The Last Kingdom Of Al Andalus (The Play) Part 2
ACT IV
SCENE I
The gardens of the Alcázar, surrounded by palm, cypress, orange, and lemon trees. The day before the harrowing capitulation of the city of Granada.
The Queen of Aragon is present, along with the Bishop of León.
ISABELLA
I have a matter of importance to disclose to you, Bishop.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
I am eager to hear it, Your Majesty.
ISABELLA
We are resolute in our intention to reclaim the city of Granada and bring an end to the Moors’ long reign in Hispania.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
That hath long been our principal aspiration across the centuries.
ISABELLA
Soon, it shall be realised. We must now ensure its full accomplishment.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
I pray the Good Lord shall hear our sacred supplication.
ISABELLA
I know our ambition is shared by the Church.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
The Holy Church shall offer every support required to bring Christ unto the infidels.
ISABELLA
We have striven to unite the Catholic kingdoms beneath the faithful banner of Christendom.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
And the Church is ever grateful for that blessed unity, Your Majesty.
ISABELLA
A new beginning lieth just beyond the horizon, Bishop.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
I have already despatched a letter to His Holiness, apprising him of the situation in Granada.
ISABELLA
I am certain the Pope shall be most pleased to hear of Granada’s imminent recapture.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
Indeed, Thy Majesty. Nothing brings greater satisfaction to the Holy Mother Church than the return of Granada to Christian hands.
ISABELLA
Do thou intendest to remain in Córdoba much longer?
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
I have received direct instructions from His Holiness in Rome to remain in Córdoba until the city hath been fully reclaimed.
ISABELLA
Thou art a most welcome guest at the Alcázar, free to remain here until thy departure.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
I am grateful for thy noble kindness and hospitality.
ISABELLA
And we are thankful for the Church’s steadfast moral support. Now, I must retire to my chamber.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO
And I must resume the inquisitions of the prisoners.
SCENE II
The Tower of the Lions.
A Royal Guard enters to address the King of Castile.
ROYAL GUARD
Forgive the intrusion, Sire, but someone hath requested an audience with Your Majesty.
FERDINAND
Who is this curious individual?
ROYAL GUARD
That I know not, Sire. Only that he claimed the matter urgent and in need of thine immediate attention.
FERDINAND
Then bring him forth at once. Do not tarry!
ROYAL GUARD
As thou commandest, Sire. I shall bring him to thee without delay.
FERDINAND
I shall await him here in the tower.
The individual enters – it is the spy returned from Granada.
ROYAL GUARD
Here stands the man who requested audience, Sire.
FERDINAND
Excellent. Thou art dismissed.
ROYAL GUARD
Yes, Sire.
FERDINAND
Thou art the spy sent to Granada?
THE SPY
Indeed, Sire.
FERDINAND
What tidings dost thou bring that require such urgency?
THE SPY
I have it on authority from my source within the Moorish palace—the Alhambra—that the Sultan’s plea for aid from his Muslim allies hath been utterly rejected.
FERDINAND
Thou art certain the Mamluks in Egypt shall not send forces?
THE SPY
According to my source, the Mamluks shall abstain from the conflict entirely.
FERDINAND
And what of the Ottoman Turks?
THE SPY
It appeareth that Sultan Bayezid II is presently too entangled with the Venetians. His Holiness the Pope shall soon turn his attention to the Turkish threat once Granada hath fallen.
FERDINAND
We cannot afford to discount the possibility of Ottoman involvement.
THE SPY
With all respect, Sire, I assure you—the Turks hold Boabdil in the same contempt that thou dost.
FERDINAND
If that is true, then we must delay no longer in launching our final assault upon Granada. Yet thou hast not revealed the name of this source within the Moorish court.
THE SPY
I shall reveal the name in due course, but I dare not risk the entire stratagem. I can tell thee only that this individual is a loyal and trusted confidant of the Sultan himself. One must always be mindful of hidden ears—even here.
FERDINAND
Indeed. There could well be spies amongst us even now, eluding our vigilance.
