Historical Tales: Spanish
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Conditions and Terms of Use TABLE OF CONTENTS Copyright © Heritage History 2009 Some rights reserved THE GOOD KING WAMBA ....................................................... 3 THE GREEK KING'S DAUGHTER .............................................. 5 This text was produced and distributed by Heritage History, an organization dedicated to the preservation of classical juvenile history books, and to the THE ENCHANTED PALACE ....................................................... 7 promotion of the works of traditional history authors. THE BATTLE OF GUADALETE .................................................. 9 HE ABLE OF OLOMON The books which Heritage History republishes are in the public domain and T T S ...................................................... 11 are no longer protected by the original copyright. They may therefore be reproduced THE STORY OF QUEEN EXILONA ........................................... 15 within the United States without paying a royalty to the author. PELISTES, THE DEFENDER OF CORDOVA ............................... 18 The text and pictures used to produce this version of the work, however, are THE STRATAGEM OF THEODOMIR ......................................... 21 the property of Heritage History and are licensed to individual users with some THE CAVE OF COVADONGA .................................................. 23 restrictions. These restrictions are imposed for the purpose of protecting the integrity HE DVENTURES OF A UGITIVE RINCE of the work itself, for preventing plagiarism, and for helping to assure that T A F P ............................ 27 compromised or incomplete versions of the work are not widely disseminated. BERNARDO DEL CARPIO ........................................................ 29 RUY DIAZ, THE CID CAMPEADOR ......................................... 32 In order to preserve information regarding the origin of this text, a copyright by the author, and a Heritage History distribution date are included at the foot of LAS NAVAS DE TOLOSA ........................................................ 38 every page of text. We request all electronic and printed versions of this text include THE KEY OF GRANADA ......................................................... 42 these markings and that users adhere to the following restrictions. ING BUL ASSAN AND THE LCAIDE OF IBRALTAR K A H A G ....... 46 1) This text may be reproduced for personal or educational purposes as long as THE RIVAL KINGS OF GRANADA ........................................... 49 the original copyright and Heritage History version number are faithfully THE KNIGHT OF THE EXPLOITS ............................................. 53 reproduced. THE LAST SIGH OF THE MOOR .............................................. 57 2) You may not alter this text or try to pass off all or any part of it as your own THE RETURN OF COLUMBUS ................................................. 60 work. ETER THE RUEL AND THE REE OMPANIES P C F C ...................... 62 3) You may not distribute copies of this text for commercial purposes unless THE GREAT CAPTAIN ............................................................ 68 you have the prior written consent of Heritage History. A KING IN CAPTIVITY ........................................................... 73 4) This text is intended to be a faithful and complete copy of the original THE INVASION OF AFRICA ..................................................... 76 document. However, typos, omissions, and other errors may have occurred AN EMPEROR RETIRED FROM BUSINESS ............................... 80 during preparation, and Heritage History does not guarantee a perfectly HE ATE OF A ECKLESS RINCE reliable reproduction. T F R P ........................................ 85 SPAIN'S GREATEST VICTORY AT SEA .................................... 89 Permission to use Heritage History documents or images for commercial THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA .................................................... 93 purposes, or more information about our collection of traditional history resources can be obtained by contacting us at [email protected] THE CAUSES OF SPAIN'S DECADENCE ................................... 97 THE LAST OF A ROYAL RACE .............................................. 101 Original Copyright 1904 by Charles Morris. 2 Distributed by Heritage History 2009 HENRY MORGAN AND THE BUCCANEERS ........................... 105 ELIZABETH FARNESE AND ALBERONI ................................. 108 CHAPTER I THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR .................................................. 112 THE FALL OF A FAVORITE................................................... 115 THE GOOD KING WAMBA THE SIEGE OF SARAGOSSA ................................................. 119 THE HERO OF THE CARLISTS .............................................. 123 Long had the Goths been lords of Spain. Chief after chief MANILA AND SANTIAGO ..................................................... 127 had they chosen, king after king had they served; and, though it was young in time, Gothic Spain was growing old in years. It reached its golden age in the time of "Good King Wamba," a king of fancy as much as of fact, under whom Spain became a land of Arcady, everybody was happy, all things prospered, and the tide of evil events for a space ceased to flow. In those days, when a king died and left no son, the Goths elected a new one, seeking their best and worthiest, and holding the election in the place where the old king had passed away. It was in the little village of Gerticos, some eight miles from the city of Valladolid, that King Recesuinto had sought health and found death. Hither came the electors,—the great nobles, the bishops, and the generals,—and here they debated who should be king, finally settling on a venerable Goth named Wamba, the one man of note in all the kingdom who throughout his life had declined to accept rank and station. The story goes that their choice was aided by miracle. In those days miracles were "as plentiful as blackberries," but many of these seem to have been what we may speak of as "miracles made to order," designed by shrewd individuals to gain some personal or other advantage. St. Leo is said to have told the electors to seek a husbandman named Wamba, whose lands lay somewhere in the west, asserting that he did this under direction of the heavenly powers. However that be, scouts were sent through the land in search of Wamba, whom they found at length in his fields, driving his plough through the soil and asking for no higher lot. He was like Cincinnatus, the famous Roman, who was called from the plough to the sceptre. Original Copyright 1904 by Charles Morris. 3 Distributed by Heritage History 2009 "Leave your plough in the furrow," they said to him; Yet he was as merciful as he was prompt. His enemies were set "nobler work awaits you. You have been elected king of Spain." free and bidden to behave themselves better in the future. One "There is no nobler work," answered Wamba. "Seek ambitious noble named Paul, who thought it would be an easy elsewhere your monarch. I prefer to rule over my fields." thing to take the throne from an old man who had shown so plainly that he did not want it, rose in rebellion. He soon learned The astonished heralds knew not what to make of this. his mistake. Wamba met him in battle, routed his army, and took To them the man who would not be king must be a saint—or an him prisoner. Paul expected nothing less than to have his head idiot. They reasoned, begged, implored, until Wamba, anxious to stricken off, but Wamba simply ordered that it should be shaved. get rid of them, said,— "I will accept the crown when the dry rod in my hand grows green again,—and not till then." To shave the crown of the head in those days was no trifling matter. It formed what is known as the tonsure, then the The good old husbandman fancied that he had fairly mark of the monastic orders. A man condemned to the tonsure settled the question, but miracle defeated his purpose. To his could not serve as king or chieftain, but must spend the utter surprise and their deep astonishment the dry stick which he remainder of his days in seclusion as a monk. So Paul was thrust into the ground at once became a green plant, fresh leaves disposed of without losing his life. breaking out on its upper end. What was the old man fond of his plough to do in such a case? He had appealed to Heaven, and Wamba, however, did not spend all his time in fighting here was Heaven's reply. He went with the heralds to the with conspirators. He was so just a king that all the historians electoral congress, but there, in spite of the green branch, he praise him to the stars,—though none of them tell us what just deeds he did. He was one of those famous monarchs around again refused to be king. He knew what it meant to try and govern men like those around him, and preferred not to whom legend loves to grow, as the green leaves grew around his undertake the task. But one of the chiefs sprang up, drew his dry rod, and who become kings of fancy in the absence of facts. sword, and advanced to the old man. About all we know is that he was "Good King Wamba," a just and merciful man under whom Spain reached its age of gold. "If you are still obstinate in refusing the position we offer you," he sternly said, "you shall lose your head as well as your He made a great and beautiful city of Toledo, his capital. crown." His fierce eyes and brandished sword gave weight to his It had a wall, but he gave it another, stronger and loftier. And