12

the Moors.

Lisbon. They were very kindly received and supplied Portugal. with all kinds of refreshments by Don Sancho, who took this opportunity of soliciting them to assist him in a design he had formed of attaching the city of Silves in Algarve; to which they readily yielded. Having joined a squadron of his own galleys, and marched a body of troops by land, the place was reduced, and the English, according to agreement, rewarded with the plunder. But, in a short time, the Moors from Africa having again invaded Portugal, the town was several times taken and retaken, till at last Don Sancho, being sensible of the difficulties that would attend the keeping of it, caused it to be demolished. His last enterprise was the reduction of Elvas; soon after which he died with the reputation of the best economist that ever sat on the throne of Portugal. With the character of being rather liberal than avaricious, he had amassed a treasure of more than 700,000 crowns in ready money, besides 1400 merks of silver and 100 of gold plate, which he disposed of some time before his death. He was interred by his own command with much less pomp than his father, in the cathedral of Coimbra; and when his body was taken up 400 years after by order of the king Don Emmanuel that it might be laid in a new tomb, it was found uncorrupted.

Portugal. might live in peace and friendship for the future: to which the king of Portugal most readily assented; but returned to his dominions before his cure was perfected, which was the cause of his being lame all the rest of his life. However, this did not abate his military ardour; for, notwithstanding this inconvenience, his courage transported him into the field whenever he was called by the interest of his subjects. Towards the end of his reign, an opportunity seemed to present itself of obtaining once for all an entire release from the disagreeable pretensions of the king of Leon, who, it seems, had insisted on the king of Portugal's doing homage for his kingdom. The opportunity which now presented itself was a quarrel between the king of Leon and his nephew Don Alonso king of Castile. The latter asked assistance from the king of Portugal, which was readily granted. But Don Ferdinand having received intelligence that the infant Don Sancho, (the king's eldest son) was advancing towards Ciudad Rodrigo, assembled his troops on that frontier with such diligence, Don San- that he was enabled to attack him unexpectedly, and encho's suc- tirely defeated him. Understanding, however, that Don cess against Sancho was recruiting his forces with great diligence, he let him know that they might be much better employed against the infidels, who remained careless and unprepared, expecting the issue of the war. Don Sancho made a proper use of this advice; and, after making some motions to amuse the enemy, made a sudden irruption into Andalusia, penetrating as far as Triana, one of the suburbs of Seville. The Moors assembled their forces in order to attack him on his retreat; but Don Sancho having first fatigued them by the celerity of his march, at length chose a strong camp, and, having given his troops time to repose, drew them out and offered the enemy battle. The Moors accepted the challenge, but were entirely defeated; and Don Sancho returned into Portugal with spoils to an immense amount. For some years after the war was continued without any remarkable event; but, in 1184, Joseph king of Morocco, having already transported multitudes of men from Barbary, at length followed in person with a prodigious army, and carried all before him as far as the Tayo. He appeared before the city of Santaren ; but having wearied and reduced his army by unsuccessful assaults on that place, he was attacked by the Portuguese forces assisted by Ferdinand of Leon, entirely defeated, and himself killed. By this victory, the Portuguese were left at liberty to improve the interior part of their country, and fortify their frontiers; and during this interval, the king died in the 76th year of his age, in the year 1185.

13

His wise

administration when king.

Don Alonso was succeeded by his son Don Sancho I. Of this prince it is remarkable, that, before he ascended the throne, he was of a restless and warlike disposition; but no sooner did he come to the possession of the kingdom, than he became a lover of peace, and began with great assiduity to repair the cities that had suffered most by the war, and to repeople the country around them. By his steady attention to this, he in a very short time quite altered the appearance of his territories, and procured to himself the glorious title of The restorer of cities, and father of his country. In the year 1189, a fleet, composed for the most part of English vessels, but having on board a great number of adventurers of other nations bound to the Holy Land, entered the river of

