374 WARS OF THE CALIPHS. 



lagers, and committed to one common grave. The 

 -wretched female captives were carried to Cufa, 

 thrown across the backs of camels. Thence they 

 were conducted in chains, and entirely naked, to 

 the Syrian capital, and afterward dismissed to Me- 

 dina. The head of Hossein was laid before the 

 caliph; and, like Obeidallah, he could not refrain 

 from offering the same brutal indigmty of beating it 

 on the mouth with a whip or cane ; on which an 

 aged Mussulman exclaimed, — " Upon these hps I 

 have seen the lips of the apostle of God." The 

 memory of this imam is still dear to his Persian vo- 

 taries. The Day of Hossein is an anniversary of 

 weeping and lamentation ; and the hatred of the two 

 nations is preserved and prolonged by this solemnity. 

 The first sultan of the Bowides reared a sumptuous 

 monument on the spot (Meshid Hossein), which still 

 marks the sepulchre of the martyr. Crowds of pil- 

 grims continue to pay their annual devotions at his 

 shrine. The soil near his grave is purchased with 

 avidity, and is said to possess the most miraculous 

 virtues ; while the privilege of being interred near 

 the remains of the saint is bought by the rich at 

 an extravagant price. Ali, his two sons, and their 

 descendants, to the ninth generation, form the twelve 

 imams of the Sheahs. The last of these, called 

 the Mohadi or guide, they suppose to be still alive, 

 but invisible ; and that he will appear before the 

 last day, to estabUsh a sort of millemiial reign on 

 earth. 



The last action of the reign of Yezzid was to quell 

 the insurrections which had broken out at Medina 

 and Mecca, partly on account of Hossein's ' death, 

 and partly in consequence of changes in the govern- 

 ment. The former place was reduced to obedience 

 in a single battle (A. D. 682). The insurgents fled, 

 and took shelter within their walls ; but the troops 

 of Damascus entered with them ; and for three days 

 the city was one universal scene of pillage and 



