thedecenciesofwordsandactionswerespurnedbythesefavoritesofHeaven；^2andtheyemployedseveraldaysinmysticandamorousconverse。AnobscuresentenceofhisKoran，orbook，isyetextant；^3andintheprideofhismission，Moseilamacondescendedtoofferapartitionoftheearth。TheproposalwasansweredbyMahometwithcontempt；buttherapidprogressoftheimpostorawakenedthefearsofhissuccessor:fortythousandMoslemswereassembledunderthestandardofCaled；andtheexistenceoftheirfaithwasresignedtotheeventofadecisivebattle。Inthefirstactiontheywererepulsedbythelossoftwelvehundredmen；buttheskillandperseveranceoftheirgeneralprevailed；theirdefeatwasavengedbytheslaughteroftenthousandinfidels；andMoseilamahimselfwaspiercedbyanAethiopianslavewiththesamejavelinwhichhadmortallywoundedtheuncleofMahomet。ThevariousrebelsofArabiawithoutachieforacause，werespeedilysuppressedbythepoweranddisciplineoftherisingmonarchy；andthewholenationagainprofessed，andmoresteadfastlyheld，thereligionoftheKoran。
TheambitionofthecaliphsprovidedanimmediateexercisefortherestlessspiritoftheSaracens:theirvalorwasunitedintheprosecutionofaholywar；andtheirenthusiasmwasequallyconfirmedbyoppositionandvictory。
[Footnote1:SeethedescriptionofthecityandcountryofAlYamanah，inAbulfeda，Descript。Arabiae，p。60，61。Inthexiiithcentury，thereweresomeruins，andafewpalms；butinthepresentcentury，thesamegroundisoccupiedbythevisionsandarmsofamodernprophet，whosetenetsareimperfectlyknown，Niebuhr，Descriptiondel'Arabie，p。296—302。]
[Footnote*:ThisextraordinarywomanwasaChristian；shewasattheheadofanumerousandflourishingsect；Moseilamaprofessedtorecognizeherinspiration。Inapersonalinterviewheproposedtheirmarriageandtheunionoftheirsects。Thehandsomeperson，theimpassionedeloquence，andtheartsofMoseilama，triumphedoverthevirtueoftheprophetesawhowasrejectedwithscornbyherlover，andbyhernotoriousunchastityostherinfluencewithherownfollowers。Gibbon，withthatpropensitytoocommon，especiallyinhislatervolumes，hasselectedonlythegrosserpartofthissingularadventure。—M。]
[Footnote2:Thefirstsalutationmaybetranscribed，butcannotbetranslated。ItwasthusthatMoseilamasaidorsung:—
Surgetandemitaquestrenuepermolenda；namstratustibithorusest。Autinpropatulotentoriosivelis，autinabditiorecubiculosimalis；Autsupinamtehumiexporrectamfustigabo，sivelis，autsimalismanibuspedibusquenixam。
AutsivelisejusPriapigeminotrienteautsimalistotusveniam。Imo，totusvenito，OApostoleDei，clamabatfoemina。
Idipsum，dicebatMoseilama，mihiquoquesuggessitDeus。
TheprophetessSegjah，afterthefallofherlover，returnedtoidolatry；butunderthereignofMoawiyah，shebecameaMussulman，anddiedatBassora，Abulfeda，Annal。vers。Reiske，p。63。]
[Footnote3:Seethistext，whichdemonstratesaGodfromtheworkofgeneration，inAbulpharagiusSpecimenHist。Arabum，p。
13，andDynast。p。103andAbulfeda，Annal。p。63。]
[Footnote*:ComparealongaccountofthisbattleinPrice，p。
42。—M。]
FromtherapidconquestsoftheSaracensapresumptionwillnaturallyarise，thatthecaliphs^!commandedinpersonthearmiesofthefaithful，andsoughtthecrownofmartyrdomintheforemostranksofthebattle。ThecourageofAbubeker，^4Omar，^5andOthman，^6hadindeedbeentriedinthepersecutionandwarsoftheprophet；andthepersonalassuranceofparadisemusthavetaughtthemtodespisethepleasuresanddangersofthepresentworld。Buttheyascendedthethroneinavenerableormatureage；andesteemedthedomesticcaresofreligionandjusticethemostimportantdutiesofasovereign。ExceptthepresenceofOmaratthesiegeofJerusalem，theirlongestexpeditionswerethefrequentpilgrimagefromMedinatoMecca；