THE SPY
The Moors are defenceless, Sire. The time to strike is now.
FERDINAND
Then the order shall be given to commence the siege. I have already despatched a letter to the Sultan, setting forth the terms of surrender. I pray he chooseth honour over battle and accepteth the treaty.
THE SPY
Should he resisteth, Sire, he shall surely be vanquished.
FERDINAND
There can be no doubt. Victory shall be ours.
SCENE III
At the Reception Hall.
The Catholic Monarchs receive an unannounced visitor—a woman of reputation whom both have heard mentioned. She is the widow and former Sultana of the late Mulay Hassan, father of the current Sultan.
FERDINAND
Am I to believe thou art the widow of Mulay Hassan, once Sultan of the Emirate of Granada?
ZORAIDA
I am Zoraida, the widow of the deceased Mulay Hassan.
ISABELLA
If thou art truly the widow of the late Sultan, why comest thou before us on this day?
ZORAIDA
I come before ye, for I must speak of a matter most urgent.
ISABELLA
And what is this urgent matter thou must declare?
ZORAIDA
It concerneth the Sultan, the son of my late husband.
FERDINAND
What exactly must we know regarding the Sultan?
ZORAIDA
I am come to tell ye that the Sultan is beset on all sides by enemies, and the city itself suffereth greatly.
ISABELLA
And why should that concern us?
ZORAIDA
Granada is under immense economic duress.
FERDINAND
We are already well aware of the city's condition.
ZORAIDA
What I entreat of ye is not on behalf of the Sultan, but for the sake of the many innocent inhabitants of the city, who play no part in this centuries-old conflict betwixt thy realms and his.
ISABELLA
And what dost thou propose we do?
ZORAIDA
I propose naught. I merely ask that the city and the palace be spared.
FERDINAND
That is all?
ZORAIDA
Aye! I do not presume to demand; I come in good faith to speak on behalf of the suffering people of Granada.
ISABELLA
And what dost thou stand to gain from this singular and modest request?
ZORAIDA
Believe me, noble Queen, when I avow that my sole desire is to save the good people of Granada.
FERDINAND
I could interpret thine entreaty as a formal demand.
ZORAIDA
It is no demand, my King.
ISABELLA
What gain is there for us in honouring thy words?
ZORAIDA
I cannot promise ye gold nor riches in return. I stand before ye as a queen and speak only with a queen’s honour.
FERDINAND
Who sent thee?
ZORAIDA
No one. I came alone, in peace—and I hope to leave the same way, of mine own accord.
ISABELLA
Then thou art free to go as thou camest. 'Tis our intent to spare the city and the palace. The question remaineth—shall the Sultan honour the terms of capitulation?
ZORAIDA
I pray that he shall, in the end.
SCENE IV
In the Royal Chamber of the Catholic Monarchs.
Two months have passed since a letter was sent to the Sultan, outlining the terms of Granada's capitulation. The Sultan’s reply is now received, delivered to King Ferdinand by a Royal Guard.
FERDINAND
At last—we have the assurance we required. The Sultan hath finally capitulated!
ISABELLA
That is wondrous tidings. But what meaneth it for us?
FERDINAND
The Sultan is vanquished. The Treaty of Granada, signed and ratified on the twenty-fifth of November, fourteen ninety-one, hath now been fully honoured. This letter confirmeth it. The War of Granada is ended! Though he hath made several requests.
ISABELLA
What sort of requests?
FERDINAND
He seeketh rights for the Moors—religious tolerance, and fair treatment in exchange for their surrender. The treaty includeth sixty-seven articles in total.
ISABELLA
I understood that the treaty was ratified on the twenty-fifth of November, fourteen ninety-one.
FERDINAND
Indeed, it was. This response merely confirmeth the Sultan’s acceptance of it. We have granted him ample time. His window of opportunity hath now closed.
ISABELLA
So thou hast decided to act?
FERDINAND
Aye, we shall take the city on the morrow. Soon we shall walk as rightful guests within the venerable halls of the Alhambra.
