lls　of　Baza　with　their　lances；　and　the　guards　patrolled　the　Christian　camp；　but　there　was　no　sallying　forth　to　skirmish　nor　any　wanton　violence　or　carnage。*
  *Many　particulars　of　the　scenes　and　occurrences　at　the　siege　of　　Baza　are　also　furnished　in　the　letters　of　the　learned　Peter　Martyr；　　who　was　present　and　an　admiring　eye…witness。
  Prince　Cid　Hiaya　saw　by　the　arrival　of　the　queen　that　the　Christians　were　determined　to　continue　the　siege；　and　he　knew　that　the　city　would　have　to　capitulate。　　He　had　been　prodigal　of　the　lives　of　his　soldiers　as　long　as　he　thought　a　military　good　was　to　be　gained　by　the　sacrifice；　but　he　was　sparing　of　their　blood　in　a　hopeless　cause；　and　weary　of　exasperating　the　enemy　by　an　obstinate　yet　hopeless　defence。
  At　the　request　of　the　prince　a　parley　was　granted；　and　the　master　commander　of　Leon；　Don　Gutierrez　de　Cardenas；　was　appointed　to　confer　with　the　veteran　alcayde　Mohammed。　　They　met　at　an　appointed　place；　within　view　of　both　camp　and　city；　attended　by　cavaliers　of　either　army。　　Their　meeting　was　highly　courteous；　for　they　had　learnt；　from　rough　encounters　in　the　field；　to　admire　each　other's　prowess。　The　commander　of　Leon　in　an　earnest　speech　pointed　out　the　hopelessness　of　any　further　defence；　and　warned　Mohammed　of　the　ills　which　Malaga　had　incurred　by　its　obstinacy。　　〃I　promise　in　the　name　of　my　sovereigns；〃　said　he；　〃that　if　you　surrender　immediately　the　inhabitants　shall　be　treated　as　subjects　and　protected　in　property；　liberty；　and　religion。　　If　you　refuse；　you；　who　are　now　renowned　as　an　able　and　judicious　commander；　will　be　chargeable　with　the　confiscations；　captivities；　and　deaths　which　may　be　suffered　by　the　people　of　Baza。〃
  The　commander　ceased；　and　Mohammed　returned　to　the　city　to　consult　with　his　companions。　　It　was　evident　that　all　further　resistance　was　hopeless；　but　the　Moorish　commanders　felt　that　a　cloud　might　rest　upon　their　names　should　they；　of　their　own　discretion；　surrender　so　important　a　place　without　its　having　sustained　an　assault。　　Prince　Cid　Hiaya　requested　permission；　therefore；　to　send　an　envoy　to　Guadix；　with　a　letter　to　the　old　monarch；　El　Zagal；　treating　of　the　surrender：　the　request　was　granted；　a　safe　conduct　assured　to　the　envoy；　and　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan　departed　upon　this　momentous　mission。
  CHAPTER　LXXXI。
  THE　SURRENDER　OF　BAZA。
  The　old　warrior…king　was　seated　in　an　inner　chamber　of　the　castle　of　Guadix；　much　cast　down　in　spirit　and　ruminating　on　his　gloomy　fortunes；　when　an　envoy　from　Baza　was　announced；　and　the　veteran　alcayde　Mohammed　stood　before　him。　　El　Zagal　saw　disastrous　tidings　written　in　his　countenance。　　〃How　fares　it　with　Baza　；〃　said　he；　summoning　up　his　spirits　to　the　question。　　〃Let　this　inform　thee；〃　replied　Mohammed；　and　he　delivered　into　his　hands　the　letter　from　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya。
