214 Philosophy of Botany. 



ferring the command in the extreme west upon the trusted 

 general, Tarik. 



Having completed the conquest of the entire East, from the 

 Ganges to the Nile, and now of Africa, the Moslems, now 

 known under the name of Saracens, bethought themselves to 

 invade and convert to the Islam the reign of the Visigoths in 

 Spain. 



The Khalifs had abandoned, ere this, the evil policy of 

 opposing science. They very soon became distinguished 

 patrons of learning. It became customary for the first digni- 

 taries of State to be held by men distinguished for their erudi- 

 tion. Under the Khalifs of Bagdad this principle was thor- 

 oughly carried out. The cultivators of mathematics, astron- 

 omy, medicine, and general literature abounded in the court 

 of Almansor, who invited all philosophers, offering them his 

 protection, whatever their religious opinion might be. His. 

 successor, Al-Rashid, issued an edict that no mosque should be 

 built unless there was a school attached to it. The schools of 

 Alexandria flourished again under complete religious equality. 



After the fall of Ceuta, the Visigpthic outpost in Africa, 

 Tarik crossed the straits and took a fortified position with his 

 army on a mountain, afterwards named after him, Gabel al 

 Tarik, Gibraltar. 



After the decisive victory in the battle of Xerres de la 

 Fontera, won by Musa, over the king of Goths, Roderic, who 

 in this calaniity lost his life, the conquerors lost no time in 

 occupying the entire peninsula. 



Only the northern mountainous provinces of Gallicia. 

 Asturia, and Biscaya, maintained their independence. The 

 Gothic princely families had retreated into inaccessible 

 mountain fastnesses. Unapproachable in front, they were se- 

 cure in their rear, as they stood in friendly relations to the 

 neighboring Franks. From this asylum grew forth, at a later 

 period, a new Christian Spanish empire. Spain was now a 

 part of the great Moslem empire, whose Khalifs resided in 

 Bagdad, and later in Damascus. The provinces were gov- 

 erned by Satraps, appointed by the Khalifs, with the title of 

 Emirs. 



The absolute freedom granted to all professions brought 