andtheycalmlyreceivedthetidingsofvictoryastheyprayedorpreachedbeforethesepulchreoftheprophet。Theaustereandfrugalmeasureoftheirliveswastheeffectofvirtueorhabit，andtheprideoftheirsimplicityinsultedthevainmagnificenceofthekingsoftheearth。WhenAbubekerassumedtheofficeofcaliph，heenjoinedhisdaughterAyeshatotakeastrictaccountofhisprivatepatrimony，thatitmightbeevidentwhetherhewereenrichedorimpoverishedbytheserviceofthestate。Hethoughthimselfentitledtoastipendofthreepiecesofgold，withthesufficientmaintenanceofasinglecamelandablackslave；butontheFridayofeachweekhedistributedtheresidueofhisownandthepublicmoney，firsttothemostworthy，andthentothemostindigent，oftheMoslems。Theremainsofhiswealth，acoarsegarment，andfivepiecesofgold，weredeliveredtohissuccessor，wholamentedwithamodestsighhisowninabilitytoequalsuchanadmirablemodel。YettheabstinenceandhumilityofOmarwerenotinferiortothevirtuesofAbubeker:hisfoodconsistedofbarleybreadordates；hisdrinkwaswater；hepreachedinagownthatwastornortatteredintwelveplaces；andthePersiansatrap，whopaidhishomagetotheconqueror，foundhimasleepamongthebeggarsonthestepsofthemoschofMedina。Oeeconomyisthesourceofliberality，andtheincreaseoftherevenueenabledOmartoestablishajustandperpetualrewardforthepastandpresentservicesofthefaithful。Carelessofhisownemolument，heassignedtoAbbas，theuncleoftheprophet，thefirstandmostampleallowanceoftwenty—fivethousanddrachmsorpiecesofsilver。Fivethousandwereallottedtoeachoftheagedwarriors，therelicsofthefieldofBeder；andthelastandmeanestofthecompanionsofMahometwasdistinguishedbytheannualrewardofthreethousandpieces。OnethousandwasthestipendoftheveteranswhohadfoughtinthefirstbattlesagainsttheGreeksandPersians；andthedecreasingpay，aslowasfiftypiecesofsilver，wasadaptedtotherespectivemeritandseniorityofthesoldiersofOmar。
Underhisreign，andthatofhispredecessor，theconquerorsoftheEastwerethetrustyservantsofGodandthepeople；themassofthepublictreasurewasconsecratedtotheexpensesofpeaceandwar；aprudentmixtureofjusticeandbountymaintainedthedisciplineoftheSaracens，andtheyunited，byararefelicity，thedespatchandexecutionofdespotismwiththeequalandfrugalmaximsofarepublicangovernment。TheheroiccourageofAli，^7
theconsummateprudenceofMoawiyah，^8excitedtheemulationoftheirsubjects；andthetalentswhichhadbeenexercisedintheschoolofcivildiscordweremoreusefullyappliedtopropagatethefaithanddominionoftheprophet。IntheslothandvanityofthepalaceofDamascus，thesucceedingprincesofthehouseofOmmiyahwerealikedestituteofthequalificationsofstatesmenandofsaints。^9Yetthespoilsofunknownnationswerecontinuallylaidatthefootoftheirthrone，andtheuniformascentoftheArabiangreatnessmustbeascribedtothespiritofthenationratherthantheabilitiesoftheirchiefs。Alargedeductionmustbeallowedfortheweaknessoftheirenemies。ThebirthofMahometwasfortunatelyplacedinthemostdegenerateanddisorderlyperiodofthePersians，theRomans，andtheBarbariansofEurope:theempiresofTrajan，orevenofConstantineorCharlemagne，wouldhaverepelledtheassaultofthenakedSaracens，andthetorrentoffanaticismmighthavebeenobscurelylostinthesandsofArabia。
[Footnote!:InArabic，"successors。"V。HammerGeschichtederAssas。p。14—M。]
[Footnote4:HisreigninEutychius，tom。ii。p。251。Elmacin，p。18。Abulpharagius，p。108。Abulfeda，p。60。D'Herbelot，p。
58。]
[Footnote5:HisreigninEutychius，p。264。Elmacin，p。24。
Abulpharagius，p。110。Abulfeda，p。66。D'Herbelot，p。686。]
[Footnote6:HisreigninEutychius，p。323。Elmacin，p。36。
Abulpharagius，p。115。Abulfeda，p。75。D'Herbelot，p。695。]
[Footnote7:HisreigninEutychius，p。343。Elmacin，p。51。
Abulpharagius，p。117。Abulfeda，p。83。D'Herbelot，p。89。]
[Footnote8:HisreigninEutychius，p。344。Elmacin，p。54。
Abulpharagius，p。123。Abulfeda，p。101。D'Herbelot，p。586。]
[Footnote9:TheirreignsinEutychius，tom。ii。p。360—395。
Elmacin，p。59—108。Abulpharagius，Dynast。ix。p。124—139。
Abulfeda，p。111—141。D'Herbelot，BibliothequeOrientale，p。
691，andtheparticulararticlesoftheOmmiades。]
InthevictoriousdaysoftheRomanrepublic，ithadbeentheaimofthesenatetoconfinetheircouncilsandlegionstoasinglewar，andcompletelytosuppressafirstenemybeforetheyprovokedthehostilitiesofasecond。ThesetimidmaximsofpolicyweredisdainedbythemagnanimityorenthusiasmoftheArabiancaliphs。WiththesamevigorandsuccesstheyinvadedthesuccessorsofAugustusandthoseofArtaxerxes；andtherivalmonarchiesatthesameinstantbecamethepreyofanenemywhomtheyhadbeensolongaccustomedtodespise。InthetenyearsoftheadministrationofOmar，theSaracensreducedtohisobediencethirty—sixthousandcitiesorcastles，destroyedfourthousandchurchesortemplesoftheunbelievers，andedifiedfourteenhundredmoschsfortheexerciseofthereligionofMahomet。OnehundredyearsafterhisflightfromMecca，thearmsandthereignofhissuccessorsextendedfromIndiatotheAtlanticOcean，overthevariousanddistantprovinces，whichmaybecomprisedunderthenamesof，I。Persia；II。Syria；III。Egypt；IV。Africa；
and，V。Spain。Underthisgeneraldivision，Ishallproceedtounfoldthesememorabletransactions；despatchingwithbrevitytheremoteandlessinterestingconquestsoftheEast，andreservingafullernarrativeforthosedomesticcountrieswhichhadbeenincludedwithinthepaleoftheRomanempire。YetImustexcusemyowndefectsbyajustcomplaintoftheblindnessandinsufficiencyofmyguides。TheGreeks，soloquaciousincontroversy，havenotbeenanxioustocelebratethetriumphsoftheirenemies。^10Afteracenturyofignorance，thefirstannalsoftheMussulmanswerecollectedinagreatmeasurefromthevoiceoftradition。^11AmongthenumerousproductionsofArabicandPersianliterature，^12ourinterpretershaveselectedtheimperfectsketchesofamorerecentage。^13TheartandgeniusofhistoryhaveeverbeenunknowntotheAsiatics；^14theyareignorantofthelawsofcriticism；andourmonkishchronicleofthesameperiodmaybecomparedtotheirmostpopularworks，whicharenevervivifiedbythespiritofphilosophyandfreedom。
TheOrientallibraryofaFrenchman^15wouldinstructthemostlearnedmuftioftheEast；andperhapstheArabsmightnotfindinasinglehistoriansoclearandcomprehensiveanarrativeoftheirownexploitsasthatwhichwillbededucedintheensuingsheets。
