CALIPHS OF BAGDAD. 17 



ears, yielded to none of his predecessors in the fame 

 and splendour of his reign. He was eminently 

 liberal and humane ; and excelled as a warrior, a 

 statesman, and a scholar. He conversed familiarly 

 with all classes of his subjects j and from these ad- 

 ventures sprang numerous anecdotes which histo- 

 rians have been careful to preserve. To obviate 

 the jealousies and collisions likely to arise from the 

 nomination of a successor, he had proposed an equal 

 division of the empire among his sons ; a scheme 

 which created the very evils it was intended to 

 avert. One trait contrary to the general complexion 

 of his character, was his unrelenting cruelty to the 

 Barmecides, especially Yahia and his son Jaafar, 

 who had served him long, and given the most 

 distinguished proofs of zeal and fidelity. To this 

 illustrious family, well known to the Western 

 World through the same enchanting tales that 

 have celebrated their royal master, Haroun had in- 

 trusted the entire administration of his extensive 

 dominions. But court favour is precarious ; cir- 

 cumstances confirmed and exasperated the caliph's 

 aversion, and death or imprisonment extirpated the 

 unhappy race of Barmec. The ingratitude of Ha- 

 roun in this instance inflicted its own punishment; 

 for with their destruction his affairs fell into im- 

 mediate and irretrievable confusion. 



The reign of Alamin was one continued scene of 

 insurrection, revolt, and fraternal discord. His 

 treasures were exhausted ; and to supply the de- 

 ficiency he was obliged to commit to the crucible his 

 gold and silver plate. The precious contents of his 

 warehouses were openly exposed to sale, that he 

 might have wherewithal to stimulate his soldiers to 



