A R A 
bian hldorians, the Chridians had 150,000 men killed and 
40,000 taken prifoners, while the Mollems loft no more 
than 4030. 
The defeat at Yermonk was immediately followed by 
the lofs of the whole province of Paledine. The reduc¬ 
tion of Jerufalem was one of its fil'd confequences; and 
Omar, being apprifed of the fuccefs of his arms, imme¬ 
diately fet out to vilit that holy place, at the requed, it is 
faid, of the inhabitants. The khalif was attended in his 
journey by a numerous retinue. He rode upon a red ca¬ 
mel, and carried with him two facks of provifion and 
fruits. Before him he had a leather bottle, very neeeflary 
in thefe defert countries to put water in ; and behind him 
a w’ooden platter. Before he left the place where he relied, 
he condantly faid the morning prayer; after which head- 
dreffed himfelf to his attendants in a devout drain, utter¬ 
ing fome pious ejaculations. Then he communicated his 
provifion to them ; every one of his fellow-travellers eating 
with him out of the fame platter,without the lead didinftion. 
His clothes were made of camel’s hair, and were in a very tat¬ 
tered condition; nor could any thing be more mean or for¬ 
did than the figure he made. On the road he adminidered 
judice among his fubjefts : concerning which we have fe- 
veral anecdotes ; but that mod to his honour is the fol¬ 
lowing: Having obferved fome poor tributaries expofed 
to the heat of the fun, a very cruel punifliment in thofe 
hot countries, for not being able to pay the fum demanded 
of them, he ordered them to be releafed ; telling his at¬ 
tendants, that he once heard the apodleof God fay, “ Do 
not afflift men in this world ; for thofe who do l'o, God 
Thall punifii in hell-fire at the day of judgment.” His or¬ 
ders were immediately executed, to the great grief of the 
opprcflbrs; and the khalif continued his route. On the 
confines of Syria he was met by Aub Obeidab attended by 
anefcort, who condudted him to the Modem camp, where 
he was received with the utmod demonllrations of joy ; 
and from thence to Jerufalem. The morning after his ar¬ 
rival, he laid prayers and preached to the troops. After 
the conclufion of his fermon, he pitched his tent within 
fight of the city : then he figned the articles of capitula¬ 
tion ; by which the inhabitants were intitled to the free 
exercife of their religion, the polfellion of their property, 
and of his protedlion. 
Before the khalif left Syria, he divided that country 
into two parts; one of which, that lay between Hauran 
and Aleppo, he committed to the care of Abu Obeidah, 
giving him the drifted: orders to reduce it as foon as pof- 
lible. Yezid Ebn Abu Sofian was commanded to take upon 
him the care of the other, which comprehended Paledine, 
and the fea-coad, and to make himfelf abfolute maderof it, 
having a body of troops aiTigned him for that purpofe. He 
alfo direfted Amrii Ebn A 1 As to invade Egypt, then in 
a very languilhing condition. After having made thefe 
difpolitions for extending his conqueds, he fet out for 
Medina, where he arrived in perfeft health, to the great 
joy of the inhabitants. 
Soon after Omar’s departure, Yezid advanced to Crefa- 
farea; but found the place fo drong, that he was obliged 
to continue fome time in a date of inaftion. Abu Obei¬ 
dah, in the mean time, advanced towards Aleppo, the ci¬ 
tadel of which was at that time the dronged in Syria. The 
citizens were druck with the utmod condernation at his 
approach. They had at that time two governors, who 
were brothers, and relided in the cadle, at a little didance 
from the city. The names of thefe two governors, who 
were of very dift'crent difpofitions, were Youkinna, and 
John. Their father, by the emperor Heraclius’s appoint¬ 
ment, prelided over all that traft which lay betwixt A- 
leppo and the Euphrates ; and, after his death, the chief 
management of affairs devolved upon Youkinna, his bro¬ 
ther John fpending his time modly in devotion and afts of 
piety. He would therefore gladly have prevailed on You¬ 
kinna to purchafe a peace from the Arabs with money, 
rather than make his country a fcene of blood and rapine; 
but this not fuiting the martial genius of Youkinruu he 
Vol. II. No. 54. 