ISABELLA
It shall indeed be a momentous day for celebration.
FERDINAND
The eight-month siege of Granada hath been a complete triumph. The city's condition is dire—bribery rampant. Were it not for the incompetence of the Granadan government, wracked with division and tumult, we might have seized the city sooner.
ISABELLA
This was revealed by thy secret spy?
FERDINAND
Indeed. Yet there is one thing the Sultan knoweth not, though it may undo him more surely than our armies.
ISABELLA
And what is that, my noble King?
FERDINAND
That amongst his most trusted advisers, there is one who hath betrayed him from the very beginning.
ISABELLA
Who? Speak plainly—what is his name?
FERDINAND
I know it not—nor doth my informant. Not yet.
ISABELLA
Then how canst thou place thy trust in such a man?
FERDINAND
Because he hath proven himself a most reliable source.
ISABELLA
And if he is mistaken?
FERDINAND
I deem it unlikely, for I have paid him handsomely.
ISABELLA
But he is a Moor! How can we place our trust in a Moorish adviser?
FERDINAND
No more than we have trusted the pitiful advisers of our own who failed us during this long war, since it began in the year fourteen eighty-two.
ISABELLA
If this be true, then the Sultan is truly undone—blind to his own circle’s treachery, which is more lethal than our swords.
FERDINAND
As I have said—the Sultan is finished, and his once-proud kingdom shall be no more.
ISABELLA
Let it be so, as thou hast declared.
FERDINAND
We must ready our men for the triumphant entry into Granada.
ISABELLA
We must also inform the Bishop!
SCENE V.
At the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition.
The Catholic Monarchs speak to the Bishop in private.
ISABELLA.
My dear Bishop of León, I did not mean to interrupt the proceedings of thine Inquisition.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
Thou art never an interruption, my queen. Thou hast come at the most opportune moment.
FERDINAND.
What hath occurred, Bishop?
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
We have succeeded in converting a hundred Moors to the doctrine of Catholicism since my arrival in the city.
FERDINAND.
I never thought the infidels could be brought into our faith.
ISABELLA.
How may we be certain that their conversions are genuine, Bishop?
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
Trust me, my queen, when I say they are, unequivocally.
FERDINAND.
I require more than mere words. I must see tangible proof.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
With all due respect, my lord—dost thou doubt the divine power of our Lord Jesus Christ?
FERDINAND.
And dost thou question my supreme authority, good Bishop?
ISABELLA.
If I am not mistaken, I believe the Bishop’s point is one of reverence to our Lord’s power to convert infidels, rather than any suggestion of doubt.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
Exactly, my queen! ’Twas not my intent to cast aspersion upon the king, nor to challenge his sagacious judgement.
FERDINAND.
Good! Now that we have settled that matter, we must turn our attention to more pressing concerns—namely, the surrender of Granada.
ISABELLA.
I am in complete agreement with that noble suggestion.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
What would you have of me, noble queen?
ISABELLA.
I shall defer to the gracious king to make the announcement.
FERDINAND.
We shall be departing the city of Córdoba for Granada.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
When, may I ask, my sovereign?
FERDINAND.
On the morrow. The conquest of Granada shall be finalised.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
Shall I be summoned to accompany ye?
FERDINAND.
Nay. We have requested the presence of Cardinal Pedro González de Mendoza, Bishop de Ávila, and the monk Hernando de Talavera to join us.
ISABELLA.
Thy task lieth with the Inquisition. Once thou returnest to León, the Castilian Dominican friar Tomás de Torquemada and Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros shall succeed thee. We have already sent word to His Holiness the Pope, explaining our decision. We deem thy mission in León yet unfinished.
ALFONSO DE VALDIVIESO.
I confess, I had hoped to join ye both, but I shall honour thy command, noble sovereigns.
ISABELLA.
Thou shalt be apprised of any further developments upon thy return. May thy return to León be a triumph resplendent.
SCENE VI.
At the General Court, within the Alcázar.
