20 CALIPHS OF BAGDAD. 



Such was the vigilant prudence of Mostader, that 

 during the whole of his reign not a single insurrec- 

 tion occurred to disturb the tranquillity of his gov- 

 ernment. His son Mostarched has obtained a dis- 

 tinguished name among the few latter sovereigns of 

 the house of Abbas, who, in the decline of its 

 power, displayed some portion of zeal to revive the 

 expiring lustre of the caliphate. Mostanjed was a 

 prince of considerable energy, and scrupled not to 

 throw some unfortunate ladies of the harem into the 

 Tigris, for intriguing against his successor. 



Under Mostanser and Mostasem the taste for ex- 

 pensive magnificence revived. Previous to one of 

 the religious festivals, the former ordered his jew- 

 eller to prepare avast quantity of small golden balls, 

 which he caused to be distributed among his domes- 

 tics, and shot from pellet-bows over all par's of the 

 city. Mostasem, the last of his line, whose power 

 had dwindled to a mere pre-eminence in dignity, 

 affected a higher degree of pomp and ceremony than 

 the most splendid of his predecessors. The greatest 

 princes were with difficulty allowed access to his 

 presence. In imitation of the Kaaba, the gate of 

 his palace was furnished with a stone and a piece of 

 black velvet, to which his subjects paid almost divine 

 honours ; and when the principal officers of state 

 made their court, they did homage to the proud pon- 

 tiff, by rubbing their eyes and forehead on these vene- 

 rable emblems, and kissing them with profound 

 humility. When he went abroad he generally wore 

 a mask or a veil, to inspire his people with the 

 greater respect ; as he passed, the crowded streets 

 were too narrow to contain the multitudes that 

 flocked to behold him ; and the windows or balco- 

 nies were let at an extravagant price. 



The few conquests achieved by the Abbassides 

 were chiefly due to the talents of their earlier 

 princes ; and of these it will be necessary to give a 

 cursory sketch before recording the entire downfall 



