WARS OF THE CALIPHS. 371 



His accession did not quiet the murmurs of fac- 

 tion, and his reign was occupied with httle else than 

 deposing chiefs and governors, whose loyaUy he 

 could not trust ; and heaping honours and emolu- 

 ments on others, whose passions could thus be made 

 subservient to the advancement of his own interests. 



The intrigues of Ayesha at iNIedina were no secret 

 at the court of Damascus ; and in a personal visit 

 the caliph received an insulting refusal of her alle- 

 giance. But his apprehensions from this quarter 

 were speedily removed. The illustrious widow was 

 invited to an entertainment ; the chair destined for 

 her reception was placed over the mouth of a deep 

 well or pit, slightly covered with leaves : and the 

 moment the unsuspecting guest seated herself at 

 table, she •' sank to everlasting night." Such, say 

 the Persian authors at least, was the fate of this 

 ambitious mother of the faithful. INIoawiyah soon 

 after " quitted this abode of clay for the mansions of 

 eternal retribution." The most important feature in 

 the government of this caliph was his changing the 

 monarchy from being elective, and making it hered- 

 itary^ in his own family. Such was his influence, 

 that he succeeded in obtaining, not only the sub- 

 mission of all classes in Syria and Irak, but the 

 acquiescence of ■Mecca and ^Medina, to the nomina- 

 tion of his son Yezzid, a feeble and dissolute youth. 

 This prince had the wisdom to retain his father's 

 lieutenants in their places ; and his reign was almost 

 exclusively employed in subduing the refractory 

 partisans of Hossein, brother of Hassan. 



The melancholy fate of this imam deserves a place 

 in the history of his nation. The injustice done to 

 his family, and the weak character of the reigning 

 caliph, revived a sympathetic loyalty for the child 

 of Fatima, and suggested the thought of reinstating 

 him on the throne. The inhabitants of Cufa invited 

 him to make his appearance in their city ; and a list 

 was secretly transmitted to ^lecca of 140,000 Mos- 



