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I

THE NEW PLUTARCH

.

HAROUN ALRASCHID

THE NEW PLUTARCH:

Lives of

Men and Women

of Action.

POST OCTAVO.
CQLIGNY. By WALTER

PRICE 2/6 PER VOLUME.

BESANT, M.A.

JUDAS MACCABEUS.
A MAP.

By LIEUT.

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WITH A PORTRAIT. R. CONDER, R.E. WITH

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
PORTRAIT.

By CHARLES G. LELAND. WIT

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PORTRAIT.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

BRODRIBB, M.A.

AND

HIS AGE.

By REV. W.

J.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. By WALTER MERRIES

POLLOCK, M.A.

HANNIBAL.

By SAMUEL LEE, M.A.

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS. By RICHARD GARNETT. RICHARD WHITTINGTON. By WALTER BESANT AND JAMES
RICE.

MARCUS WARD
L o :tr ID o isr
-A.ISTD

CO.,

BE

HKv-

HAROUN ALRASCHID
CALIPH OF BAGDAD
X

BY

E.

H.

PALMER,
IN

M.A.

LORD ALMONER'S PROFESSOR OF ARABIC

THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

Sole star of
I

all

that place
T

and time,

saw him

in his

THK GOOD HAROI

golden prime, N Al.KASCHID.

TENNYSON.

THE-NEW-?LVTARCH

ILontron:

MARCUS WARD &

CO., 67, 68,

1881

CHANDOS STREET

AND ROYAL ULSTER WORKS, BELFAST

EDITORS' PREFACE.
Caliph Haroun Alraschid is inseparably associated with the most charming collection of stories ever invented for the solace and
of the

THE

name

"Aaron

Whether there ever delight of mankind. the Just" in the flesh whether he
legendary as King Arthur
it

was any
is

not as

seldom occurs to the

ordinary reader to inquire. The stories belong to all The king no doubt still time and to no time.

wanders incognito in the eyed Calendars still tell

streets of

Bagdad
;

one-

their

tales

fishermen

continue to delude the stupid genie; Aladdin goes on rubbing his lamp. The great Caliph has nothing

do with reality his Bagdad is a city which may be on the Euphrates or on any other river, provided it be a stately city by a stately river he, his empire,
to
;

his crown, his city, his palace, his people, his officers,

harem, belong all alike to Fableland, where everybody has been hitherto content to leave them.
his

When
as to a

Professor Palmer, therefore, being consulted worthy representative of Islam for this series

of illustrious

men

of

all

time, proposed

Haroun Alraschid, one experienced

the good at once that

ace. Prefc

curiosity

which attaches

to a thing entirely

new, and

yet strangely familiar. The Caliphate, the successors of the Prophet, the great Empire of the East, the man himself, all became at once endowed with life
Professor went on to explain that not only was the subject full of interest, but that there were boundless stores of Arabic histories from
reality.

and

The

which to draw, and that his chief difficulty would be to compress within our modest limits a historical account of the Empire and the King, with selections from the stones which surround his name.

The following pages are the result of his The introductory chapter is an account of
and growth of the Empire
;

labours.

the rise

the Caliph of real an Eastern autocrat, capricious, cruel, history follows, and vindictive, yet of a ban natureL In the " Caliph of legend," the Author shows how not only stories have gathered round his name more thickly than round that of the great Carl, or Frederick Redbeard, but also how the memory of the man is preserved in anecdotes which bear upon themselves the stamp of
truth.

with great satisfaction that we " New Plutarch " with a present the readers of the restoration to life, so to speak, of one who has too
It is therefore

long been of fiction.

little

better than a dweller in the realms

legend

is

"

For the first time, the great Caliph of done into English " as a Caliph of history

and

reality.

W. W.

J.

B.

B.

CONTENTS.
PAGH

INTRODUCTION
CHAP.
I.

THE

RISE OF THE CALIPHATE,

HAROUN'S ACCESSION,

II.

THE GOLDEN

PRIME,"
.

55
.

HI.
IV.

THE FALL OF THE BARMECIDES,

THE LATTER END,

81

V.

THE CALIPH OF THE LEGEND,

J39
.

INDEX,

225

HOUSES OF OMMAIYEH, GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE

ABBAS,

AND

ALI,

INTRODUCTION.
THE RISE OF THE CALIPHATE.
ancient Empire of Persia was tottering to had 1 fall, the great and holy Roman Empire run its course, when Mohammed, with true well-nigh or, what is more, with true prophetic inspiration foretold to the Arabians that they political instinct should inherit the glories of the dying empires, and should themselves, for the same faults, ultimately share their fate. " Do a we have not see how
its

generation many they destroyed before them, whom we had settled on the earth as we have not settled for you, and sent the rain of heaven on them in copious showers, and made the waters flow beneath them? Then we destroyed them for their sins, and raised up other generations after them." Koran, vi. 6.

propose, in the following pages, to show what the empire was at the culminating point of its greatness, by sketching the career of the most illustrious of its sovereigns, and the one most familiar to describe, in short, to European readers
I

Mohammedan

the golden prime

Of good Haroun Alraschid. It will, however, be necessary first to learn, as briefly as possible, in what manner and through what means the Mohammedan power had its rise and origin. The Arabs, in and before Mohammed's time, were a brave and vigorous race, preserving almost un-

/;/ Iroduction.

" of the faults of unlettered savagery. The Arabs' registers are the verses of their bards," says their own proverb, and the number of these which have been preserved afford invaluable materials for the study of their history and character. Their poetry was the natural outcome of their mode of existence, and the very metres and rhythms which they employ breathe the desert air. Just as the Scandinavian

changed the habits and mode of life of the patriarchal age. Living in the pure and invigorating air of the unacdesert, far from the turmoil of men and cities with luxury, and possessing in his camels, quainted sheep, and tents all that he absolutely required for his subsistence, the Arab was, and still is, a free, simple, Like all peoples who live vigorous child of nature. in constant communion with nature, poetry was a passion as well as an innate talent with him, and by furnishing him with an easy vehicle for the recording of thoughts and events, by giving him in fact a literature, although an unwritten one, redeemed him from
;

many

poet, in his daily life amidst brawling torrents and dashing cascades, threw his thoughts insensibly into language that flowed in harmony with these voices of

nature around him so the Arab, in the stillness of the desert, thought aloud as he journeyed on, while his
;

thoughts insensibly fell into language whose rhythni was guided by the pace of his camel or himself. So passionately fond of liberty is the Arab, that he will not brook the trammels of government or even The individual Bedawi bows to no of society. but his own will and if a tribe acknowauthority
;

head, it promises no allegiance to him as ruler or lord, but only cedes to him the right of representing it in its dealings with strangers, and gives him the somewhat equivocal privilege of occupying the most exposed part of the

ledge a Sheikh or elder as

its

Arab

Character.
all

1 1

camp, and of entertaining

comers at

his

own

strong feeling of clanship among expense. the members of individual tribes, an irrepressible love of plunder and freebooting, leading to constant
petty wars and prolonged vendettas, and a superstitious belief in a debased form of Sabseanism, were the chief characteristics of the people in the midst of whom Mohammed was born. The requirements of commerce necessitated some general gatherings of the tribes, and the territory of Mecca, where was situated the most honoured shrine of Sabaean worship, was naturally the locality in which

A certain

they would occur. Accordingly, an annual fair was held at Ocadh, where literary contests also took
place and these, like the Olympic games amongst the Greeks, served to keep alive a certain feeling of Two national unity among the different tribes. results followed from this state of things, which have an important bearing on the success of Mohammed's In the first place, the tribe of the Koreish, mission. from which he sprung, were located on the site of the Ka'abeh, the chief temple of national worship just referred to, and they therefore became the natural guardians of the sacred edifice, and so acquired a kind of prescriptive superiority over other tribes. Secondly, as all the tribes met in the territory of the Koreish to try their respective skill in poetry and oratory, the language of this particular tribe became necessarily the standard dialect, and absorbed into itself many of the idioms and locutions of the rest. Thus we see that local, tribal, and social circumstances were all in favour of the development of any great idea originating with the Koreish. So far, the picture of the Arab is a bright and favourable one; but. there is, unfortunately, a dark side to it. Morally and intellectually, they were in a
;

12

Introduction.

state of revolting barbarism

the primitive simplicity the worship of the Hosts of Heaven had degenerated into a gloomy and idolatrous polytheism drunkenness, gambling, divination by arrows,
;

of Sabaeanism

polygamy, murder, and worse vices were terribly

rife

amongst them.
their other savage practices, that of their female children alive was perhaps the burying Even at the present day, female children are worst.

Amongst

considered rather a disgrace than a blessing by the Bedawi Arabs, and a father never counts them in enumerating his offspring. Before Mohammed's time, the same dislike existed in a more repulsive form still, and this practice of burying daughters alive wad " al bendt, as it was called was very prevalent. The best son-in-law is the grave," said one of their own proverbs, and the father was in most cases the murderer. It is narrated of one chief, Othman, that he never shed tears except on one occasion, when his little daughter, whom he was burying alive, wiped the grave-dust from his beard. Against this inhuman practice Mohammed directed all the thunders of his eloquent indignation, and set before their eyes the " terrors of the last day, when the female child that hath been buried alive shall be asked for what crime she was put to death." The Ka'abeh, their chief sanctuary, contained no fewer than three hundred and fifty idols amongst them the famous black stone, said to have fallen from heaven, and to have been originally white, though now blackened by the kisses of devout but sinful
(

mortals.

The guardianship of the Ka'abeh and the chieftain1 ship of the Koreish tribe were vested in Abd Menaf,
1

See Genealogy.

The Early Caliphs.

13

and would in the ordinary course of things have descended to his eldest son, Abd Shems. His second son Hashim, however, having obtained a victory over an invading Abyssinian army, was promoted to the and a deadly rivalry henceforth existed office, between the two families from his son Ommaiyeh were descended the Ommiade caliphs of Damascus. Hashim's son, Abd al Muttaleb, had three sons Abdallah, the father of the Prophet Mohammed; Abbas, the progenitor of the Abbaside caliphs and Abu Talib, the father of AH, who married Mohammed's daughter Fatima, from whom sprang the Fatemite and Alawi caliphs, who ruled in Egypt and Africa. At Mohammed's death, the tribes of Arabia would have relapsed into their former anarchy, had it not been for the wisdom and energy of Omar, one of the staunchest supporters of El Islam, and a father-in-law of the Prophet. There were four claimants for the AH, first cousin to Mohammed, and Caliphate husband of the latter's youngest daughter Fatima
; ;
;

Abu

Bekr,
;

Ayesha

Mohammed's favourite wife Omar, whom we have just mentioned,

father

of

father of Hafsa, another of his wives

and Othman, a

member

of the house of

Ommaiyeh.

Othman

had,

however, embraced Islam and married two of the Prophet's daughters. AH was undoubtedly the lawful successor, but as he had on one occasion mortally offended Ayesha by listening to a charge of incontinence that had been brought against her, she used all her influence to prevent his accession, and the house
of

An

Ommaiyeh

strenuously supported her opposition.

immediate rupture was avoided by the election of Abu Bekr, at whose death Omar was, by the intrigues of Ayesha, invested with the office of Caliph, and, when Omar died, Othman was elected, as AH refused to subscribe to the conditions imposed upon him, that

Introduction.

he should govern according to the Koran and the " Traditions." Ali's reply is remarkable he declared his readiness to govern according to the Koran, but would not be bound by the " Traditions of the thus giving contemElders," as he called them evidence that the " Sunna," or " Tradiporaneous tions," are not, as the sect called Sunnis pretend, composed of the personal sayings of Mohammed, but
:

represent the traditional

legal

wisdom of Arabia,

which has received the sanction of Mohammed's name. This is a very important point to bear in
mind, as it accounts to a great extent for the antipathy of the Persians to the Sunnite creed. The Koran itself is, indeed, less the invention or conception of Mohammed, than a collection of legends and moral axioms borrowed from desert lore and couched in the language and rhythm of desert eloquence, but adorned with the additional charm of enthusiasm. Had it been merely Mohammed's own invented discourses, bearing only the impress of his personal style, the Koran could never have appealed with so much success to every Arab-speaking race as such a miracle of eloquence that its very beauty is divine nor would it, as it has done, have formed the recognised standard of literary elegance and grandeur. Ali's reply, then, contained the whole gist of the dispute between Shiah and Sunni. The former will accept the Koran, the legal code of which is vague and incomplete, and which contains only one uncompromising dogma that of the unity of God which he can and does refine away. But, on the other hand, he will not acknowledge the Sunna, which hampers him at every step with alien ordinances and with ceremonies foreign to his nature and his national
;

traditions,

Othman's

first act,

on being promoted to the chief

Murder of AH.
command

15

in El Islam, was to fill all the most important posts with members of the House of Ommaiyeh, Moawiyeh, son of Abu Sofyan, being made Governor of Syria. Othman was at length assassinated, and Ali elected, this time unconditionally, to the Caliphate. He at once recalled Moawiyeh, who refused to obey, and, backed by the influence of Ayesha, claimed the severe contest followed Caliphate for himself. between the armies of Ali and Moawiyeh, in which He was, however, the former was at first successful. compelled by the intrigues of Amrou, the general who had conquered Egypt, to submit his own claims and those of Moawiyeh to arbitration, instead of taking full advantage of his military success. Arrived at of All's followers took offence at the Ku.'a, 12,000 proposed arbitration and deserted, which defection originated the sect of Kharegites or Separatists, " who reject the lawful government established by public consent." Three of these deserters, named Barak, Amrou, and Abdarrahman, planned a conspiracy to assassinate, on one and the same day, Ali, Moawiyeh, and Amrou, whose quarrels they considered had caused all the troubles and dissensions in Barak went to Damascus, and attacked Islam. Moawiyeh in the mosque during the Friday prayers, but without fatal results. Amrou, at the same hour, entered the Mosque of Cairo and slew Karija, whom he mistook for Amrou, the general. Abdarrahman, the third conspirator, repaired to Kufa, where the Caliph was felled to the ground by a sword-cut on the head as he was entering the mosque (A.D. 660). He was buried about five miles from Kufa, and in later times a magnificent mausoleum was erected over the spot, which became the favourite resort of Shiah pilgrims, and the site of the city of Meshed Ali, or "Ali's shrine." On Ali's death, his eldest son Hasan

i6

Introduction.

was elected Caliph, but resigned the office to Moawiyeh, on the understanding that he should again succeed at the latter's decease. Moawiyeh, however, had other designs in view, and determined that his own son Yezid should succeed him. At Moawiyeh's instigation, Hasan was foully murdered by his own wife, eight years after his father's death, and Ayesha, the evil genius of Ali's family, herself died some years after murdered, it is said, by her protege Moawiyeh. On Moawiyeh's death, his son Yezid succeeded him without election, and the Ommiade dynasty thus became established on the throne of the Caliphate. Yezid had hardly assumed the office, when the partisans of Ali's family prepared to revolt, and Husain, Ali's surviving son, who was then at Mecca, was secretly invited to Kufa to place himself at the head of the party. Yezid, however, had timely of the intended rising, and replaced the then warning governor of Kufa by the stern and uncompromising Obeidallah, who seized on Muslim, the envoy of Husain, and on Hani, in whose house he had been concealed and when a crowd collected about the
;

Palace, clamouring for the release of the prisoners, ordered their heads to be struck off and thrown down to the assembled multitude. As Husain himself arrived on the borders 'of Babylonia, he was met by Harro with a company of horse. This man told him

had Obeidallah's orders to bring him to Kufa, and on Husain's refusing to accompany him, he allowed him to choose any road that led to Kufa, and
that he
retreated his force for the purpose of facilitating the movement. After riding through the night, a horseman met them, and delivered instructions to Harro that he was to lead Husain into an open and undefended place until the Syrian army came up and surrounded them. The next day Amer arrived with

Death of Husain.

17

4000 men from Kufa, and, on Obeidallah's orders, cut off Husain's retreat on the plain of Kerbela by the River Euphrates, surrounded his camp, and demanded his unconditional surrender. His refusal was followed by a murderous attack from the enemy, which Husain and his few followers for some time repelled, but which ended in their complete annihilation. The great secret of Mohammed's success, and of the rapid military and religious development of Islam,
lay in the fact that he, for the first time in their history, banded together the Arab tribes in one confederation, taught them that they possessed a national unity, and made them lay aside their petty feuds and
jealousies.

or orthodox Caliphs, as the Mohamthough exercising a perfectly absolute authority, never threw aside the simple manners and habits of a desert sheikh. Dressed in a coarse abba, or loose hair-cloth cloak, or wearing a

The

first four,

medans

call

them,

rude sheepskin mantle over his shoulders, and with " leathern sandals on his feet, the Prince of the Faithful" walked unattended about the market-place, and listened to complaints of and criticisms on his rule, and often delivered in rude offensive terms. Their position, as the name Caliph (or, more correctly, Khalifeh) implies, was strictly that of " Successor" to the Prophet, and their functions were
therefore ecclesiastical as well as military. Indeed, used to lead the prayers of the worshippers in they person on Fridays in the principal mosque of the
capital.

The following anecdote will illustrate the simplicity of their lives and the relations they held towards their followers On one occasion the Caliph Omar ibn el Khattab had received a present from Yemen of some fine striped cloth, which he distributed amongst
:

i3

Introduction.