The history of Portugal affords scarce any event of importance till the year 1289; when, in the reign of Don Denis, a difference commenced with Castile, which subsisted for a long time. Frequent reconciliations took place; but these were either of very short duration, or never sincere. At length, in the reign of John I. Don Juan of Castile, who had also pretensions to the crown of Portugal, invaded that kingdom at the head of the whole force of his dominions, and with the flower of the Castilian nobility entered the province of Alentejo. According to the Portuguese historians, he besieged the city of Elvas without effect; which disappointment enraged him to such a degree, that he determined next year to invade Portugal a second time, and ruin all the country before him. Accordingly, having collected an army of 30,000 men, he invaded Portugal, took and ruined several places, while King John lay inactive, with a small army, waiting for some English succours which he expected. At last he ventured an engagement with the forces which he had; and, notwithstanding the great superiority of the enemy, obtained a complete victory; after which he made an irruption into Castile, and had the good fortune to gain another battle, which fixed him firmly on the throne of Portugal. The Castilians were obliged to consent to a truce of three years, which was soon after improved into a lasting peace.

14

Differences with Ca stile.

15

The Casti

lians entire

ly defeated.

16

The city of In 1414, King John undertook an expedition against Ceuta taken the Moors in Barbary, where he commanded in person; from the but before he set out, his queen (Philippa the daugh- Moors. ter of John duke of Lancaster) died of grief at the thoughts of his absence. The expedition, however, proved successful, and the city of Ceuta was taken from the Moors almost at the first assault; but scarcely had the king left that country, when the princes of Barbary formed a league for the recovery of it; and though they were defeated by the young princes of Portugal, whom John again sent into Barbary, yet the trouble of keeping it was so great, that some of the king's council were of opinion that the town should be demolished.

But

Portugal. But John, having considered the arguments on both sides, determined to keep the city; and therefore enlarged and strengthened the fortifications, augmenting his forces there to 6000 foot and 2500 horse, which he hoped would be sufficient for keeping off the attacks of the Moors.

17 Passage to the East Indies discovered.

Robertson's India.

18 Circum

stances which facilitated the discovery.

King John died in 1428, and was succeeded by his eldest son Edward. He undertook an expedition against Tangier in Barbary: but the event proved very unfortunate; the Portuguese being so shut up by the Moors, that they were obliged to offer Ceuta back again, in order to obtain leave to return to Portugal. The king's son, Don Ferdinand, was left as a hostage for the delivery of Ceuta; but was, with the utmost cruelty and injustice, left in the hands of the infidels, by the King and council of Portugal, who constantly refused to deliver up the place. Many preparations indeed were made for recovering the prince by force; but before any thing could be accomplished the king died in 1430, which put an end to all these designs. See PEDRO, Don.

The war with Barbary continued at intervals, but with little success on the part of the Portuguese; and till the year 1497, there is no event of any consequence recorded in the history of Portugal. This year was remarkable for the discovery of the passage to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope. The enterprising spirit of the Portuguese had prompted them to undertake voyages along the coast of Africa for a considerable time before; but when they undertook their first voyage of discovery, it is probable that they had nothing farther in view than to explore those parts of the coast of Africa which lay nearest to their own country. But a spirit of enterprise, when roused and put in motion, is always progressive; and that of the Portuguese, though slow and timid in its first operations, gradually acquired vigour, and prompted them to advance along the western shore of the African continent far beyond the utmost boundary of ancient navigation in that direction. Encouraged by success, it became more adventurous, despised dangers which formerly appalled it, and surmounted difficulties which it once deemed insuperable. When the Portuguese found in the torrid zone, which the ancients had pronounced to be uninhabitable, fertile countries, occupied by numerous nations; and perceived that the continent of Africa, instead of extending in breadth towards the west, according to the opinion of Ptolemy, appeared to contract itself, and to bend eastwards, more extensive prospects opened to their view, and inspired them with hopes of reaching India, by continuing to hold the same course which they had so long pursued.