  This　letter　spoke　of　the　desperate　situation　of　Baza；　the　impossibility　of　holding　out　longer　without　assistance　from　El　Zagal；　and　the　favorable　terms　held　out　by　the　Castilian　sovereigns。　Had　it　been　written　by　any　other　person；　El　Zagal　might　have　received　it　with　distrust　and　indignation；　but　he　confided　in　Cid　Hiaya　as　in　a　second　self；　and　the　words　of　his　letter　sank　deep　in　his　heart。　　When　he　had　finished　reading　it；　he　sighed　deeply；　and　remained　for　some　time　lost　in　thought；　with　his　head　drooping　upon　his　bosom。　　Recovering　himself　at　length；　he　called　together　the　alfaquis　and　the　old　men　of　Guadix　and　solicited　their　advice。　　It　was　sign　of　sore　trouble　of　mind　and　dejection　of　heart　when　El　Zagal　sought　the　advice　of　others；　but　his　fierce　courage　was　tamed；　for　he　saw　the　end　of　his　power　approaching。　　The　alfaquis　and　the　old　men　did　but　increase　the　distraction　of　his　mind　by　a　variety　of　counsel；　none　of　which　appeared　of　any　avail；　for　unless　Baza　were　succored　it　was　impossible　that　it　should　hold　out；　and　every　attempt　to　succor　it　had　proved　ineffectual。　　El　Zagal　dismissed　his　council　in　despair；　and　summoned　the　veteran　Mohammed　before　him。　　〃God　is　great；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃there　is　but　one　God；　and　Mahomet　is　his　prophet！　　Return　to　my　cousin；　Cid　Hiaya；　tell　him　it　is　out　of　my　power　to　aid　him；　he　must　do　as　seems　to　him　for　the　best。　　The　people　of　Baza　have　performed　deeds　worthy　of　immortal　fame；　I　cannot　ask　them　to　encounter　further　ills　and　perils　in　maintaining　a　hopeless　defence。〃
  The　reply　of　El　Zagal　determined　the　fate　of　the　city。　　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　fellow…commanders　capitulated；　and　were　granted　the　most　favorable　terms。　　The　cavaliers　and　soldiers　who　had　come　from　other　parts　to　the　defence　of　the　place　were　permitted　to　depart　with　their　arms；　horses；　and　effects。　　The　inhabitants　had　their　choice　either　to　depart　with　their　property　or　dwell　in　the　suburbs　in　the　enjoyment　of　their　religion　and　laws；　taking　an　oath　of　fealty　to　the　sovereigns　and　paying　the　same　tribute　they　had　paid　to　the　Moorish　kings。　　The　city　and　citadel　were　to　be　delivered　up　in　six　days；　within　which　period　the　inhabitants　were　to　remove　all　their　effects；　and　in　the　mean　time　they　were　to　place　as　hostages　fifteen　Moorish　youths；　sons　of　the　principal　inhabitants；　in　the　hands　of　the　commander　of　Leon。　　When　Cid　Hiaya　and　the　alcayde　Mohammed　came　to　deliver　up　the　hostages；　among　whom　were　the　sons　of　the　latter；　they　paid　homage　to　the　king　and　queen；　who　received　them　with　the　utmost　courtesy　and　kindness；　and　ordered　magnificent　presents　to　be　given　to　them；　and　likewise　to　the　other　Moorish　cavaliers；　consisting　of　money；　robes；　horses；　and　other　things　of　great　value。
  The　prince　Cid　Hiaya　was　so　captivated　by　the　grace；　the　dignity；　and　generosity　of　Isabella　and　the　princely　courtesy　of　Ferdinand　that　he　vowed　never　again　to　draw　his　sword　against　such　magnanimous　sovereigns。　　The　queen；　charmed　with　his　gallant　bearing　and　his　animated　professions　of　devotion；　assured　him　that；　having　him　on　her　side；　she　already　considered　the　war　terminated　which　had　desolated　the　kingdom　of　Granada。