The Catholic Monarchs announce to the knights of the Royal Court their impending march on Granada. After the address, they speak privately with one another, full of solemn confidence.
FERDINAND.
Our men are ready! I am prepared for the challenge that lieth beyond the horizon.
ISABELLA.
I wonder what reception awaiteth us from the Sultan, and in what state shall we find the city of Granada?
FERDINAND.
My expectations are none but what was agreed upon in the treaty between our kingdoms.
ISABELLA.
And shall the citizens of Granada welcome us as liberators—or as invaders?
FERDINAND.
I imagine us as liberators, for the deplorable conditions they endure daily are surely the fault of their inept Sultan.
ISABELLA.
I cannot shake the notion of a possible revolt, once we assume governance of the city.
FERDINAND.
I would not concern myself with such fears. I have stationed ample men to defend Granada, should any unrest arise.
ISABELLA.
I pray that, for the sake of the inhabitants, the transition of power proceedeth peacefully.
FERDINAND.
I see no cause to deliberate on such a distant possibility.
ISABELLA.
Indeed—if the Sultan and his Moors prove themselves trustworthy.
FERDINAND.
Their trustworthiness mattereth not to me. Only their adherence to the treaty shall suffice.
ISABELLA.
I have oft reflected on the profound significance of this moment—and the unknown consequences it shall bear.
FERDINAND.
As have I. For centuries, our forefathers failed to unite and drive the Moors from our lands.
ISABELLA.
Thou speakest true! History shall record our glorious deed as one of the most praiseworthy achievements of two illustrious realms.
FERDINAND.
History, my queen, is forged by the hands of those who rule—and it reflecteth what we choose it to be.
ISABELLA.
Much must be done to cleanse Hispania of the Moorish influence.
FERDINAND.
That is where the Inquisition shall serve its final purpose—by eradicating the Moorish legacy from our beloved Spain.
ISABELLA.
Such is the purpose we must steadfastly uphold, if we are to succeed.
FERDINAND.
Our glory shall be our greatest triumph over the Moors.
ISABELLA.
May God grant us victory!
SCENE VII.
At the Reception Hall.
The Royal Monarchs greet the clergy who shall accompany them to the city of Granada, on the eve of its downfall and the appointment of the new inquisitors.
ISABELLA.
We are most grateful for thy presence, and trust that thy witness at Granada shall record the solemn act of its acquisition.
TOMÁS DE TORQUEMADA.
I am honoured that Thy Majesties have requested our company and counsel.
FERDINAND.
We would have the Church represented at Granada, in both spirit and authority.
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
For that, we are truly thankful, noble king. We shall strive not to disappoint Thy Majesties.
ISABELLA.
Thou art my confessor and hast earned my confidence—as hath the Grand Inquisitor.
TOMÁS DE TORQUEMADA.
May the grace of God be ever with Thy Majesties upon this righteous endeavour!
ISABELLA.
And may the Lord bless thee for thy devout service!
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
Have Thy Majesties deliberated upon the fate of the Moors, once the city is retaken?
FERDINAND.
Indeed. A treaty hath been brokered between our kingdom and the Sultan.
TOMÁS DE TORQUEMADA.
If I may ask, my sovereigns—what of those Moors who prove themselves disloyal?
FERDINAND.
By the treaty’s terms, they shall retain their religion and rights, so long as they willingly abide by the laws of our realm.
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
And what of the avaricious Jews?
ISABELLA.
They shall soon be expelled from our kingdom.
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
Then why not the Moors also? They are obstinate infidels, no less a threat!
FERDINAND.
Thou speakest not without reason. Yet we are hopeful that the Moors may be converted to the true faith—effectively and faithfully—with the diligent aid of the Holy Church at the fore.
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
If I may speak freely—I yet believe that a dead Moor is better than a living infidel. Still, whatever is required of us, we shall carry forth, my noble lieges.
ISABELLA.
’Tis why we summoned thee both. Ye are trusted servants, highly commended by the Holy See.
FRANCISCO JIMÉNEZ DE CISNEROS.
