A Short History of Spain

Its one stronghold was the cave of Covadonga, where Pelagius, or Pelayo, had gathered thirty men and ten women. Here, in the dark recesses of this cave,-which was approached th

tinguished that spark which was destined to consume the domini

which drove them step by step further south, until he had pushed the Christian frontier as far as the great Sierra, so that the one-time Visigoth capital of Toledo marked the line of the Moslem bo

erbers and the Arabs on the African coast were jealous and antagonistic; the one was devout, credulous, and emotional; the other cool, crafty, and diplomatic. Su

by one Berber general, that the lion's share of the spoils had gone to the Arabs, who were carrying things with a high hand! There were signs of a gener

But as his empire extended to such vast dimensions, he was obliged to delegate much of his temporal authority to others; so gradual

1 to 750; at which time the then reigning Omeyyad was deposed, and the second dyn

his family who escaped the exterminating fury of the Abbasides. There was no future for him in the

aroused the same wild enthusiasm, and as if by magic an army gathered about him, to meet the army of the Governor, Yusuf, which would resist him. Victory declared itself for the Prince, and he ent

rmy of invasion was utterly annihilated; and the qualities slumbering in this son of the Khalifs may be judged when we relate that the hea

of the people; to turn their arms against one another instead of against himself; to win homage and obedience through such difficulties; and to rule supreme-lord of all! Of a truth there is not such another man!" Abd-er-Rahman (the Sult