48 CALIPHS OF AFRICA. 



took the name of Mohammed, and signalized their 

 reigns by exploits, both naval and military, not un- 

 worthy the heroic age of the Moslem conquests. Nu- 

 merous bodies of their troops occasionally served in 

 the mercenary armies of Bagdad, and assisted the 

 Abbassides in maintaining their authority over the 

 insurrectionary provinces of the East. 



It was in the time of Almamoun that the islands 

 of Crete and Sicily were subdued by the Western 

 Arabs. The former of these conquests is passed 

 in silence by their own writers, who were indiffer- 

 ent to the fame of Jupiter and Minos. But we learn 

 from the Byzantine historians, that a piratical band 

 of Andalusian volunteers, discontented with the cli- 

 mate or the government of Spain, had set out with 

 only a few galleys on an exploratory voyage, in quest 

 of a more genial settlement. Landing at Alexan- 

 dria, they were introduced into that city by a re- 

 bellious faction, where they cut in pieces both 

 friends and foes, pillaged the churches and mosques, 

 sold above 6000 Christian captives, and maintain- 

 ed their station in the capital of Egypt, till they 

 were repulsed by the forces of Almamoun, who had 

 taken the command in person. In their excursions 

 among the Mediterranean islands they had seen 

 and tasted of the fertility of Crete ; and with forty 

 galleys they soon returned to make a more serious 

 attack. Loaded with spoil they prepared to retreat; 

 but, on descending to the shore, they were dismay- 

 ed to find their vessels in flames, and still more sur- 

 prised when their chief Abu Caab confessed him- 

 self the author of the disaster. In their indigna- 

 tion they suspected him of madness or treachery. 

 ff Of what do you complain?" said the crafty leader 



