292 HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 



bined against him, and refused to acknowledge either 

 his temporal or spiritual authority. To increase the 

 activity of the new missionaries, they were diligently 

 instructed in regard to the merit of using arms to 

 convince heretics and infidels. The temptations of 

 plunder were added to the stimulants of religious 

 zeal ; and a share of the booty taken in battle was 

 always distributed among the conquerors, according 

 to the strict law of the Koran. 



It does not appear that the great founder of the 

 sect himself assumed any other character than that 

 of their apostle or ecclesiastical ruler. His constant 

 residence was at Deraiah until his death in 17&7, 

 when he had reached the advanced age of 95. He 

 possessed in a high degree the art of persuasion, 

 and is said to have captivated all hearts by his elo- 

 quence. Equally distinguished as an able politician 

 and an intrepid warrior, he maintained to the last 

 the influence which he had gained by his sword 

 over the destinies of Arabia. He had all the uxo- 

 rious propensities of Mohammed, and his twenty 

 wives produced him eighteen children. 



The first military champion of the new doc- 

 trines, and the political founder of the Wahabee 

 government, was Mohammed ibn Saoud, who had 

 married the daughter of Abdel Wahab. When he 

 commenced his missionary exploits under the title of 

 emir, accompanied by his eldest son Abdelazeez, his 

 force was so small, that in his first skirmish with 

 the enemy he had with him only seven camel- 

 riders. While the venerable apostle contented him- 

 self with making proselytes at Deraiah, the two 

 warriors successively conquered Nejed, and most 

 of the great Bedouin tribes who annually visited 



