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El Arçobispo de Granada mandó a todos los Curas de el Arçobispado, que el primer dia de el año [1568] publícassen en sus Parroquias: se havian de matricular todos los hijos de los Moriscos, desde la edad de cinco años, hasta los quince, para que los embiassen a las ecuelas, á fin de enseñarles la Doctrina Christiana, leer, y escribir, y con esso aprendiessen la lengua Castellana: con que sus padres determinaron levantarse, por parecerles, que era menos penosa la muerte, que el yugo de las cosas, que les mandaba.

Diò principio á la rebellion Farax-Aben Farax de el linage de los Abencerrages, aunque de oficio Tintorero de Arrebol, vecino de el Albaicin, hombre resuelto, y mañofo, tratando esta materia, con Abenjuagar, Alguacil de Cadiar, Diego Lopez Abenaboo, vecino de Mecina de Bonvaron, y otros Moriscos principales, que estaban en Granada á seguir sus dependiencias en la Chancilleria, y conociendo era necessario experimentar el animo de los Moriscos, que vivian en las Alpujarras, para tomar la resolucion.

Como á los Moriscos les estaba prohibido el hacer juntas, determinaron hacer un Hospital, y Hermandad, con titulo de la Santissima Trinidad, fuera de Granada, para curar sus Christianos pobres enfermos; pues con este pretexto se podrían juntar, y conferir sin sospecha, lo que tocaba á la rebelion, y pedir licencia á el Arçobispo.

Concedióseles la licencia, que pedian, por el Arçobispo, y Presidente, pareciendoles, que era una obra muy piadosa y Christiana: con que ellos valiendose de este pretexto, despacharon tres, o quatro personas, para que con maña, y secreto explorassen el animo, é intencion de los lugares, y Ios aientassen à la solevacion, fiando este secreto de personas seguras, y pocas, à fin de que estas en cada lugar pudiessen inducir a los demas, y tomassen razon de la gente, que en cada uno podia tomar armas, y las que havia en el; y à el mismo tiempo reconocieron los Puertos, que eran mas aproposito para recibir socorros, que podian venir de Berbería, y los caminos mas breves, seguros, y secretos, para conducirlos, y conducir tambien viveres à Granada.

Salieron, pues, los destinados para este efecto, y tomaron diversas veredas, y luego que llegaban à los lugares, solicitaban introducirse en conversacion con algunos de los principales Moriscos de ellos, tratando de el miserable estado, en que se hallaban, y la miserable, y lastimosa esclavitud a que estaban reducidos, y viendolos lastimados, y con el mismo motivo resentidos, de que no podian guardar la Religion de fus mayores, les decian que si eran hombres de secreto, y valor, facilmente podian sacudir tan tirano yugo: porque segun varias profecias de los antiguos Alfaquies, despues de la pérdida de el Reyno de Granada, havia llegado ya el tiempo de su libertad, tomando las armas, y que para lograr esto, havian solicitado el ayuda de los Reyes de el África, que havian ofrecido embiarles grandes socorros, y que el Gran Turco les havia prometido, embiaria á su favor armada, y gente.

Y de esta suerte corrieron las Alpujarras, y haviendo ejecutado con solicitud lo que se les avia ordenado, volvieron a dar quenta de su comission.

Juntaronse en Cadiar, lugar que esta a la entrada de las Alpujarras, los principales de la rebelion, assi de el Albaicin, como de las otras partes de el Reyno, y reconociendo, que havia en él mas de ochenta y cinco mil casas de Moriscos empadronadas, sin otras muchas, que se ocultaban, y que se podian poner cinquenta mil hombres con armas en campaña, resolvieron, que el levantamiento se hiciesse el dia de el Jueves Santo, encargando á todos el secreto, para la seguridad, ponderandoles el riesgo, que tenian todos, en que se supiesse la conspiracion, pues de manifestrse, perderían la vida, la hacienda , y padecerían los mas rigurosos tormentos.

Ademas los Monfies empezaron a cara descubierta a levantar vanderas, roba, y matar á quantos Christianos encontraban, usando con ellos las mas barbaras crueldades, defuerte, que era raro el dia, que no se trajessen á Granada algunos cuerpos muertos, assi de Clerigos, como Religiosos, y seglares, los mas muertos coa estraña crueldad, y inhumanidad.