B I A. 9 
armed a confiderable number of the citizens, and didri- 
buted money among them. He then told his men that he 
intended to aft offenfively againd the Arabs, and even to 
engage them if poflible before tiiey drew near. Having 
animated his troops, he put himfelf at the head of 12,000 
of them, and marched forwards to get intelligence of the 
enemy’s motions. Abu Obeidah, in the mean time, had 
font before him Caab Ebn Damarali, with icoo men; gi¬ 
ving him exprefs orders not to fight till he had received 
information of the enemy. Youkinna’s fpies’difeovered 
Caab and his” men reding themfelves and watering their 
horfes without the lead apprehendon of danger; of which 
Youkinna being apprifed, he placed one part of his troops 
in ambufeade, and with the other attacked the Modems. 
The A.rabs behaved with their ufual valour; and at fird 
repulfed the Chridians, notwithdanding their fuperiority 
in numbers : but, being attacked by the troops that lay in 
ambudi, they were forced to retire; having ryokilled, and 
almod all the reft wounded. 
After Youkinna’s departure, the inhabitants of Alep¬ 
po, confidering tire calamities that awaited them if their 
city fhould be taken by dorm, fubmitted without delay to 
Abu Obeidah, and were taken under the proteftion of the 
khalif. This being communicated to Youkinna, he re¬ 
turned home with all pofiible expedition, led an attempt 
fhould be made on the cadle.in his abfence. On his ar¬ 
rival at Aleppo, he was fo incenfed againd the inhabi¬ 
tants, that he threatened them With death if they did not 
difannul the treaty with the Arabs, and deliver up the 
authors of it into his hands. This demand not being com¬ 
plied with, he fell upon the citizens with great fury, and 
killed 300 of them; among whom was his brother John, 
whole head he cauled to be druck off, charging him with 
being the author and abettor of the late pernicious fcheme. 
He would have made a much greater daughter, had not 
the Modem army at that indant arrived before the town; 
upon which Youkinna retired into the cadle with a confi¬ 
derable body of troops: but, before this could be effefted, 
he was obliged to fudain an attack from the Arabs, in 
which he lod 3000 men. The aftion was no fooner end¬ 
ed than the inhabitants of Aleppo brought out 40 of You¬ 
kinna’s men, and as a proof of their fidelity delivered them 
into Abu Obeidah’s hands. Of thefe, feven embraced Ma- 
hometanifm, and the red were beheaded. 
Abu Obeidah now inveded the citadel; and, having fur- 
rounded it with all his forces, made a mod vigorous af- 
fault. The befieged defended themfelves with great bra¬ 
very, and after a very warm difpute drove the enemy 
back to their camp. This encouraged Youkinna to make 
a dally the following night. The fires being then out in 
the Modem camp, and the bedegers not expefting fitch 
an unfeafonable vilit, 60 of them were killed on the fpot, 
and 50 taken prifoners. Youkinna, however, being brilk- 
ly attacked by Khaled, who foon drew together a body 
of troops to purfue him, lod about 100 men in his retreat. 
The next day, Youkinna caufed the prifoners to be be¬ 
headed in fight of the Modem camp ; and, receiving ad¬ 
vice that a drong party of Arabian cavalry was fent out to 
forage, lie ordered a body of his horfe to attack them; 
which they accordingly did, killed 130, feized all -their ca¬ 
mels, horfes, &c. and then retired to the mountains. Here 
they propofed to remain concealed till the following night, 
and then return to the cadle ; but Abu Obeidah detached 
Khaled and Derar with a body of troops to purfue the 
Greeks, and revenge the late affront. Khaled, being in¬ 
formed of the route the Chridians had taken, poUefTed 
himfelf of the only pafs by which they could return; and, 
having poded there a party of his men, they took 300 of the 
Greeks prifoners, and put all the red to the fword. The 
next morning, to retaliate Youkinna’s cruelty, the prifon¬ 
ers were all brought out and beheaded in fight of the gar- 
rifon. Notwithdanding this difader, Youkinna made Se¬ 
veral fallies, wherein he killed a great number of the Mof- 
lerns, and haraffed them to fitch a degree, that Abu Obei¬ 
dah found himfelf obliged.to remove his camp to a greater 
D diilance 