We shall not falter when the hour of reckoning descendeth upon the infidels.
ISABELLA.
Let us hope that ere long, we dine joyfully in the grand hall of the stately Alhambra.
FERDINAND.
And sit enthroned upon the seat of the vanquished Sultan.
ACT V.
SCENE I.
The Royal Chamber of the Sultan in the Alhambra.
The Sultan and the Sultana awaken, unaware that this day shall mark the final time they are the sovereign custodians of the Alhambra.
MORAIMA.
I cannot silence the notion that soon our beloved palace shall pass into the hands of the Catholic Monarchs.
MUHAMMAD.
Nor can I fathom such an unthinkable fate.
MORAIMA.
If that day is today, what then shall become of us?
MUHAMMAD.
We shall find another haven. What matters most to me is that we remain together, and that our love bind us eternally.
MORAIMA.
Where shall we go?
MUHAMMAD.
Whithersoever it may be—God shall be with us.
MORAIMA.
I must confess, it shall pain me to depart so suddenly—from this palace, and from the land of our forebears.
MUHAMMAD.
Indeed, I would be remiss not to echo thy sorrow.
MORAIMA.
All that we have built and cherished here shall be enjoyed by others—strangers who are not its rightful stewards.
MUHAMMAD.
I share thy grief openly. Yet what they shall never possess are the myriad memories we have preserved—faithfully passed down from our ancestors.
MORAIMA.
I wince at the harrowing thought of abandoning this palace that hath been our sanctuary these many years.
MUHAMMAD.
The Alhambra shall forever guard the innermost secrets of our hearts, my beloved.
MORAIMA.
To lie within thine arms, here in our chamber, is the comfort I shall most miss—the splendour that shall be lost to me.
MUHAMMAD.
Thou art my splendour, and I need not the Alhambra to declare such a truth.
MORAIMA.
I know thou speakest sincerely. I see it clear within thine eyes, as thou utterest these words.
MUHAMMAD.
I speak the truth—and one day, by the mercy of God, I shall die as thy faithful companion.
MORAIMA.
I too shall die with that vow upon my lips—yet my sorrow shall linger, as though I have tasted death already.
MUHAMMAD.
Do not let sorrow become the echo of thy voice, my cherished sultana.
MORAIMA.
I shall strive to restrain it—whilst I remain in thy presence, my dearest lord.
MUHAMMAD.
Know this: my heart is thine, as thine is mine.
SCENE II.
At the Court of the Lions.
The Sultan is joined by his mother. A pall of dread settles upon them, for the loss of Granada and the Alhambra is imminent.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
What became of the messenger I sent to the Catholic Monarchs?
MUHAMMAD.
I know not, Mother.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Then surely, he was either slain or taken captive by the Christians.
MUHAMMAD.
Perhaps. But now is not the hour to dwell upon desperate gestures that shall not preserve our beloved Granada.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Hast thou no courage left to oppose our enemies?
MUHAMMAD.
Were courage all that I lacked, I would gladly die an honourable death. But I must consider, above all, the lives of the people of Granada. How many innocents must perish to defend a glorious throne or a crumbling palace?
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Hast thou forgotten thine ancestors? Thou dishonourest their legacy with thy cowardice!
MUHAMMAD.
If only honour were the sole purpose of my life.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
I cannot bear the thought that history shall mark this day as the ruin of our once-glorious kingdom.
MUHAMMAD.
Aye—it may be so. Yet I cannot bear to imagine what the future shall demand of me.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
I see now that thou art blinded by thine innocence and love for thy wife.
MUHAMMAD.
Mayhap I am. But I do not seek thy blessing.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Where then shall we go?
MUHAMMAD.
Southwards—until we may build our kingdom anew.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Thy father was a stubborn man, but he would never have consented to this disgrace without a fight!
MUHAMMAD.
Hast thou forgotten? 'Twas thee who drove him and the Sultana Zoraida from power and into exile.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
What I did, I did to make thee Sultan! And how ungrateful thou art now, as the Emirate trembles in its final hour. Where is thy valour? Where is the son I bore thirty years ago?
