Washington Irving - Spanish Papers

Condes Espatorios; so called from the drawn swords of ample size and breadth with which they kept guard in the ante-chambers of the Gothic kings. Comes Spathariorum, custodum corporis Regis Profectus. Hunc et Propospatharium appellatum existimo. — Patr. Pant. de Offic. Goth.

Perdida de España , por Abulcasim Tarif Abentarique, L. 1, c. 6. Cronica del Rey Don Rodrigo , por el Moro Rasis, L. 1, c. 1. Bleda, Cron. cap. vii.

From the minute account of the good friar, drawn from the ancient chronicles, it would appear that the walls of the tower were pictured in mosaic work.

Bleda, Cronica , cap. 7.

Bleda, Cronica cap. 7.

Bleda, cap. 5.

Bleda, cap. 4.

Beuter, Cron. Gen. de España , L. 1, c. 28. Marmol Descrip. de Africa, L. 2, c. 10.

Bleda, Cron. c. 5.

Conde, Hist. Dom. Arab. part 1, c. 8.

Conde, part 1, c. 8.

Conde, part 1, c. 9.

La Perdida de España , cap. 9. Bleda, L. 2, c. 8.

This name was given to it subsequently by the Arabs. It signifies the River of Death. Vide Pedraza, Hist. Granad. p. 3, c. 1.

Bleda, Cronica .

Entrand. Chron. an. Chris. 714.

This battle is called indiscriminately by historians the battle of Guadalete, or of Xeres, from the neighborhood of that city.

Bleda, Cron. L. 2, c. 9. Abulcasim Tarif Abentarique, L. 1, c. 10.

Here lies Roderick,

The last King of the Goths.

Salazar, Hist. Gran. Cardinal. Prologo , vol. i. plan 1.

Mr. D. W – kie.

Lord Mah – n.

In this legend most of the facts respecting the Arab inroads into Spain are on the authority of Arabian writers, who had the most accurate means of information. Those relative to the Spaniards are chiefly from old Spanish chronicles. It is to be remarked that the Arab accounts have most the air of verity, and the events as they relate them are in the ordinary course of common life. The Spanish accounts, on the contrary, are full of the marvelous; for there were no greater romancers than the monkish chroniclers.

Conde, p. 1, c. 10.

Chronica de España , de Alonzo el Sabio. P. 3, c. 1.