On the next day, when he ascended the pulpit and exhorted the congregation to fight " I will against the infidels, one man rose and said, neither listen nor obey!" "Why not?" asked the " " I see you wearing a Because," said he, Caliph. shirt of that stuff from Yemen, and unless you had taken more than your share, such a tall man as you Omar called are would not have found it enough." his son Abdallah to clear him from the unjust upon suspicion, which he did by telling the congregation that he had himself given a piece from his own share of the cloth to make up the deficiency in his father's
his followers.

portion.

and animated by the intense enthusiasm and religious fervour which Mohammed had inspired, the armies of Islam swept irresistibly over Asia, and the vast empire of the Khosroes fell
chiefs,
first, with their iconolove of plunder, they brought nothing but ruin and devastation in their o o train, and the treasures of art and literature were dispersed or destroyed as soon as they fell into their hands. Nor had they at first any better idea of taking advantage of their conquests than the old Arab plan of confiscating the portable property of, and imposing a tax on, the conquered, offering the choice of Islam or death to those who either could not or would not pay it. Soon, however, the exigencies

Led by such

almost without a struggle.

clastic

At

instincts

and

their

of their widely extended dominions required more the aid of Greeks settled and elaborate government and Persians was called in to assist the Arab generals and governors, and the desert warriors began gradually to adapt themselves to the civilisation around them. Arts, sciences, and literature began once more to take their former place under the Moslem rule, but we must not forget, as so many
;

Government of Conquered Countries.

historians
It is

19

owe more
;

seem to do, that none of these blessings to the Arabs than the permission to exist. solely to Persian and Greek influence that they

survived the simple but barbarous Caliphs, during the first years of the empire, left the whole of the administration of the provinces in native hands to such an extent that, for some time, Greek was the language in which the official acts of the Arab rulers were recorded. Persian artists designed and decorated their mosques and palaces the gardens of Shiraz, and not the rude rocks of the desert, suggested the beautiful forms of tracery that we are accustomed to call Arabesque the science and philosophy were all either Indian or Greek. In fact, it was Aryan civilisation, that would not be crushed out by rude invasion it
;
; ;

was history repeating

itself,

and

" Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artes

Tetulit agresti Latio."

Yezid's succession to the Caliphate on the death of his father Moawiyeh was not distasteful to the In Mecca resided partisans of Ali's family alone. Abdallah ibn Zobeir, a man with many claims to the affection and reverence of the faithful. His father, had been one of the earliest converts to Islam, Zobeir, a cousin and intimate friend of the prophet, and a successful general who had mainly contributed to the conquest of Africa, and had almost won Byzantium for the Moslem arms the son, Abdallah, was born at
:

Medina during Mohammed's sojourn there, and had been nursed by the Prophet himself, with whom he was a great favourite. On the death of Husain, Abdallah was saluted Caliph by the Meccans Medina followed shortly after, and in a little time all Medina was Hejjaz acknowledged his authority. sacked by the army which Yezid had sent against it,
;

20

Introduction.

but Mecca still held out, until the death of the Caliph put an end to the siege.

Yezid presented a great contrast to his simple and severe predecessors. During h s reign, which lasted three years and six months, he shocked the only Moslem world by his excesses, his open indulgence in wine, and his poetry, in which he ridiculed the most sacred tenets of his faith, and launched into extravagant praises of all that it forbade. His son Moawiyeh was a mere boy when his father In a few months he begged to be relieved of died. the burden of sovereignty, which he felt to be too great for him, and died (some say poisoned) in retirement shortly afterwards. Abdallah ibn Zobeir failed to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Yezid's death, and the chiefs of the house of Ommaiyeh chose Menvan, a friend and favourite of the Caliph Othman, as the lie was murdered by his successor to the throne. wife after a short reign of nine months, during which the empire was distracted by the sanguinary conflicts Besides of the rival parties contending for power. the son of Zobeir at Mecca, there were also in the field the partisans of Ali at Kufa and the Kharegites, Nor or Separatists, who had deserted Ali at Sifftn. were these the only elements of discord, for a disturbing cause existed in Islam, almost as potent as the racial hatred between the Arabs and the Persians this was the antagonism between the purely nomadic
;

tribes,

who claimed Moclhar

the

for their sire

whom

Korcish,

although

settled

at

and to Mecca,

belonged

and the more civilised tribes of Yemen. Between these two parties an ancient and irreconcilable feud existed, and although the enthusiasm of religion and the lust of conquest banded them together for a time, their smothered hatred was

Abd

el Melik.

21

always ready to burst out into flame. Another fertile source of danger to the empire was the military power with which the governors of provinces were armed, and which often enabled and tempted them to withstand the Caliph's authority. Thus religious
fanaticism, racial hatred, tribal feuds, family quarrels, and private ambition were all together threatening to undermine the magnificent structure which the easy victories of Mohammed and his successors had
built up.

success to the severe virtues and the unflinching courage inherent in the chiefs of the desert but prosperity, by destroying the necessity for the exercise of these virtues and
its
;

The Ommiade family had owed

by

effacing their primitive simplicity, hastened their

el

fall.

Melik, Merwan's son, who succeeded him, did something to stem the tide of ruin. He was a prince of great ability and determination, and knew how to consolidate his authority, and establish it on a firmer The language of the official documents in basis. which the affairs of the empire were recorded was changed from Persian to Arabic the freedom of intercourse which the former Caliphs had allowed their subjects was jealously repressed by him the
;

Abd

Arabian provinces were brought under his rule and Ml Hejjaz, one of the most stern and bloodthirsty commanders that Arab history records, having been sent by him to Mecca, conquered the city and put the usurper, Abdallah ibn Zobeir, to death (A D. 692). Before Abd el Melik ascended the throne, he had pursued theological studies at Medina with such assiduity that he acquired the sobriquet of the " Mosque Pigeon," since, like those birds, he scarcely ever quitted the holy edifice, but remained there day and night reading the Koran. When news was
;

22

Introduction.

brought him of his father's death and his own suc" Here you cession, he shut up the volume and said, and I part!" after which he occupied himself entirely with affairs of state. His greatest achievement was the building of the magnificent Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, which work, though undertaken chiefly through political exigencies, and in order to divert men from the pilgrimage to Mecca, the capital of his rival Abdallah ibn Zobeir, remains a lasting memorial of his munificence.

At Abd el Melik's death, the Caliphate passed into the hands of his eldest son, Walid, with a reversion, in case of his death, to his second son, Suleiman. Walid wished to set aside this arrangement in favour of his own son Abd el Aziz, and, with the assistance of El Hejjaz and other chiefs, planned to obtain from his brother a formal renunciation of his rights of succession. Suleiman sought the aid of the Yemeni chiefs, and the slumbering passions of the two factions being aroused, a series of revolutions and civil wars commenced, which ultimately resulted in the downfall of the Ommiade dynasty. In A.D. 715 Walid died, and was succeeded by his brother Suleiman. He, like his brother, had wished one of his own sons to succeed him, but yielded to the advice of his counsellors, and left sealed instructions that Omar ibn Abd el Aziz, a grandson of Merwan, should be proclaimed Caliph at his death, which was accordingly done. During the reigns of Abd el Melik and Walid the limits of the empire were vastly extended by a continued series of conquests, Spain, India, and Central Asia being included in their dominions. Arabia had been quieted by the death of Abdallah ibn Zobeir and the taking of Mecca. El Hejjaz, who had

Anecdote of Waltd

II.

23

accomplished the task, ruled the turbulent provinces of Irak with an iron hand.

Walid was the last great monarch of the Ommiade dynasty. Yezid II., who succeeded him, was a prince of frivolous character, and although he, or rather his brother Maslamah, succeeded in repressing
formidable revolt of the Yemeni faction, the slaughter with which the victory was accompanied only increased the latent hatred of the disaffected tribes. He died in A.D. 723, and was succeeded on the throne by his brother Hisham, who, by appointing Yemeni nobles as lieutenants to the various provinces, in place of the members of his own family, who had hitherto almost exclusively held these offices, succeeded in quieting at least a portion of his dominions
a
for a time, although his parsimony alienated the Hisham died in 743, and affections of his subjects. was followed by his nephew, Walid II., a debauched

and extravagant prince, who commenced his career by squandering the treasures which his predecessor had saved. An anecdote is related of him, that on one occasion he consulted the Koran by the species of divination practised in the middle ages with a volume of Virgil, and called Sortes Virgiliance, and " lit upon the passage, Disappointed shall be every rebel tyrant." In a rage he threw the sacred volume on the ground, and cried in impromptu verse
"
rebel tyrant' wouldst thou then affright? am a rebel tyrant thou art right And when in judgment thou before the Lord shalt stand, Say then that thou wert torn thus by Walid' s right hand !"
as a
!

Me

'

Yea

for I

A
II.

short time afterwards, say the historians, he was

murdered.

The

had gained

popularity which the extravagance of Walid for him also induced him to try the

24

Introduction.

dangerous experiment of proclaiming one of his sons, then mere children, his successor. The sons of

Hisham and
began

of Walid I. naturally resisted this, and About the to conspire against his authority.
still

same time he committed a

greater mistake, and

allowed one of the most popular leaders of the Yemenis, and formerly governor of Irak under Walid I., who was residing peaceably at Damascus, to be given up The to, and put to death by, a political opponent. like a man to avenge the death of Yemeni tribes rose their clansman, and with Yezid, a son of Walid I., at their head, attacked and slew the Caliph. This Yezid (III.) was then proclaimed in his stead but only He died in 744, and was sucreigned six months. ceeded by Merwan II., a grandson of the first Caliph of that name, who had been governor of Armenia
3

and Azerbaijan. With a large army of disciplined soldiers, composed almost entirely of Modharite
Arabs, he easily defeated a larger force of untrained Yemenites who had proclaimed Ibrahim, Yezid's the chief power. brother, Caliph, and assumed Merwan's strong partiality for his own (the Modhar) clan raised a storm of disaffection amongst the Yemeni Arabs the other factions took advantage of the opportunity, and simultaneous revolutions broke His prompt and vigorous out all over the empire. measures soon quieted Syria. Arabia, which had been overrun by the Kharegites, was almost recovered, when a fresh outbreak occurred which changed the
;

whole current of events. We have hitherto not spoken much of a branch of Mohammed's family who were destined to play a
very great role in the drama of Islam Abd al Muttaleb's other son, Abbas, the prophet's uncle. Although at first he refused to embrace the new faith, Islam, he ultimately gave in his adherence

Rise of the Abbasides.

to
it,

25

and his son Abdallah, better known as Ibn Abbas, became one of the lights of religion, and the greatest authority for the reading and interHe left several children, pretation of the Koran. but only the youngest of them, Ali, had issue, and it was his son Abdallah who first aspired to the Caliphate, and who created the Abbaside
party.

cause with the descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib, succeeded in getting himself acknowledged Imam, or spiritual head of the Church, and at once commenced the dissemination of
his doctrines in Persia.
:

Mohammed made common

Here everything was ripe for the conquering Arabs lived as a military revolt caste amongst the vanquished Persians, treating them with ignominy, holding themselves exclusively aloof
from
them,

and

in

proud

and

sensitive

ostensibly professed

way wounding their Those who had Islam had, as we have seen,
every
natures.

warmly espoused the cause of Ali and his family, and it is not to be wondered at that the Abbaside emissaries found ready listeners amongst the former

Mohammed ibn subjects of the Sassanian kings. Abbas died in 742, but his son Ibrahim was acknowledged as Imam, and the secret propaganda still The moment was continued as active as ever. to a rising, for the Modhari and Yemeni favourable factions were in constant and open conflict throughout Ibrahim assothe empire, especially in Khorassan. ciated himself with one Abu Moslem, a brilliant and most determined soldier, of uncertain origin, but of great attachment to the house of Abbas, and
appointed him his agent in Khorassan, in which province he had been born. About the same time a grandson of Zein el Abidin, the son of Husain, and
the rightful

Imam, was murdered

Abu Moslem had

26

Introduction.

the corpse buried, and ordered all his followers to wear black, and himself carried a black standard, as a token of their grief for the loss of their spiritual From this day black was adopted as the chief. colours of the Abbasides. At once the greater part of the population of Khorassan appeared in the mourning hue, showing how successful the propaganda had been and Abu Moslem, finding himself at the head of a sufficiently large army, broke out openly into revolt. He next sent an army into Irak. Kufa received him with open arms, expecting the house of Ali to be restored. In the meantime a letter
;

from

Abu Moslem to Ibrahim having been intercepted by Merwan, the Imam was killed not, however, before he had contrived to send a written document appointing his brother Abdallah his
;

successor.
;

proclaimed Caliph at Kufa and although Merwan made a desperate resistance, he was beaten and hunted to death in
latter

The

was

The new Caliph inaugurated his a series of cruel massacres, every member or reign by partisan of the Ommiade family being put to death. On one occasion, having invited over seventy of them
Upper
Egypt.
to his palace,

and promised them an amnesty, he

;

caused

to be treacherously murdered and nitds or leathern trays used in executions, to ordering be spread over their bodies, mounted on the top of the ghastly pile and ate his meal, jeering the while at the death groans that came from some of his still " gasping victims. Es Saffah, the shedder of blood," as he was called, reigned a little over four years, when
y

them

he died

Abu

A.D., and was succeeded by his brother surnamed Mansur. Jaafer, Persian influence was now paramount at Court, and Abu Moslem, the Khorassani, to whom the Abbasides owed their accession to power, was the most powerful

in

753

Anecdote of Waltd
and
influential

II.

27

kingdom. This was distasteful to the arrogant Arabs, and the Caliph himself began to scheme how he could rid himself of the
in the

man

founder of the fortunes of his race. With great difficulty and consummate perjury he at last induced the general to visit him, entertained him hospitably for some days to lull his suspicions, and when the opportunity offered, had him barbarously murdered. El Mansur, a morose and avaricious prince, died in 760, and was succeeded by his son Mohammed, surnamed El Mehdi. He was the very reverse of his
father in disposition his vizier and principal adviser was Ya'kub ibn Daiid, a Persian by birth and a Shiah by creed. Under his administration the Persians rose higher than ever in importance, and their indifference and even hostility to the religion of Islam was openly displayed. The vizier was, however,
;

disgraced for neglecting to put a member of Ali's family to death, and was thrown into a dungeon, from which he was only released in the reign of Haroun Alraschid. In El Mehdi's reign appeared the celebrated " impostor Al Mukanna, better known as the Veiled Prophet of Khorassan." Mehdi died in 786, bequeathing the succession to his eldest son El Hadi, and after the death of the latter, to his other son Alraschid.

HAROUN ALRASCHID.
CHAPTER
I.

HAROUN'S ACCESSION.
more properly written Rashid, "Aaron the Orthodox," was His the fifth of the Abbaside caliphs of Bagdad. full name was Harun 'bn Mohammed ibn Abdallah

HAROUNer Harun

ALRASCHID,

ibn

Mohammed
born
at

ibn Ali 'bn

'Abdallah ibn Abbas.

'1

He was

Ray

the last day of Dhi

Hejjah,

145 A.M. (2oth March, 763 A.D.), according to

some

accounts, and according to others, 1st Moharrem, 149 A.H. (i5th Feb., 766 A.D.)

Haroun was twenty-two years

cended the throne.
"

old

when he

as-

speak of him as and generous of the Caliphs ;" but though his name is a household word, and few figures stand out more
grandly prominent
in

His biographers unanimously the most accomplished, eloquent,

the history of their times,

little

Haroun
is

Alraschii

really popularly

known about

his private life

and

personal history.
I

shall

endeavour

in the following
;

not only the monarch but the man the adventurous prince, whose incognito strolls about

sketch to paint the emperor and

Bagdad furnish some of the most humorous incidents of the "Arabian Nights." Imbued with that strict devotional spirit which is so characteristic of the true Mohammedans, and which makes their religion enter into every phase of
thought and mingle with every incident of their daily life, Haroun Alraschid was unremitting in the
their

ceremonial observances of his

faith.

Every alternate year, with very few exceptions, he made the pilgrimage to Mecca, or he prosecuted a "Holy War" against the enemies of Islam. His
pilgrimages were always performed on foot, and when we consider the distance between Bagdad and Mecca,

and the inhospitable nature of the arid desert through which he had to travel, this fact alone will give some idea of the indomitable energy and perseverance of
his character.

the only Caliph who ever imposed upon himself so austere a duty, and he was perhaps the only one who ever condemned himself to the performance of a hundred prostrations with his
daily prayers.

He was

Upon

his pilgrimages

he was always

accompanied by a hundred doctors learned in the law, and in the years that he together with their sons
;

Haroun and
did not
visit

the

Blind

Poet.

31

Mecca

himself, he performed the pilgrim-

age vicariously, sending three hundred men for that purpose at his own expense, and providing them with
magnificent equipments for the journey. His piety was no doubt sincere, but there is good reason to believe
that
it

was
"

in

a great measure due to his desire to

for sins

Compound
By
his

he was inclined

to,

damning those he had no

lavish generosity, he

mind

to."

Save

in

much resembled
took great

his predecessor,

Mansur, and,

like him,

delight in literature, especially poetry,

and

in

the

society of learned men. It is related that Haroun Alraschid one

day gave a

great entertainment, to which

poet,

was

invited.
"

'Atahiyeh, a blind After dinner the Caliph said to

Abu

the poet,

Give us a description of the happiness and prosperity which we enjoy." Whereupon Abu
'Atahiyeh sang
"
:

Right happy
said

may

thy

life

be made,
!"

Safe in the lofty castle's shade

"

Bravo
"

!"

Haroun.

And every morn and eve may all Thy every slightest wish forestall !"

"Excellent!" said the

11

Commander

of the Faithful.

latest struggling sighs, With rattlings in the breast arise, Then shalt thou of a surety know

But when thy

'Tis all deception here

below

!"

32

Haroun
On

Alraschid.

hearing this the Caliph burst into tears, and El Fadhl, the son of Yahya the Grand Vizier, of whom

we

have a great deal to say in the course of our narrative, turned to the poet, and said, in a tone of
shall

remonstrance
sent for

"

The Commander

of

the

Faithful

amuse him, and you have only made " him sad." leave him Nay," said Alraschid, alone he only saw that we were growing blind, and did not wish to make us more so." Haroun was remarkable for the deference which he
you
to
"
;

Mu'awiyeh, a learned doctor, and also blind, was one day dining with the Caliph, when some one brought round a basin and
paid to
letters.

men

of

Abu

ewer,

and poured water on

Eastern fashion.

