ANCIENT KINGS OF ARABIA. 115 



pacified, and the usurper confirmed in his new 

 diffnity. . 



Being of the Christian profession, his efforts were 

 directed to tlie conversion of his subjects. He built, 

 among other structures, a splendid church in his 

 capital ; of such magnificence, we are assured, that 

 it had no equal at that time in the whole world. 

 " A huge pearl," says Nuvairi, who WTOte a treatise 

 on Arabian edifices, " was placed on the side of the 

 altar, of such brilliancy that in the darkest night it 

 served the purpose of a"lamp." The object of Abraha 

 Was to make Sanaa the Jerusalem of Arabia, the holy 

 city, where all pilgrims were in future to resort instead 

 of Mecca. This kindled the indignant zeal of the idol- 

 aters, more especially of the hereditary guardians of 

 the Kaaba, who saw in the popularity of the Christian 

 temple the downfaU of their own greatness. On the 

 night of a solemn festival, two of the Koreish en- 

 tered the church, and having profaned it by an act 

 of gross indecency, fled to Mecca. Abraha vowed 

 a terrible retahation, declaring that not a stone of 

 that obnoxious city should remain upon another. 

 Forty thousand men were levied, of wliom he took 

 the command in person, riding on a white elephant 

 of prodigious size and beauty. He routed in a sin- 

 gle battle the inhabitants of Tehama, who had 

 refused to transfer their religious allegiance to 

 Sanaa. At Taif he ordered all the cattle of the sur- 

 roundhig districts to be seized, among which were 

 two hundred camels belonging to Abdolraotalleb, 

 prince and pontiff of Mecca. 



The appearance of this formidable expedition be^ 

 fore the sacred city spread general consternation, 

 for the Meccans were neither able nor prepared for 

 defence. Abdolmotalleb repaired to the camp of 

 Abraha, where he was received with every mark 

 of honourable distinction. " I come," said he, " to 

 demand restitution of my cattle." "Why not," 

 repUed the invader, " rather implore my clcTiency 