Muchas perfonas reconociendo el desasossiego, è inquietud, que trahian entre si los Moriscos de las Alpujarras, vinieron en el conocimiento de el animo depravado, que tenian de levantarse, y aísí lo escribieron á el Presidente, y a el Arzobispo de Granada, y juntamente a el Rey; con cuyo aviso el Prefidente, y el Corregidor de Granada, previnieron de armas a los Christianos, y procuraron tener gran cuidado con el Albaicin, rondando todas las noches: con lo qual estos avisaron á los principales de las Alpujarras, que suspendiessen la solevacion, porque la ciudad estaba advertida, y con prevencion, y que n lograndose aquella, los demas intentos eran en vano: con que suspendieron el levantamiento, que tenian, determinado para el dia de Jueves Santo.

El Conde de Tendilla estaba en el Alhambra por su padre el Marqués de Mondejar, que se hallaba en la Corte por las competencias de jurisdicion con la Chancilleería, y a 5 de Abril con los grandes recelos de el levantamiento, subió a el Albaicin , acompañado de muchos Caballeros, y su guardia, y fue a oír Miíssa á San Salvador, donde estaba junta !a mayor parte de los Moriscos, por ser dia de Jueves Santo, y haviendola oído, les dixo: que ninguno se saliesse, porque tenia que hablarles, y desde las gradas de el Altar mayor les insinuó en Granada, y en todo el Reyno se sospechaba, que intentaban levantarse; que mirassen, que todo estaba dispuesto para su mayor bien, y que assi lo observassen puntuales, porque el mudar de trage, y lengua, era para que no huviesse diferencia alguna, pues eran ya todos Christianos; que tratassen de despedir los que havian venido de las Alpujarras a vivir en el Albaicin, por la sospecha, que ocasionaban , y que el matricular sus hijos, y hijas, no era para quitarselos, como algunos falsamente publicaban, sino para enseñarlos, y doctrinarlos en la Religion Christiana; y que creyessen, que observada la fidelidad, que debían á Dios, y a el Rey, este siempre les atendería.

Ellos se quejaron á el Conde de la injusta sospecha de su fidelidad, y le dieron muchas gracias, y desde entonces procuraron vivir contal recato, que casi disiparon el recelo, assegurando á los Christianos para el descuido.

A 6 de Abril un Alguacil llamado Bartholomè Santa María, teniendo a su cargo la ronda, al tiempo que anochecia, estando lloviendo mucho, haciendo mucho aire, y muy obscuro, embió quatro soldados a hacer centinela en la Torre de el Aceytuno, que estaba en lo mas alto de el Albaicin, y como la noche era obscura, y llovía , llevó cada soldado un acho de atocha encendido para alumbrarse, y en llegando a el pie de la torre, cuya subida era dificil, los que iban delante menearon los achos para alumbrará los que iban subiendo, y luego los echaron abajo, de modo, que parecia, que aquello era señal de aviso á gente apostada afuera.

Vio esto la centinela, que estaba en la Torre de la fortaleza de la Alhatmbra, y creyendo, que era señal de alguna novedad de los Moriscos, tocó a rebato, y avisó á el Conde de Tendilla de loque havia visto, y este embió veinte soldados a el Albaicin, para saber el motivo de aquellos fuegos.

En tanto la centinela, que tocaba a rebato, empezó á dar grandes voces, diciendo: Christianos guardaos, y prevenios, porque esta noche puede ser, que seais degollados: con las quales palabras Te alborotó de tal suerte la ciudad, que fué todo horror, temor, y confusíon; las mugeres salian despavoridas de sus casas, buscando el asylo de las Iglesías, ó Alcazar, ó las partes, que les parecian mas seguras; los hombres salian con las armas, que tenian, a las calles, y plazas, sin saber donde acudir; los Religiosos tomaron las armas, que hallaron, y se pusieron á la puerta de la Audiencia, creyendo todos era cierto el levantamiento.

El Presidente, y Corregidor embió cada uno por su parte a el Albaicin, para saber la causa, que diò ocasion á el alboroto, y reconociendo, que havia nacido de la inadvertencia de los soldados, que havian ido a hacer centinela en la Torre de el Aceytuno, todos se recobraron, y quedaron sossegados, y se volvieron a sus casas. El Corregidor tomó con gente las bocas de las Calles de el Albaicin, para que ninguno entrasse en el, y evitar el saqueo de sus moradores; y despues de haver passado una furiosa tempestad de agua, subio á el Albaicin, y rondando toda la noche, reconoció quando fue de dia las murallas, y viendo, que estaba todo seguro, bajó á la ciudad. De alli adelante rondaba todas las noches con gente armada, assi para que los Moriscos no recibiessen daño, como para assegurarse de ellos, y este rebato sirvió de mucho, porque la Ciudad trató de prevenirse, y comprar armas, que repartió entre los vecinos, y de alli adelante se vivió con mayor cuidado.