Abu

hands, after the Mu'awiyeh, being blind, did

his
it

not of course perceive

this

who

was that had paid him

that
"

attention, until

Haroun Alraschid owned

Oh, Commander of the Faithful!" exclaimed the savant, "I suppose you
he himself had waited on him.

do

this

byway

of showing honour to

learning!"

"Just so," replied the Caliph. Alraschid owed his own succession to the throne
entirely to the prudence

Khalid ibn Barmek, his

his

and sagacity of Yahya 'bn secretary, and afterwards

According to the

Grand Vizier when Caliph.

Mohammedan

law of succession, the eldest brother

or male relative of the reigning

monarch
all

is

the heirprinces

apparent to the throne, and almost

Moslem

Yahya Remonstrates with El Hadi.

have endeavoured to
set aside

33

the claims of their

relatives in favour of their

own

children.
rule,

El Hadi was no exception to the

his rights,

and conJaafer as

ceived the idea of stripping his brother

Haroun of

and proclaiming

his

own son

his

Yahya, the Barmecide, was then Haroun's secretary, and expected to exercise the important office of Vizier if ever his master should
successor.

mount the

throne.

Hadi saw that

;

his first step

must

be to conciliate Yahya

he therefore took him apart,

and having given him a present of 20,000 dinars, began to broach the subject nearest his heart. Yahya,
however, brought a very strong argument to bear " If you do so, Prince of the Faithupon the point
:

your subjects an example of breaking an oath and disregarding a contract, and other people will be bold enough to do the same.
ful,"

said he,

"

you

will set

But

if

of his

you leave your brother Haroun in possession title of heir-apparent, and appoint your son
it

Jaafer as next in succession to him,

will

be

much
some

more

likely to secure his ultimate accession to the

throne."

Hadi allowed the matter

to rest for

time, but at length paternal affection got the better

of him, and he again summoned Yahya into his presence and consulted him. Yahya urged that if
the Caliph should die while Jaafer was yet a child, the chiefs of the imperial family would never recognise the validity of his succession. Hadi having acknow-

Haroun

Alrascliic

" ledged the truth of this, Yahya continued, Renounce then this project, in order the better to arrive at the

consummation of your wishes. Even if your father, El Mehdi, had not appointed Haroun to succeed you, it would be policy on your part to do so, inasmuch as
that

the only way to ensure the continuance of the Caliphate in the family of the Beni Hashem."
is

not alter Yahya's opinion, threw him into prison, and displayed so much animosity to his brother himself that the latter

Hadi,

finding

that

he

could

sought safety

in flight.

Hadi's rage then turned against Haroun's mother, Kheizaran, whom he endeavoured to poison but she,
;

learning of his intention, bribed some of his girls to smother him as he slept.

own

slave

This took place on the I5th September, A.D. 786. The same night, one of Haroun's partisans, named

Khuzeimat ibn Khazim, came to Jaafer (the young prince for whom El Hadi had wished to supplant Haroun) as he lay in bed, and threatened to cut
off his

head unless he renounced

all

rights to the

Caliphate.

The

boy, taken by surprise, consented,

morning Khuzeimat took him out, and, presenting him before the people, compelled him to repeat publicly his abdication, and absolve the people
and
in the

from their oath of allegiance to him. Yahya 'bn Khalid was still in

prison

when
place,

Hadi died

and, had not this event taken

ffaroun Accedes
would
himself.
in
all

to the

Throne.

35

probability

have been put to death

The news having been brought to Haroun of his brother's death, and of his own accession to the throne, the new Caliph at once sent for Yahya, and invested him with the office of Grand Vizier. The
form of words employed
in

the investment gave the

new
as

" I invest you," said minister plenary power. " Haroun, with the rule over my subjects. Rule them

you please

depose

whom you

will,

and put

whom
words

you will into office ;" and he gave him his ring.

in ratification of his

Some

say that Haroun was asleep in bed, and that

to

Yahya came

him and woke him up by

saying,

"Get up, oh Prince of the Faithful." "Why do you keep startling me by alluding to my accession to the Caliphate ? What do you think Hadi will say if he
hears of

him of Hadi's death, and gave him the deceased Caliph's ring. While he was yet speaking, another messenger came in, and told him of the birth of a son, to whom he gave then and there the name of Abdallah this was the one that was afterwards called El Mamun. His second son, El Emm, was born in the month Shawwal of the same year by another mother.
it

?"

Yahya then

told

praying over the remains of El Abu Hadi, was to put one Abu Tsma to death. 'Isma was walking out one day with Jaafer, Hadi's
first act,

His

after

aroun Alraschid.
to

son,

and happening
in

meet Haroun

in

a narrow
"

archway

the city of Isabad, exclaimed,

Make

way for the heir-apparent." Haroun replied, with mock humility, " To hear is to obey, where the prince
concerned," and stood aside until Jaafer had passed This speech cost Abu 'Isma his life. by.
is

once set out for Bagdad and when he had entered the city, and reached the bridge called
at
;

Haroun

Jisr el

1 Ghawwasin, he said, "El Mehdi had given me this signet-ring, which he had bought for a hundred thousand dinars, and which was called El Jebel. 2

a messenger from Hadi came to me, and demanded it while I was standing on this very spot;" and as he spoke he threw it in the water. Some of the bystanders, however, dived in after it up, to the Caliph's great delight.
it

One day

and fetched

Haroun's reign derives its lustre from the eminent men by whom he was surrounded, and the consum-

mate

ability with which, for the first seventeen years,

the office of Vizier or Prime Minister was exercised

by Yahya the Barmecide. We must say a few words both on the nature of the office and the origin of Yahya's family.

We
1 2

have seen how the Arabs, perforce,

left

the

actual administration of the conquered countries in

The
Diver's Bridge.
;

El Jebel means the mountain so the name of the celebrated " Mountain of diamond, Koh-i-nur, means light."

Office

of

Vizier.

37

the hands of native

officials.

The Abbasides owing

influence,
it

their rise entirely to Persian

was only natural that Persian counsels should prevail, and we

accordingly find a minister of Persian extraction at the head of affairs, and the Caliphate carried on by almost precisely the same machinery as that by

which the Empire of the Sassanians was governed. Like the Sassanian emperors, the Caliph was not
only the divinely appointed ment of the Government
literally law,

ruler,
itself.

but the embodi-

His word was

at

and

his caprice

might

any moment

overturn the most careful calculations of the ministers, or deprive them of life, power, or liberty, during the

performance of their most active duties, or at a most critical juncture. It was very seldom, however, that this awful personage condescended to trouble
himself about the actual details of the executive

Government.
the one
it

The

Vizier,

as the

word

implies,

was

bore the real burden of the State, and was both his interest and that of the people at
to

who

keep the Caliph himself as inactive as possible, and to reduce him, in fact, to the position The office of Caliphate was often of a mere puppet.
large

by men who were mere puppets, the real power being vested in the Grand Vizier, who made and
filled

managed them.
1

Vizier, in

Arabic Wazir, means " One

who

bears a burden."

38

Haroun

AlrascJiid.

Thus, on the death of El Muktafi, in 908 A.D., his Vizier wished to set Abdallah ibn Mo'tazz on the
but some courtiers, more wise than the rest, warned him that the proposed prince was well
throne
;

versed in literature, and would be likely to

know too
"

much.
"

What need

is

there for you," they said,

to set

on the throne of the Caliphate one who knows its measure and its price, who understands affairs, and

knows your garden and your estate ? You had better set a boy upon the throne, that he may have the name of You can Caliph and you the meaning thereof. educate him, and when he is grown up, he will owe all to you, and you can have your will during his ministry." So the Vizier substituted El Muktadir, who was then only thirteen years old.
can distinguish good from
bad, and

Yahya's

father, Khalid, the son of

Barmek, belonged

to the old Persian aristocracy, the

Dehkans or landed
and most

proprietors, the ancient feudal lords of the country,

whose ancestry dated back

brilliant

to the ancient

Khalid's period of the Persian Empire. father was the Barmek, or guardian of the chief fire
in

temple

Khalid himself, who had ostensibly embraced Mohammedanism, but who was still devoted to the ancient faith and traditions of
Persia
;

and

his country, attached himself to

Abu Moslem, and

in the

became one of the foremost men

movement

Sagacity of Yahya 'bn Barrnek.

which overthrew
accession
to

39

the

Ommiade

throne.

On

the

power of the Abbaside dynasty, he quickly rose to the highest office in the State, and was Vizier to Es Saffah, and after him to Mansur,
the second Caliph of the dynasty. El Masudi, the historian, relates

the following
"
:

anecdote of his prudence and sagacity

sent

Being

accompany the expedition against the governor of Irak, he and the general
to

by Abu Moslem

hatted to take breakfast at a village on the way, when suddenly a herd of gazelles rushed from the
desert,
*

and ran into the camp amongst the soldiers. order the men to General exclaimed Khalid,
'

!'

mount
latter
*

Seeing no cause for alarm, the asked him what he meant. Khalid replied,
at once.'

The enemy

are close
force

march of a large
creatures

nothing but the upon us would have driven these wild

;

The from the desert into our camp." troops were scarcely mounted, before an advancing hostile squadron was seen in the distance, and the
truth of Khalid's deduction proved.

On

his accession to the throne, Alraschid

Yahya
Grand

'bn

appointed Khalid ibn Barmek his lieutenant and

Vizier.

Yahya, upon

whom

the whole respon-

sibility of the

his duties

Government really devolved, performed with the most consummate ability and

judgment.

He

fortified the frontiers

and repaired

all

the deficiencies in the administration of the empire.

4Q

Haroun
filled

Alraschid.

the provinces flourishing and prosperous by encouraging trade and securing the public safety, and, in a word, brought the Cali-

He

the treasury,

made

phate up to the highest pitch of prosperity and

personally superintended and organised the whole system of government. As a minister, he
glory.

He

was eloquent,

wise, accomplished,

and prudent, and

he was, moreover, an able administrator, ruling with a firm hand, and proving himself able to cope with

any emergency that might arise. With a most affable demeanour and great moderation, he combined an imposing dignity that com-

manded

universal

respect.

His

generosity

munificent in

the

extreme,
sons, El

and

gained for

was him
the

universal encomiums.

Yahya had two

terial duties,

Fadhl and Jaafer

in

former was associated with his father

his minis-

and acquired the nickname of the "Little

Vizier."

Haroun asked Yahya how it was that people called El Fadhl by this name, and never gave
day,
" Fadhl acts as Because," said Yahya, " " Well," replied the Caliph, my deputy." give some of the same offices as you entrust Jaafer, too,
it

One

to Jaafer.

"

to his brother."
"

"I cannot," answered the

too

father;

his attention

is

and

society."

much occupied with your service Yahya did, however, give Jaafer the
controller

post of

secretary and

of the

Imperial

El Fadkl and

Jaafer.

41

Household, and people henceforward called him by

the

same

sobriquet as his brother.

On
office

another occasion, Alraschid wished to take the of Privy Seal from El Fadhl and to give it to
;

Jaafer

but not liking to

propose

it

himself,

he

requested their father to write and make known his wishes. Yahya, in consequence of this intimation, " wrote to his eldest son as follows The Prince of
:

the Faithful

may God

exalt his rule

has ordered

you
to

to transfer the signet-ring

left."

your

from your right hand El Fadhl replied, " I have obeyed the

Prince of the Faithful's orders concerning my brother. No prosperity that accrues to him is lost to me, and

no rank that he attains

is

forfeited

by me."

Jaafer,

when he saw

response, was delighted with his brother's affection, discernment, and wit. Jaafer's position was a most responsible one, it
this

being his duty to draw up and sign

to the various officers throughout the

all

the orders

and to deliberate and decide upon

petitions

all

whole empire, memorials and

which
often

presented
to

to

the

Caliph,
daily.

amounted

many hundreds

El Fadhl was Haroun's foster brother, a tie that is considered in Moslem countries almost as near as
blood relationship
itself;

he was, however, of an

austere disposition. Jaafer, the youngest of the two brothers, was, on the contrary, distinguished for his eloquence, his

42

Haroun

Alraschid.

high intellectual attainments, his generosity, and the Haroun Alraschid gentleness of his disposition.
consequently preferred the company of Jaafer to that of his brother El Fadhl, and the two became the

most intimate

friends.

He was

the constant com-

panion of the Caliph's hours of pleasure, and often the hour of early morning prayer came round and found Haroun and Jaafer with Abu Nawas, the jester
poet,

and Mesrur, the black executioner,

still

over

their cups.

following anecdotes will illustrate the character of the father and his sons better than pages of
description
:

The

After the

fall

of the

Barmek

family,

Haroun

for-

bade the poets to write elegies upon them, imposing

severe penalties upon anyone who should act contrary It so happened that some of the to this regulation.

night-watch

were

passing

by one of the ruined

palaces which had formerly belonged to the unfortunate family, when they came upon a man with

a strip of paper in his hand containing an elegy upon the Barmeks, which he was reciting, weeping as

he did

so.

The watch

arrested him, and took

him

before Alraschid, to

whom

he at once acknowledged

the

fact.

said the
"
I
'11

"Did you not know of my prohibition?" " I '11 make an example of you Caliph.
;

"

If

your Majesty
"

will

hear

my

story

first,"

said the prisoner,

you may do what you

please."

Anecdote of
"

t/ie

Barmek Family.

43

Go

on," said
"
I

poet,
clerks.

Formerly," commenced the was one of the least of Yahya 'bn Khalid's

Haroun.

"

to

One day the Vizier said to me, entertain me at your house sometime
* !

'

wish you
I

or other.'

Oh, my lord I am not deserving of such an honour, and my house is quite unfit for you/ And as he would take no denial, I asked for a year's
replied,

delay, that

might make

fitting preparations

but he

would not allow

set

me more

than a few months.

So

preparations, and as soon as they were completed to the best of my ability, I informed the minister that I was ready to receive him. The next

about

my

day he came to me with his two sons, Jaafer and El Fadhl, and a few of his private suite. Then he
stopped his horse at
then,'

my

door and alighted

;

Now

said

'

he,

me something whispered, He likes

get
'

am hungry make haste and And his son El Fadhl to eat.'

roast fowl
;

bring whatever you

have got as soon as possible/

got the dinner ready.
eating,
'

When

went in and the Vizier had finished

I

So

he got up and walked about the place, and

*

then said suddenly, Now then, sir, show me all over your house/ I answered, This is my house, my
lord

you have,' said he 'you have another/ I assured him that it was the only one I possessed, whereupon he called for some masons, and when they appeared, he commanded
;

have no other/

'

Oh

yes,

them

to break

open a door

in the wall.

On

this I

44

Ha rou n A Irasck id.

*

remonstrated, and said,

Oh,

my

lord,

break into

my

neighbour's

house,

how can when God has

commanded
'

Never
all

us to respect our neighbours' rights?' mind,' said he and when the door was made,
;

we

went through
bubbling

it,

and came into a beautiful

fruit

garden well planted with

fountains
dwellings,
eye.
filled

and

flowers,

with

up,

and

summer-houses,

and

and everything that could delight the The house itself was beautifully furnished, and
'

with servants and slave girls everything on a This house,' said the Vizier, most magnificent scale.

and

all

belonging to

it,

is

yours/
'

Then

kissed

his hands,

and prayed

turned to his

keep up
'

this

on him, and he son Jaafer and said, How is he to establishment, my boy?' and Jaafer
for blessings

said,

make Then Yahya turned

he to do,

give him such and such an estate, and out the conveyance of it to him immediately.'
I will

to El

Fadhl and

said,

What
'

is

boy, for ready the revenues of his estate.'

will give

my

money
'

until

he receives
I

Oh,' said El Fadhl,

him

ten thousand dinars, and bring

*

them

to

him

myself.'
*

Well,

make

haste then,' said their

both of you.' They were as good as their word, and I entered into possession of the house and the estate, and received the ready cash, and have
father,

made

a large fortune with

it

over and above what

;

they gave me, and I enjoy it now and, God knows, oh, Prince of the Faithful, I have never lost an oppor-

Yahyas Maxims.

45
I
if

tunity of showing my gratitude to them, although never can repay the obligations I owe them ; and

you

like to kill

me

for that,

you can

so do as you

like!"

Alraschid was touched at the man's story, and had he also from the common humanity to let him go
;

that

day removed

his prohibition,

and allowed the

poets to write elegies on the beloved but unfortunate

family.

profound maxims are attributed to Yahya " amongst others, he is reported to have said, No

Many

one ever addressed

respect.

me

that

did not listen to with

he had finished speaking, my respect for him had either increased or vanished altogether."

When

Another of

his sayings was,

"

Promises are the nets

of the generous with which they catch the praises of the good."

Whenever he rode abroad, he always took with him purses containing each a hundred dirhems, for
distribution to those

whom

he might meet.

Jaafer and El Fadhl kept up the family tradition

for liberality.

A coolness and

estrangement had for a long time

existed between Jaafer and the Viceroy of Egypt. It happened that a certain man forged a letter in Jaafer's name, containing strong recommendation of
the bearer to the Viceroy.
it,

was delighted

at

on receiving what he thought an advance

latter,

The

Ha rou n A IrascJi id.

towards reconciliation on Jaafer's part, and received and entertained the bearer of the letter with great

But having some doubts as to the authenticity of the document, he sent it to

cordiality

and
in

hospitality.

his

agent

Bagdad, with instructions to find out

it

the truth.

The agent

who showed
in his

consulted with Jaafer's agent, to his master. Jaafer took the letter

hand, and at once recognising the imposture, threw it among his officers and attendants who were
present, asking
all

them

if

that
it

was
to

his writing.

They

be a forgery, and Jaafer asked what ought to be done in the case of a man who had thus taken liberties with his name.

immediately declared

declared that he ought to be put to death as an example to deter others from such an act in
future
;

Some

others said he should have his right

hand

cut off; others, again, thought he should receive a good scourging, and be dismissed. The most merciful

suggested that he should be simply sent back, and that his having had all the long journey from Bagdad to Egypt for nothing would be
all

of them

sufficient

punishment.
"
is
?

Jaafer listened patiently to

their opinions,

said

he,

amongst you
I

" and when they had finished, What/' there not one man of good feeling You all know the bad terms which

have been on with the Viceroy of Egypt, and that it is only pride which has prevented us from making
advances towards reconciliation.

Here

is

man

Jaafer and

the Viceroy of Egypt.

47

whom God

open the door of reconciliation and correspondence, and to put an end to our enmity, and you advise me to reward him
has
raised

up

to

by doing him a mischief!" Then he took a pen and wrote on the back of the letter " To the Viceroy of
Egypt.
letter

Good God, how

forgery.
is

could you think that

my
I

was a

It is

my own handwriting, and

most intimate
friends.

the bearer

one of

my

hope you

will treat

him

well,
I

and send him back

to

me

as soon as possible, for

am

very anxious for his

return."

the Viceroy saw the Vizier's note on the back of the letter, he was very pleased, and heaped favours and presents on the him the letter. The latter
in

When

man who had brought

came back
to

Bagdad

most flourishing circumstances, and, presenting himself before Jaafer, fell down at his feet and
wept, confessed
the whole imposture, and begged for pardon. Jaafer asked him what the Viceroy of Egypt had given him, and hearing that he had

hundred thousand dinars, he added a present of the same sum on his own account, and
received a

dismissed him.

They
his

one day Jaafer had invited intimate friends and boon companions, and deterrelate, too, that

mined

to stay at

home

for a drinking bout.

The

apartment was profusely decorated, all the guests but one were assembled, dressed, as was their wont

Haroun

Alraschid.

on these occasions, in robes of divers brilliant colours; the wine was circulating freely, and the room rang
with the notes of musical instruments and the voices
of the singers.

The
el

guest

who had

not yet arrived

Melik ibn Salih, and Jaafer had given strict orders not to admit anyone else on any pretext whatsoever. It so happened that one of the
called

was

Abd

Caliph's near relations, one

Abd

el

Melik ibn Salih

ibn Ali 'bn 'Abdallah ibn Abbas, called to see Jaafer on some important business, and the porters, deceived

by the

similarity in

Now

this other

Abd

names, at once admitted him. el Melik ibn Salih was a person

rigid

of most austere character and

morals,

and

although Jaafer had frequently tried to induce him to take part in one of his debauches, he had always
persistently refused.

room, both the visitor and his host perceived the situation at a glance; Jaafer was much embarrassed, but Abd el

On

his admission into the

Melik was secretly pleased, and made up

his

mind

to

In order to put take advantage of the accident. Jaafer at his ease, he called for a parti -coloured robe, and joined with zest in the conversation, even

drinking copious draughts of wine. Jaafer, delighted at having overcome the scruples of the great man,

asked him what business

there.
"
I

came
I

to

was that brought him beg your good offices with the
it

Caliph," said
first
is,

Abd

el

Melik,

"

in three things.
I

The
wish

owe a

million dirhems which

Anecdotes of Jaafer.
to

49

pay

the second, that

want

for

my

son the

governorship of a province befitting his rank; thirdly, I wish to marry my son to the daughter of the Caliph, who is his cousin, and for whom he would

be a suitable match."
three," said Jaafer.
it

"

to

your house

"As this moment

has granted you all for the money, I will send

;

God

as for the province,

;

will

make your
I

marriage,

son Governor of Egypt as for the hereby betroth the lady so and so,

daughter of the Prince of the Faithful, to him, with a dowry of such and such a sum. So now be off, and

God

bless

you

!"
el

Melik reached his own home, he found the money there before him, and the next

When Abd

morning Jaafer sought the Caliph, and obtained the ratification of his appointment of Abd el Melik's son to the Governorship of Egypt, and induced the
Caliph to consent to the youth's marriage with the
princess.

Ishak

ibn

Ibrahim

el

Mosili

relates

"I

had

brought up a damsel of great beauty, and educated her with such care that she had become unusually accomplished, then I made a present of her to El
Fadhl, Yahya's son. El Fadhl, however, said to me, Oh, Ishak, the envoy of the Governor of Egypt
'

has just been to ask

this

me
;

a particular favour.
I

Keep
that
he,
I

slave

girl

by you
great

will

tell

him
and

have taken D

fancy

to

her,

in

Haroun
order to

Alraschid.

persuade me to accede to his request, will try and get her for me. But when he asks the price, be sure not to let her go for less than 50,000

So I went home," continued Ishak, "and the envoy came to me, and asked me about the girl, and I brought her out, and he offered me 10,000 dinars. This sum I refused, and he went as high as 20,000, and then to 30,000. When he offered this price, I
dinars.'

could not contain myself any longer, but cried Done/ handed him over the girl, and received the money. The next morning I went to El Fadhl, and told him
just

'

had happened. He only smiled and said, 'The ambassador from Room (the Byzantine Empire)

how

it

has also asked a great favour of me. I will impose the same conditions on him so take your slave girl home and wait for him, and be sure not to take
;

than 50,000 dinars.' Precisely the same thing the very happened with the envoy from Room
less
;

sound of the
for
I

offer of 30,000 dinars

I

was too much

the morrow,

me, and
to

sold

him the

girl.

On

went
girl,

the

El Fadhl, and he again gave me back telling me he would send me the am-

Khorassan the next morning. He was as good as his word, and this time I screwed
bassador from

up

courage sufficiently to demand 40,000 dinars. The next day I went to El Fadhl, and on his asking me what I had done, I said, I sold the damsel for

my

'

40,000 dinars, and, by Heaven, when

heard the

Anecdotes of Jaafer.

51

amount mentioned,
has brought

almost
I

lost

my

senses.
!

She

me

may

thousand dinars, and I God reward you.' Then he ordered the

'

a hundred be your ransom have nothing further to desire.

girl

to

be

brought out and given to me, and told me to take her away. So I said, This girl is the greatest
blessing
in

the
her,

world

;'

and
is

and married
children."

and she

emancipated the mother of

her,

my
Mo-

His brother El Fadhl was no

less generous.

hammed ibn Ibrahim, surnamed the Imdm> a grandson of Mohammed ibn AH 'bn 'Abdallah ibn Abbas, came
to El Fadhl
"

one day, bringing a case

income," said he,
J

filled

with

jewels.

My
I

"

is

not sufficient for

my

wants, and

already owe more than a million

to let

dirhems.

am ashamed
I

anybody know
to apply to

my
any

circumstances, and

do not

like

merchant, although I have here a sufficient security. You have merchants who deal with you may I
;

beg of you to borrow the sum in question for me " on these jewels ?" With pleasure," said El Fadhl
;

"

but

on

condition

day." case just as

Mohammed
it
it,

you stay consented, and El Fadhl took the

its

that

with

me

all

was sealed up with

a
telling the

owner's

seal,

and sent

together with

million

dirhems, to

Mohammed's,
receipt
till

for

it.

messenger to bring back a Mohammed stayed with El Fadhl

returning home, was both

the evening, and, on

52

Haroun

Alraschid.

surprised and delighted at finding his jewel-case and the money. Early the next morning, he set off to El Fadhl's house to thank him, but he found that

he had already started to make a

Caliph.

call

upon the
;

Mohammed

followed

him

to the palace

but as soon as El Fadhl heard of his arrival there, he went out by another door to avoid him, and made
for

his

father's

house.

When Mohammed

learnt

where he had gone, he followed him, but El Fadhl had left before he reached the door, and had gone home, where at length the two met. Mohammed began to express his gratitude, and told him how he

had started out early

generosity,

in order to

thank him
"

for his

when El Fadhl replied, I thought over your business, and I saw that the million I had sent

you would only just pay your debts, and that you would be as badly in want of money as ever, and be So I went off early to obliged to run in debt again. see the Commander of the Faithful, and I explained
your circumstances to him, and obtained another The reason I went out of another million for you.
door to avoid you was that
I

did not wish to meet

to

you
it

until I

had sent the money

"

your house
I

but

has gone now."

How

shall I ever repay

you?"

said

Mohammed.
is

"

The only way

can show

my

gratitude

to

oath never to

engage myself by the most sacred pay court to anyone but you, and
else."

never to ask a favour of anyone

This oath he

Harouns Patronage of
actually took, reduced
it

Literature.

53

to writing,

and caused

it

to

be properly witnessed.

When, sometime

afterwards, the

Barmek family

were ruined and disgraced, and El Fadhl ibn er Rabi

held the office of Vizier,
difficulties,

again got into and was recommended to apply to the

Mohammed

new

Mindful, however, of his oath, he refused to ask or accept a favour at anyone's hand
minister.
until his death.

Haroun's own unbounded

poets, lawyers,

liberality, especially to

and

divines, naturally earned for

him

the gratitude of these classes, and contributed no little to the reputation for justice and clemency

which he enjoyed, but which to have so little deserved.

his history

shows him

Caliph ever gathered round him so great a number of learned men, poets, jurists, grammarians,
cadis,

No

and

scribes, to

say nothing of the wits and

his

musicians

who enjoyed

patronage.

Personally,

too, he had every quality that could recommend him Haroun himself was to the literary men of his time.

an accomplished scholar and an excellent poet he was well versed in history, tradition, and poetry,
:

which he could always quote on appropriate occasions. He possessed exquisite taste and unerring discernment, and his dignified demeanour
object of profound respect to high
It is

made him an
low.

and

no wonder then that

all

contemporary writers

54

Haronn

Alraschicl.

are extravagant in his praises, and endeavour to conceal the darker side of his character.

in

Later authors we might expect to be less favourable their criticisms but it must be remembered that
;

the reign of Alraschid was one of the most brilliant in the annals of the Caliphate, and the limits of the

empire were then more widely extended than at any other period that the greater part of the Eastern
;

world and a large portion of Western Africa submitted to his laws, and paid tribute into his treasury;

and that the

of
its

city of

Bagdad was then

;

at the height

splendour and magnificence

after

whereas, immedi-

ately

his

death,

the

city

importance, the provinces fell one by one, and the power of the Caliphs themselves This was an additional reason for rapidly declined.

began to lose its away from the empire

Moslem
regret

writers to look

back with admiration and

and to

upon the period of greatness and prosperity, keep up the tradition of the magnificence of

his reign.

Of

his real character the events described in the

following chapters will enable us to judge.

CHAPTER
"THE GOLDEN
city of

II.

PRIME."

Damascus, full as it was of memorials of the pride and greatness of the Ommiade
dynasty, was naturally distasteful to the Abbasides. The Caliph Mansur had commenced the building
of a

new

capital in the

neighbourhood of Kufa, to be
Hashimiyeh.
partisans of the

called after the founder of his family,

The Kufans, however, were devoted

descendants of Ali, and although there had as yet been no actual breach between them and the Abbasides, neither party could forget that it was by a trick that
the Alides had been deprived of the advantages of the insurrection which had been excited in their name, and

was on the strength of the Alide claims that The growing the Abbasides had mounted to power. jealousy and distrust between the two houses made
that
it

it

inadvisable for the Beni

Abbas

to plant the seat

immediate propinquity to the head-quarters of the Ali faction, and Mansur thereThis was Bagdad, on fore selected another site.
of their

empire

in

56

Haroun

Alraschid.

the western bank of the Tigris. by nature for a great capital.

It

was well suited

commerce from

Tigris brought Bekr on the north, and Diyar the Persian Gulf from India and China on through the east; while the Euphrates, which here approaches

The

the Tigris at the nearest point, and is reached by a good road, communicated directly with Syria and
the west.
signifying
testifies

The name Bagdad

"

is

given or founded to the importance of the

a very ancient one, by the deity," and

site.

The new

city

rapidly increased in extent and magnificence, the founder and his next two successors expending

embellishment, and the ancient palaces of the Sassasian kings, as well as the other principal cities of Asia, were robbed of
fabulous

sums

upon

its

their

works of

art for its

adornment.

Here, in the midst of the most amazing pomp and luxury, with an empire which extended from the confines of India and Tartary to the shores of the
Atlantic

Ocean, with illimitable resources at his command, with absolutely despotic power, and sur-

the brightest wit and learning that the age could afford, lived the Caliph Haroun Alraschid. But the very extent of the empire, and the impossi-

rounded by

all

bility of centralising the authority, so as

not to afford

opportunity to ambitious or unscrupulous governors

either to assert their

own independence

or to oppress

the people

for their private

aggrandisement,

made

Revolt of

Yahya

'bit

Abdallah.

57

the reign of Haroun Alraschid a very stirring one, in a military sense.

Scarcely a year passed without a revolution in one The various opposing or other of the provinces. in Syria parties were all as actively hostile as ever
:

and Mesopotamia, the sympathy with the Ommiades, in Khorassan, the undying hostility to Arab rule and Arab faith, and everywhere dissatisfaction at the
extortions and oppression of the provincial governors, were active sources of trouble to the government of
the Caliph. In order to

show what the

it

state of the

empire was,
to

and the

relation

of the various
will

provinces

the

central government,

be necessary to enumerate

a few of the principal of these insurrectionary movements.

The

fifth

year of Alraschid's reign, A.D. 791, was

disturbed by the revolt of Yahya 'bn Abdallah, a lineal descendent of Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin, sonin-law,
his

and successor of Mohammed. The fate of brothers, En Nafs ez Zakiyeh and Ibrahim, during

a former reign, had naturally inspired Abdallah with considerable fears for his

Yahya 'bn own safety,

and he therefore took refuge in Deilem, A.I-I. 175. There his claims to the Imamate that is, to the
exercise

by divine

right of the highest authority in

Islam

were speedily recognised by the populace,

the legitimate Caliph.

who proclaimed him

large

58

Haroun

A Iraschid.
to flock to his standard

number of people soon began

from
ail

quarters,

and

the

movement

presently

assumed such threatening proportions, that Haroun Alraschid was obliged to resort to active measures of
repression.

He

son of
of
fifty

Yahya

accordingly despatched El Fadhl, his Prime Minister, with an army

thousand men against the insurgents, and

appointed him Governor of Jorjan, Taberistan, and Rye. Yahya marched with his army to within a
short distance

Abdallah,
religious

of the head-quarters of Yahya 'bn and probably fearing the effect of the

enthusiasm of the enemy's troops since the rebel chief was a lineal descendant of Ali, and
therefore legitimate head of the Shiah sect, to which

he abstained from belonged giving him battle, and entered into negotiations for a peaceful settlement. Yahya 'bn Abdallah at length
almost
all

Persians

yielded to the specious promises of the envoy of the

Abbaside Caliph, and agreed to capitulate, on condition that Alraschid would give him an autograph letter
of amnesty, signed by the Cadis or magistrates, and the Fakihs or legal officers of the Empire, as witnesses.

To

this the Caliph,

who was much annoyed

and
at

at the pretensions of his rival,

the success

which had hitherto attended him, consented, and an amnesty, couched in the most unreserved terms, was
forwarded to him, signed not only by the officers just mentioned, but by the elders of the Royal House

Treachery towards Yahya bn Abdalla/i.

of the Beni

'

59

Hashem,

to

which Alraschid belonged.

rich presents,

This

letter,

accompanied by

induced

the Pretender to go with El Fadhl to Bagdad, and on his arrival he was received by the Caliph with the greatest cordiality.
capital, however, for

He had

not been

at the

him

days, before Alraschid had thrown into prison, and summoned a council of

many

the legal officers of the State to deliberate upon the Some of them, to their validity of the amnesty.

honour be
solemnly
null

it

said,

maintained that a document so

in force
;

ratified

must remain

but others,
it

to curry the Imperial

favour, declared that

was

and void, and their opinion was of course eagerly

adopted.
a sovereign requires an excuse for punishing a subject, there is always some wretch willing to perjure himself in order to get himself into favour

When

by bringing a false accusation against the obnoxious individual, and so it was in the case of Yahya 'hn
Abdallah.

A certain
traduced

man

of the family of Zobeir ibn

to Alraschid,

Awwam

Yahya

and declared

that, since

he had received the

amnesty, he had been conspiring and endeavouring to collect another army, with the intention of again unfurling the standard of
letter of

revolt at the first opportunity.

The Caliph
fronted

at

once sent
Zobeiri,

for the prisoner,

con-

him with the

and demanded of him

60
there was

Haroun
any truth

Alraschid.
charges which the latter Yahya indignantly denied
to repeat the calumnies

if

in the

had made against him. them, and dared his accuser

on his oath.
ness to

The Zobeiri, however, professed his readido so, and commenced to say, " By God, who

seeketh out and punisheth the guilty ;" but before he could finish the oath, Yahya interrupted him.

"Stop!"

he; "let that oath alone; for God never hastens to punish man when he glorifies Him.
said

Swear
*

it

rather
is,

oath there

by the oath of clearance, the greatest where one declares oneself clear of the
if

strength and power of God,' and relies ever after

his

upon

own strength and power

such and such

is

the case."

The

accuser trembled

"What
swear

on hearing this formula. an outrageous oath!" said he; "I will not

it."

"What
"

is

the meaning of this refusal?"

If you are telling the truth, what asked the Caliph. have you to fear from the oath ?" The wretched

man, knowing what he had to expect

to having told a
lie,

if

he confessed

thus both baulking the Caliph of his revenge, and conveying the impression that the monarch had himself suborned him, or at least

connived at his

false testimony,

determined to take

the oath required of him, and thus sealed the deathwarrant of Yahya.

Here the

historians

divine retribution.

a signal instance of Scarcely had the Zobeiri left the

relate

Omar
assembly,

ibn

Mehran

sent to Egypt.

61

against something in the way, and so injured himself in falling, that he died before the day was out. When they came to bury

when he stumbled

him, the earth with which they attempted to fill up the tomb mysteriously sank away as fast as they

threw

it in,

and they could not succeed

in filling

up

the grave. Recognising this as a sign of the wrath of Heaven for the blasphemous perjury that had been committed, they gave up the attempt, and covered

over the

tomb with

a sort of roof

and

left

it.