MUHAMMAD.
That child is no more, Mother. I am a man now—and not my father.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Nay, thou art not!
MUHAMMAD.
Better to die a coward in thine eyes than to be a heartless tyrant to my people.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
I pray I need not live to see such a day. But if it come to pass—do not rue what thou hast chosen.
MUHAMMAD.
I pray that God be merciful to our people.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Then pray earnestly, for our enemies shall not be so merciful as God.
MUHAMMAD.
Let us hope they prove otherwise—for the sake of our brethren and all who remain.
SCENE III.
At the Royal Chamber of the Sultan in the Alhambra.
A guard interrupts the Sultan and his mother to inform them that the Castilian army is present, and hands the Sultan a letter informing him that he shall receive no immediate assistance from the Ottoman Turks.
THE ROYAL GUARD.
Pardon the interruption, my Sultan, but I must inform thee that the banners of the Crown of Castile, and the Castilian army, have been sighted beyond the city gates.
MUHAMMAD.
Where hast thou seen the Castilian army?
THE ROYAL GUARD.
From the Comares Tower, my Sultan. They have also taken the palace. We are surrounded both without and within the gates.
MUHAMMAD.
Let us go at once, that I may behold them with mine own eyes.
The Sultan and his mother ascend the tower. From there, they observe a spirited army of some 10 to 12 thousand men, assembled before them, as three cannons sound thunderously.
MUHAMMAD.
Behold the great and valiant Castilian army!
AISHA AL-HURRA.
They are but men of flesh, like thyself and thy soldiers.
MUHAMMAD.
If men perished as flesh alone, then their souls would not endure.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Thy soul—art thou not troubled by what shall be lost?
MUHAMMAD.
What is lost may yet be rebuilt, mother.
The Sultan opens and reads the contents of the letter.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
What doth the letter contain? Who hath sent it?
MUHAMMAD.
It is from the Great Ottoman Turks.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
And what do they declare?
MUHAMMAD.
We are alone. None shall come to our aid, mother.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Then what shall we do?
MUHAMMAD.
Surrender.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Surrender the palace and thy kingdom, as a coward would?
MUHAMMAD.
Alas, there is no alternative but to accept the finality of our fate and the terms of the treaty signed.
THE ROYAL GUARD.
Shall I inform the men of thy decision?
MUHAMMAD.
Aye—but before thou dost, where is Mustapha, my adviser?
THE ROYAL GUARD.
That I do not know. I can command the guards to seek him out.
AISHA AL-HURRA.
Thou hast been blind to see the traitor in thy midst. Mustapha hath betrayed thee. The bitter rivalries amongst our own people have doomed thee—and our lineage—to perpetual disgrace.
MUHAMMAD.
Then blame them, not me! Had we been as united as the Christians, we might have mustered an army to defend the city and the emirate. But we were not.
SCENE IV.
At the small town of Santa Fé, a mile from the outskirts of Granada.
The Catholic Monarchs have arrived at Santa Fé with their retinue and are together in their bedchamber, on the eve of the famed recapture of Granada.
ISABELLA.
Today heralds a momentous victory, and the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ shall guide us to it.
FERDINAND.
None are more deserving of victory than we, my noble Queen.
ISABELLA.
Our triumph shall be lauded by the Christian world, and by the Pope in Rome.
FERDINAND.
I have no doubt that our conquests shall not end with Granada. Nay, they shall extend to the ends of the earth.
ISABELLA.
Dost thou believe it so assured?
FERDINAND.
We shall unite the kingdoms of Hispania under one banner—and beneath that banner, rule the world.
ISABELLA.
Then let it begin in Granada, the final Moorish stronghold.
FERDINAND.
The Moors shall become a matter of history. We must now concern ourselves with the future, my beloved Queen.
ISABELLA.
I pray only that thy vision of a united Hispania be as true as the conquest we now undertake.
FERDINAND.
And so it shall be!
ISABELLA.
