ARABIA;

ANCIENT AND MODERN.

CHAPTER I.

THE ABBASSIDES, OR CALIPHS OF BAGDAD.

Accession of the Abbassides-Caliphs of that Dynasty-Almansor- Haroun al Raschid-Almamoun-Motassem-Capricious Cruelty of Motawakkel-Magnificence of the CaliphsWeakness and Corruption of their Government-Their Military Operations-Wars of Haroun al Raschid and his Successors with the Romans-Victories of Nicephorus Phocas and John Zimisces over the Moslems--Causes of the Downfall of the Abbassides-Despotic Power of the Turkish Guards -Ravages and Cruelties of the Karmathians-Dismemberment of the Empire into independent Principalities-Persia usurped by petty Dynasties-Conquests of Mahmoud of Ghizni in India-Irruptions of the Tartars-Togrul Beg appointed Viceroy of the Mohammedan Dominions-Hoolaku lays Siege to Bagdad-Surrender and Pillage of that Capital -Death of Mostasem and Extinction of the Caliphate.

WITH the elevation of the house of Abbas the family of Mohammed ascended once more the pulpit and the throne of their ancestor; and so long as the Saracen power continued to exist, they ruled the greater part of the Moslem world. The Arabs have marked the several dynasties with different degrees of reverence and respect. The reigns of Abu Beker, Omar, Othman, and Ali are distinguished by the title of the Perfect Caliphate, as that of their successors

is called the Imperfect. The Ommiades are generally styled Caliphs of Syria, their capital being Damascus; while the Abbassides are known in history as the Caliphs of Bagdad, the city to which they transferred their court. In the rise of the Mohammedan monarchy, the empire, however menaced by revolt, was still one and undivided; but in its decline and fall this indivisibility ceased, and the Moslems beheld three independent sovereignties erected, towards the close of the eighth century, within different parts of their dominions-one seated at Bagdad, another in Egypt and Africa, and a third in Spain.

The house of Abbas, whose accession to the throne was attended with circumstances of such unparalleled cruelty as to procure for its first caliph the epithet of Al Saffah, or the Sanguinary, ruled over the Eastern World with various degrees of authority for a period of five hundred years. The first century beheld their power undiminished; though the dismemberment of several provinces showed that their government was inherently weak, and that the unwieldly fabric could not long maintain its stability. Like other great nations of antiquity, the policy of the Saracens seemed better adapted for the acquisition of empire than for its preservation; and though, by a surprising effort of arms, they had compelled the world to acknowledge the might of the Commander of the Faithful, they could not infuse into their system those principles of wholesome and vigorous administration essential to its perpetuity. The incessant workings of faction made it necessary to invest the lieutenants of provinces with absolute command; and these, as the monarchy grew feeble and degenerate, were enabled to make their governments hereditary, and to assume every thing except the name of kings. The seeds of dissolution were slowly matured by foreign wars and domestic revolts; and the first

twenty reigns are all that can be assigned as the prosperous era of the Abbassides. In Arabia their authority was nominally maintained by their viceroys; though the sheiks of the desert gradually resumed their ancient independence, and regarded the successors of Mohanimed merely as the chiefs of their religion. As their power commenced in blood, so it will be found in the sequel to have terminated its career in the most dreadful scenes of cruelty and carnage. The middle of the thirteenth century brought the tragic history of their fallen race to a close, when the proud capital of Islam fell into the hands of the Tartars.

DYNASTY OF THE ABBASSIDES, OR CALIPHS OF BAGDAD.

Of the earlier princes of this dynasty, several were not more distinguished for their warlike prowess than for their love and encouragement of science. The reigns of Saffah and his successor were chiefly occupied in extirpating the race of Ommiah, whose hapless adherents were persecuted with unsparing vengeance. Almansor had established his court at

Hashemiah, a city founded by his brother on the site or in the vicinity of Anbar; but an insurrection compelled him to resort to the erection of a new capital-and in the 145th year of the Hejira the foundation of Bagdad was laid. The aid of astrology was called in to ascertain a propitious season for commencement; and in a short time rose the City of Peace, a splendid metropolis, on the banks of the Tigris, which continued the seat of imperial luxury for nearly five centuries. The rural scenery was beautiful; the spacious river had a width of 250 yards, and a depth, when the waters were at the highest, of forty-six feet. The neighbourhood was rich in gardens and villages; and some idea of its ancient population may be formed, when we learn that 800,000 men and 60,000 women could attend the funeral of Hanbal, their popular saint. Yet all this magnificence seemed but ill adapted to the temper of Almansor, whose extraordinary penury obtained for him the nickname of Abu Dawanek, or Father Halfpenny. After his wars and buildings, he left behind him 600,000,000 drachms and 24,000,000 dinars of gold (about 24,850,000l. sterling)—a treasure which the vices or the munificence of his children scattered in a few years. In a single pilgrimage to Mecca, Mahadi expended 6,000,000 dinars (2,775,000l.), and distributed 150,000 dresses to the poor.

Haroun al Raschid (Aaron the Just), whose name Eastern romance has made so familiar to European ears, yielded to none of his predecessors in the fame and splendour of his reign. He was eminently liberal and humane; and excelled as a warrior, a statesman, and a scholar. He conversed familiarly with all classes of his subjects; and from these adventures sprang numerous anecdotes, which historians have been careful to preserve. To obviate the jealousies and collisions likely to arise from the nomination of a successor, he had proposed an equal division

of the empire among his sons-a scheme which created the very evils it was intended to avert. One trait contrary to the general complexion of his character was his unrelenting cruelty to the Barmecides, especially Yahia and his son Jaafar, who had served him long, and given the most distinguished proofs of zeal and fidelity. To this illustrious family, well known to the Western World through the same enchanting tales that have celebrated their royal master, Haroun had entrusted the entire administration of his extensive dominions. But court favour is precarious circumstances confirmed and exasperated the caliph's aversion, and death or imprisonment extirpated the unhappy race of Barmec. The ingratitude of Haroun in this instance inflicted its own punishment; for with their destruction his affairs fell into immediate and irretrievable confusion.

The reign of Alamin was one continued scene of insurrection, revolt, and fraternal discord. His treasures were exhausted; and to supply the deficiency he was obliged to commit to the crucible his gold and silver plate. The precious contents of his warehouses were openly exposed to sale, that he might have wherewithal to stimulate his soldiers to exert themselves in defence of the capital, then besieged by his brother Almamoun, who was proclaimed caliph in Khorasan. A body of 5000 mercenary troops had joined his standard; but, as he had neither rich dresses nor pecuniary rewards to bestow, they were compelled to rest satisfied with a fumigation of their beards over pans of civet, which were supplied in great profusion by the caliph's orders; and from this species of luxury the inhabitants of Bagdad gave them in ridicule the appellation of the Civet corps. The head of this unfortunate monarch, who was assassinated by a slave, exhibited on the walls of Bagdad, announced to his brother that he enjoyed an undivided throne. VOL. II.-B