After several unsuccessful attempts to accomplish what they had in view, a small squadron sailed from the Tagus, under the command of Vasco de Gama, an of ficer of rank, whose abilities and courage fitted him to conduct the most difficult and arduous enterprises. From unacquaintance, however, with the proper season and route of navigation in that vast ocean through which he had to steer his course, his voyage was long and dangerous. At length he doubled that promontory, which, for several years, had been the object of terror and of hope to his countrymen. From that, after a prosperous navigation along the south-east of Africa, he arrived at the city of Melinda, and had the 4

satisfaction of discovering there, as well as at other Portugal. places where he touched, people of a race very different from the rude inhabitants of the western shore of that continent, which alone the Portuguese had hitherto visited. These he found to be so far advanced in civilization and acquaintance with the various arts of life, that they carried on an active commerce, not only with the nations on their own coast, but with remote countries of Asia. Conducted by their pilots, who held a course with which experience had rendered them well acquainted, he sailed across the Indian ocean, and landed at Calecut, on the coast of Malabar, on the 22d of May 1498, ten months and two days after his departure from the port of Lisbon.

19

country

The samorin, or monarch of the country, astonished The king at this unexpected visit of an unknown people, whose of the aspect, and arms, and manners, bore no resemblance to jealous of any of the nations accustomed to frequent his harbours, his new viand who arrived in his dominions by a route hitherto sitors. deemed impracticable, received them at first with that fond admiration which is often excited by novelty; but in a short time, from whatever motives, he formed various schemes to cut off Gama and his followers. The Portuguese admiral, however, was not to be overreached by such politics as his. From every danger to which he was exposed, either by the open attacks or secret machinations of the Indians, he extricated himself with singular prudence and dexterity, and at last sailed from Calecut with his ships, loaded not only with the commodities peculiar to that coast, but with many rich productions of the eastern parts of India. He returned to Portugal in two years after his sailing from the Tagus, but with a great loss of men; for out of 148 persons whom he took out with him, only 55 returned. The king received him with all possible testimonies of respect and kindness; created him count of Videgueira; and not only declared him admiral of the Indies, but made that office hereditary in his family.

20

the ruin of their com

merce.

On the first intelligence of Gama's successful voy- The Veneage, the Venetians, with the quick-sighted discernment tians dread of merchants, foresaw the immediate consequence of it to be the ruin of that lucrative branch of commerce which had contributed so greatly to enrich and aggrandise their country; and they observed this with more poignant concern, as they were apprehensive that they did not possess any effectual means of preventing, or even retarding, its operation.

21

tuguese in

The hopes and fears of both were well-founded. The Account Portuguese entered upon the new career opened to them of the with activity and ardour, and made excrtions, both com- settlement mercial and military, far beyond what could have been of the Porexpected from a kingdom of such inconsiderable extent. India All these were directed by an intelligent monarch, capable of forming plans of the greatest magnitude with calm systematic wisdom, and of prosecuting them with unremitting perseverance. The prudence and vigour of his measures, however, would have availed little without proper instruments to carry them into execution. Happily for Portugal, the discerning eye of Emanuel selected a succession of officers to take the supreme command' in India, who, by their enterprising valour, military skill, and political sagacity, accompanied with disinte rested integrity, public spirit, and love of their country, have a title to be ranked with the persons most eminent for virtue and abilities in any age or nation. Greater

things.

ceived what kind of a blessing the inquisition was: Lut Portal their discernment was too late; for by that time the inquisitors had acquired such power, that it became equally dangerous and ineffectual to attempt disclosing any of their mysteries.

Portugal. things perhaps were achieved by them than were ever accomplished in so short a time. Within 24 years only after the voyage of Gama, the Portuguese had rendered themselves masters of the city of Malacca, in which the great staple of trade carried on among the inhabitants of all those regions in Asia, which Europeans have distinguished by the general name of the East Indies, was then established. The conquest secured to them great influence over the interior commerce of India, while, at the same time, by their settlements at Goa and Diu, they were enabled to engross the trade of the Malabar coast, and to obstruct greatly the long established intercourse of Egypt with India by the Red sea. In every part of the east they were received with respect; in many they had acquired the absolute command. They carried on trade there without rival or controul; they prescribed to the natives the terms of their mutual intercourse; they often set what price they pleased on the goods which they purchased; and were thus enabled to import from Indostan and the regions beyond it, whatever is useful, rare, or agreeable, in greater abundance, and of more various kinds, than had been known formerly in Europe.

dians.

