all　those　incapable
  of　labor；　and　visited　them　frequently；　not　on　set　days　with　pomp　and
  form；　so　as　to　give　time　for　every　thing　to　be　put　in　order；　and　every
  abuse　concealed；　but　suddenly；　and　unexpectedly；　informing　himself；　by
  actual　observation　and　close　inquiry；　of　the　treatment　of　the　sick；
  and　the　conduct　of　those　appointed　to　administer　to　their　relief。　He
  founded　schools　and　colleges；　which　he　visited　in　the　same　manner；
  inspecting　personally　the　instruction　of　the　youth。　He　established
  butcheries　and　public　ovens；　that　the　people　might　be　furnished　with
  wholesome　provisions　at　just　and　regular　prices。　He　introduced
  abundant　streams　of　water　into　the　city；　erecting　baths　and　fountains；
  and　constructing　aqueducts　and　canals　to　irrigate　and　fertilize　the
  Vega。　By　these　means　prosperity　and　abundance　prevailed　in　this
  beautiful　city；　its　gates　were　thronged　with　commerce；　and　its
  warehouses　filled　with　luxuries　and　merchandise　of　every　clime　and
  country。
  He　moreover　gave　premiums　and　privileges　to　the　best　artisans；
  improved　the　breed　of　horses　and　other　domestic　animals；　encouraged
  husbandry；　and　increased　the　natural　fertility　of　the　soil　twofold
  by　his　protection；　making　the　lovely　valleys　of　his　kingdom　to　bloom
  like　gardens。　He　fostered　also　the　growth　and　fabrication　of　silk；
  until　the　looms　of　Granada　surpassed　even　those　of　Syria　in　the
  fineness　and　beauty　of　their　productions。　He　moreover　caused　the　mines
  of　gold　and　silver　and　other　metals；　found　in　the　mountainous
  regions　of　his　dominions；　to　be　diligently　worked；　and　was　the　first
  king　of　Granada　who　struck　money　of　gold　and　silver　with　his　name；
  taking　great　care　that　the　coins　should　be　skilfully　executed。
  It　was　towards　the　middle　of　the　thirteenth　century；　and　just
  after　his　return　from　the　siege　of　Seville；　that　he　commenced　the
  splendid　palace　of　the　Alhambra；　superintending　the　building　of　it
  in　person；　mingling　frequently　among　the　artists　and　workmen；　and
  directing　their　labors。
  Though　thus　magnificent　in　his　works　and　great　in　his　enterprises；
  he　was　simple　in　his　person　and　moderate　in　his　enjoyments。　His
  dress　was　not　merely　void　of　splendor；　but　so　plain　as　not　to
  distinguish　him　from　his　subjects。　His　harem　boasted　but　few　beauties；
  and　these　he　visited　but　seldom；　though　they　were　entertained　with
  great　magnificence。　His　wives　were　daughters　of　the　principal
  nobles；　and　were　treated　by　him　as　friends　and　rational　companions。
  What　is　more；　he　managed　to　make　them　live　in　friendship　with　one
  another。　He　passed　much　of　his　time　in　his　gardens；　especially　in
  those　of　the　Alhambra；　which　he　had　stored　with　the　rarest　plants
  and　the　most　beautiful　and　aromatic　flowers。　Here　he　delighted　himself
  in　reading　histories；　or　in　causing　them　to　be　read　and　related　to
  him；　and　sometimes；　in　intervals　of　leisure；　employed　himself　in　the
  instruction　of　his　three　sons；　for　whom　he　had　provided　the　most
  learned　and　virtuous　masters。
  As　he　had　frankly　and　voluntarily　offered　himself　a　tributary　vassal
  to　Ferdinand；　so　he　always　remained　loyal　to　his　word；　giving　him
  repeated　proofs　of　fidelity　and　attachment。　When　that　renowned　monarch
  died　in　Seville　in　1254；　Alhamar　sent　ambassadors　to　condole　with
  his　successor；　Alonzo　X；　and　with　them　a　gallant　train　of　a　hundred
  Moorish　cavaliers　of　distinguished　rank；　who　were　to　attend　round
  the　royal　bier　during　the　funeral　ceremonies；　each　bearing　a　lighted
  taper。　This　grand　testimonial　of　respect　was　repeated　by　the　Moslem
  monarch　during　the　remainder　of　his　life　on　each　anniversary　of　the
  death　of　King　Ferdinand　el　Santo；　when　the　hundred　Moorish　knights
  repaired　from　Granada　to　Seville；　and　took　their　stations　with　lighted
  tapers　in　the　centre　of　the　sumptuous　cathedral　round　the　cenotaph
  of　the　illustrious　deceased。
  Alhamar　retained　his　faculties　and　vigor　to　an　advanced　age。　In
