Alonzo de Aguilar, Don

Alonzo de Aguilar, Don (15th century) Spanish hero in the reconquest of Spain from the Moors and the subject of various ballads. One ballad, The Death of Don Alonzo de Aguilar, tells of his last mission. King Ferdinand of Aragon, husband of Isabella, desires to rid the Sierra of Alpuxarra, mountains not far from Granada, of Moors who refuse to accept the Christian faith. He chooses Don Alonzo to lead his forces. With a thousand men Alonzo reaches Nevada, but before he can reach the ravine, he and his men are detected by the Moors, who hurl rocks at them. Alonzo escapes into the field. The ballad continues:

There, like a lion, stands at bay, in vain besought to yield; A thousand foes around are seen, but none draws near to fight; Afar, with bolt and javelin, they pierce the steadfast knight (John Gibson Lockhart translation).

The Moors then come down from their hiding place and take the body. Washington Irving’s The Conquest of Granada includes “The Legend of the Death of Don Alonzo de Aguilar” at the end of the book.

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow
– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante