The Historical Nights Entertainment, Second Series

ques, first K

irresistibly upwards into the Iberian Peninsula, recapturing Lisbon and S

nights who answered the call was Count Henry of Burgundy (grandson of Robert, first Duke of Burgundy) to whom Alfonso gave hi

chapter of the h

ffonso Henriques. A woman of great energy, resource and ambition, she successfully waged war against the Moors, and in other ways laid the foundations upon which her son was to build the Kingdom of Portug

citizens of the capital to be of age and competent to reign-incontinently refused to recognize the submission made by his mother, and in the following year assembled

thy son of the father who had devoted his life to doing battle against the Infidel, wheresoever he might be found. He was well-grown and tall, and of a bodily strength that is almost a byword to this day in that Portugal of which he was the real founder and first king. He was skilled beyond the common wont in all knightly exercises of arms and horsemanship, and equipped with f

t the Vatican on her behalf that the Holy Father-conveniently ignoring the provocation she had given and the scandalous, unmotherly conduct of which she had b

the event of disobedience, was brought to the young prince

hed scarlet when he heard that uncompromising message. His

ople once more to the oppression of the Lord of Trava?" he asked. "And you tell me that unless by obeying this co

See and his affection for his prince, bowed his head and wrung

rumbling in the prince's voice. "Myself I

ave only my soul, which I owe to God; my faith, which I owe to Ch

e, mastering his passionate, impetu

ead, his eyes not darin

d," he almost sobb

swerve from his duty to Rome, which was as plain as it was unpalatable. Betimes next morning word was brought to Affonso Henriques in the Alcazar of Coimbra that a parchment was na

and harebrained as could have been expected from a lad in his eighteenth year who held the reins of power. Yet by its v

his half-brother Pedro Affonso, and two of his knights, Emigio Moniz and Sancho Nunes. There on the great iron-studded doors he found,

l steps, his attendants following. He had for witnesses no mor

, for in the twelfth century the art of letters

and; then he passed into the Cathedral, and thence came out presently into th

rried progress through the fretted cloisters, with flowing garments and hands tucked into their wide sleeves before them.

riques wast

nced, "to command that you proc

g. The canons looked askance at the prince

ravely, and several instantly

see, after publishing this shameful thing." And he held aloft the crumpled interdict. "As I am a God-fearing, Christian knight, I will no

e, in their priestly dignity, and in their

e boy grow

opum," droned

in chorus throu

r, "and I tell you that he shall not return, that he shall never set foot again withi

y by one of them, "no such el

in a gesture of terrible dismissal. "Out of my sight, you proud and evil men! Back to your cells, to await my pleasure.

ugh he might be, to make such an election, bowed to him, ever impassively, and with their ha

in that austere procession-a tall, gaunt young man, whose copper-coloured skin and hawk-featured face proclaimed his Moorish blood. Instantly, maliciously, it flashed th

ur name?" h

and the name confirmed-where, indeed, no confir

st upon these arrogant priests, who refused to appoint a bishop

in the room of the rebel who has fled. You will prepare to ce

y. In the background, the hindmost members of the retreating clerical procession turned and st

o!" Don Zuleyman was

ation he had recourse to Latin. "Domine, no

Affonso Henriques gave

in obedience, on your life." And on that he clanked out aga

. Don Zuleyman, wearing the bishop's robes and the bishop's mitre, intoned the Kyrie Eleison before noon that day in the Cath

with him. But Emigio Moniz and the elder members of his council refused to laugh. They looked with awe upon a de

he cried. "A prince is not to

atched to Rome an account of his unconscionable, high-handed, incredible sacrilege, and invited Rome to administer condign spiritual flagellation upon this errant child of Mother Church. Rome made haste to vindicate her authority, and dispatched a legate to the recalcitrant,

dispatched by Pope Honorius II., full armed with apostolic weapons

n which he had wrung from Mother Church after his own fashion, he was entirely absorbed in preparations for a campaign against the Moors whic

attended by two nephews, Giannino and Pierluigi da Corrado, both patricians of Rome, and a little knot of servants. Empanopl

ainst a background of battle trophies, livid weapons, implements of war, and suits of mail both Saracen and Christian, with which the bare walls were hun

of his slippered feet and the rustle of his silken robes being at first the only sound. On he came, until he stood before the shallow dais, where in a massively carved chair sat the Infante of Portugal, mistrustfully observi

ed the legate, "be welcom

iss his hand, and bend the knee before him, seeking his blessing. Yet this mere boy, beardless save for a silky down about his firm

e announced, in a voice of stern reproof. "I am

ugh no good has ever yet come to me from Rome, you make me hopeful. His Holiness will have heard of the preparations I am making for a war aga

e legate sharply. His sall

, and to require of you immediate reparation of the sacrilegious wrongs you have done. The Holy Father demands of you the instant re-instatement of the

oth the boy, in a voi

. "It is demanded of you further that you instantly release the lad

arried to Rome. Dona Theresa's life was a scandal, her regency an injustice to my people. She and the infamous Lord of Trava li

te was obstin

answer that our H

answer th

ed. "I come armed with spiritual weapons of destruction. Do not abuse the patience of

unded to his feet, his face livid

, or as God watches us I will add here and now yet

to the angry youth, and so departed, but with such outward impassivity that it would have been difficult to say with w

ces of Emigio Moniz, who was demanding immediate audience.

treading heavily. His swarthy face was overcast, h

so lugubriously delivered as to sound

him the Infante. "You are ea

e room, unlatched and flung wide a

e gigantic hive, or of the sea when the tide is making. Affo

e asked, and thrust a

nd until the ban is lifted no priest will be found to baptize, marry, shrive or perform any other Sacrament of Holy Church. The people are stricken with terror, knowing that they

g at the old knight, his face blenched, his stout heart clutched by fear

aned, and asked:

"It is of the first importance th

t h

submit to the will of the Holy Father, and by pe

to the young cheeks

humble myself to seek pardon at the hands of this insolent Italian cleric? May my bones rot, may I roast for ever in hell-

ed him, and waved a hand to the open

e of the bed, and took his head in hi

ther, summoning chamberlain and

egate lodged?"

cock-crow, taking the road to Spain along the Mon

they to op

all doors at any hour of day or night

hen." And he made haste to complete his dressing. T

mounted a charger and with Emigio Moniz at his side and the others following, he rode out across the

o him for mercy and the remission of the curse. Then silence

nding in his stirrups very tall

y's absolution from the ban that has been laid upon it. I s

hail him as the father and protector of the Portuguese, an

ed. All that morning they rode briskly amain, the Infante fasting, as he had risen, yet unconscious of hunger and of all else but the purpose that was consuming him. He rode in u

in a little village some ten miles beyond the foothills of the Bussaco range. The Infante reined up sharp

th a hand to

e cried, fearfully. "

eyes, and his lips curled in a s

me," he answered, subtly mocking, and on that he swung d

him, would have hindered him, great lord though he seemed, from disturbing the holy guest who was honou

their feet, their hands upon their daggers. But Cardinal da Corrado sat un

me, my son," he said. "If you come a pe

ques. He laughed wickedly, and pl

r, set a detaining han

, "you will not strike the Lord's anointe

son loosely, you see, this hot-blooded, impetuous young cutter of Gordian knots. "An

itence and a Christian submission to the Holy

me I can understand and suffer. There is reason in that, perhaps. But will you tell me what reasons there can be in punishing a whole city for an offence which, if it exists at all, is mine alone?-and in punishing it by a curse so terrible that all the consolations of religion are denied

d changed from one of b

olt against you, unless you relieve them of the ban. Thus, Lord Prince

n. "But this is statecraft, not religion. And when a prince has no statecraft to match that which is opposed to him, do

eaten me with death? Do you think I fear it?" He rose in a surge of sudden wrath, and tore open his scarlet robe. "Strike here

ed his dagger, smiling a little. Then he bea

nded, and pointed to Giannino and Pierlulgi

ate in a voice of appeal, wh

aring pair were overpowered, deprived of arms, and pinioned. The men looked to their prince for further orders. In the background Moniz and Nunes witnessed all with troubled countenances, whilst the Cardinal, be

ed through the window to a stalwa

, and hang them unsh

speechless with terror for those lads who were as the very apple of

ths were dragged out writh

... you cannot do this infamy! You cannot! I warn you that... that..." The threat perish

ach a gospel of mercy in the world, and

children done? What concern is it of theirs that

flashed the home-thrust

t are yours. To master you I do not hesitate to strike at your nephews with the lethal weapons that are mine. When you shall have seen them hang you will understand the things that arg

ere moving. Expeditiously, and with indifference, they we

ince, this must not be!" He stretched forth supplicat

, you must abs

ission. My duty... to the Holy See

The Infante's voice was so cold, his mien so resolute that the legate despaired of conquering his p

"Bid them stop! The c

a leisureliness which to the legate see

have their lives: Complete absolution, and Apostolic benediction for my people and myself this very night, I on my side making submission to the Holy Father's will to the extent of releasing my mother from duress, with the condition that she leaves Portugal at once and does not return. As for the banished bishop and his successor, matters must re

d hoarsely. "I will return with

tween them was now completely healed, Affonso Henriques went down upon his knees, like the tru