266 HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 



dina happened the death of Abdelazeez, who was 

 assassinated, in October, 1803, by a Persian W'hose 

 relations the Wahabees had murdered. His eldest 

 son Saoud was unanimously elected his successor ; 

 and in the necessary qualities of a religious leader 

 he far surpassed his father. He had been trained 

 to war from his youth, having carried arms in battle 

 when only at the age of twelve. For many years 

 he had conducted all the w^ars ; and to him may be 

 ascribed the conquest of Hejaz. From the time, 

 however, that his reign began, it was remarked that 

 he never fought personally in any engagement, but 

 always directed his army from a position at some 

 distance in the rear. In person, he is said to have 

 been remarkably handsome ; he had a fine coun- 

 tenance, and wore a longer beard than is generally 

 seen among the Bedouins ; — a peculiarity which ob- 

 tained him the name of Abu Shoiiareb, or Father of 

 Mustachios. All the Arabs, even his enemies, 

 praised him for his wisdom and moderation, his 

 love of justice and skill in deciding litigations. 



For several years after his father's death he wore 

 a coat-of-mail under his shirt, and never went abroad 

 except with a chosen guard around him. His do- 

 minions he divided into several districts or provinces, 

 over which he placed the great Bedouin sheiks, with 

 the honorary title of emirs ; whose principal duty it 

 Avas to execute public justice, to assist the tax- 

 gatherers, and recruit troops for the army. The 

 vigilant and rigid policy which they were compelled 

 to maintain tended to secure the country against 

 robbers, and to check the sanguinary feuds of hos- 

 tile parties ; but the new system was not popular, 

 and the frequent revolts of the Bedouins proved how 

 impatient they were of restraints so directly opposed 

 to their habits of wild and lawless independence. 

 The several tribes were made responsible for 

 every depredation committed within their terri- 

 tory, should the perpetrator be unknown ; and if 



