CHAPTER IV. Empire of the Arabs, under the Caliphs, continued. WE have broken the thread of our narrative, in order to give a succinct view of the Mohammedan religion, which, on account of its long establishment and extensive progress over a great part of the habitable globe, merits the attention of the historian. We shall now resume the subject. A. D. Moawiyah II, the son of Yezid, was 684. proclaimed caliph at Damascus the day on which his father died. This young prince was of a religious disposition, but of a very weak constitution; fearing lest, through ignorance, he should do wrong, he sought the advice of his preceptor, Omar, who told him, that if he found himself equal to the duties of the arduous post, he ought to accept of the dignity offered him, but if not, he ought to decline it. Finding himself, in a short time, too weak to sustain the weight of government, he resolved to relinquish his high station. He made his abdication in due form, and the chiefs proceeding to a new election, the choice fell upon Merwan, when the late monarch made a speech to the following effect: "My grandfather, Moawiyah, deprived a man more worthy than himself of the caliphate; nor did my father merit that dignity, though he obtained it. For my own part, I am determined not to have an account to give of so weighty a charge as the government of the Mussulmen, when I appear in the presence of God; and therefore will invest the person that shall please you best, with the authority of caliph." Moawiyah had no sooner abdicated the government, than he shut himself up in his chamber, from whence he did not remove till he died. The interval between his abdication and death he spent in religious exercises: he was surnamed, by way of ridicule, the "Father of the Night," because the state of his health, and his natural weakness, did not allow him to appear much abroad in the day-time. The house of Ommiyah was so exasperated at his abdication, that the members of it buried alive his master, whom they supposed to have been the person that suggested that resolution: the inscription on his seal was, "the world is a cheat." He left no issue behind him. All the provinces of the Moslem empire, except part of Syria, concurred, soon after the death of Yezid, to advance Zobeir to the caliphate, and he caused himself to be inaugurated at Mecca: the people of that city had first declared in his favour, and their example was immediately followed by the citizens of Medina. But the house of Ommiyah, perceiving the danger, resolved to stand upon their own defence, and proclaimed Merwan, who was at the head of them, the lawful 684. caliph, after the death of Moawiyah II. The Moslem empire was, therefore, at this time, divided into two factions, and all possible methods were employed to dispose both parties to an accommodation, but without effect. The forces on both sides, commanded by Mer A. D. wan and Dehak, found themselves obliged to come to a general action. The battle was fought in the plains of Damascus, and Merwan came off victorious; he was, soon after, acknowledged as sovereign, and the people every where renewed their oath of fidelity to Merwan. Soon after his accession, Merwan advanced, at the head of a considerable army, to the frontiers of Egypt. His troops quickly possessed themselves of that country, and obliged the inhabitants to take the oath of allegiance. In the 65th year of the Hegira the followers of Ali assembled at Cufa, in order to revenge the death of Hosein. For this purpose they sent circular letters to their friends, inviting them to contribute all in their power to the execution of so laudable a design. At the head of these was Soliman, one of Mohammed's friends, consequently a very old man, in great repute for his attachment to religion, but little endowed with military virtues. He acted as if zeal could supply the place of every other virtue. Under his command was formed a species of crusade, composed of pious Mussulmen, who crowded to his standard: their cry was vengeance for Hosein, and, like true enthusiats, they were willing to devote themselves to death in the cause. "My child," said a father to his weeping daughter, who conjured him not to leave her, 66 thy father abandons all, to return to God." The general himself, being impressed with these sentiments, inspired his soldiers with the same. "It is for the world to come," said he, "and not for this, that you fight; therefore, whatever may be the event of the present expedition, you may depend hereafter on eternal happiness." Soliman conducted them to Hosein's tomb, where they poured forth the most woful lamentations, and wished they had died with him. When Soliman commanded them to march, they first threw themselves on the grave, and intreated his forgiveness. All, however, were not so zealous, some of them even withdrew, which their general perceiving, said to his faithful followers : "The Almighty does not approve that these deserters should unite themselves to us; it is for our advantage that he separates them, therefore praise him and the prophet." With this excess of confidence he led those wretched victims to battle, who were all massacred, except those whose prudence or agility assisted them in flight this was one of the principal events of Merwan's reign, which was not of a year's continuance. Mokhtar, one who had deserted from Soliman's standard, assembled the scattered troops, now grown wise from misfortune, and with them gained considerable success. The remainder of their former credulity he turned to his own advantage. He caused a portable throne, to which he attributed extraordinary virtues, to be paraded through the camp, and carried on a mule in the rear of his army. "This throne,” said he to his troops, "will be as useful to you as the ark of the covenant was to the Israelites." At first they were successful, and considered themselves indebted for victory to this pageant, which they worshipped as an idol; but its virtues soon ceased, and a total reverse of fortune ensued: their general was slain, and his troops dispersed. From this time wandering hordes were formed, destitute of every principle, and loudly expressing their contempt of all government, both temporal and spiritual massacre and plunder were their religion and their law. One of them, meeting a lady of great beauty, seemed inclined to spare her-"What!" said his associates, "art thou vanquished by her charms? thou deniest thy faith," and instantly struck off his head with a sabre. Abdalmalec rose superior to his rivals, and succeeded his father, Merwan. A. D. 684. In the sixty-ninth of the Hegira, he marched against Zobeir, and appointed Amru governor of Damascus, who, during his absence, seized the government for himself, which obliged the caliph to lay aside his intended expedition. When Abdalmalec arrived at Damascus, several skirmishes happened between his troops and Amru's men, but, by the intervention of the women, a treaty was concluded, and the public tranquillity restored. However, the caliph ordered his competitor to be disarmed, fettered, and his fore-teeth beat out. He then went to evening prayers, and left the execution of Amru to his brother, who refused to be the instrument of his death. The caliph returned, and, finding, to his great surprise, that Amru was still alive, ordered him instantly to be slain. Yahya, Amru's brother, armed a thousand slaves, and attacked the caliph's palace; they forced open the gates, killed several of the guards, and were upon the point of entering, when the people within threw Amru's head among them. This so cooled their ardour, that they desisted from the attempt, and some money having been distributed among them, they retired to their respective habitations. Their ringleader, Yahya, |