[Footnote10:Fortheviithandviiithcentury，wehavescarcelyanyoriginalevidenceoftheByzantinehistorians，exceptthechroniclesofTheophanesTheophanisConfessorisChronographia，Gr。etLat。cumnotisJacobiGoar。Paris，1665，infolioandtheAbridgmentofNicephorus，NicephoriPatriarchaeC。P。BreviariumHistoricum，Gr。etLat。Paris，1648，infolio，whobothlivedinthebeginningoftheixthcentury，seeHanckiusdeScriptor。
Byzant。p。200—246。Theircontemporary，Photius，doesnotseemtobemoreopulent。AfterpraisingthestyleofNicephorus，headds，andonlycomplainsofhisextremebrevity，Phot。Bibliot。
Cod。lxvi。p。100。SomeadditionsmaybegleanedfromthemorerecenthistoriesofCedrenusandZonarasofthexiithcentury。]
[Footnote11:Tabari，orAlTabari，anativeofTaborestan，afamousImamofBagdad，andtheLivyoftheArabians，finishedhisgeneralhistoryintheyearoftheHegira302，A。D。914。Attherequestofhisfriends，hereducedaworkof30，000sheetstoamorereasonablesize。ButhisArabicoriginalisknownonlybythePersianandTurkishversions。TheSaracenichistoryofEbnAmid，orElmacin，issaidtobeanabridgmentofthegreatTabari，Ockley'sHist。oftheSaracens，vol。ii。preface，p。
xxxix。andlistofauthors，D'Herbelot，p。866，870，1014。]
[Footnote12:BesidesthelistofauthorsframedbyPrideaux，LifeofMahomet，p。179—189，Ockley，attheendofhissecondvolume，andPetitdelaCroix，Hist。deGengiscan，p。
525—550，wefindintheBibliothequeOrientaleTarikh，acatalogueoftwoorthreehundredhistoriesorchroniclesoftheEast，ofwhichnotmorethanthreeorfourareolderthanTabari。
AlivelysketchofOrientalliteratureisgivenbyReiske，inhisProdidagmataadHagjiChalifaelibrummemorialemadcalcemAbulfedaeTabulaeSyriae，Lipsiae，1776；buthisprojectandtheFrenchversionofPetitdelaCroixHist。deTimurBec，tom。i。
preface，p。xlv。havefallentotheground。]
[Footnote13:Theparticularhistoriansandgeographerswillbeoccasionallyintroduced。ThefourfollowingtitlesrepresenttheAnnalswhichhaveguidedmeinthisgeneralnarrative。1。
AnnalesEutychii，PatriarchoeAlexandrini，abEdwardoPocockio，Oxon。1656，2vols。in4to。Apompouseditionofanindifferentauthor，translatedbyPococktogratifythePresbyterianprejudicesofhisfriendSelden。2。HistoriaSaracenicaGeorgiiElmacini，operaetstudioThomaeErpenii，in4to。，Lugd。
Batavorum，1625。HeissaidtohavehastilytranslatedacorruptMs。，andhisversionisoftendeficientinstyleandsense。3。
HistoriacompendiosaDynastiarumaGregorioAbulpharagio，interpreteEdwardoPocockio，in4to。，Oxon。1663。MoreusefulfortheliterarythanthecivilhistoryoftheEast。4。AbulfedoeAnnalesMoslemiciadAnn。Hegiroeccccvi。aJo。Jac。Reiske，in4to。，Lipsioe，1754。Thebestofourchronicles，bothfortheoriginalandversion，yethowfarbelowthenameofAbulfeda!WeknowthathewroteatHamahinthexivthcentury。ThethreeformerwereChristiansofthexth，xiith，andxiiithcenturies；
thetwofirst，nativesofEgypt；aMelchitepatriarch，andaJacobitescribe。]
[Footnote14:M。D。GuignesHist。desHuns，tom。i。pref。p。
xix。xx。hascharacterized，withtruthandknowledge，thetwosortsofArabianhistorians—thedryannalist，andthetumidandfloweryorator。]
[Footnote15:BibliothequeOrientale，parM。D'Herbelot，infolio，Paris，1697。Forthecharacteroftherespectableauthor，consulthisfriendThevenot，VoyagesduLevant，parti。chap。
1。Hisworkisanagreeablemiscellany，whichmustgratifyeverytaste；butInevercandigestthealphabeticalorder；andIfindhimmoresatisfactoryinthePersianthantheArabichistory。