(Fin de la Primera Parte)

Por el texto en original: Juan de Ferreras, Historia de España: siglo XVI: parte dezimaquinta, Madrid, 1725: http://books.google.it/books?id=o81d6SxvFqYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false

The Moors are said to have regretted the loss of no part of their Spanish possessions so much as this once affluent and beautiful capital, the Damascus of the West. They still offer up their supplications, every Friday, for the recovery of this city; and the last Moorish ambassador who came into Spain, having obtained permission to visit Granada, is stated to have shed tears on entering the Alhambra. They have left more monuments behind them in this city, than in any other in the Peninsula; and it might almost be supposed, M. Peyron remarks, that they intended to make it the great depository of their learning, religion, and magnificence. There is not a wall which does not bear some marks of their greatness. Of the history of Granada prior to the Arabian invasion, nothing certain is known. The Spanish antiquaries assign to its foundation the remote date of 2808 years B.C. That a Phenician colony established itself here, is highly probable. It is alleged, that the ancient walls of the Alcacaba are of a different sort of masonry from those of the Romans and Saracens, and similar to the acknowledged works of the Carthaginians. Granada was known to the Romans under the name of Illiberia, and the city was made by them a municipal colony, with the title of Municipium Florentinum Illiberitanum. The modern name signifies pomegranate ; and a split pomegranate, the arms of the city, appears upon every gate or ornamented post in the streets and public walks.

Some writers suppose, that this name was given to the city on account of the fanciful resemblance which it bears to that fruit, when ripe; the two hills representing the bursting skin, and the houses crowded into the intermediate valley, the pips. It may have been intended merely to characterize the deliciousness of the situation. Remmon, or Rimmon, the Hebrew for pomegranate, was the name of several ancient cities in Syria ; and if it be true, as Swinburne states, without giving his authority, that the Arabs still call this city Hainan, and the Jews, Rimmon, there can be no doubt that Granada is the mere translation of its ancient name. The etymological reveries which derive it from Gar, a cave, and Nata, Count Julian’s daughter (whose name, however, others make to have been Cava); or, according to others, Nata, the’ daughter of Liberia, the wife of Hesperus, or a goddess of that name; or from Grana, corn; are undeserving of serious notice, as they only serve to prove the ignorance of those who framed them.

The alluring beauty of the country, the striking situation of the place, and the salubrity of the air, united to recommend Granada as a most attractive object to the victorious Saracens; but it was for a long time eclipsed by Cordova and other Moorish cities. The march of Tarik, the Moorish general, after the battle of Xeres, was directed through the Sierra Morena to Toledo. That decisive battle was fought in the 91st year of the Hejira (July, A.D. 710). A detachment of his army was sent to reduce the sea-coast of Baetica; but, from the treaty between Abdelaziz and Theodemir, the Gothic Prince of Valencia, dated nearly three years later, it would seem that the south-eastern portion of Andalusia did not, in the first instance, attract the attention of the conqueror. Nor does Granada appear to have been for some time considered as a place of importance. The present town is said to have been built in the tenth century, at which time it belonged to the dominions of the sovereigns of Cordova. It was originally assigned to a colony of Arabs from Syria and Irak. The royal legion of Damascus was planted at Cordova; that of Emesa at Seville; that of Chalcis at Jaen; that of Palestine at Algezira and Medina Sidonia; the natives of Yemen and Persia were scattered round Toledo and the inland country; and the fertile seats of Granada were bestowed on ten thousand horsemen of Syria and Irak, the children of the purest and most noble of the Arabian tribes. Egyptian Arabs shared the establishments of the Moorish legions at Murcia and Lisbon.