’Tis a shame it hath taken centuries to realise this fateful goal.
FERDINAND.
What matter the centuries, so long as we now stand the rightful sovereigns of Granada? Together, Castile and Aragon shall rise to dominion.
ISABELLA.
Oft have I wondered what lieth beyond the seas.
FERDINAND.
Soon, we shall amass enough wealth to find the answer to that question.
ISABELLA.
Let us not forget that to govern well, we must show tolerance to our foes.
FERDINAND.
Tolerant only so far as it serveth our many yet-unrealised ambitions.
SPANISH ROYAL GUARD.
A man claiming to be an adviser to the Sultan seeks audience with Thy Majesties.
FERDINAND.
Bid him wait in the Reception Hall.
SPANISH ROYAL GUARD.
As you wish, Thy Majesty.
Enter Mustapha, the spy.
FERDINAND.
I summoned thee not to Santa Fé. Why comest thou here, and so unannounced?
MUSTAPHA.
I have come to claim that which is mine—the payment promised, noble King.
Ferdinand gestures to a guard, who gives Mustapha one hundred reals for his service as informant.
FERDINAND.
There—thy reals. Begone now. Should we have need of thee again, we shall find thee.
Mustapha bows low before the monarchs, then departs, never to be seen again.
MUSTAPHA.
My thanks. And may God be with thee!
ISABELLA.
I marvel—how can a man betray his own sultan so shamelessly?
FERDINAND.
I should think him a selfish man, one lacking all conscience—as, alas, too many men do in these times.
SCENE V.
At the edge of the town of Santa Fé, by the banks of the Genil, the Catholic Monarchs await eagerly the Moorish Sultan’s appearance before them in capitulation.
Slowly, the Sultan emerges from the horizon and approaches the Catholic Monarchs steadily, accompanied by eighty or a hundred men on horseback, richly attired in their splendid garments. The Sultan advances to kiss the hands of Their Highnesses, but they refuse the gesture — the last humiliation imposed upon him by the Sovereigns of Catholicism.
MUHAMMAD.
My noble Highnesses, I deliver unto ye the keys of the emirate, the city of Granada, and the palace of the Alhambra.
FERDINAND.
I thank thee for thy propriety, Sultan, and thou art free to leave Granada willingly, with thy family and servants, as per the treaty signed between our two kingdoms.
MUHAMMAD.
And what shall become of my people of Granada, if I may enquire?
ISABELLA.
They have nought to fear from us, so long as they respect our jurisdiction and remain lawful citizens of Granada.
MUHAMMAD.
They shall not be compelled to abandon their religion by force? How may I be assured that ye shall honour thy word in the end?
FERDINAND.
Know that we shall observe the terms of the treaty concurred, as stipulated.
MUHAMMAD.
Then, God be willing!
The Sultan departs afterwards with his men back to the palace, where he shall be granted four days before he must leave forever the glorious Alhambra of Al Andalus.
ISABELLA.
Now that Granada is ours, I wonder what we shall find upon our visit to the city and the Moorish Palace?
FERDINAND.
I suppose we shall witness the setting of the remarkable passage from an ancient past to a new and prosperous beginning, of which we are the sole participants in its grandeur.
ISABELLA.
Shall that grandeur be statelier than our beloved palace?
FERDINAND.
I doubt it truly, but I have heard tales that no palace can evoke such intense passion as the decorative Alhambra.
ISABELLA.
Those are but foolish tales of Moorish lore.
FERDINAND.
Even so, the thought doth provoke my curiosity.
ISABELLA.
I must confess that I too share this unique curiosity within me.
FERDINAND.
Soon, we shall have the great pleasure of satisfying that growing fascination.
THE ROYAL GUARD.
Shall we be returning to Santa Fé, my noble King?
FERDINAND.
Yes, let us return at once. The deed is done, and we have conquered Granada without the loss of a single man of our vast and superior army.
ISABELLA.
Indeed! Let us return to Santa Fé as worthy triumphers!
FERDINAND.
May the spirit and will of our Lord reign over these lands for centuries to come.
