ARABIA; 



ANCIENT AND MODERN. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE ABBASSIDES, OR CALIPHS OF BAGDAD. 



Accession of the Abbassides— Caliphs of that DjTiasty— Alman- 

 sor — Haroun al Raschid — Almamoun — Motassem — Capri- 

 cious Cruelty of Motawakkel — Magnificence of the CaUphs — 

 Weakness and Corruption of their Government — Their Mili- 

 tary Operations — Wars of Haroun al Raschid and his Suc- 

 cessors with the Romans— Victories of Nicephorus Phocas 

 and John Zimisces over the Moslems — Causes of the Down- 

 fall of the Abbassides— Despotic Power of the Turkish Guards 

 — Ravages and Cruelties of the Karmathians — Dismember- 

 ment of the Empire into independent PrincipaUties — Persia 

 usurped by petty Dynasties — Conquests of Mahmoud of 

 Ghizni in India— Irruptions of the Tartars— Togrul Beg ap- 

 pointed Viceroy of the Mohammedan Dominions— Hoolaku 

 lays Siege to Bagdad— Surrender and Pillage of that Capital 

 —Death of Mostasem and Extinction of the Caliphate. 



With the elevation of the house of Abbas the 

 family of Mohammed ascended once more the pulpit 

 and the throne of their ancestor ; and so long- as the 

 Saracen power continued to exist, they ruled the 

 greater part of the Moslem world. The Arabs have 

 marked the several dynasties with different degrees 

 of reverence and respect. The reigns of Abu Beker, 

 Omar, Othman, and Ali are distinguished by the title 

 of the Perfect Caliphate, as that of then- successors 



