Part 12

[7] “Boabdil” is a corruption of Abu’ Abdillah, or Boabdila, as the Spaniards pronounced the name. He was, in addition to his sobriquet of “the Unlucky,” also called As-sagher, or “the lesser” (el rey chico), to distinguish him from his uncle and successor, Abu’ Abdillah (Mohammed XII.)

[8] In the Hall of the Ambassadors, or Golden Saloon, is an inscription referring to this:--“The best praise be given to Allah! I will remove all the effects of an Evil Eye upon our master Yúsuf.”

[9] Edited by Pablo Lozano. The antiquities and history of the Moorish domination in Spain remained unheeded until representations were made that research and accurate delineation would alone make their monuments intelligible. The Royal Academy of St. Ferdinand was commissioned to make drawings of the Palace of the Alhambra and of the Mosque of Córdova. The result of their labours were published at Madrid, in 1780, in a folio volume entitled as above, with sixteen plates of Arabic designs, accompanied by a few pages of letterpress. It is an exceedingly rare volume.

[10] Madrid, 1780 (already referred to).

[11] The Moorish fortress of Alhama was rightly regarded as one of the two “Keys” of Granada, Loja--the Lôsha of the Moors--ranking as the other. Loja was besieged by Ferdinand and Isabella, and captured, in 1488, after thirty-four days’ investment; chiefly, it is said, by the aid of English archers under Earl Rivers, son of Anthony Wydeville, brother to Elizabeth, Queen of our Edward IV. Alhama had fallen 28th February, 1482, and its loss is the subject of the ballad referred to.

[12] Such, at least, are the reasons given for the abandonment of the gigantic blocks of stone which were heaped up by Charles to rival the unsurpassable. It is said, however, that repeated shocks of earthquake frightened him out of the enterprise.

[13] _Al-’arif_, in Spanish, _Alarife_, means “an inspector of public works”; and, according to Ibnu-l-Khattíb, the Grand Wizír of Yúsuf I., and of his son, Mohammed V., the site of the Generalife belonged to a person of that profession before it passed into the hands of the Sultán _Isma’il-Ibn-Faraj_, who, in A.D. 1320, bought the land for a large sum, and built the palace as a delightful retreat from the cares of State.

[14] Acequia Court. The Arab word is _Sákiyyah_, whence the Spanish _Acequia_ is derived. The word means an artificial or diverted running stream in a garden; or, a canal for the purpose of irrigation.