ISABELLA.
Granada is ours to establish the Gospel of the Lord. May the banners of Castile and Aragón stand over this city.
FERDINAND.
Hitherto, we are his fortuitous enforcers upon the kingdoms of men. At last, the Moors have been defeated!
SCENE VI.
At a rocky prominence of the Assabica Valley, outside the palace of the Alhambra.
The Sultan, his family, and loyal servants depart Granada for the last time. The expression upon the Sultan’s countenance is one of sorrow and regret that cannot erase the indelible image of the Alhambra.
AISHA AL HURRA.
Thou weepest now, having lost our beloved kingdom, lands, and above all, our beautiful Alhambra.
MUHAMMAD.
I mourn for all of that precisely.
AISHA AL HURRA.
Thou mournest as a coward what thou wert unable to defend with thy courage and blood.
MUHAMMAD.
I did what I had to do to spare our people, our kingdom, our lands, and our palace from absolute destruction.
AISHA AL HURRA.
At the cost of thy glory?
MUHAMMAD.
What is glory without defeat?
AISHA AL HURRA.
Then I would have preferred complete ruination to this disgraceful subjection.
MUHAMMAD.
Hast thou no pity for my soul in this hour of grief and remembrance?
AISHA AL HURRA.
Pity is a blind man’s susceptibility and failure of irrefutable acknowledgement.
MUHAMMAD.
Why dost thou forsake me, Mother? I did what thou wanted me to do when I ruled with dominion.
AISHA AL HURRA.
True, but I behold the coward who lost his kingdom without a fight. Thou hast forsaken thyself in obeisance to them!
MUHAMMAD.
We can govern from the principality afforded to us by the treaty and still remain in Granada, our homeland.
AISHA AL HURRA.
A useless confession! For how long? Dost thou believe the Catholic Monarchs, who have exiled us to the inhospitable mountains that shall be our prison, will allow us to remain freely amongst their lands, not as their subjects? Do not blind thyself with the pretence of their gentility. Under no circumstance shall they keep their deceitful word for long!
MUHAMMAD.
We shall live as we have always lived. We shall never be their subjects now or ever!
MORAIMA.
My dearest Sultan, and dashing husband. How my heart crieth for our irreversible losses. How can I assuage the sorrow of mine heart and soul with this sombre tragedy?
MUHAMMAD.
Know that no tragedy could replace or diminish our interminable bond and love.
MORAIMA.
And what shall I tell our child when he asketh for his home?
MUHAMMAD.
Tell him that we are a proud people who come from an incomparable lineage. Our new home shall be better than the Alhambra.
MORAIMA.
And Al Andalus? What shall become of it?
MUHAMMAD.
God be willing, Al Andalus shall forever dwell in our hearts and in our lasting memories until our deaths!
Shortly after his surrender, the last Sultan of Al Andalus, Abū 'Abdi-llāh Muḥammad ath-thānī 'ashar, sent a long letter to the Marinid rulers of Morocco asking for refuge. The letter begins with a long poem praising the Marinids, followed by a prose passage where he laments his defeat and asks forgiveness for past wrongdoings of his forefathers against the Marinids. The entire text was reported by the historian al-Maqqari.
...The lord of Castile hath proposed for us a respectable residence and hath given us assurances of safety, pledged by his own handwriting, enough to convince the soul. But we, as descendants of Banu al-Ahmar, did not settle for this, and our faith in God doth not permit us to reside under the protection of disbelief.
We also received many letters from the east, full of goodwill, inviting us to their lands and offering the best of advantages. But we cannot choose other than our home and the home of our forefathers. We can only accept the protection of our relatives, not from opportunism but to confirm the brotherhood between us and to fulfil the testament of our forefathers, which telleth us not to seek any help other than from the Marinids and not to let anything obstructeth us from coming to thee. So we traversed vast lands and sailed the tumultuous sea, hoping we would not be returned and that our eyes will be satisfied, and our hurt and grievous souls will be healed from this great pain...
THE END.
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