ALGERIA AND TUNIS. 229 



that is to say, against the idolaters, had solely in view 

 the pacification of Arabia. 



In the seventh year of the Hegira, three years 

 before his death, he meditated propagating the Islam 

 faith beyond the frontiers of Arabia. 



" The Mussulmans," says Eabasson, in his " His- 

 toire de Charles Quint," " are the only enthusiasts 

 who, by taking up arms to propagate the doctrine of 

 their Prophet, have enabled those who refused to 

 receive it to remain attached to the practices of their 

 own worship." 



When the Mahometans went to besiege Jerusalem, 

 the Holy City offered a long and obstinate resistance. 

 Finding at last that they could hold out no longer, 

 the Christians agreed to capitulate, upon con- 

 dition that they should treat with the Caliph in 

 person. Omar, who had succeeded Abu-Bekr, the 

 father-in-law and successor of the Prophet, having 

 left Medina as soon as he was informed of this, pro- 

 ceeded to Djabia, where the Jerusalem delegates came 

 to see him. He granted them the free exercise of 

 their religion, and confirmed them in the possession 

 of their churches. The Patriarch Sophronius re- 

 ceived, upon entering Jerusalem, the chief of the 

 Mussulmans, who, by the simplicity of his costume 

 and the austerity of his life resembled more one of 

 those Christian anchorites and dwellers in the desert 

 than the prince of a people already famous for its vic- 

 tories. Omar went through several quarters of the 