  his　seventy…ninth　year　（A。　D。　1272）　he　took　the　field　on　horseback；
  accompanied　by　the　flower　of　his　chivalry；　to　resist　an　invasion　of
  his　territories。　As　the　army　sallied　forth　from　Granada；　one　of　the
  principal　adalides；　or　guides；　who　rode　in　the　advance；　accidentally
  broke　his　lance　against　the　arch　of　the　gate。　The　councillors　of　the
  king；　alarmed　by　this　circumstance；　which　was　considered　an　evil　omen；
  entreated　him　to　return。　Their　supplications　were　in　vain。　The　king
  persisted；　and　at　noontide　the　omen；　say　the　Moorish　chroniclers；
  was　fatally　fulfilled。　Alhamar　was　suddenly　struck　with　illness；　and
  had　nearly　fallen　from　his　horse。　He　was　placed　on　a　litter；　and　borne
  back　towards　Granada　but　his　illness　increased　to　such　a　degree　that
  they　were　obliged　to　pitch　his　tent　in　the　Vega。　His　physicians　were
  filled　with　consternation；　not　knowing　what　remedy　to　prescribe。　In
  a　few　hours　he　died；　vomiting　blood　and　in　violent　convulsions。　The
  Castilian　prince；　Don　Philip；　brother　of　Alonzo　X；　was　by　his　side
  when　he　expired。　His　body　was　embalmed；　enclosed　in　a　silver　coffin；
  and　buried　in　the　Alhambra　in　a　sepulchre　of　precious　marble；　amidst
  the　unfeigned　lamentations　of　his　subjects；　who　bewailed　him　as　a
  parent。
  I　have　said　that　he　was　the　first　of　the　illustrious　line　of　Nasar
  that　sat　upon　a　throne。　I　may　add　that　he　was　the　founder　of　a
  brilliant　kingdom；　which　will　ever　be　famous　in　history　and　romance；
  as　the　last　rallying　place；　of　Moslem　power　and　splendor　in　the
  peninsula。　Though　his　undertakings　were　vast；　and　his　expenditures
  immense；　yet　his　treasury　was　always　full；　and　this　seeming
  contradiction　gave　rise　to　the　story　that　he　was　versed　in　magic
  art；　and　possessed　of　the　secret　for　transmuting　baser　metals　into
  gold。　Those　who　have　attended　to　his　domestic　policy；　as　here　set
  forth；　will　easily　understand　the　natural　magic　and　simple　alchemy
  which　made　his　ample　treasury　to　overflow。
  Yusef　Abul　Hagig。
  The　Finisher　of　the　Alhambra。
  TO　THE　foregoing　particulars；　concerning　the　Moslem　princes　who　once
  reigned　in　these　halls；　I　shall　add　a　brief　notice　of　the　monarch
  who　completed　and　embellished　the　Alhambra。　Yusef　Abul　Hagig　（or　as　it
  is　sometimes　written；　Haxis）　was　another　prince　of　the　noble　line　of
  Nasar。　He　ascended　the　throne　of　Granada　in　the　year　of　grace　1333；
  and　is　described　by　Moslem　writers　as　having　a　noble　presence；　great
  bodily　strength；　and　a　fair　complexion；　and　the　majesty　of　his
  countenance　increased；　say　they；　by　suffering　his　beard　to　grow　to　a
  dignified　length　and　dying　it　black。　His　manners　were　gentle；　affable；
  and　urbane；　he　carried　the　benignity　of　his　nature　into　warfare；
  prohibiting　all　wanton　cruelty；　and　enjoining　mercy　and　protection
  towards　women　and　children；　the　aged　and　infirm；　and　all　friars　and
  other　persons　of　holy　and　recluse　life。　But　though　he　possessed　the
  courage　common　to　generous　spirits；　the　bent　of　his　genius　was　more
  for　peace　than　war；　and　though　repeatedly　obliged　by　circumstances
  to　take　up　arms；　he　was　generally　unfortunate。
  Among　other　ill…starred　enterprises；　he　undertook　a　great
  campaign；　in　conjunction　with　the　king　of　Morocco；　against　the　kings
  of　Castile　and　Portugal；　but　was　defeated　in　the　memorable　battle　of
  Salado；　which　had　nearly　proved　a　death…blow　to　the　Moslem　power　in
  Spain。
  Yusef　obtained　a　long　truce　after　this　defeat；　and　now　his　character
  shone　forth　in　its　true　lustre。　He　had　an　excellent　memory；　and　had
  stored　his　mind　with　science　and　erudition；　his　taste　was　altogether
  elegant　and　refined；　and　he　was　accounted　the　best　poet　of　his　time。
  Devoting　himself　to　the　instruction　of　his　people　and　the
  improvement　of　their　morals　and　manners；　he　established　schools　in　all
  the　villages；　with　simple　and　uniform　systems　of　education；　he　obliged
  every　hamlet　of　more　than　twelve　houses　to　have　a　mosque；　and　purified
  the　ceremonies　of　religion；　and　the　festivals