Then one-third of these slaves was selected to, be sent to
Africa in exchange for an equal number of Christian cap-
tives detained there. Another portion was sold to the high-
est bidders, to obtain indemnity for the expenses of the
war. The remainder were distributed to friends of the
court. The Holy Father at Rome received a gift of one
hundred carefully selected Moorish soldiers, whom he in-
corporated into his guard, and whom he succeeded by ar-
gument, menaces, or bribes, more probably by all united,
to convert into " good Christians."

The Moorish girls were renowned for their personal
loveliness. Fifty of the most beautiful damsels were sent
by Isabella as a present to the Queen of Naples, and thirty
were sent to the Queen of Portugal. Thus the whole pop-
ulation of Malaga was disposed of. All the property of the
victims, whether consisting of lands, jewels, or plate, were
seized by the Crown. It is estimated that the population
within the walls of Malaga at the time of the capture
amounted 'to not less than twenty thousand. Humanity
recoils in view of the utter ruin which thus overwhelmed
them. And yet their doom, dreadful as it appears, was
deemed mild, in the estimate of that barbaric age. It is
said that Isabella was urged by her spiritual guides to put
every man, woman, and child to the sword, as a warning
to others. When we reflect that not four hundred years
have elapsed since such scenes were enacted by the very
best court fhen in Europe, it must be admitted that the
world has made progress.
