306 CONQUESTS OF THE SARACENS. 



caliphate. This is the more surprising, as he left no 

 male posterity of his own, and must have foreseen 

 the dismal consequences of an interregnum, or a 

 disputed succession. His demise was the signal for 

 immediate contest between the two grand parties 

 of his followers. The same day that laid him in 

 the grave saw them assembled to deliberate on the 

 choice of a new sovereign. The Refugees insisted 

 on their prior claim, as being the fellow-citizens, the 

 kinsmen, and first proselytes of their apostle. The 

 Ansars pleaded their meritorious services in offering 

 an asylum to the fugitives of Mecca and their perse- 

 cuted master. The Koreish were still jealous of 

 the pre-eminence of the line of Hashem. The he^ 

 reditary title of Ali was opposed by Ayesha, and 

 offensive to the aristocratic spirit of the other chiefs, 

 who were secretly anxious to keep the sceptre 

 within their reach by a free and frequent election. 

 Omar and Abu Beker were both proposed, but they 

 mutually declined to take precedence of each other. 



Separation appeared inevitable ; swords were 

 drawn, and the hasty structure of Moslem greatness 

 was tottering to its foundation, when the tumult was 

 seasonably appeased by the disinterested resolution 

 of Omar, who quietly renounced his own pretensions, 

 and. offered his hand in token of fealty and obedience 

 to his venerable rival. Perhaps the crafty pohtician 

 saw in the advanced age of the new caliph but a 

 narrow barrier between himself and the throne. 



The Hashemites alone declined the oath of fidel- 

 ity; and it is remarkable that their chief, Ali, the 

 cousin of their Prophet, and the husband of liis favour- 

 ite daughter, had not, in that numerous conclave, a 

 single voice to advocate his claims. He had publicly 

 refused his concurrence in the inauguration of Abu 

 Beker ; but the intrigues of the disaffected could not 

 prevail Avith him to disturb the peace of his country ; 

 nor could the arrogance of Omar, Avho threatened to 

 consume his habitation v/ith fire, terrify him into 