But Alraschid, with all his piety, did not care for a miracle when it was in opposition to his own passions, and in spite of the amnesty, and the divine testimony
to Yahya's innocence, the latter

was put

to a cruel

death
In

in prison.

the

same

year,

threatening

revolution appeared in

symptoms of a Egypt, and Haroun recalled

the governor,
father,

Musa

'bn Isa, a cousin of the Caliph's

whom

he had been led to suspect was harinsti-

bouring sinister designs against him, and had

gated the movement.

When Haroun

heard

this,

he declared that he
accordingly ordered

would depose him, and replace him by the meanest

of those about his door.

He
ibn

Jaafer to

bring one

Omar

Mehran, who was

surnamed Abu Hafs,

to him, a

man

of extremely

ugly countenance, with a cast in his eye, who used to dress in a very mean fashion, and to ride

62

Ha ro
When

it

A Ira sch

id.

about with his servant on the same horse behind

him.

Caliph asked this forbiddinglooking personage if he was ready to go to Egypt " as governor, he replied churlishly, I am ready to
the

govern the place, on condition that as soon as I have set the country in order I shall come back whenever
I

please."

Haroun consented
set
out.

to this arrangement,
at

and

Omar

Arrived

Cairo,

he made
in

straight for Musa's house, and sat

down

the last

row of those who were attending the levfo. When all the rest had departed, Musa noticed him, and asked

him what he wanted.

letter,

Omar handed him

the Caliph's
"

and the governor, on reading it, has Abu Hafs arrived, God bless him

said,
?"
"

And I am

Abu
the

Musa Hafs," replied the bearer of the note. said, May God curse Pharoah for saying, Is not
"
'

Kingdom

of

Egypt mine

?'"

(Koran,

c. v.)

However, he resigned the governorship to the newcomer without any further hesitation, and Omar His first entered then and there upon his duties.
instructions to his secretary were not to accept

any

presents on his behalf, except what could be put into the grandees and officials brought the customary presents, he refused all such gifts as horses, slave girls, and the like, and only accepted
his purse
;

so

when

ready money and valuable clothes. These he carefully put by, labelling each with the name of the
giver.

Disturbance in Damascus.

63

Hitherto the people of Egypt had always been backward with their taxes, and this Omar determined
to put a stop to.

So he began by making an example of a certain man, and sued him for his taxes the debtor tried to put him off, and declared that he would only pay it at Bagdad itself. Omar took him at his word, and, although he remonstrated and offered to find the money, sent him to the capital. After that, no one tried to put him off; and the first
;

and second instalments were regularly

paid.

When,

however, it came to the third instalment, the people were unable to pay, and were obliged to ask for a
delay, complaining that they found themselves short of money. Thereupon, Omar produced the presents

paid them into the treasury, credited the givers with the amounts, and then sued them for the balance. They saw that

which had

been

made him,

so unusually honest a governor was not to be trifled with, and contrived to find the money so that, for
;

the

first

time within the

memory

of man, the Egyptian

revenue was punctually paid.

this,

Omar

resigned

his

Having accomplished post, and went back to

Bagdad.
In the year 176 A.H. the old quarrel broke out in Damascus between the Modhari and Yemeni clans.

Amarah, surnamed Abu Heidham, a celebrated Arab knight, was at the head of the

Amir

ibn

Modharis, and the beginning of the quarrel was that

64

Haroun

Alraschid.

one of Alraschid's
of

officers in Sejistan

had

killed on

Abu Heidham's

brothers.

Abu Heidham, hearing

of people to his standard,

the news, gathered a

number

and revolted.
Like most distinguished Arabs, he was a poet, and some verses which he composed as an elegy on his
brother,

and which he used

to recite in public, served

to inflame the

minds of the populace.

Alraschid having induced another brother of

Abu
and

Heidham

to betray him, seized the rebel chief

took him prisoner. As his insurrection, however, was not an important one, and arose from no antagonism
to the Caliph's authority
itself,

he set him

free.

(177 A.H.), El Attaf ibn Sufeyan el Azadi, one of the most powerful chiefs of Mosul, also revolted against Alraschid's lieutenant there,

About the same time

placing himself at the head of 4000 men, collected the taxes, and held possession of the city for two years, when Alraschid himself attacked it, and destroyed
the walls.

Mohammed

ibn

Abbas El Hashimi,

and,

Attaf escaped to Armenia. With a view to quieting the disaffected provinces, El Fadhl ibn Yahya el

Barmeki was appointed by the Caliph governor of Khorassan in this year, in addition to the provinces of Rai and Seistan, which he already held.
In the year 794, the Haufiyeh in Egypt revolted against their governor, Ishak ibn Suleiman ; but

Revolt of

EL Walid

es

Sheibani.

65 then

Alraschid sent Herthemat ibn Ayan,

who was

Viceroy of Palestine, against them,

to submission.

who reduced them

The Haufiyeh were connected with the Cais and Cudha'ah tribes, who had taken a conspicuous part
in the

disturbances at Damascus.
revolt

more important

was that of El Walid ibn

Tarif es Sheibani in Mesopotamia. Having beaten two detachments of the Caliph's forces, Alraschid

despatched Yezid ibn Mazyed, also a member of the but Sheibani clan, to reduce him to submission
;

Yezid, probably disliking to attack his clansman, continued to shilly-shally and temporise with him. The Barmek family were on bad terms with Yezid,

and told Alraschid that he was only trifling with El Walid through friendly feeling, because they both belonged to the same stock.

The
to

Caliph, influenced

by

their insinuations, wrote

Yezid an angry letter, in which he said, " If I had sent one of the common servants, he would have
accomplished more than you have done but it is evident that you are not to be depended on, and
;

have a bigoted attachment to your own tribe, and I swear by God that if you do not make haste to
punish him,
I will

send some one to bring

it

me back

your head." Yezid, on

necessary to make a decisive move, and at length encountered El Walid.

this,

thought

66

Haroun

A Iraschid.

arrived at the place of conflict in bad condition, being so thirsty after his march that he was obliged
to put his ring into his
his troops,

He

mouth and suck

it.

Addressing

he

"

said,

May my

mother and father be a

These are only undisciplined rebels who are going to attack you; but do you stand firm, and when their attack is over, charge them, for if once
for you.

ransom

The event they are routed they will never rally." turned out as he had predicted. Yezid and his troops
withstood the charge of the enemy, then rushed upon them and broke their ranks.
Yezid's son, Asad, was present in the engagement with his father. There is said to have been such a
striking likeness between

and son, that the only thing by which they could be distinguished one from the other was that Yezid had a scar on his face from a sword-cut right across his forehead. Asad
father

wished to get a similar scar, and when, during the fight, he saw a blow about to descend, he put his head above his buckler, and received the blow in the

same place

as his father

had been wounded.

Yezid pursued El Walid, captured him, and beheaded him.

When

El Walid was

slain, his sister

Laila herself

joined the troops, clad in armour, and led them on to the charge. Yezid, however, recognised her, and, to her, made a thrust at the crupper of her riding up

horse with his lance, and cried, " Get thee

home

Affairs in Africa.

67

thou'rt disgracing the clan !" whereupon she became ashamed of her effrontery, and retired. She was a

poetess of no mean capacity, and wrote an elegy on her brother, El Walid, which is still preserved.

Africa had belonged to the Caliphate in little more than name, but, under the energetic governorship of

Yezid ibn Hatim

Muhallebi, had enjoyed a certain amount of quiet, and acknowledged the authority of Haroun Alraschid.
el

In 786
ally

Hatim
in

died, leaving his son

his stead.

governor

An

provisioninsurrection of the

Daud

Ibadhiyeh, a sect of the Kharegites, broke out about this time, and Daud despatched a body of troops
against them but the insurgents were victorious, and routed the army. Daud, however, sent some rein;

forcements, and the Ibadhiyeh were dispersed with

much slaughter. Daud remained

governor instead.

in

office

for nine

months, when
ibn

Alraschid appointed

his

uncle,

Rauh

Hatim,

quiet under his administration, chiefly for the reason, as the historian naively

The province continued

remarks, that his brother Yezid had killed so many of the^ rebels. He, too, died at Cairowan, and was
buried

by the Ramazan.
Alraschid

side of his brother in the

month of

now appointed El

Fadhl, son of the last-

mentioned viceroy, ruler over the African provinces

68

Haroun

Alraschid.

in place of

Habib ibn Nasr el Mohallebi, whom he had sent there, and now recalled.
El Fadhl designated his nephew, El Mogheirah, his lieutenant in Tunis but this officer rendered himself
;

very unpopular with the army as well as with the Tunisian chiefs, who demanded his removal. To this
his cousin,

the Governor-General, refused to listen,

Cai'ds

whereupon the

(or chieftains)

assembled to-

gether, appointed one Ibn el Jarud their leader,

and

expelled El Mogheirah. At the same time they wrote to El Fadhl, declaring that they did not wish to throw
off their allegiance to the

Government, but had only

because
of
his

expelled

the

lieutenant-governor

oppression and bad behaviour, and demanded that El Fadhl should send some one else to assume the
office.

El Fadhl accordingly sent his cousin Abdallah, a son of Yezid ibn Hatim, and when he was about a
day's journey from Tunis, Ibn

some troops
strictly

to find out

whom

Jarud despatched he had with him, but

el

enjoined them to do nothing without his

orders.

leaders of the expedition, however, imagining that El Fadhl had sinister intentions in sending his
cousin,

The

and that he would revenge himself on them

nephew, set upon the party, killed the newly-appointed lieutenant-governor, and brought
for expelling his

back

his generals prisoners.

Affairs in Africa.
Ibn
el Jariid

69

and

his party

were now

fairly
all

comtheir

mitted to the revolt, and obliged to use efforts to procure the removal of El Fadhl.

Ibn

el

Farsi,

who had been

original instigator of

the movement, assumed the

command, and adopted

a most ingenious though treacherous plan for assuring the co-operation of his fellow-chiefs. He wrote a
separate letter to each of the Cai'ds and Prefects of " The misconduct of El Fadhl cities in Africa, saying,
in the

dominions of the Prince of the Faithful

is

such

that

we

And

are compelled to revolt from his authority. since we know of no one more fitted to act as

Vicegerent of the Prince of the Faithful than yourself, and no one of more influence over the army, we have
resolved,
if

victorious, to

make you our

leader,

and

we have

written to

the Prince of the Faithful to

appoint you governor of the province. however, prove unsuccessful, no one need

Should we,

know that we

ever wished to place you in such a position. Adieu." This turned all the officers against El Fadhl, and

brought large numbers to the insurgents' standard,

including

many

of the soldiery.

On

the very

first

engagement El Fadhl was defeated, and withdrew to Cairowan, where he made a stand for a day but in
;

the next Ibn

el

Jarud succeeded

in forcing the gates,

drove them out, and pursued them to Cabus, where El Fadhl was killed.

The death

of their leader so exasperated the

army

70
that

Haroun
they
rallied,

Alraschid.

and,

making El Ala

ibn

Said,

governor of the city of Zab, their general, repelled two severe attacks of Ibn el Jarud, but were unable to hold

Cairowan against him.

Haroun Alraschid, hearing of Ibn el Jarud's revolt, ordered Herthemat ibn Ayan to proceed to the but he sent country and repress the movement
;

on Yahya 'bn Musa beforehand to try and induce

the rebel chief to
just as Ibn el Jarud

come
had

to terms.

Yahya

arrived

himself in Cairowan, and entered into negotiations with him, showing him the Caliph's letter. Ibn el Jarud endeavoured to
fortified

temporise and to deceive the envoy, saying that if he surrendered Cairowan, the native Africans who were
with El Ala would seize the place, and
lost to the
it

would be

that, if

Imperial Government. But he promised he conquered El Ala in the sortie which he

if

intended to make, he would wait for the arrival of

Herthemah
what

while,

he were conquered himself,

Yahya could do

as he pleased.

Yahya saw
if

plainly

his intentions were,

and that

Ala, he could defy Herthemah. aside, reproached him with his breach of allegiance, and induced him, by the hope of his own complicity

he did conquer El So he took Ibn el Farsi

being overlooked, to aid in reducing Ibn el Jarud. Ibn el Farsi thereupon again brought his perfidious policy into play, and, by calumniating Ibn el Jarud,

gained over a large number of the soldiery, and gave

Affairs in Africa.
him
battle.

71

Jarud determined on revenging himself, and arranged with one of his friends, named Talib, that he would distract Ibn el Farsf's attention
Ibn
el

by reproaching him with

his

treachery,

and that

Talib should then seize the opportunity and kill him. This plan was carried out, the traitor was killed,

and

army routed. Yahya then went off to join Herthemah at Tripoli, and as soon as it became known that the Imperial Commissioner was so near,
his

people flocked in from all sides to the standard of El Ibn el Jarud, seeing his disadvantage, wrote Ala.
to

Yahya, offering to surrender Cairowan to him, and Yahya accordingly set off for that place, which
Ibn Jarud vacated. El Ala and Yahya hurried on to the town, each hoping to reach it before the other,

and get
first

all

the glory for himself.

El Ala was the

to arrive,

place, set

and having taken possession of the off and joined Herthemah. But Ibn el Jarud

had already surrendered himself to the last-named general, who sent him to Bagdad with a letter to the Caliph, informing him that El Ala had been the cause
of his revolt
to

Alraschid wrote and ordered El Ala

be sent to him, and when he arrived, he gave him presents and kJdlas or dresses of honour, equivalent
to

modern

"

decorations."

prisoner at Bagdad. Cairowan in the month of Rabi'

Jarud was kept a Herthemah took possession of

Ibn
el
I,

and the province

was once again quieted

for a time.

72

Haroun

Alraschid.

Herthemah, however, found the people of Africa so turbulent, and insurrections so frequent, that he ultimately resigned the governorship of the province
in

Ramadhan,
Caliph,

181 A.H.

Mohammed

ibn Mukatil, a foster-brother of the

in place

was now made Viceroy of Africa He rendered of Herthemat ibn Ayan.

obnoxious to
the
soldiery,

himself

who

joined with the

natives and revolted against his authority, making Makhled ibn Murreh their leader. The latter was
unsuccessful,

and was forced to take refuge mosque, where he was taken and slain.

in

The Tunisians
ship of

also rebelled against the Viceroy,

in

and attacked Cairowan

799

A.D.,

under the leader-

Having conquered the town, he allowed Mohammed to depart unhurt, on

ibn

Temmam

Temim.

condition that he

Africa for good. Ibrahim ibn el Aghlab, Prefect of the province of Zab, however, drove out Temmam and recalled
left

Mohammed.
was only a

But the reinstatement of the

Ibrahim ibn
el

latter

Aghlab, who, by representing to the Caliph the extreme unpopularity of the governor, and offering to pay into the imperial
treasury an annual sum of 40.000 dinars, instead of drawing out of it 100,000 yearly as the other

trick of

governors

had done, induced Haroun

to

appoint

him

to the office instead.

retain

The

Caliph,

who saw

that he could not

Africa without immense

The Edrisi Dynasty.

sacrifices if

73

Ibrahim went over to his enemies, not only accepted this proposal, but allowed the office to

become hereditary in the Aghlabite family. Such Mohammedanism as the Berber inhabitants of West Africa had was of a very heterodox character
;

they

clung to their ancient forms of belief, and, like the Persians, welcomed any form of Islam which
still

enabled them to escape from the rigid bonds of For the same reason as the Semitic orthodoxy.
Persians, therefore, they

opened

their

arms
the

to the

descendants

of

Ali,

who

represented

more

romantic and liberal side of their

in

religion.

year 786, under the Caliph El Already, Hadi, Edris, a lineal descendant of Hasan, the son of Ali, having taken part in an unsuccessful insurrecthe
tion at

Mecca,

fled to Africa,

where, two years

after,

he proclaimed himself Imam, and was recognised as sovereign by a large number of the Berber tribes. In
a short space of time he had gained possession of the whole of the further Maghreb, and fixed upon

Telemsan
ing of

as his capital city.

Haroun Alraschid, hear-

Yahya the Barmecide, who despatched an Arab named Suleiman to assassinate the
this,

consulted

young

Suleiman, by professing great devotion to the Alide cause, gained Edris' confidence, and took
prince,

the opportunity of presenting

volatile poison,

him with a

phial of

which caused

his death, A.D. 791-792.

The murderer

escaped, but not without

some severe

74

Haroun

Alraschid.

wounds on the head and the loss of one hand, inflicted by Raschid, the friend and guardian of Edris. The
crime was, however, useless, as one of Edris' wives brought forth a son shortly after, who was recognised
as his father's successor.

The town

of Fez, which
in 807,

was founded by one of the dynasty

their capital.

became

Ibrahim ibn

el

of absorbing this Edris II. being then in his minority but abstained from hostilities, probably because he thought the
;

Aghlab at first conceived the idea kingdom into his own, the young

presence

of

an

Alide

monarchy
in

in

such

close

neighbourhood to the
already
useful to

Ommiade

dynasty, which had

established

him

Spain, would prove in case of a rupture with the Caliph

itself

of Bagdad. But in addition to troubles in the provinces of his own empire, and wars with Moslem foes, the Caliph

had the standing feud to carry on with the Byzantine empire, and also a perpetual conflict to wage with the

Turkoman

barbarians of Khozar.

Against neither the one nor the other of these was he able to hurl the whole irresistible force of the

Mussulman army, the

services of large bodies of his

in

troops being always required

some part

of his

dominion to suppress an insurrection. He made, however, yearly raids into the Greek territory, either
in

person or by his lieutenants, gaining each time a

Operations against the Greeks.

large booty in property
A.D.,

75

and

slaves.

In the year 791

during a very hard winter, they appear to have but in some sea-fights at suffered a severe reverse
;

Crete,

according

to

the

Arab

authorities,

and

at

Cyprus, according to the Byzantine writers, the Moslems were the victors. The Admiral Theophilus

was taken prisoner

embracing
refusal,

and brought before Haroun Alraschid, who offered him the usual choice between

Mohammedanism
in pieces.

or

death.

On

his

he was hewn

In the year 797-798, Haroun seized the town of Safsaf, whilst

Salih

marched on and

Abd

el

Melik ibn

The events which pressed on to Ancyra. followed the blinding of Constantine by his unnatural
mother paralysed the Greeks, and
after

an

inter-

change of captives, the first that had taken place under the Abbasides, the Arabs returned home, and a four years' truce was concluded, the Empress
Irene having agreed
tribute.

to

the

payment of a heavy

Haroun himself was so much occupied by the massacres of his co-religionists in Armenia by the Khozars, that he was unable to take advantage of the
defenceless position of the Byzantines.

In 802, on Nicephorus obtaining possession of the The new emperor throne, the war broke out anew.

wrote a

letter to

Haroun, couched

in the following

terms

Harotin Alraschid.
Nicephorus, King of the Greeks, to Haroun, King of the Arabs. " The empress who preceded me considered you as
a
"

From

Rook and

herself as a Pawn.

She paid you

tribute

when you ought to have paid her double the amount. This was out of a woman's weakness and stupidity. So when you have read this letter of mine, send back the tribute you have received of her, and ransom
yourself with whatever you may be called upon to pay, otherwise the sword is between you and me."

When Haroun

read

this,

he was

in

such a fearful

rage that no one dared look at him, much less to speak to him, and all the courtiers retired from his
presence.

Then he

called for a pen

and

ink,

and

wrote on the back of Nicephorus'

letter

"In the

name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. From Haroun, Commander of the Faithful, to NiceI have read your phorus, the dog of the Greeks. letter, you son of a she-infidel, and you shall see the

answer before you hear

"

it."

He

set forth that very day,

camped

at Heraclea,

and conquered, plundered, burnt, and ruined,"

to

quote an old Arab historian, until Nicephorus, who was occupied with the rebel, Bardanes, was com-

This the Caliph consented pelled to sue for peace. to grant at last, on condition that Nicephorus paid him a tribute every half-year.

But when Haroun had returned and

settled

at

Defeat of Nicephorus.

77

Rakkeh, Nicephorus, having conquered Bardanes, and thinking that as the cold was then very severe
the Caliph could not return to invade his territory, broke the treaty,

When
to
tell
it

this

news reached Rakkeh, no one dared to Haroun, fearing lest they might be

despatched on active service in the inclement weather.

length a certain poet contrived to hint to the Caliph how matters stood
:

At

"

Nicephorus has broken the terms which thou didst give

him,

But the wheel of destruction

will

revolve upon him

Give glad tidings to the Prince of Believers, for, verily, is a great victory that God will give thee,

it

A victory
When

surpassing

all

the victories of this our day,

In the triumph thy triumphant banners will gain."

Alraschid heard

and has Nicephorus

he cried out, " Ah done this ?" and was much

this,
!

incensed to find that his ministers had deceived him.

He

at

once set out for the Grecian

frontier,

and

although the weather was most inclement, and the hardships undergone by the Moslems were terrible,

Nicephorus was defeated, with a loss of 40,000 men. fresh exchange of captives and a truce followed

but the Greeks, taking advantage of the insurrection of Ali ibn Isa in Khorassan, of which we shall speak
later,

again

commenced
at

hostilities.

Haroun

once conducted a host of 135,000 men,

78

ffaroun Alraschid.
his generals
his

and took Heraclea, while

17,000 prisoners
Syria.
at

conquered and
fleet

dismantled other fortresses, and

captured

Cyprus, and sent them on to

Nicephorus,
to

now

quite disheartened,

was obliged

make peace on most

for

a poll-tax

humiliating terms, paying himself and family, and promising

never to rebuild Heraclea.

Of
all

course, as soon as

promises were forgotten, and in 807 the Greeks defeated Yezid ibn Makhled, who had been sent against them with
returned

Haroun

home,

these

Her10,000 men, in the neighbourhood of Tarsus. themat ibn Ayan, who with 30,000 men had been
posted to guard the frontier and watch the building of the fortifications at Tarsus, was equally unfortunate, and, as

he was shortly after obliged to leave

for

Khorassan to quell the disturbances there, the Byzantines were able for a while to defy the Moslem power.

Haroun vented

his spleen

on the Christians

in his

dominions, by again bringing into force the obselete

regulations and disabilities imposed upon them by the Caliph Omar at the taking of Jerusalem by the

Moslems.
"

These were

as follows

Christians shall enjoy security both of person and property the safety of their churches shall be, moreover, guaranteed, and no interference is to be permitted, on
;

The

the part of the

Mohammedans,

with any of their religious

;

exercises, houses, or institutions

provided only that such

Christian Disabilities.

79

churches, or religious institutions, shall be open night and All day to the inspection of the Moslem authorities. strangers and others are to be permitted to leave the town
if

they think fit ; but anyone electing to remain shall be No payment subject to the herein-mentioned stipulations. shall be exacted from anyone until after the gathering in of
his harvest.

Mohammedans

are to be treated everywhere

with the greatest respect; the Christians must extend to them the rights of hospitality, rise to receive them, and accord them
the

place of honour in their assemblies. The Christians are to build no new churches, convents, or other religious edifices, either within or without the city, or in any other
first

part of the children the

Moslem
Koran
;

territory

they shall not teach their

shall

but,

on the other hand, no one

be prevented from embracing the Mohammedan religion. No public exhibition of any kind of the Christian religion be permitted. the Moslems, either
is

to

not in any way imitate in dress or behaviour, nor make use of

They

shall

language in writing or engraving, nor adopt Moslem names or appellations. They shall not carry arms, nor
their

ride astride their animals, nor

wear or publicly exhibit the shall not make use of bells, nor of the cross. They sign strike the ndkus (wooden gongs), except with a suppressed
nor shall they place their lamps in public places, nor raise their voices in lamentation for the dead. They

sound
shall

shave the front part of the head and gird up their dress; and, lastly, they shall never intrude into any Moslem's To these conditions house on any pretext whatever.

Omar added
Christians
:

the following clause, to be accepted by the That no Christian should strike a Moslem,

they failed to comply with any single one of the previous stipulations, they should confess that their lives

and

that, if

8o
were justly

Ha roun A Irasch id.

forfeit,

and

that they were deserving of the

punishment

inflicted

upon

rebellious subjects."

have hitherto spoken only of the imperial events of Haroun's reign, and the figure of the
Caliph appears throughout the history as a central The one, no doubt, but still a very impalpable one. course of events was not, however, directed by Haroun
himself, but
his sons;

We

by the

Vizier,

Yahya
this

ibn Barmek, and

is
it

and the personal history of the Caliph

with
family,

so
is

intimately connected

that

impossible to judge of him as an individual apart from his relations with them.

Readers of the "Arabian Nights

the

"

are familiar with

Jaafer the Barmecide, the constant companion of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid in his nightly incognito walks through the city of Bagdad
;

name of

a Barmecide and the expression, comic story in the same collection

"

feast,"

from a
has

of

tales,

passed into a proverb in our language. The story of the Barmecides, and especially of the fate of Jaafer, is perhaps one of the most pathetic in the
annals of Oriental history, and that story

we must

now proceed

to

tell.

CHAPTER
HAROUN'S old protector
murder of
his

III.

THE FALL OF THE BARMECIDES.

treatment of the family of Yahya, his

and guardian, and particularly the friend and companion, Jaafer, is a dark

spot in his career. Various causes are assigned for the Caliph's sudden change of disposition towards the Barmecides, and
various
influences

were certainly at w.ork against

place, the fact that a family of

them.
purely
offices

In the
Persian

first

monopolised the important of the State, and virtually held the reins of
origin
in their

government

hands, was intolerable to the Arab party. These, headed by El Fadhl ibn Rabia, whose father had been Vizier to El Hadi,

own

but had been

removed by Haroun to make way for Yahya, lost no opportunity of plotting and of poisoning the Caliph's mind against them. On one occasion a copy of anonymous verses was presented
to Alraschid, in
"

which the writer said

on earth, to him who

Say

to God's trusty servant

82

Haroun

Alraschid.

has the power to loose and bind, Yahya are kings like thee there
;

Lo
is

the sons of

no longer any

thy behests are altered by them, but theirs are implicitly fulfilled. Jaafer has built a palace, in the like of which no Persian or

difference between

you

Indian ever dwelt.

The

floor

thereof

is

set with

pearls and rubies, and the ceiling thereof is of amber and aloes wood ; we even fear lest he may inherit thy

kingdom when thou

art

hidden

in the grave.

None

but an arrogant slave dare so vie with his lord." The laxity of the Barmecides in religious observances, their obvious
heresies,

leanings

towards

the

Shiah

and

the

free-thinking

eagerly seized upon by their enemies, and used for the purpose of calumniating them with the orthodox Haroun. Presently a

expressed palaces, were

at the discussions

opinions openly which took place at their

also

numerously-signed petition was presented to him by a certain divine, couched in the following terms
:

what answer wilt thou give on the Resurrection Day, and how wilt thou justify
Prince of Believers
!

"

thyself before

Almighty God,

for

Yahya

ibn

unlimited

Khalid, his sons the control over

having given to and relations, such

Mussulmans,

and

entrusted to

them the government of the State

these godless infidels of the Atheists ?"

who

secretly hold the doctrines

Haroun showed the

petition (perhaps as a caution)

Amour
to

of Jaafer and Abbasah.

83

Yahya, and Mohammed, the writer, was thrown into prison but the words undoubtedly made an impression on the Caliph's mind.
;

Still,

there

is

every

reason

to believe

that the

charge of infidelity, as well as that of disloyalty and boundless ambition, would have been disregarded,
not been for a private scandal, which Haroun thought to hush up by dealing summarily with all

had

it

the actors in

it.

The knowledge
least to the

of

it

might have
circle of the

been confined at
of his blood
for the

immediate

court, but his brutal

made it comment of

of vindicating the honour public at the time, and a subject

all

mode

future historians.

This was

the romantic adventure of Jaafer the Barmecide with

Haroun's attachment the Caliph's sister, Abbasah. to Jaafer was of so extravagant a character that he
could never bear him to be absent from his side, and he even went to the absurd length of having a cloak made

with two collars, so that he and Jaafer could wear it His love for his sister at one and the same time.

Abbasah was equally unreasonable, and

in order to

enjoy in unconstrained freedom the society of both his favourites, without breaking through the customary rules of etiquette and so-called morality, he
conceived the idea of uniting the couple in marriage. But as he boasted that he was the only Caliph of pure Hashemi descent who had sat upon the throne,

and could not brook

for a

moment

the thought that

84

Haroun

A Iraschid.

the pure blood of his family should be tainted by admixture with a scion of the Persian race, he

extorted a solemn promise from them both that they should never meet except in his presence, and that
their union should

be a merely nominal one.

Jaafer thus obtained free access to. the harem, and was constantly thrown into the society of the princess but, knowing the danger of offending the Caliph, he
;

Not so scrupulously avoided taking notice of her. the lady, who was determined that she would not
be condemned to a vestal
life
;

besides, the

handsome

and accomplished young Persian made a profound At length, by bribes and impression upon her. threats, she prevailed upon Jaafer's mother to bring

them

together,

and the old lady contrived to

intro-

duce her to Jaafer as a certain slave girl procured by her for him, with the description of whose beauty

and accomplishments she had already inflamed his When the morning broke, and Jaafer, passions.
recovering from the effects of the wine with which

mother had plied him, recognised Abbasah, he was seized with consternation, and reproached her
his

with having ruined them both.

However, the only thing now was to keep the But their intimacy continued, and Abbasah secret.
bore two sons.
they passed out of infancy, the boys were sent to Mecca to be educated, and to be kept out of the way of the Caliph.
as

As soon

'

Signs of the Caliph

Displeasure.

85

Jaafer was a favourite with the ladies of the harem, for whom he was always ready to perform kindly

but he, unfortunately, omitted to conciliate the proud Zobeideh, Haroun's cousin and favourite
offices
;

wife,

and

this at length led to the discovery of the

secret.

We
bined

shall

see

how
up
to

all

these circumstances com-

to

lead

the final

catastrophe which

involved the house of

plete ruin.

Barmek

in

sudden and com-

Some

say that the

first

sign of the Caliph's change

kill

towards them was that he had ordered Jaafer to

a certain

of the family of Ali 'bn Abu Talib namely, Yahya 'bn Abdallah, the former rebel and that Jaafer hesitated to execute the command, and let

man

the poor fellow escape.

in

for
"

obey orders this matter was reported to Haroun, who sent Jaafer, and asked what had become of the man
is

His

failure to

He

in prison," said Jaafer.

"

Will you swear

it

by my life ?" asked Alraschid. Jaafer saw that he had been betrayed, and confessed that he had allowed him to escape, because he believed him to be innocent. " You have done well," said the Caliph " I approve
;

entirely of your action in this matter;" but as soon as Jaafer

had

retired,

he added, "

God

kill

me,

if I

do

not

kill

you."
"

an immense
Alraschid,

Jaafer had built a house, and expended sum of money upon it. " See," said

he spends

this

on one house

what

86

Haroun
his

Alraschid.

expenses be altogether!" Their ruin is also attributed to the popularity which their courtesy and
generosity had acquired for them, and some say that Fadhl and Jaafer presumed too much on the familiarity which Haroun Alraschid allowed them.
Ismail ibn Yahya, a relative of the Caliph, relates that the first spark of jealousy was kindled in Haroun's breast as he. was out hunting, and Jaafer

must

rode on with his cavalcade without waiting to escort him, while their path lay for miles through Jaafer's
well-kept and fertile estates. conversation occurred
:

Thereupon the following

Look at these Barmecides we have enriched them and impoverished our own children
Haroun.
have
;
!

"

We
"
"

let

them go on too

far.
!

Ismail
!

(aside).

wrong

(Aloud.)
I

By Allah here is something Why, your Majesty ?

Haroun.

have taken notice of the one and

I do not know one of my sons neglected the other. who has an estate comparable with those of the Barmecides, in the vicinity even of the capital, to say

nothing of what they have elsewhere.

"

Ismail.

Prince of the Faithful

the sons of
their estates

Barmek
and
"
all

are your slaves, your servants they have are yours.

(with a hard, malevolent look). Are the sons of Abbas, then, so poor that they have no wealth

Haroun

and no rank but what the sons of Barmek bestow

Haroun s Jealousy
"

is

aroused.
look

87

Ismail.

Prince of the

Faithful,

how

rich

many
"

others of your servants are.

Haroun. Ismail, I suspect you will repeat what I have said to them, and put them on their guard.
Mind,
it

have mentioned
I

it

to

no one

else,

and

if

gets wind,

shall
!"

know who has betrayed my

confidence.

Adieu

him, feeling very perturbed and anxious, and wondered how he could scheme to avert the
Ismail
left

mischief.
to the

The next morning he

was

presented himself

Caliph, as he

sitting in a palace over-

looking the Tigris, to the east of the city (Bagdad), and immediately opposite was the palace of Jaafer,

on the western bank.

horses at the door,

Noticing a large number of

"
said,

Haroun

With regard

to

what we were speaking of yesterday, just see how many troops, slaves, and cavalcades are at Jaafer's
Ismail said, " I conjure your Majesty, do not let such an idea enter
door, while no one stays at mine."

your mind Jaafer is only your servant, and slave, and minister, and commander of your troops and if
!

the troops are not to be at his door, at whose, pray, should they be?" When, later on, Jaafer presented himself Haroun received him with the greatest
cordiality,

and

at the

end of the interview gave him

special

two of

his

most

intelligent private attendants to wait

upon him, ostensibly as a

mark of

his favour,

but really as spies upon his conduct to report every

88

Haroun
to the Caliph.

Alraschid.

day

Jaafer was delighted, and did not in the least suspect the doom that was hanging

over him.

Three days later, Ismail called on Jaafer, and, as one of the two slaves was present, was guarded in his remarks, knowing that all he said would come to the Caliph's ears. Some time before
this,

the Caliph had appointed Jaafer Governor of

Khorassan, and had given him an ensign and armies

and sumptuous paraphernalia, so Ismail said "Jaafer, you are going into a country extremely prosperous and wealthy. If I were you, I would make over one
of

my

estates here to the son of the Prince of the

"

Faithful."

Ismail,"

Caliph

lives

by

my

he replied, bounty, and it

"
is

your cousin the

only through us

that his dynasty exists. Is it not enough that I have left him nothing to think about or trouble about, either
for himself or his sons, or his suite, or his subjects,

and

that

have

filled his

treasury and heaped up wealth

for him,

that he must cast eyes

upon what

have

saved for

son and his posterity after me, that he should be affected with the envy and arrogance of

my

the Beni Hashemi, and should be so covetous ?"

"

For

Heaven's

sake,

sir,"

said

Ismail,

"

do not

think such a thing. The Caliph has not spoken a word to me upon the subject." " Then what is the meaning of telling me such

nonsense

?" said he.

"
it

By Allah

if

he asks

me

for

any of these

things,

will

be the worse for him."

Haroun
"After
this,"

resents

Yahya
"
I

s intrusion.

89

says Ismail,
'

would neither go near

him or Alraschid, for I was suspected by both parties, and said to myself, One is the Caliph and the other the Prime Minister why should I interfere between
;

them.

The Barmecides, however, are,

I fear,

doomed.'

'

of Jaafer's mother's servants told the narrator afterwards that the slave repeated every word of the

One

above conversations to Alraschid.

The

latter,

when

he read the note containing the particulars, shut himself up for three days, and would see nobody, but
passed the time brooding over his schemes of revenge. Other indications of the gathering storm were not
wanting.

Yahya's long services and devotion had placed him upon such terms with the Caliph that he used
to enter Alraschid's apartments at

any hour.

But

when

the sovereign's mind had once conceived suspicions against the family, the familiarity which he had

so long permitted was resented as an impertinence, and regarded as evidence of presumptuous designs.

