Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-11-23
Romance of the Name Peralta.
BY j. A. PERALTA-REAvIS.

BY ]. A. PERALTA-REAvIs.
In the fifteenth century we find tn
caldron of Spanish politics crucia
test of might and genius was in thi
epoch-Spanish history being little NOR
than historical romance up to this time
The conquest of the Moors had crushed
the ambition of her mighty chieftains
the legacy of ancient Rome, and thei
literature alike had been buried among
the ruins of the -copquesfa leaving an af
fectation for language once full of force
and meaning.
The feudal lords of the north were al
that was left of ancient Spain, and they
were 80 factious that self-destruction
was the only legacy they left of their
mighty ambition to chronicle their deeds
of greatness in acts of valor, until the
dawn of the fifteenth century.
These feudal despots had for vassals
the descendants of the Cimbri horde that
had been beaten back by the Romans,
and, through centuries of amalgamation
with the Visi-Gothic or Basquin element,
whom they had found there in semi
barbarc state, this new born element had
turned the old plow shear of the frugal
Cimbri into the great falchion of Spain
that proved the overthrow of centuries
of Moorish civilization.
The fifteenth century was ushered in
with such illustrious lights as Martin of
Aragon and Charles III, or the noble,
whose daughter, princess of the realm,
Dora Blanca, was given in marriage to
the son of Don Martin of Aragon then
king of Sicily, also named Martin, who
soon died leaving the fair queen widow
to endow whom she pleased, which fell to
Alfonso, the great, were sons of Fernando
de Castillo.
Fernando had given the reign of CASTLE
to Alfonso, and by the death Of the Mar
tins, father and son, the crown of Aragon
became question to be decided by the
great falchion (sword). Queen Blanca
died in 1441, and second marriage was
contracted, and there was born to the
consort daughter, Leonor, who was
affianced to CASTOR Nv, Duke of Folk, or
Orleans as afterwards termed, who,
through Louis XI of France, had ed
vanced to King John II (JuaE) 100000
esoudos of gold and thereby became the
feudal lord of Navarro, position of the
coveted realm, then held by Henry w, of
CASTLE, to whom had been given in mar
rlage Infanta Blanca, first born of the
marriage of Don Juan II with Queen
Blanca.
The second marriage being morgan
attic with Dona Juana Enriques, daughter
of Don Fedrico Almirante de CASTLE,
which grew out of great scandal, oil the
factions set against Don Juan, among
which his second born of the second mar
riage, Don Carlos was factor; but he
was soon captured and through the inter
cession Of his step mother, the queen, was
pardoned only to succumb to the stiletto
the first night of his freedom. That left
only her own children, among whom was
the world renowned, Fernando, who after
ward married Queen Isabella, of CASTLE,
the instrument in the hands of genius
that led to the discovery of America.
The other ambition of Queen Juana,
to unite the house of Folk or Orleans
with that of her own blood, was accom-
plished in the marriage of her eldest
daughter, Teonor, TO the Duke CASTOR Nv,
who became field marshal in the service
of Don Juan II, his father-in-law.
All the children by the first marriage
of Don Juan being then dead, Leonor
was crowned queen of Navarro with Gas
ton Nv king con sort, as was the custom In
those days, and the branch of the army at
his command set out to conquer the covet-
ed principality from Henry Nv, also CON-
sort king of Navarro, derived through his
with Queen Blanca, deceased,
the first born to Don Juan, by his first
to Queen Blanca of Sicily.
Among the kings most trusted lieuten-
ants was young feudal lord of the manor
north of Barcelona, familiarly known as
Don Alonzo Enrique Carrillo, who COM
manded the famous band of falchions or
great sabres, which to look upon to-day
inspires Us with awe and an inward con-
v1ction that they we're made for giants to
WELD.
This young stalwart valiant had, in
many battle hand to hand, won the en-
comiums of the king and now bore the
little, "Marquis de Falces," with honor,
in 80 far that he was one of the privileged
before the king, and often dined with his
Tue royal army had proceeded to the
foot hills of the great Monies de Oca
range of mountains on the borders of the
coveted Navarro, and royalty, with the
honored few, had stopped for luncheon
under the shade of great pear tree, by
the side of babbling brook that teemed
with sportive trout. fresh from the fast
ness of mountain glen. In that bright
spot, full of romance and beauty, not the
sequestered sylvan retreat, nor the poetic
muse, so nurtured toward the close of the
century, furnished the theme of converse
at that luncheon. Other and grander, if
not nobler, themes, visions of conquest,
filled the bosoms, inspired the words and
nerved the gestures OF the entertainers of
his majesty; and the fire OF enthusiasm
was burning furiously in the breast of the
young Marquis de Falces as he, on bend
ed knee, proposed to the king that if he
we're furnished with a thousand lance
cavalry he could and would take the
Castle of Navarro.
Upon such an astounding proposition,
even with all the force Of giant men
tally and physically, together with
mighty band of falchions, who had won
honor for their fearless commander in
many CORY battles, to back it, his
ma jesty rose, incredulous, and, viewing
beautiful pear hanging high in the great
tree genially shadowing, aged quite be-
yond computation, pointed with his in
dex finger and said: "Esta pera esta
muy alta" (This pear is very high). No
sooner said, than, as if inspired by the
impulse of victory, with the force of
Hercules, the young Marquis sprang to
his feet, thrust his great falohion hand
high in the air, graspsd at the magnif-