350 CONQUESTS OF THE SARACENS* 



lation ; and Ispahan, after a brave resistance, was 

 compelled to submit to the prowess of Abdallah. 

 The cities of Shirwan, Rhe, Tabreez or Tauri«, 

 Casbin, and Koni were taken, while the provinces 

 of Azerbijan and Mazunderan, comprehending the 

 ancient Media, Armenia, and Hyrcania, fell before 

 the march of the conquerors, who thus extended 

 their victories from the shores of the Caspian to the 

 Mediterranean. Their progress eastward was equally- 

 rapid and extensive. By the direction of Omar, 

 20,000 men invaded the province of Khorasan, which, 

 with those of Kerman, Mekran, Seistan, and the diS' 

 tant Balkh, were added to the possessions of Islam. 

 On the walls of Ahwaz, Istakhar (the renowned 

 Persepolis, and capital of Fars), Kej, Herat, Meru, 

 and other places of importance, the standard of Mo- 

 hammed was planted by his impetuous disciples. 

 The greater portion of the vanquished, preferring 

 the abandonment of their religion to oppression or 

 death, adopted the faith of their new masters, while 

 the recusants fled self-banished into distant lands. 

 The administration of Persia Avas regulated by an 

 actual survey of the people, the cattle, and the fruits 

 of the earth, — a monument which attests the vigi- 

 lance and justice of Omar. With amazing celerity 

 the Arabs had traversed from the Indian Ocean to 

 the Oxus ; but these vast acquisitions were not yet 

 perfectly secured. The succeeding caliphs had 

 many formidable insurrections to quell in their Per- 

 sian dominions. On various occasions, the inhabit- 

 ants evinced their abhorrence of a foreign yoke, and 

 their regard for the fire-worship of their ancestors ; 

 Tuitil at length defeat, massacre, and exile quashed 

 the spirit of revolt, and succeeded, with few excep- 

 tions, in blending the vanquished with their oppres- 

 sors under the united and powerful sway of the 

 Koran.* 



* " The Arabs in Khorasan, in Balkh, and even in the vicinity 

 of Bokhara are slill rtunier'o'ui! ; bMt, ejccept in th* ftjrmtir, they 