One
his

day, as

Haroun was seated with Bakhtishou,

physician,

saluted

the
"

Yahya entered the apartment and The latter scarcely returned Caliph.
and,

the

salutation,

asked,

towards Bakhtishou, Does anyone come into your room without

turning

permission?"

why do
said

"No," they come

Caliph.

replied

the doctor.

"Then
asking?"
sorrowful

into

ours

without
with

the

Yahya

replied

Haroun
"

Alraschid.

dignity,

have not just commenced to do this, Prince of the Faithful but his Majesty himself
I
;

gave

me

special orders to enter at

any moment, even

I

when he was undressed and

that the Prince of the

what he liked hitherto

1 will

know Faithful would dislike now but now that I do know it,
in bed.

did not

keep whatever place you

may

assign to me."

Haroun was somewhat ashamed of himself, and " I did not mean to hurt your feelings." replied, Scarcely had he left the room, however, when Haroun ordered the pages in attendance to discontinue rising on Yahya's entry, as they had been in the habit of doing. The first time that the minister

entered the palace and noticed this want of respect, he perceived the cause, and changed colour.

Afterwards the pages kept out of the way when he

came

in,

or affected not to notice him.

Bakhtishou also relates that he once paid the Caliph a visit at the Kasr el Khuld at Bagdad, and saw
across the water at Yahya's palace, regarding attentively the crowds that came and went. " God bless Yahya," said he, " for relieving me of

Haroun looking

business

But time for pleasure." the next time he came and found the Caliph in

and leaving
position,

me

the

same
"

Haroun appeared annoyed, and

to have taken all the business
to me.
It is

said,

Yahya seems

in
is

hand without any reference

the Caliph in reality, not
I."

he

who

ZobeideJi inflames

Harouris mind.

91
after

At

length the blow

of

fell.

On

the fourth

day

his retirement,

chief wife,

slave's report.

Haroun complained to Zobeideh, his what he felt, and showed her the Now there was very ill feeling between

Zobeideh and Jaafer, and had been for a long time, so that, when she once found out his secret, she
" followed him up to the death. Advise me," said the Caliph, " what to do, for I fear lest the power

may go

out of
"

my

hands

if

they once take posses-

sion of Khorassan."

Said she,

You and

the Barmecides are like a

drunken man drowning in a great sea. If, however, you have recovered from your drunkenness, and
escaped the drowning, I will tell you something much harder for you to bear than what you have heard. But
if

you are

as infatuated with

them

as ever, I will let

Being pressed for an explanation, she summoned one of her slaves named Arzu, who, she

you

alone."

declared,
if

knew

all

about

it.

Threatened with death

if

he remained

silent,

but promised pardon

he

spoke the truth, Arzu related how Jaafer had really married his (Haroun's) sister, Abbasah, who had
borne him children, although the Caliph had only allowed a formal ceremony of marriage to be per-

formed between the two.

continued the vindictive woman, " what comes of allowing him to associate with the daughter
"

You

see,"

of one of God's vicegerents, a

woman

in

every

way

Harou n
better than he.

A Irasch

id.

This comes of bringing

fire

and

faggots together."

This intelligence was a severe blow to Haroun, who possessed, as we have already remarked, all the
arrogance of the Hashemi family, and prided himself on his pure Imperial descent. Unmindful of his word, therefore, he ordered Arzu to be beheaded, and, going out from Zobeideh's presence, called for his
chief executioner, Mesrur,
pitiless tone, "

and

said, in a hard-hearted,

Mesrur, to-night,

when

it is

dark, bring

masons and two servants." The horrible story which follows shows the character of the good Haroun in a somewhat unexpected light. Mesrur obeyed the order, and brought at the
ten

me

appointed time the unlucky workmen after dark, when Alraschid rose up and preceded them to the private apartments of his sister, where he found her,

and discovered the condition she was

in.

Without

speaking one word to her, he ordered the servants to kill her, shut her up in a large box, and bury her,
just as she was,

under the

floor of

her

own room.

When

she was dead, and the body placed in the chest, he locked it, took the key, and made the

workmen

dig

to the water.

down under the floor till they came Then he said, " That will do. Let the
it."

box down, and put the earth over

smoothed the
soil,

They
it

did so,
before,

and

left

the floor as
all

was

the Caliph sitting on a chair

the time and looking

77ie Caliptis Revenge.

on.

93
all out,

When

they had finished, he turned them

locked up the door, and came away, taking the key Then he turned to Mesrur and said, with him.
"

Take

these

people

and

give

them

their

hire."

Mesrur, knowing what was meant, put them all into sacks, sewed them up with heavy weights inside,

and threw them into the

Tigris.

The Caliph then

gave him the key of the house, and told him to keep for it, and to go and set up a it until he asked Turkish tent in the middle of the palace this he
:

and the Caliph entered it before dawn, no one It was on a knowing what his intentions were. Thursday morning, and he sat there holding his Now Thursday was Jaafer's cavalcade Council.
did,

day.

away

" Mesrur, do not go far Presently he said, Then the people came in and from me."

saluted

him

and

sat
too,

in

their

respective

places,

and Jaafer came

with
the
greatest

and Haroun received

him

welcomed him, and smiled upon him, and laughed and joked with him, and he sat next the Caliph. Jaafer then brought out the letters he had received from various quarters, and the Caliph listened to them, and decided upon all the petitions and claims, &c., which they conThen Jaafer asked to be allowed to leave tained.
cordiality,

and

Khorassan that day, and the Caliph called for the astrologer, who was sitting near, and asked him
for

what o'clock

it

was.

"

Half-past

nine

o'clock,"

94

Haroun

Alraschid.

answered the astrologer, and took the altitude of and Alraschid reckoned it up the sun for him
;

himself,

and looked in. his "Nautical Almanack" and said, " To-day, my brother, is an unlucky one
for you,

and

this

is
is

an unlucky hour, and

fancy

something serious

going to

happen

in

it.

How-

ever, stay over the Friday prayers, and go when the stars are more propitious then pass the night in Nahrawan, start early the next morning, and
;

day that is better than going now." Jaafer would not agree to what the Caliph said, until he had taken the astrolabe in
get

on

the

road

during

the

his

own hands from

"

the astrologer, and had taken

it

the altitude and reckoned

up

for himself.

Then

he

Allah, you speak the truth, O Prince of the Faithful I never saw a star burning more
said,

By

fiercely,

or a narrower

course in the zodiac than

to-day."

Then he went home, people of all ranks making much of him as he went. At last he reached
palace,

his

surrounded

by

troops,

transacted his

business,

and sent the crowds away.

But he had

hardly retired to his apartments when Alraschid sent " Go to him at once and bring him Mesrur, saying,
here,

and say

to him,

Khorassan.'

When

has just come from he comes through the first door,

'

letter

post the soldiers there at the second, post the slaves. Do not let any of his people come in with him, but bring him in alone, and turn him aside to the Turkish
;

Jaafer's Execution ordered.

tent
I

95

inside,

bade you set up yesterday, and when he is behead him, and bring his head to me, and do

not acquaint any one of God's creatures with what I have ordered, and do not trouble me again about it.

you disobey my instructions, I will have your head cut off, and brought to me with his. Enough Hasten, before he gets word of it from Begone
If
!
!

anyone

else."

Mesrur went

off

and asked

for

an

interview with Jaafer, who had just taken off his clothes and laid himself down to rest. On entering, he
said,

"
Sir,

the Prince of the Faithful has sent

"

me

to

summon you
and
I

he was very pressing and imperious,

But, Mesrur," said

dare not but obey him."

"
I
is

Jaafer,

What

have only just come from his presence. the matter?" "Letters from Khorassan

have just arrived, and you must read them," was the At this Jaafer felt more comfortable, and reply.
dressed himself and put on his sword, and went with But when he got through the first gate and him. saw the soldiers, and then through the second and

saw the slaves, and then through the third, he turned, and finding none of his own attendants, and seeing that he was alone in the court, he blamed
himself for coming out as he did, but

was too late to retrace his steps. Then Mesrur led him to the tent, and made him go inside and sit down as usual but seeing no one there, he perceived that some mischief was brewing, and said, " Mesrur, my
it
;

Haroun
brother,

Alraschid.
your brother," your house, and you
"
I

what

is

the matter ?"

"

am

answered
ask

Mesrur,

and

in

me

what's the matter.

You know

well

enough

your time has come. The Prince of the Faithful has ordered me to cut off your head and take it to
Jaafer wept a little, and then began " to kiss Mesrur's hands and feet, and say, Oh, my

him

at once."

brother! oh, Mesrur!

to

you know how good

have been

you more than to any of the pages or members of the household, and that I always did what you asked

me day and
Faithful,

night.

You know what

I

position

hold,

and what influence

have with the Prince of the

and how he entrusts

me

with

all his secrets.

Perhaps some one may have traduced me to him. I have here two hundred thousand dinars (about
;ioo,ooo).
if
I will

produce them
let

for

you immediately,
"

you

will

only
it,"

cannot do

I get away from here." said Mesrur. "Then," continued the

me

wretched victim,
him.

"

take

me

to

him

set

me

before

Perchance, when his glance falls upon me, he " will have some pity, and pardon me." I cannot do
it,"

was the
there

"

reply.
is

dare not go back to him.

for
!

know

no chance
"

your

life,

not the least."

;

But Jaafer persisted. Oh wait a little go back to him and say, 'I have done what you ordered;' then listen to what he says, and come back and do as you like. But if you do that, and I am saved, I take God and the angels to witness that

Death of Jaafer.
I

97

you half of what I possess, and make you commander-in-chief of the army. I will give you And he kept on weeping and imeverything." ploring him, and clinging so to life, that Mesrur
will give
"

said,

Well,

it

may

be managed."

So he took
set

off

the

sword

and

sword-belt,

and

forty

black

and went to the Caliph. The latter was sitting down, perspiring with rage, holding a cane in his hand, and digging it into the
slaves to guard the tent,

ground.
in

he saw Mesrur, he said, " May thy mother be bereaved of thee What hast thou done

When

the matter of Jaafer?" ordered." "Where is his

"

"I have done what you head?" "In the tent."

Fetch

it

me

at once."

So Mesrur went back, and

found Jaafer on his knees praying. He did not give him time to finish his prayer, but drew his sword

and cut
threw
as
it it

off his head,

and took

it

by the beard and

all

before the Prince of the Faithful,

dripping

was with blood. The Caliph heaved a sigh, and wept terribly, and dug his stick in the after each word that he spoke, and gnashed his on the walking-stick, and addressed the
saying with myself?

deep
earth
teeth

"Oh, Jaafer, did

head, not put you on an equality

Oh, Jaafer, how have you requited me ? You have neither observed my rights nor kept your pact with me. You have forgotten my bounty you have not looked to the results of actions. You
;

have not reflected on the vicissitudes of fortune.

98

Harozin Alraschid.
not counted on the revolutions of time and

You have

the changes of human circumstances.

Oh, Jaafer, you

evil

have deceived
all

me

in

my

family

disgraced

men.

Oh,

Jaafer,

you have done

to

me before to me and
two sons

to yourself."

Haroun then

sent

Medina

for the

of Jaafer (who had been born to the latter

Caliph's sister, Abbasah), in to the palace to him.

by the

and had them brought When he saw them he admired them very much, for they were very handsome lads, and he made them talk, and found
they had all the polish of natives of Medina, and all the fluency and eloquence which distinguished his own the Hashemi family. Then he asked the
eldest, "
is

"What

is

El Hassan."
yours,

your name, my darling ?" He said, He then asked the youngest, " What
"

El Husein," replied the child. And the Caliph looked at them for a long time, and wept, and then said to them, " Your beauty and

my

dear ?"

no mercy to him who wrongs you ;" and they had no idea what he intended to do with them. Then he said to
innocence touch me.
Mesrur,
"

May God show

What have you done

I

room which
is,

with the key of the " Here it gave you to take care of?"
the
Faithful."
"

Prince of

Give

it

me," said

Then he sent for some slaves and servants, and ordered them to dig a deep pit in the house of Jaafer, and he called Mesrur, and ordered him to kill
Haroun.

Massacre of the Barmecides.

the two children, and bury
that
pit.

99

them with
all

their

mother
"

in

So that that he would have had I thought," says Mesrur, but he wiped his eyes, and bade those pity on them about him never mention the name of the Barmecides again." After Jaafer's death, El Fadhl was summoned the same night, and imprisoned in one of Alraschid's Yahya was placed under arrest in his own palaces. all their property was confiscated, and more house than a thousand of the Barmecide family were slain.
the time
"
; ;

And

he was weeping

El Amraniy, the historian, relates a curious incident

sudden reverse of the Barmek family. A certain individual said that he happened one day to go into the Treasury office, and casting his eyes upon
illustrating the
" For a dress one of the ledgers, he noticed the entry of honour and decorations for Jaafer, son of Yahya, 1 few days after, he returned, 400,000 gold dinars."

and saw on the same ledger the following item " Naphtha and shavings for burning the body cf
Jaafer, son of

Yahya, 10

kirats ;" a kirat being

about

the twenty-fourth part of a dinar. The catastrophe above narrated

took place
;

on

year 803 and it is probable that his suspicions had been aroused before he undertook the journey. Indeed, some

Haroun's return from Mecca,

in the

authors say that he visited the holy

1

cities in

order to

Nearly ^200,000.

IOO

Haroun

Alraschid.

see the children himself, and judge from their likeness to Jaafer or his sister whether the rumour were
true

or

no.

Certain

it

is

that

the order
at

for

the
his

executions was given

return from Hejaz.
Jaafer's liberality to

by him

Ambar, on

Melik ibn Salih, which we have already recorded, when he made so free with the public money and the Caliph's consent to his
el

Abd

daughter's marriage, though perhaps thought little of at the time, would be likely to rankle in Haroun's

mind, jealous as he always was of the influence of the family of AH, and would give a keener edge to his

wrath when once

it

was aroused against

to

Jaafer,

and
the

would

induce

him
was

lend a readier

ear

to

calumnies against the

latter.

But that

it

to

revenge a fancied indignity,

and to wipe out a supposed stain upon his scutcheon, and not for political reasons, that Haroun destroyed
his best friends,
is

proved by the following anecdote,

which

is

related

by the Arab

chroniclers.

When

asked by one of his sisters why he had treated the Barmecides in so shocking a manner, he replied, " If this shirt I wear knew the cause, I would tear it to
pieces."

Yahya's wife, who had been Haroun's fostermother, waited upon him when she heard of her husband's arrest, and having, after much trouble, been
admitted to his presence, showed him his
first

tooth

Imprisonment of Yahya and

and a lock of
relics

El Fadhl.

101

his hair,

which she had preserved as

of his infancy, and besought him by these tokens of her affection to release her husband. The Caliph tried to buy them from her, but she in a rage threw

them down

at his feet, saying,

"

will

make

thee a

present of them !" attained her object.

and went out without

having

Yahya, Jaafer's father, and El Fadhl his brother, were also, as we have said, thrown into prison, but
not subjected to a very rigorous confinement, being allowed to retain their personal servants and women about them. They remained in prison in comparative

comfort until the arrest of

of which
treated
I

Abd

el

Melik ibn Salih,

shall
all

speak later on, when the Caliph

alike.

them
he

barbarously
"

When Yahya was

Jaafer,
"

told that Alraschid

will

had
"

killed

said,

So
"

God

kill his son."

But,"
!"

said the messenger,

he has ruined your house too

So

will

God
for,

father.

When

ruin his house," replied the unhappy Alraschid heard of this, he was much
said
"

distressed;

he,

never

knew Yahya

to

say anything that did not turn out true."

great eminence to which his family had arrived, and the uniform good fortune which they for
so long enjoyed, appear often to have made Yahya, who knew his master's fickle temper, tremble lest a
reverse should come.

The

The

historians relate that one

day, while performing the circuit of the Ka'abeh at

io2

Haroun

Alraschid.

Mecca (one of the ceremonies .of the pilgrimage), he was heard to say " Oh God, if it be Thy pleasure to
of the worldly prosperity Thou hast granted to me, to deprive me of my family and my wealth
strip

me

and

children, deprive

me
son

of them, oh God, but oh,

spare

me Fadhl my
little

!"

Then he walked away,

"
I

but after a

he came back and said

that one such as

how unworthy is it make any reserve

Fadhl too!"

Oh Lord, am should
!

with

Thee

My God

and

The Moslem authors look upon this incident as prophetic, for Haroun overthrew the house of Barmek
shortly afterwards.

On

another occasion he was heard to pray that

visit his sins

God would

on him

in this world,

and

not in the next, and the ruin of his family is regarded as an answer to his prayer. On one occasion Haroun Alraschid sent Mesrur to

El Fadhl in his prison, with orders to force him to make a correct statement of his property, and deliver

up any that he might have concealed. In case of his refusal he was to receive two hundred lashes.
Mesrur delivered
advised him
safety."
I

his

message to the captive, and

not to prefer his riches to his own El Fadhl replied with dignity" By Allah,
false

"

would, if the choice were offered, prefer death to even one stroke of a whip, as the Prince of the Faithful well knows.
;

have made no

statements

El Fadhl
You

is

Flogged.

103

yourself know too that we have always maintained our reputation at the expense of our wealth how then should we now shield our wealth at the
;

expense of our bodies ? Execute your orders, if you have any !" Thereupon Mesrur brought some whips out of a napkin which he had with him, and ordered
his attendants
stripes.

to inflict on El Fadhl

two hundred

This was done with so

the sufferer was nearly was concluded. Fortunately for him, there was in the prison a

much cruelty that dead when the punishment

and he was
at

man

skilled in surgery,

once called

After making an examination of his back, he declared that his patient must have made a mistake, and that he could
in to

attend to El Fadhl.

not have received more than

fifty lashes.

