56 CALIPHS OF AFRICA. 



Africanus, it appears that in the year 1215 a flour- 

 ishing kingdom was founded at Timbuctoo by a 

 Moorish chief. Some of its rulers had the repu- 

 tation of warlike princes, who maintained a splen- 

 did court, encouraged commerce, and extended 

 their frontiers in all directions. Of their pros- 

 perity the Portuguese voyagers received the most 

 flattering accounts, but were never tempted to as- 

 certain their authenticity by ocular evidence. Other 

 adventurers were equally negligent ; and it is only 

 at the present day that the successful career of Af- 

 rican discovery has made this mysterious capital 

 known to Europeans. It were out of our pro- 

 vince to pursue further the history of Northern 

 Africa. Scenes of horror and bloodshed fill its 

 pages. The grand seignior, since the time when 

 Solyman assisted the two Greek corsairs, Hayradin 

 and Barbarossa, with his fleets in reducing Tunis 

 and Algiers, has always claimed the Barbary States 

 as fiefs of Constantinople j and the proud list of his 

 titles is still swelled by their names. 



Egypt was reduced by Moez, the last of the Afri- 

 can caliphs, who built Grand Cairo (A. D. 972) and 

 established there the dynasty of the Fatimites ; leaving 

 his western dominions to be holden in fief by one of 

 his generals. His genealogy was doubtful; but he had 

 now an argument to prove his legitimacy, which it 

 might have been dangerous to call in question, and 

 which silenced the indiscreet demand of one of the 

 Arabian princes of the sacred blood, who inquired 

 from what branch of the family he drew his title. 

 " This (exclaimed Moez, drawing his scimitar) is 

 my pedigree ; and these (throwing a handful of gold 

 among his soldiers) are my kindred and my children." 