Alhambra, however, does not appear to have been built for above five hundred years after the descent of the Arabs, towards the close of the thirteenth century. It was not till the year 1235, that, hy the revolt of Mehemed Alhamar, this city became the capital of a new sovereignty, and began to acquire celebrity in the Moorish annals. That monarch is said to have been the ally, or rather, the tributary of St. Ferdinand, King of Castile, whom he assisted in his conquest of Seville. By his son, Muley Mehemed Abdallah, the building of the Alhambra is said to have been begun; and the great mosque was completed by his successor early in the fourteenth century. The Gate of Judgment, which forms the principal entrance, bears an inscription, attributing its erection to the unfortunate Yusef Abu Hagiagi: it is stated to have been finished in the 749th year of the Hejira (A.D. 1338). From that period, the kingdom of Granada began to decline. Its prosperity revived for a short time, under the enlightened government of Mehemed Abu Hadjad (A.D. 1379—1392) ; and for a hundred years after, though the scene of several sanguinary intestine revolutions, it continued to resist all the efforts of the Christian kings. But at length, in the year 1492, after a nine months’ blockade, it was surrendered by the last of its sovereigns to the triumphant arms of Ferdinand and Isabella; and the Moorish power in Spain was extinguished, after their empire had subsisted for seven hundred and eighty years. At that period, the city is said to have been three leagues in circumference; its ramparts were defended by one thousand and thirty towers; and it comprised within its walls 70,000 houses, and 400,000 inhabitants. This enormous population is accounted for by the number of Moors who, as the Christians extended their conquests in Andalusia, took refuge in Granada as a secure asylum against the Spanish power.

Of its appearance about this time, a native author (Ibn Alkhatib)’ gives the following description:

” The city of Granada is surrounded with most spacious gardens, where the trees are so thick set as to resemble hedges, yet not so as to obstruct the view of the beautiful towers of the Alhambra, which glitter like so many stars over the green forests. The plain, stretching far and wide, produces such quantities of grain and vegetables, thai: no revenues but those of the first families in the kingdom are equal to their annual produce. Each garden is calculated to bring in a neat income of 500 pieces of gold, out of which it pays thirty mince to the king. Beyond these gardens lie fields of various culture, at all seasons of the year clad with the richest verdure, and loaded with soir.e valuable vegetable production or other. Adjoining, you may see the sumptuous farms belonging to the royal demesnes, wonderfully agreeable to the beholder, from the large quantity of plantations of trees and the variety of the plants. These estates occupy an extent of twenty miles square. For the purpose of superintending and cultivating them, are kept numbers of able-bodied husbandmen and choice beasts, both of draught and burden. In most of them are castles, mills, and mosques. Many towns, remarkable for the number of their inhabitants and the excellence of their productions, lie dispersed round the boundaries of these crown lands. The plain contains also large tracts of meadow and pasture, villages and hamlets full of people, country-houses and small dwellings. I have heard the names of above three hundred hamlets in the environs of Granada. Within sight of the city walls may be reckoned fifty colleges and places of worship, and above three hundred water-mills.

” The Granadians are orthodox in religion, of the sect of the Malekites. They pay implicit obedience to the mandates of their princes, are patient of labour, and above measure liberal. They are in person comely, of a middle stature, with small nose, clear complexion, and black hair; elegant in their language, but rather prolix in discourse, and in disputing, haughty and obstinate. The greater number of their families derive their origin from houses of Barbary. Their dress consists of the most costly Persian or Turkish robes, of either fine woollen, linen, silk, or cotton. In winter, they wear the albomos, or African cloak ; in summer, a loose white wrapper. The soldiers of Spanish extraction use in war a short coat of mail, a light helmet, Arabian horse-furniture, a leathern buckler, and a slender spear. Those born in Africa bear very long staves, called amras. Their dwellings are but slightly built. It is very curious to assist at the diversions of their festivals; for then the young people assemble in sets at the dancing- houses, and sing all manner of licentious ballads. The citizens of Granada eat the very best of wheaten bread throughout the year. The poorer sort and labourers are sometimes, in winter time, obliged to put up with barley bread, which, however, is excellent in its kind. They have every sort of fruit iu abundance, especially grapes, of which the quantity eaten is incredible. Immense are the hoards of all species of dried fruits. They have also the secret of preserving grapes sound and juicy from one season to another. Both their gold and silver coin are good and near to purity. Many are the amusements and recreations of the citizens, when they retire in autumn to their pretty villas in the suburbs. They are passionately fond of decking themselves out with gems and ornaments of gold and precious stones. The women are handsome, but of a stature rather below the middle size, so that it is rare to meet with a tall one among them. They are very delicate, and proud of encouraging a prodigious length of hair ; their teeth are white as the driven snow, and their whole person is kept perfectly sweet by the abundant use of the most exquisite perfumes; they are light and airy in their gait, of a sprightly, acute wit, and smart in conversation. In this age, the vanity of the sex has carried the art of dressing themselves out with elegance, profusion, and magnificence, to such an excess, that it can no longer be simply called luxury, but is become absolute madness.”

