3^6 THE ROYAL FAMILY. PART Alonso's death, a few months after this event II. Death of her however, blighted the fair hopes which had begun haTband'.'"' to opcH of a ttiore friendly feeling between the two countries. His unfortunate widow, unable to en- dure the scenes of her short-lived happiness, soon withdrew into her own country to seek such conso- lation as she could find in the bosom of her family. There, abandoning herself to the melancholy regrets to which her serious and pensive temper naturally disposed her, she devoted her hours to works of piety and benevolence, resolved to enter no more into engagements, which had thrown so dark a cloud over the morning of her life.^ On King John's death, in 1495, the crown of Portugal devolved on Emanuel, that enlightened monarch, who had the glory in the very commence- ment of his reign of solving the grand problem, which had so long perplexed the world, of the ex- istence of an undiscovered passage to the east. This prince had conceived a passion for the young and beautiful Isabella during her brief residence in Lisbon ; and, soon after his accession to the throne, he despatched an embassy to the Spanish court in- viting her to share it with him. But the princess, wedded to the memory of her early love, declined the proposals, notwithstanding they were strongly seconded by the wishes of her parents, who, how- tile, and Portugal. (EuropaPortu- which the Castilians adopted from guesa, torn. ii. pp. 452 et seq.) We the Spanish Arabs, see, throughout, the same luxury c Zurita, Hist, del Rev Hernan- of spectacle, the same elegant do, torn. v. fol. 38. — Abarca, games of chivalry, as the tilt of Reyes de Aragon, torn. ii. fol. 312. reeds, the rings, and the like,