22

Not satisfied with this ascendant which they had acquired in India, the Portuguese early formed a scheme no less bold than interested, of excluding all other nations from participating of the advantages of commerce with the east; and they accomplished one half of what their ambition had planned.

Opposition In consequence of this, the Venetians soon began to made by feel that decrease of their own Indian trade which they the Vene- had foreseen and dreaded. In order to prevent the farther progress of this evil, they incited the soldan of the Mameluks to fit out a fleet in the Red sea, and to attack those unexpected invaders of a gainful monopoly, of which he and his predecessors had long enjoyed undisturbed possession. The Portuguese, however, encountered his formidable squadron with undaunted courage, entirely defeated it, and remained masters of the Indian ocean. They continued their progress in the east almost without obstruction, until they established there a commercial empire; to which, whether we consider its extent, its opulence, the slender power by which it was formed, or the splendour with which the government of it was conducted, there had hitherto been nothing comparable in the history of nations. Emanuel, who laid the foundation of this stupendous fabric, had the satisfaction to see it almost completed. Every part of Europe was supplied by the Portuguese with the productions of the east; and if we except some inconsiderable quantity of them, which the Venetians still continued to receive by the ancient channels of conveyance, our quarter of the globe had no longer any commercial intercourse with India, and the regions of Asia beyond it, but by the Cape of Good Hope.

23

In September 1522, King Emanuel died of an epidemical fever, and was succeeded by his son John III. The most remarkable transaction of this prince's reign Inquisition was the introduction of the inquisition into his domiintroduced nions. This happened in the year 1525, or, as some into l'ortu- in 1535. A famine happening to cease in a short say, gal.

time after it was introduced, the priests persuaded the ignorant multitude that it was a blessing from heaven on account of the erecting such an holy tribunal. How ever, it was not long before the bulk of the nation per

5

In the mean time Solyman the Magnificent, the most enlightened monarch of the Ottoman race, observing the power and the opulence of the Portuguese rising, and attributing it to its proper cause, and eager to supplant them, sent orders to the bashaw of Egypt to employ his whole strength against the Christians in the East Indies. The bashaw, in obedience to these orders, sailed out from the Red sea with a greater naval force than ever the Mohammedans had employed before; baving 4000 Janizaries, and 16,000 other land troops on board. Yet, by the courage and conduct of the Portuguese officers and soldiers, all this mighty armament was defeated, and their East India possessions saved from the danger which threatened them. In Africa likewise the king of Fez was baffled before the town of Safi, and fresh quarrels breaking out among the princes gave great relief to the Christians, who had long been obliged to carry on a defensive war, and had more than once been on the very brink of ruin. For a long time indeed their safety had been derived only from the quarrels of the Moors among themselves; for such was the envy and jealousy which reigned among the Portuguese, that they could never unite heartily in opposing the common enemy; and therefore, had their enemies united against them, they must certainly have been cut off. But whenever the cheriffs quarrelled with each other, one party was sure to have recourse to the Portuguese; who, by sending them a small supply, secured quiet to themselves, and had the pleasure of seeing their enemies destroy one another. Yet in the end even this had bad consequences; Bad state of for, on one hand, it kept up a martial spirit among the affairs in Moors, and on the other it made them acquainted with Barbary. the Portuguese discipline; so that after every short interval of repose they not only found them as much enemies as before, but much more formidable than ever. The consequence of all this was, that King John began to apprehend that the conquest of Barbary was impossible, and therefore to limit his desires to the keeping of those few fortresses which he had already; which, though a necessary and prudent measure, displeased the generality of his subjects.

