ABSTRACT
As I have told you already, there never was born a king to whom God showed greater favours throughout his life than He did to the Lord King En Jaime, and of these I will tell you a part. Firstly, his birth was a great miracle, as I have told and related to you already; and next, he was acknowledged to be the most handsome prince of the world and the most wise, and the most generous, and the most upright, and one more beloved by all, as well by his subjects as by others, strangers and intimates, than any other king there ever was. As long as the world lasts he will be called the Good King En Jaime of Aragon. Besides, he loved and feared God above all things, and he who loves God, loves also his neighbour and justice and truth and mercy. And with these virtues he was plentifully endowed. Besides he was more accomplished in feats of arms than any other man. And all these qualities I was able to see
and ascertain, like all those who saw him and heard about him. Further, God granted him the great favour of having good sons and good daughters and good grand sons and grand-daughters, whom he saw in his lifetime, as I have told you. And besides God did him the grace that, before he was twenty years old, he conquered the kingdom of Mallorca, which he took from the Saracens with much trouble to himself and his followers as well in battles as from lack of provisions, from sickness and other causes, as you can learn in the book that was written about the Conquest of Mallorca. And also, I want you to know that the said conquest was made with more vigour and manly courage than has ever been shown in the taking of any city like Mallorca,1 which is of the strongest cities of the world, and sur rounded by the best walls. And when the siege had lasted a long time, in cold and heat and lack of provisions, the King ordered the good Count of Ampurias to make a breach through which the city could be invaded. A great piece of the wall came away on the day of Saint
1228 Sylvester and Saint Coloma in the year 1228, and, through the place where the aperture was made, the company of the Lord King was amongst the first to enter, his followers forcing their way in, sword in hand; and in the street now called San Miguel the fight was so fierce, it was marvellous to behold. And the Lord King recognized the Saracen king and forced his way to him, and seized him by his beard. And this he did because he had sworn that he would not leave that place until he had seized the Saracen king by the beard. And so he wished to fulfil his vow.2