TherecentsupplementfromthepapersofMm。Visdelou，andGalland，infolio，LaHaye，1779，isofadifferentcast，amedleyoftales，proverbs，andChineseantiquities。]
I。Inthefirstyearofthefirstcaliph，hislieutenantCaled，theSwordofGod，andthescourgeoftheinfidels，advancedtothebanksoftheEuphrates，andreducedthecitiesofAnbarandHira。WestwardoftheruinsofBabylon，atribeofsedentaryArabshadfixedthemselvesonthevergeofthedesert；
andHirawastheseatofaraceofkingswhohadembracedtheChristianreligion，andreignedabovesixhundredyearsundertheshadowofthethroneofPersia。^16ThelastoftheMondars
wasdefeatedandslainbyCaled；hissonwassentacaptivetoMedina；hisnoblesbowedbeforethesuccessoroftheprophet；thepeoplewastemptedbytheexampleandsuccessoftheircountrymen；andthecaliphacceptedasthefirst—fruitsofforeignconquestanannualtributeofseventythousandpiecesofgold。Theconquerors，andeventheirhistorians，wereastonishedbythedawnoftheirfuturegreatness:"Inthesameyear，"saysElmacin，"Caledfoughtmanysignalbattles:animmensemultitudeoftheinfidelswasslaughtered；andspoilsinfiniteandinnumerablewereacquiredbythevictoriousMoslems。"^17ButtheinvincibleCaledwassoontransferredtotheSyrianwar:theinvasionofthePersianfrontierwasconductedbylessactiveorlessprudentcommanders:theSaracenswererepulsedwithlossinthepassageoftheEuphrates；and，thoughtheychastisedtheinsolentpursuitoftheMagians，theirremainingforcesstillhoveredinthedesertofBabylon。^!
[Footnote16:Pocockwillexplainthechronology，SpecimenHist。
Arabum，p。66—74，andD'Anvillethegeography，l'Euphrate，etleTigre，p。125，ofthedynastyoftheAlmondars。TheEnglishscholarunderstoodmoreArabicthanthemuftiofAleppo，Ockley，vol。ii。p。34:theFrenchgeographerisequallyathomeineveryageandeveryclimateoftheworld。]
[Footnote*:EichhornandSilvestredeSacyhavewrittenontheobscurehistoryoftheMondars。—M。]
[Footnote17:FecitetChaledplurimainhocannopraelia，inquibusviceruntMuslimi，etinfideliumimmensamultitudineoccisaspoliainfinitaetinnumerasuntnacti，Hist。Saracenica，p。
20。TheChristianannalistslidesintothenationalandcompendioustermofinfidels，andIoftenadoptIhopewithoutscandalthischaracteristicmodeofexpression。]
[Footnote!:ComparethroughoutMalcolm，vol。ii。p。136。—M。]
TheindignationandfearsofthePersianssuspendedforamomenttheirintestinedivisions。Bytheunanimoussentenceofthepriestsandnobles，theirqueenArzemawasdeposed；thesixthofthetransientusurpers，whohadarisenandvanishedinthreeorfouryearssincethedeathofChosroes，andtheretreatofHeraclius。HertiarawasplacedontheheadofYezdegerd，thegrandsonofChosroes；andthesameaera，whichcoincideswithanastronomicalperiod，^18hasrecordedthefalloftheSassaniandynastyandthereligionofZoroaster。^19Theyouthandinexperienceoftheprincehewasonlyfifteenyearsofage
declinedaperilousencounter:theroyalstandardwasdeliveredintothehandsofhisgeneralRustam；andaremnantofthirtythousandregulartroopswasswelledintruth，orinopinion，toonehundredandtwentythousandsubjects，orallies，ofthegreatking。TheMoslems，whosenumberswerereenforcedfromtwelvetothirtythousand，hadpitchedtheircampintheplainsofCadesia:
^20andtheirline，thoughitconsistedoffewermen，couldproducemoresoldiers，thantheunwieldyhostoftheinfidels。I