King John exerted himself much in the settlement of Brazil in South America, which he brought into a very good state, caused several strong towns to be erect ed there, and took all possible methods to encourage the conversion of the natives to Christianity. He also made many regulations for the welfare and happiness of his subjects. The disputes of the nobility about precedency were frequently attended with very disagreeable consequences, which made the king resolve once for all to settle them by established rules; and the rules established by him on this occasion have subsisted ever since, and in a great measure prevent these altercations. He had other great designs in his mind, particularly with regard to the reformation, which he had pushed very far with respect to religious persons of both sexes; but, on a close examination of his affairs, he found his subjects in general to have been so much injured by his leaving their concerns to the inspection of his council, that he was thrown by the grief of it into a kind of

apoplexy,

24

Portugal. apoplexy, from which he never recovered. His death happened in June 1557; and he was succeeded by his son Don Sebastian III. an infant of three years of age. After the death of king John, the administration remained in the hands of the queen, grandmother to Sebastian, who behaved with great prudence and circumspection. The Moors, however, supposing that under a minority they might be able to dispossess the Christians of such places as they held in Barbary, laid close siege to Masagan. But the queen-regent sent such speedy succours, and promised such rewards to those who distinguished themselves, that the Moors, though they brought 80,000 men into the field, were obliged to abandon the enterprise. This was at first magnified as a high instance of the queen's capacity and wisdom; but in a short time the natural aversion which the Portuguese had to the government of women, together with the prejudice they had against her country, as being a Castilian, appeared so plainly, and gave her so much uneasiness, that of her own accord she resigned her authority into the hands of Cardinal Don Henry the king's brother. By him Dor. Alexis de Moneses was appointed the king's governor, and Gonsales de Gomera with two other priests his preceptors. By Preposte- means of these instructors the king's education was torous educa-tally marred. His governor assiduously inculcated up tion of the on him that the chief virtue of a king was courage; young king that danger was never to be avoided, but always surmounted, let the occasion be what it would. His other tutors, instead of instructing him in the true religion, only inspired him with an abhorrence of professed infidels; the consequence of all which was, that he became rash, inconsiderate, and obstinate; all which qualities conspired to draw upon him the catastrophe which ruined both him and the kingdom.

25

Sebastian.

After the king was grown up to man's estate, his desire was to distinguish himself against the infidels. He himself chose an expedition to the East Indies; but the prime minister Alcoçova, who did not choose to attend 26 his monarch to such a distance, substituted Africa in its akes an ex-stead. This expedition the king entered into in the most

He under

edition gainst Africa.

inconsiderate and absurd manner. He first sent over Don Antouio prior of Crato, with some hundreds of soldiers; carried his principal courtiers over with him from a hunting match, and without equipages; he then sent for the duke of Aveyro, with such troops as he could collect on the short warning he had got; and when all these were assembled, the king spent his time in hunting, and slight excursions against the enemy, without doing any thing of consequence, except exposing his person upon all occasions. At length he returned to Portugal in such tempestuous weather, that his subjects had given him up for lost; when they were agreeably surprised by his unexpected arrival in the riyer of Lisbon, which they celebrated with the greatest rejoicings.

The little success which attended the king in this expedition served only to inflame him more with desire for another; so that from the time he returned he seemed to think on nothing else. He was highly delighted also with an accident which at this time furnished him with a pretence for war, though of that he stood in no great need. Muley Hamet, king of Fez and Morocco, had been dispossessed of his dominions by his uncle Muley Moloch. At the beginning of this war Don Sebastian VOL. XVII. Part I.