  Mighty　and　irresistible　are　words　of　praise　from　the　lips　of　sovereigns。　　Cid　Hiaya　was　entirely　subdued　by　this　fair　speech　from　the　illustrious　Isabella。　　His　heart　burned　with　a　sudden　flame　of　loyalty　toward　the　sovereigns。　　He　begged　to　be　enrolled　amongst　the　most　devoted　of　their　subjects；　and　in　the　fervor　of　his　sudden　zeal　engaged　not　merely　to　dedicate　his　sword　to　their　service；　but　to　exert　all　his　influence；　which　was　great；　in　persuading　his　cousin；　Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal；　to　surrender　the　cities　of　Guadix　and　Almeria　and　to　give　up　all　further　hostilities。　　Nay；　so　powerful　was　the　effect　produced　upon　his　mind　by　his　conversation　with　the　sovereigns　that　it　extended　even　to　his　religion；　for　he　became　immediately　enlightened　as　to　the　heathenish　abominations　of　the　vile　sect　of　Mahomet；　and　struck　with　the　truths　of　Christianity　as　illustrated　by　such　powerful　monarchs。　　He　consented；　therefore；　to　be　baptized　and　to　be　gathered　into　the　fold　of　the　Church。　　The　pious　Agapida　indulges　in　a　triumphant　strain　of　exultation　on　the　sudden　and　surprising　conversion　of　this　princely　infidel：　he　considers　it　one　of　the　greatest　achievements　of　the　Catholic　sovereigns；　and　indeed　one　of　the　marvellous　occurrences　of　this　holy　war。　　〃But　it　is　given　to　saints　and　pious　monarchs；〃　says　he；　〃to　work　miracles　in　the　cause　of　the　faith；　and　such　did　the　most　Catholic　Ferdinand　in　the　conversion　of　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya。〃
  Some　of　the　Arabian　writers　have　sought　to　lessen　the　wonder　of　this　miracle　by　alluding　to　great　revenues　granted　to　the　prince　and　his　heirs　by　the　Castilian　monarchs；　together　with　a　territory　in　Marchena；　with　towns；　lands；　and　vassals；　but　in　this　（says　Agapida）　we　only　see　a　wise　precaution　of　King　Ferdinand　to　clinch　and　secure　the　conversion　of　his　proselyte。　　The　policy　of　the　Catholic　monarch　was　at　all　times　equal　to　his　piety。　　Instead　also　of　vaunting　of　this　great　conversion　and　making　a　public　parade　of　the　entry　of　the　prince　into　the　Church；　King　Ferdinand　ordered　that　the　baptism　should　be　performed　in　private　and　kept　a　profound　secret。　　He　feared　that　Cid　Hiaya　might　otherwise　be　denounced　as　an　apostate　and　abhorred　and　abandoned　by　the　Moors；　and　thus　his　influence　destroyed　in　bringing　the　war　to　a　speedy　termination。*
  *Conde；　tom。　3；　cap。　40。
  The　veteran　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan　was　likewise　won　by　the　magnanimity　and　munificence　of　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　and　entreated　to　be　received　into　their　service；　and　his　example　was　followed　by　many　other　Moorish　cavaliers；　whose　services　were　generously　accepted　and　magnificently　rewarded。
  Thus；　after　a　siege　of　six　months　and　twenty　days；　the　city　of　Baza　surrendered　on　the　4th　of　December；　1489；　the　festival　of　the　glorious　Santa　Barbara；　who　is　said　in　the　Catholic　calendar　to　preside　over　thunder　and　lightning；　fire　and　gunpowder；　and　all　kinds　of　combustious　explosions。　　The　king　and　queen　made　their　solemn　and　triumphant　entry　on　the　following　day；　and　the　public　joy　was　heightened　by　the　sight　of　upward　of　five　hundred　Christian　captives；　men；　women；　and　children；　delivered　from　the　Moorish　dungeons。
  The　loss　of　the　Christians　in　this　siege　amounted　to　twenty　thousand　men；　of　whom　seventeen　thousand　died　of　disease；