426 RISING IN THE ALPUXARRAS. PART princes of Granada ; and they now exhibited an '- — unshaken attachment to their ancient institutions and religion, which had been somewhat effaced in the great cities bj more intimate intercourse with the Europeans.^ Rising of the Thesc Warlike mountaineers beheld with eath- Moors. t3 ering resentment the faithless conduct pursued towards their countrymen, which, they had good reason to fear, would soon be extended to them- selves ; and their fiery passions were inflamed to an ungovernable height by the public apostasy of Granada. They at length resolved to anticipate any similar attempt on themselves by a general insurrection. They accordingly seized on the for- tresses and strong passes throughout the country, and began as usual with forays into the lands of the Christians. These bold acts excited much alarm in the capital, and the count of Tendilla took vigorous measures for quenching the rebellion in its birth. Gonsalvo de Cordova, his early pupil, but who might now well be his master in the art of war, was at that time residing in Granada ; and Ten- dilla availed himself of his assistance to enforce a hasty muster of levies, and march at once against the enemy. 1 Alpuxarras,— an Arabic word, "La Alpuxarra, nquessa sierra •c ■ 111 J r •„))„„ que a] Sol la cervi7. lavanta Signifying land of warriors, ac- ^ ,,„p p„^,„j„ je Villas, cording to Salazar de Mendoza. es Mar de penns, y plantas, (Monarquia, torn. ii. p. 138.) Ac- adonde sus poblaciones '^ ,. ' ', ' ' 1 ondas navegaii de Plata." cording to the more accurate and learned Condc, it is derived from Calderon, (Comedias, (Madrid, an Arabic term for "pasturage." 1760,) tom. i. p. 353,) whose eor- (El Nubiense, Descripcion de Es- geous muse sheds a blaze of glory paila, p. 187.) over the rudest scenes.