+

Portugal.

had offered him his troops in Africa, which offer was rejected with contempt: but now being a fugitive, and having in vain applied for assistance to Philip of Spain, Muley Hamet applied to the king of Portugal; and, that he might the more easily succeed, caused the fortress of Arzila, which his father had recovered, to be restored to the Portuguese. The king was in rapture at this event, and fancied that his glory would exceed that of all his predecessors. He was, advised against this expedition, however, by all his friends. King Philip of Spain having done every thing to dissuade him from it at a personal conference, sent Francisco Aldana, an old and experienced officer, to Morocco; and at his return ordered him to attend Don Sebastian, in order to give him an account of the state of affairs in that country. This he performed with the greatest fidelity, but without any effect. The queen dowager and cardinal united in their endeavours to divert him from this unfortunate enterprise ; but he treated them both with so little respect, that his grandmother broke her heart; and the cardinal, to show his distaste at the measure, retired to Evora without coming either to court or council; which example was followed by many of the nobles. Many of these, however, sent very free remonstrances to the king on the impropriety of his conduct; and King Philip sent to him the duke de Medina Celi, once more to lay before him the reasons why he thought his scheme impracticable, and to put him in mind that he had no hand in pushing him upon his destruction, or of concealing from him the dangers into which he seemed determined to plunge himself and his subjects. Lastly, he received a letter on the subject from Muley Moloch himself, wherein that prince explained to him his own right to the crown of Fez, and showed that he had only dispossessed a tyrant and a murderer, who had therefore no right to his friendship or assistance. He next assured him that he had no reason to fear either the power or neighbourhood of the Portuguese; as a proof of which, and as a mark of his esteem, he was content to make him a present of ten miles of arable ground round each of the fortresses he possessed in Africa, and which indeed were no more than four, viz. Tangier, Ceuta, Masagan, and Arzila. At the same time he addressed himself to King Philip of Spain, with whom he was on good terms, desiring him to interpose with his nephew Sebastian, that things might be yet adjusted without the effusion of human blood. But the king of Portugal was deaf to all salutary advice; and therefore paid no regard to this letter, nor to the remonstrances of his forces. his uncle. On the 24th of June 1577, therefore, he set sail from the bar of Lisbon with a fleet of 50 ships and five galleys, 12 pieces of cannon, and transports and tenders, making near 1000 sail. His troops consisted of 9000 Portuguese foot; 3000 Germans; 700 Italians commanded by Sir Thomas Stukeley, an English exile, but remarkably brave; 2000 Castilians and 300 volunteers, commanded by Don Christopher de Tuvara master of the horse, a man of courage, but without either conduct or experience. He touched first at Lagos bay in the kingdom of Algarve, where he remained for four days thence he proceeded to Cadiz; where he was magnificently feasted for a week by the duke de Medina Sidonia, who took the opportunity once more, by order of Philip, of dissuading him from proceeding further in person. But this exhortation proved as fruitFf

less

27

Account of

Portugal. less as the rest; and the king having sailed with a strong detachment for Tangier, ordered Don Diego de Souza, his commander in chief, to follow with the remaining part of the army.

The troops landed on the coast of Africa without any bad accident, and joined at Arzila. Here the king was met by the cheriff Muley Hamet, on whose account he had undertaken the war, who delivered him his son Muley, a boy of 12 years of age, as a hostage, and brought a reinforcement of 300 Moors. The boy was sent to Masagan under a strong guard; but the father remained in the Portuguese camp. Here it was resolved in a council of war to reduce the town of Larache, but it was disputed whether the troops should proceed thither by land or sea. Don Sebastian, who espoused the former opinion, finding himself opposed by Muley Hamet, gave him such a rude answer, that he left his presence in discontent; after which the king's opinion prevailed, and the army began its march on the 29th of July. As they proceeded, the king received a letter from the duke of Alba, requesting him to attempt nothing beyond the taking of the town of Larache. Along with the latter was sent an helmet which had 28 been worn by Charles V.

Movements On the other hand Muley Moloch, having intelliand dispogence of this formidable invasion, took the field, though sitions of the armies. at that time so ill of a fever that he could not sit on

horseback, with 40,000 foot and 60,000 horse. He conducted every thing, notwitstanding his distressed situation, with the greatest prudence. Finding some reason to suspect that part of his army were desirous of going over to his rival, he proclaimed that such as inclined to join their old master were at libery to do it. This at once put a stop to the defection, and only a very few made use of the liberty which was granted them. Standing in doubt likewise of the fidelity of a body of 3000 horse, he sent them to reconnoitre the enemy, by which act of confidence he secured them. Still, however, he feared that his officers might be corrupted by the Portuguese gold; for which reason he changed the disposition of his army entirely, so that none of his officers commanded the corps to which they had been accustomed; and therefore, having new men to deal with, had none whom they could trust.

