HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 55 



ambitious intrigues of tlie priestliood and the army, shook the empire to its 

 foundation. Had not external circumstances been favorable, the Byzantine 

 throne had crumbled to dust much sooner than it did. In Asia it only 

 retained Asia Minor and the Syrian coast, and Persia formed its eastern 

 boundary. The last great prince of the Persian empire was Chosroes 

 Parvis. He reigned from 591-628 A.D., and was assassinated through the 

 instrumentality of his son Shirves ; whose successor fell with the whole 

 empire, under the power of the Arabian Caliph Omar, 63-1: A.D. 



Arabia, invincible on account of its deserts, and consequently having 

 never yet fallen under any conqueror, now became an empire of importance 

 in the world. It soon extended over three parts of the globe, and there 

 sprang up a religion which even at present is far spread in the east. 



Mahomed, son of Abdallah, was the founder both of the empire and r)f 

 the religion. He was born at Mecca, 569 or 571 A.D., and his religion 

 bears his name. He died 632 A.D. A hardy people like the Arabians, full 

 of religious enthusiasm, and believing in fatalism, could hardly meet any 

 effectual resistance. 



Asia Minor was conquered by Osman, whose reign lasted from 644-656 

 A.D. He created a naval force, subdued Cyprus, Khodus, and Creta, and at 

 length even threatened Constantinople, Later, the Arabians established their 

 government over India, Samarcand, and IN^orthern Africa. Carthage yielded, 

 689 A.D. ; and crossing the straits to Spain, 711 A.D., the Mahomedans 

 vanquished the Visigoths at Xeres de la Frontera, subdued Sevilla, and 

 erected in the city of Cordova a separate Caliphate. It was their plan to 

 return to Arabia through France, Germany, and Hungary, by way of Con- 

 stantinople, and to win these countries to Islamism ; but they were prevented 

 by the successful interposition of Charles Martel, 732 A.D. They also secured 

 strong positions in Sicily and Lower Italy. Under Caliph Al-Walid, 

 705-715 A.D., the Mahomedan power rose to the height of its grandeur 

 and extent. But violent internal quarrels in regard to the regal succession 

 distracted the empire. The family of the Abassides at length gained the 

 supremacy. They were greatly distinguished for the promotion of science 

 and art. Among its members ranked high Al-Mansin, who made the 

 newly-built city of Bagdad his residence ; Harun-al-Eashid, the great 

 contemporary of Charlemagne, who died 806 A.D. ; and Al-Mamum, who 

 died 832 A.D. 



The Chinese empire exhibited no signs of progress or development. Of 

 immense extent, and w^ell stocked with schools, scholai*s, and bonzes 

 (priests), it seems, nevertheless, to have stood still on a certain step of 

 civilization, while all its neighbors were in a phase of rapid development 

 and reorganization. It will not claim our attention till at a later period. 



We here close the first division of this period, and propose, before 

 entering on the second, to append some special notices about several tribes 

 alluded to in this outline. 



227 



