CALIPHS OF SPAIiN, 49 



that ensued on the accession of the house of Abbas, 

 a royal youth of the name of Abdalrahman, a 

 younger son of Merwan, escaped the fury of his 

 enemies. With his brother and his child he fled, 

 and concealed himself in the woods on the banks 

 of the Euphrates. His persecutors discovered his 

 retreat ; the child was slain, and the two brothers 

 plunged into the river. Fainting with fatigue, Soly- 

 man accepted the proffered mercy of the pursuers, 

 and returned to the shore, where he was basely put 

 to death. The more robust Abdalrahman sw^am the 

 dangerous passage, and was hunted by the ruthless 

 foe from the deserts of Irak to the recesses of 

 Mount Atlas in Africa. 



The Saracens of Spain retained their attachment 

 to the family of Moawiyah ; their zeal was rekindled 

 by the presence of a prince of that race in their 

 neighbourhood, and they immediately invited the 

 wandering exile to ascend the throne of his ances- 

 tors. Dreading the implacable vengeance of his 

 enemies, and dazzled by the splendours of a crown, 

 Abdalrahman received the message with joy, and 

 was saluted with acclamations on the shore of 

 Granada. The cities of Malaga, Ronda, Xeres, 

 and Seville, tendered him their allegiance ; and the 

 descendants of Merwan saw restored in Spain 

 (A. D. 755) the honours of the caliphate, which they 

 had lost in the East. His elevation v.^as not gained 

 without opposition and bloodshed ; but all the efforts 

 of the Abbassides were in vain. In a battle of 

 several days near Seville, their lieutenant, Alala, fell 

 with 7000 of his followers ; his head, in salt and 

 camphor, was sent to Mecca, and suspended before 

 the gate of the palace ; the streets of that city and 

 of Cairoan were strown with similar trophies ; and 

 the Caliph Almansor expressed his thankfulness that 

 lie was separated by seas and lands from an adver- 

 sary who appeared to be not a man, but a demon. 

 After a successful struggle he established himself 



Vol. U.—E 



