THE
COMPRISING THE
TO THE DEATH OF ABDALMELIK, THE ELEVENTH CALIPH.
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF
THEIR MOST REMARKABLE BATTLES, SIEGES, REVOLTS, &c.
COLLECTED FROM AUTHENTIC SOURCES, ESPECIALLY ARABIC MSS.
PROFESSOR OF ARABIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
THE SIXTH EDITION,
REVISED, IMPROVED, AND ENLARGED.
LONDON:
HENRY G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1857.
Contents
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Memoir of Ockley
Author’s Preface
Introduction
LIFE OF MOHAMMED. Born a.d. 571, died A.D. 632. 11. Ancient Arabs—The Kaaba—Birth and family of Mohammed—Traditions of his childhood—Marries Kadija—Writes the Koran—His mission—First converts—Marries Ayesha, Hafsa, &c.—Traditions of his night-journey to heaven—Persecuted by the Koreish—Flight to Medina—Victory at Beder—Defeat at Ohud—Prohibits wine—War of the Ditch—Marries Zainab and Juweirah—Ayesha’s intrigue—Submission of Mecca—Nearly poisoned—Bewitched by the Jews—His amours with Mary—Conquest of Arabia—Marches into Syria—Farewell pilgrimage to Mecca—His death—His person and character—His wives—The Koran—His miracles—Mohammedan religion—Mohammedan creed and practice. Part I Part II Part III
SUCCESSORS OF MOHAMMED.
. 11-14. A.D. 632-634
Election of Caliph—General disaffection of the Arabians—Malec Ebn Noweirah beheaded by Kaled—Moseilama the false prophet defeated and slain—Was with Syria—Kaled, general—Bostra taken—Siege of Damascus—Battle of Ajnadin—Damascus taken—Abubeker’s sickness and death—Collected the Koran into one volume—His person and character.
. 13-23. A.D. 634-643
Sends Abu Obeidah Ebn Masud into Persia—Death of Abu Obeidah—War with Persia—Slaughter of the Damascenes—Story of the two lovers—Deposition of Kaled—Fair at Dair Abi’l Kodas—Siege of Hems or Emesa, raised by Abu Obeidah Ebn Jerahh—Kinnisrin taken—Siege of Baalbec—Hems taken—Arrestan taken—Battle of Yermouk—Siege of Jerusalem—Omar’s journey—Treaty with the inhabitants—Victories in Persia—Siege of Aleppo—Successful stratagem of Dames—Aazaz taken—Surrender of Antioch—Omar writes to Heraclius—Plague in Syria—Amrou’s conquests in Egypt—Treacherous surrender of Misrah—Alexandria taken, and library burnt—Assassination of Omar—His person and character—His wives.
. 23-35. A.D. 643-655
Chosen Caliph by six commissioners—Deposes Amrou—Moawiyah invades Cyprus—Death of Yezdejird—Disaffection of the Saracens—Revolt at Cufah—Merwan’s ill-ministration—Othman’s palace besieged—His death and character.
. 35-40. A.D. 658-661
Dissensions among the Arabians—Ali consents to become Caliph—His embarrassments—Disaffection towards him—Revolt of Ayesha—Writes to Cufah—Ayesha’s letter—Defeat of Ayesha—Disturbances in Syria—Revolt of Moawiyah and Amrou—Skirmishes at Seffein—Arbitration fruitless—Rebellion of the Separatists—Malec Alashtar poisoned—Assassination of Ali,??? and conspiracy discovered—Person and character of Ali—His wives—Anecdotes—Shiites and Sonnites Sentences of Ali
. 40, 41. A.D. 660, 661. Dissensions in the caliphate—Hasan proffers the throne to Moawiyah—Resignation of Hasan—Poisoned 49—His birth and character.
DYNASTY OF THE OMMIADES.
41-132. A.D. 661-750.
1. . 41-60. A.D. 661-679
Birth and descent of Moawiyah—Death of Amrou-Ziyad, the Caliph’s brother—Story of—Character and anecdotes of—Execution of Hejer—Siege of Constantinople—Kairwan built—Makes Damascus his capital—Death of Ziyad—Makes the caliphate hereditary—Death of Ayesha—Death of Moawiyah—His patronage of letters—Anecdotes of—His character—The first Caliph who formed a navy.
2. . 60-64. A.D. 679-683
Hosein endeavours to obtain the caliphate—Disaffection at Cufah Destruction of Hosein’s party and his melancholy death—His family—Traditions concerning his head-Anecdotes of—Revolt of Abdallah, the son of Zobeir—Rebellion at Mecca—Abdallah besieged in Mecca—Death of Yezid—His character.
3. . 64, A.D. 683
Deposed after a reign of six weeks—Abdallah the son of Zobeir proclaimed Caliph.
4. . 64, 65. A.D. 683, 684
Proclaimed in Syria—Defeats Abdallah—Marries Yezid’s widow—Proceedings at Cufah to revenge Hosein’s death—The Cufians march towards Syria—Cut to pieces by Obeidollah Ziyad—Death of Merwan by poison—His character.