Chapter XCII
OF THE INSOLENT DEFIANCE OF TARFE THE MOOR, AND THE DARING EXPLOIT OF HERNAN PEREZ DEL PULGAR.
When the Moorish knights beheld that all courteous challenges were
unavailing, they sought various means to provoke the Christian
warriors to the field. Sometimes a body of them, fleetly mounted,
would gallop up to the skirts of the camp and try who should hurl
his lance farthest within the barriers, having his name inscribed
upon it or a label affixed containing some taunting defiance. These
bravadoes caused great irritation; still, the Spanish warriors were
restrained by the prohibition of the king.
Among the Moorish cavaliers was one named Tarfe, renowned for
strength and daring spirit, but whose courage partook of fierce
audacity rather than chivalric heroism. In one of these sallies,
when skirting the Christian camp, this arrogant Moor outstripped his
companions, overleaped the barriers, and, galloping close to the
royal quarters, launched his lance so far within that it remained
quivering in the earth close by the pavilions of the sovereigns. The
royal guards rushed forth in pursuit, but the Moorish horsemen were
already beyond the camp and scouring in a cloud of dust for the
city. Upon wresting the lance from the earth a label was found upon
it importing that it was intended for the queen.
Nothing could equal the indignation of the Christian warriors at the
insolence of the bravado and the discourteous insult offered to the
queen. Hernan Perez del Pulgar, surnamed “He of the exploits,” was
present, and resolved not to be outbraved by this daring infidel.
“Who will stand by me,” said he, “in an enterprise of desperate
peril?” The Christian cavaliers well knew the harebrained valor of
Hernan, yet not one hesitated to step forward. He chose fifteen
companions, all of powerful arm and dauntless heart.
His project was to penetrate Granada in the dead of the night by a
secret pass made known to him by a Moorish renegade of the city,
whom he had christened Pedro Pulgar, and who was to act as
guide. They were to set fire to the Alcaiceria and other principal
edifices, and then effect their retreat as best they might. At the
hour appointed the adventurous troops set forth provided with
combustibles. The renegade led them silently to a drain or channel
of the river Darro, up which they proceeded cautiously, single file,
until they halted under a bridge near the royal gate. Here
dismounting, Pulgar stationed six of his companions to remain silent
and motionless and keep guard, while, followed by the rest and still
guided by the renegade, he continued up the drain or channel of the
Darro, which passes under a part of the city, and was thus enabled
to make his way undiscovered into the streets. All was dark and
silent. At the command of Pulgar the renegade led him to the
principal mosque. Here the cavalier, pious as brave, threw himself
on his knees, and, drawing forth a parchment scroll on which was
inscribed in large letters “AVE MARIA,” nailed it to the door of the
mosque, thus converting the heathen edifice into a Christian chapel
and dedicating it to the Blessed Virgin. This done, he hastened to
the Alcaiceria to set it in a blaze. The combustibles were all placed,
but Tristan de Montemayor, who had charge of the firebrand, had
carelessly left it at the door of the mosque. It was too late to
return there. Pulgar was endeavoring to strike fire with flint and
steel into the ravelled end of a cord when he was startled by the
approach of the Moorish guards going the rounds. His hand was on his
sword in an instant. Seconded by his brave companions, he assailed
the astonished Moors and put them to flight. In a little while the whole
city resounded with alarms, soldiers were hurrying through the streets
in every direction; but Pulgar, guided by the renegade, made good
his retreat by the channel of the Darro to his companions at the
bridge, and all, mounting their horses, spurred back to the camp.
The Moors were at a loss to imagine the meaning of this wild and
apparently fruitless assault, but great was their exasperation on
the following day when the trophy of hardihood and prowess, the
“AVE MARIA,” was discovered thus elevated in bravado in the very
centre of the city. The mosque thus boldly sanctified by Hernan del
Pulgar was actually consecrated into a cathedral after the capture
of Granada.*
*The account here given of the exploit of Hernan del Pulgar differs
from that given in the first edition, and is conformable to the
record of the fact in a manuscript called “The House of Salar,”
existing in the library of Salazar and cited by Alcantara in his
History of Granada.
In commemoration of this daring feat of Pulgar, the emperor Charles
V. in after years conferred on that cavalier and on his descendants,
the marqueses of Salar, the privilege of sitting in the choir during
high mass, and assigned as the place of sepulture of Pulgar himself
the identical spot where he kneeled to affix the sacred scroll; and
his tomb is still held in great veneration. This Hernan Perez del
Pulgar was a man of letters, as well as art, and inscribed to
Charles V. a summary of the achievements of Gonsalvo of Cordova,
surnamed the Great Captain, who had been one of his comrades-
in-arms. He is often confounded with Hernando del Pulgar,
historian and secretary to Queen Isabella. (See note to Pulgar’s
Chron. of the Catholic Sovereigns, part 3, c. iii., edit. Valencia, 1780.)
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