To every house in Granada was attached a garden, planted with orange, lemon, citron, laurel, myrtle, and other odoriferous trees and shrubs. All the houses were supplied with running water, and in every street, through the munificence of successive sovereigns, there were copious fountains for the public convenience, and for the performance of religious ablutions. Whatever, in short, could tend to promote the convenience and comfort of life was here to be found in the richest profusion. The houses in the Albaycin (the highest quarter in the city), which, in the time of the Moors, were ten thousand in number, were particularly elegant, being beautifully ornamented with damasquina work. The surrounding country is described by Alkhatib as rivalling in beauty the environs of Damascus. ” Language, indeed,” he says, ” can with difficulty describe how happy, how charming it is rendered, by the softness of the air, the mildness of the climate, the bridges over the river, the splendour of the temples, and the convenience of its market-places (bazars ?).” ” Its territory abounds with gold, silver, lead, iron, tutty, marcasites, and sapphires. Among the plants growing on its mountains and in the marshes, are to be found the sulphur-wort, gentian, and spikenard. Its silken stuffs are deservedly reputed to be far superior to those of Syria, in beauty, softness, and fineness of texture.” The surplus of the abundant crops produced by the exuberant fertility of the soil, was deposited in numberless granaries excavated in the sides of the mountains, which still remain, and furnish a wretched habitation to gipsies, who abound in this part of the Peninsula.

Such are the terms in which the native writers loved to dwell on the former glories of this Arabian capital. But, alas ! exclaims Swinburne, ” those glories have passed away with its old inhabitants ; its streets are choked with filth, its aqueducts are crumbled to dust; its woods are destroyed ; its territory is depopulated; its trade is lost Nothing but the numerous ruins scattered over its hills, can induce one’to believe that those bleak, barren wastes, which make up more than two-thirds of the province, were formerly covered with luxuriant plantations of fruit-trees, abundant harvests, or noble forests.” Still, however, the plain of Granada forms one of the most delightful spots in the world ; and the Alhamra remains, the pride and the disgrace of Spain.

Granada stands on two hills, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, where two little rivers, the Dauro (Auro) and the Xenil (Singilis), form a junction, and, after watering the whole plain, take a westerly course, and flow on to Seville. The ancient palace of the Alhamva and the Torre Vermeja crown the double summit of the hill between the rivers : the other hill, north of the Dauro, is covered with the quarters of the Albaycin and the Alcacaba. The remainder of the city extends along the skirts of the plain in a semicircular form. The Vega, or plain, which is between three and four thousand feet above the level of the sea, is thirty leagues in length, by about sixteen in breadth. A gentle slope of beautiful hillocks bounds the horizon on all sides, except on the north, where the Sierra Nevada lifts it head into the regions of snow, and to the north-west, where the view is terminated by the bare summit of the Sierra de los Infantes. The height of these mountains gives this elevated plain the appearance of a delicious valley. Mr. Jacob (of whose Travels in the South of Spain in 1809-10, we shall now have occasion to avail ourselves) thus describes the exquisite prospect which presented itself when he reached the top of some small hills within two leagues of the city, on the road from Malaga. ” The rich and populous country, well supplied with trees, the clear rivulets descending from the mountains, and artificially contrived to intersect it in every part; the splendid city, extending in a half-moon from the river, clothing the gradual ascent of a hill; the streets rising above each other ; the profusion of turrets and gilded cupolas ; the summit crowned with the Alhambra; the back-ground composed of the majestic Sierra Nevada, with its top covered with snow, — completed a scene to which no description can do justice; a scene, to view which we had travelled on horseback two hundred miles over the worst roads in the world, and which we nevertheless considered as amply repaying us for the fatigue we had endured, and the filth we had encountered. This place, however, should he viewed at a distance, and not be too nearly inspected ; for the splendid poverty visible within, destroys the illusion created by a distant view.”

From “Josiah Conder, The Modern Traveller, London, J. Duncan, 1830, 18th volume” pag. 219-228. To read the original and unabridged text: http://books.google.it/books?id=QcIaAAAAYAAJ&printsec=titlepage&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA228,M1