Having taken these precautions, he advanced against the Portuguese army with such celerity, that he came in sight of them on the 3d of August. On this Don Sebastian called a council of war; in which who many out of complaisance had given their opinions for this march, were now for returning. They were separated from the enemy by a river, and the Moors were masters of the ford, so that it was impossible to force them immediately in their posts; neither was it practicable for them to wait for a more favourable opportunity, because they had no provisions. The foreign officers, on the contrary, were of opinion that fighting was now become necessary, and a retreat dangerous. This, however, was violently opposed by the cheriff, who saw plainly that they ran a great risk of being defeated and of losing all, while at the same time they were not certain of gaining any thing of consequence though they should be victorious; whereas, if they drew down towards the sea, they might entrench themselves till they were relieved by their fleet; during which interval if Muley Moloch should die, he looked upon it as certain that a

great part of the army would desert to him, which would Portugal. render him master not only of the kingdom, but of the fate of the Christians also. When he found that the king was bent on fighting, he only requested that the engagement might be delayed till four o'clock in the afternoon, that, in case of a defeat, they might have some chance of escaping; but even in this he could not prevail; for the king having disposed of every thing for a battle the next day, was impatient to begin the onset as soon as it was light

In the mean time Muley Moloch was so sensible of the advantages of his situation, that he was inclined to take the whole Portuguese army prisoners; but finding his disease increase, so that he had no hopes of recovery, he came to the resolution to fight, that his antagonist might not avail himself of his death. The disposition of the Christian army was very regular and correct, through the care of some old officers in Don Sebastian's service; the infantry were disposed in three lines; the battalion of volunteers made the vanguard; the Germans commanded by Colonel Amberg, and the Italians by Sir Thomas Stukeley, were on the right; the Castilian battalions on the left; the Portuguese in the centre and rear, the cavalry, consisting of about 1500 men, partly on the right under the command of the duke d'Avegro, to whom the cheriff joined himself with his horse: on the left was the royal standard, with the rest of the cavalry, under the command of the duke of Barcelos, eldest son to the duke of Braganza, Don Antonio prior of Crato, and several other persons of great rank. The king took post at first with the vo Junteers. Muley Moloch disposed also his troops in three lines: the first consisted of the Andalusian Moors, commanded by three officers who had distinguished themselves in the wars of Granada; the second of re negadoes; and the third of the natives of Africa. They moved in a half moon, with 10,000 horse on each wing, and the rest in the rear, with orders to extend themselves in such a manner as to encompass the Christian army. Muley Moloch, though extremely weak, was taken out of his litter, and set on horseback, that he might see how his commanders had been obeyed; and being perfectly satisfied with the situation of his troops, he directed the signal of battle to be given. The Chri- The Portestians advanced with the greatest resolution; broke the guese army first line of the Moorish infantry, and disordered the entirely de second. On this Muley Moloch drew his sword, and' would have advanced to encourage his troops, but that his guards prevented him; on which his emotion of mind was so great, that he fell from his horse. One of his guards caught him in his arms, and conveyed him to his litter; where he immediately expired, having only time to lay his finger on his lips by way of enjoining them to conceal his death. But by this time the Moorish cavalry had wheeled quite round, and attacked the Christian army in the rear; upon which the cavalry in the left wing made such a vigorous effort that they broke the Portuguese on the right; and at this time the cheriff, in passing a rivulet, was drowned. In this emergency, the Germans, Italians, and Castilians, did wonders; but the Portuguese, according to their own historians, behaved indifferently. Attacked on all sides, however, they were unable to resist; and the whole army, except about 50 men, were killed or taken prisoners. The fate of the king is variously related. According t☛

some,

29

feated