This was,

however, only to reassure him, for he afterwards owned that a thousand could not have left worse
marks.
a

He

then induced him to

lie

on

his

back on

and afterwards dragged him along the ground on his back till the flesh was torn away in strips. This rough mode of
reed-mat, trod

upon

his

chest,

treatment really saved El Fadhl's

life,

for

it

restored
in

the circulation, and formed healthy

wounds which

due time healed

offered

El Fadhl, on his recovery, borrowed a thousand dirhems from a friend and

up.

them

to the successful surgeon,

who

refused to

Thinking that he had offered too little, he borrowed another thousand, which the man also
take them.

io4

Haroun

Alrasckid.

refused, saying that he could not accept a fee,

large, for curing the

however

most generous of the generous. As the doctor was really a poor man, this generosity surprised El Fadhl greatly, and he owned that it far
exceeded any munificence of
his

own.
in

Yahya, the November, 805

father,
A.D., at

died

suddenly

prison,

in

the age of seventy.

After his death a paper was

:

found
"

upon him

The accuser has containing the following words gone on before to the tribunal, and the accused shall
follow soon.

The magistrate

will

be that just Judge

who

never errs and needs no witnesses."

This was brought to Haroun, upon whom it had the effect that its writer no doubt intended, of throwing him into a
three

of melancholy and abject fear. El Fadhl, too, died in prison, of cancer of the
fit

It will be years after his father. remembered that he was the Caliph's foster-brother, and when the latter heard of his death, he said, "

tongue,

My

doom

is

not far from his

"
!

and the event proved that

he was
a

right.

The following anecdote, related by Abd er Rahman, member of the imperial family, who held a high

ecclesiastical post at

Kufa, exhibits in a touching manner the vicissitudes of this noble and unfortunate

Going once to visit my mother says on the day of the Festival of Sacrifices,' I found her conversing with an elderly woman of respectable
family.
:

He

"

The Last of

the Barmecides.

105

My appearance, but dressed in si abby clothes. mother asked me if I knew who her visitor was, and
on
This is the replying that I did not, she said mother of Jaafer the Barmecide.' I turned towards

my

'

her, and, saluting her with the

'

Dear madame

what
'

is

utmost respect, said the strangest thing you have

'

answered, there was a time when this feast found me with four hundred
ever witnessed
?'

My son/ she
and yet

slaves in

my

escort,

not do as
feast

want is two sheepskins, one to serve as my bed and one for me to I gave her five hundred dirhems, and she wear.' almost died for joy. She afterwards became a
all
I

much for me has come round again, and

thought my son did but now the as he ought

I
;

constant visitor at our house,

till

death parted

us."

The Barmecides
sincerely regretted

left

their

them many who sad fate, but it was not

behind
over
the
victims

often

safe

to

mourn

of

the

Caliph's

wrath.

One

Ibrahim,

who had been

friend of Jaafer,

and received great favours

at his

hands, was so affected at his death, that he took to

drinking, and when in his cups would and swear to take vengeance upon

weep
his

for him,

murderer.

Ibrahim's

him to show of friendship, induced him to drink wine until Then the Caliph began he became intoxicated.
himself to lament Jaafer's
loss,

own son and one of his eunuchs betrayed Alraschid, who sent for him, and with a great

and said that he would

io6

Haroun

Alraschid.

rather have lost his

declaring that
fatal

kingdom than such a friend, he had never tasted sleep since the
this

day.

At

Ibrahim shed
to

tears,

said that

his highness

was indeed

blame, and that they

should never look on Jaafer's like again. Having thus treacherously wormed his secret out of him, Alraschid rose up with a curse, and in a few moments
the imprudent sympathiser with the Barmecides was

himself a corpse.

CHAPTER
fall

IV.

THE LATTER END.

of the Barmecide family, and the consequent ruin of all their dependants, made so bad an impression in Bagdad, that Haroun was induced
to

move

his residence

from that city to Rakka.

for his abode,

Even
capital,

before

this,

he had shown a distaste for the

but the partiality of the inhabitants for the family of Ali made this place disagreeable to him. The reasons alleged by
him, and probably the true ones, for this change were the constant outbreaks in Mesopotamia and the
;

and had chosen Kufa

feeling

in

favour

of

the

Ommiade

party

which

prevailed throughout the northern provinces, made it indeed desirable that he should at least proceed
there and overawe the disaffected populations with
his presence.

Khorassan, the head-quarters of the Persian national party, and the hotbed of Shiah fanaticism, was always

one of the most turbulent provinces in the empire. We have seen how, under Abu Moslem, it was able

io8

Haroun
Ommiade

Alraschid.

to overturn the
likely to

throne,

and

it

now seemed

prove equally

fatal to the

House of Abbas.

In the year 796, a serious revolt broke out there,

headed by one

ibn Atrak, who, after pillaging the province of Kohistan and murdering the inhabiThe tants, at length made a stand at Bushenj.

Hamzeh

Governor of Herat marched against him with 600 men, but was defeated and slain in the first engagement.
Ali ibn Isa, Governor of Khorassan, then sent his son, El Husein, against the insurgents with 10,000

but as he would not attack Hamzeh, he was removed, and his brother Isa made general in his
;

men

place.

He was

at

first

unsuccessful, but ultimately

succeeded

in dispersing

the rebel forces and killing a

number of them.

Hamzeh

sought refuge

in

Kohistan

with only forty followers. Isa took a severe revenge upon those who had taken part in the insurrection, killing more than
30,000 men, and burning favoured the insurgents.
all

the villages that had

another attempt to assert himself, but was defeated, wounded in the face, and driven to hide himself in the vineyards near Asfzar from which
;

Hamzeh made

he however issued, destroyed the neighbouring

villages,

and put and

all

the inhabitants to the sword.

Among
Tahir

other atrocities, he and his followers attacked a school

killed thirty boys, with their schoolmaster.

Misgovernment in Khorassan.

109

ibn Husein, afterwards a famous leader in the civil

war that followed Haroun's death, and at that time Lieutenant -Governor of Bushenj, was aroused to action, and inflicted a decisive blow on the rebels. His mode of punishment was a terrible one; he
caused two trees to be bent
tying a

down

together,

and then

man

to them, let go,

and the

trees, flying

back to their original position, tore the unfortunate wretch in halves.

Hamzeh

himself escaped, and

made terms with

the

Government.
himself up entirely to enriching himself at the expense of the people he was sent to rule over. So flagrant were his acts of injustice,
so

Ali ibn Isa

now gave

exorbitant

his

extortions,

and

so

many and

urgent complaints were sent by the inhabitants of Khorassan to Alraschid, that he determined personaccordingly Ali to Rhe, whither he had proceeded with two of his sons but the Governor brought such
ally

to

investigate

the

matter.

He

summoned

magnificent presents for the Caliph, that he was allowed to return to his government loaded with
fresh

marks of Haroun's confidence and

distinction.

This total disregard of their interests goaded the people of Khorassan to madness, and the feeling of dislike to their Arab masters soon ripened into one
of scarcely concealed hatred. The massacre of the Barmecide family

made

their

IIO

Haroun

Alraschid.

indignation still more intense, and the next rebel leader who appeared upon the scene found the whole population eager to rush to his standard. This was

one Raff ibn Leith, a grandson of Nasr ibn Sujam, who had been slain in Abu Moslem's rebellion. The incident which led to his revolt was a romantic
one,

and characteristic of Mohammedan society

and handsome
cavalier,

at the

period.
Raff, a bold

had conceived

an affection for the wife of a freedman of the Caliph, whose husband had deserted her, and had set up a
separate establishment at Bagdad. Failing to induce the husband to put away the lady, who had considerable property of her own, Raff

her pretend to renounce her faith in El Islam, on which the husband divorced her with the formula which makes the dissolution of the
contrived to

make

marriage tie irrevocable, unless the woman be married and then divorced by another person.

first

The

Caliph, on hearing of this device,

was

furious,

and ordered Rafi to be imprisoned and beaten, and the lady to be paraded through the streets of Samarcand with her face blackened, and seated upon a
donkey. The first part of the sentence was executed, but the parties concerned managed to avoid the
second.

Raff escaped from prison not long after, and took but finding that his wife refuge with -AH ibn Isa
;

Insurrection in Persia.

\\\

was

still

kept away from him, he endeavoured to

of Ali ibn Isa had

raise a rebellion.

The unpopularity

made

the

people ripe for a revolt, and they responded enthusiAli sent his son to quell the astically to Raff's call.
disturbance, but he was defeated

and

killed.

He

next took the

field in

person, but was also repulsed.

On
Ali's

this

the

movement spread with astonishing

rapidity,

and the people of Balkh having joined, put officers to death and sacked his palace.
all

Defeated at
sent

points, he escaped to

Merv, and
on.

word

to the Caliph of

what was going

The

insurgents had, however, from the first declared their loyalty to the Caliph, and maintained that their only

grievance was against the Viceroy, Ali. Haroun determined to remove the cause of their
discontent
;

but the deposition, under the circum-

stances, of a powerful officer

who had

still

money

and troops

at his

command, could only be managed

with great precaution. For this difficult task he selected Herthemah, one of his most trusted generals, and who, being himself
a Persian,

knew

the temper of the people with

whom

he would have to do.

Caliph about to entrust you with a mission said which must be kept secret until the proper time
"
I

Sending

for this distinguished officer, the

am

if

your very

shirt

should guess

it,

destroy

it.

112

Haroun

Alraschid.

hereby appoint you Governor of Khorassan, bu should All ibn Isa learn it, he would resist you by
force of arms.

Give out to the troops that you are but when you reach Merv, marching to his aid
;

arrest him,
all

and compel him to make restitution of the property which he has extorted from the

Haroun then made out the order appointing Herthemah to the governorship, and gave him three letters to take with him. One of them was a call on the soldiery to aid the new governor in restoring
people."

order

the second was addressed to the people of

Khorassan, promising them redress, and exhorting them to loyal obedience; and the third was addressed
to Ali ibn Isa himself,

and reproaching him

in bitter

terms for alienating the affection of the people from

their sovereign.

Merv at the head of twenty thousand men, and Ali, who supposed that he had come to assist him, received him with the customary honours at the gate of the city. Herthemah accompanied Ali to the palace, and when they had dined, showed him the Caliph's letter. The deposed
set out for

Herthemah

governor yielded at once, was loaded with fetters, and taken day after day to the great mosque of

Merv, and compelled to answer the claims of all who demanded restitution at his hands of what he

had defrauded them

of.

Ali was sent on a camel without a saddle to Rakka,

Spread of the Rebellion.

all

113
his

his

relations

and friends were arrested, and

property, consisting of about three million pounds sterling in gold and 500 camel-loads of treasure, was
confiscated.

This

sum of course went

into

the

Caliph's treasury, and not back into the pockets of the unfortunate Khorassanites, from whom it had

been plundered. Compensation to a certain extent had, however, been made to the inhabitants of Merv,

who had addressed

them.

to the

Court a formal demand

for

repayment of the sums that Ali had extorted from

In the meantime, Raff's rebellion was continually extending itself, and all Transoxania was included in
the movement.
the

Oxus
field in

until

Herthemah's troops refused to cross This news reinforcements came.

being brought to the Caliph, he determined to take

the
person.

In

the

year

192

A.H.,

Alraschid set out from

Rakka, to Bagdad, on the way to Khorassan, leaving his son, El Kasim, in charge of the city. On the fifth of the month Sha'ban he proceeded from Bagdad to Nahrawan, having entrusted the governorship of the ex-capital to another son, El Mamun.

On

the departure of the Caliph, El Fadhl ibn Sahl, a " You do not Persian, said to his master, El Mamun,

know what may happen to Alraschid, and Khorassan is your own province; but your brother Emm has
taken precedence of you, and the best that you can

ii4

Haroun
is

Alraschid.

that he will rob you of your rights of succession, for he is the son of Zobeideh, and his
relations are all of the

hope from him

Hashemi

clan.

Insist, then,

that

you

Mamun
request.

go with the Caliph. This advice El took, and after some trouble obtained his
shall

This Fadhl ibn Sahl was a Persian, and a protege of the Barmecide family. He was originally a

Magian by

religion,

but

convert to Islam.

He

had recently become a was appointed tutor to El

Mamun, and gained

young
prince.

a complete ascendency over the

In the persons of Haroun's two sons, El Mamun and El Emm, the same conflict was to be fought out

which had from the very beginning shaken the ranks of El Islam. El Mamun came of a Persian mother,
while El

Emm,

being a son of Haroun's cousin and

was of purely Arab descent. The question of the succession to the throne was a source of trouble to Haroun, as it had been to his predecessors, and his endeavours to settle the
favourite wife, Zobeideh,
difficulty led to the

very consequences which he was

so anxious to avoid, and ultimately resulted in the

disrupture and final fa>^ ^.the empire. His two eldest sons were Mohammed El

Emfn

and Abdallah
only of

Mamun. The first of these was not unmixed Arab descent, but of 'the Prophet's
el

own

family, the

Hashemis, and was, therefore, the

Rivalry between Haroun

natural

Sons.

115

choice of the
the

Arab orthodox

party.

He
and

had

all

Arab

virtues of a noble presence

undoubted personal bravery, but he entirely lacked administrative capacity, and was addicted to luxury and indolent enjoyments. Abdallah el Mamun, on
the contrary, was the son of a Persian mother, and, therefore, quite as naturally enlisted the warmest

sympathies of the Persian section.

over, a

He

was, more-

man

Haroun

of great intellectual capacity and energy. Alraschid saw that the two brothers would
strife after his
it,

be forced into a

death, even

if

they

did not themselves seek

for the

Arab

party,

who

had triumphed on the downfall of the Barmecides, would naturally seek to strengthen their position by
placing a
prince
the
traditions were all
while,

throne whose family in strict accord with their own

upon

the

on

other

hand,
lost

the

Persians

would

endeavour to regain their

ground by the election of a Caliph with purely Persian proclivities. It was almost inevitable that the old battle between Jew and Gentile, Arab and Persian, would sooner or later
be fought out in the names of the two young princes. To avoid the threatened evil, Haroun resolved

empire into two parts, leaving to Abdallah the Eastern provinces, where the Persian element prevailed, and it was arranged that he
to

divide

the

should

fix

his capital at

Merv

while

Emm

haH

Arabia, Irak, Syria,

Egypt, and Northern

n6

Haroun

Alraschid.
This carried with

where the Arabs predominated.

it

the sovereignty of Bagdad, the guardianship of the holy cities, and the spiritual headship of Islam.

In the case of the death of either, the government It of the entire empire was to revert to the survivor.
needless to point out the danger of the last clause, even if the rest of the arrangement had not been so
is

thoroughly imprudent.

When

this

partition

was resolved upon, Haroun

took his two sons on a pilgrimage to Mecca, with the view of obtaining from them a solemn ratification of
the arrangement on this sacred spot. In the Ka'abeh itself the two brothers bound themselves to respect the

compact made by

their father

on their behalf, always religiously to observe each other's rights. The document in which these stipu-

were embodied was signed by the nobles and great officers of the empire, and was suspended on the door of the Holy House. The man who was
lations

affixing

it

to the door allowed

it

to fall

from

his
fail

hand upon the ground, and those present did not

to notice the

although, in truth, it needed no special gift of divination to foresee the

;

unlucky omen

result.

How

severely the question exercised the

mind of

Alraschid the following anecdotes will show. El KusaT, a celebrated writer and savant of the
relates
" I

presented myself one day before

Emm

and Mamtin.

\ 1

Alraschid, and, after having passed the ordinary compliments, was about to retire, when he ordered

me

to take a seat.

courtiers

body of the had departed, leaving only myself and a

Caliph's
c

As soon

as the great

few of the

favourite

attendants

behind,

said, Ali, would you like to see Mohammed and Abdallah (Emm and Mamun) ?' Prince of the

Haroun

'

Faithful,' I replied,

how

it

how would please me

'

long to see them, and to behold how God has

blessed your Majesty in them.' Therefore he ordered them to be brought before him, and after a short

delay the two young princes entered, like two stars Affable but dignified in illuminating the horizon.

demeanour, they advanced, with eyes cast down, Alraschid then placed into the middle of the room.
their

them,
left

Mohammed

on

his right

and Abdallah on

his

hand, and requested me to examine them in the Koran and in their other studies. They answered
all

questions so readily and so politely, that their father could not conceal his pride and joy, and he

my

dismissed them with a tender embrace.

I

As they

left,

noticed the tears running down his cheeks, and he confided to me the fears that he even then entertained

of future rivalry and dissension between them." From the very first, the Arab party sought to
influence the Caliph in favour of his son

Emm.
"

The

poet El

Omani once addressed him upon

speech that Haroun said,

the subject
Rejoice,

in so stirring a

aroun Alraschid.
shall surely

O
"

Omani,

for

Emm

be

my
"

successor

!"

Prince of the Faithful," he replied, I do rejoice, as the herbage rejoices in the rain, as a barren woman
rejoices in a son,

and as a sick man

rejoices in his

new-found health.
defend his
"

He

is

a peerless prince,

who

will

What," brother Abdallah

"

honour, and resemble his ancestors." asked Haroun, " do you think of his
?"
"

Good
1

pasture," said the other,

"

but not like the saadan."

!"

God

slay this
"
;

an Arab of the desert

said
!

Haroun

man for how well he

knows how

me, by Allah, I find in Abdallah the resolution of El Mansur, the

and, piety of El Mehdi, and the pride of El Hadi by Allah, if I dared to compare him to a fourth (i.e.,
;

to urge

me on

As

for

to the prophet), he would deserve it." El Asma'i also recounts that one day he found the

Caliph in a state of extraordinary agitation, at one moment sitting down, at another throwing himself at
length on the couch. As the visitor entered the room, Haroun burst into tears, and murmured
full

" Let

is pure ; Avoid the vacillating fool Whose thoughts and speech are never sure."

him alone o'er nations rule Whose mind is firm, whose heart

On
1

hearing

this,

El Asma'i knew that the Caliph

Saadan

is

a thorny plant said to be extremely fattening for cattle.

is

The

expression

proverbial.

Harouns Fears

about the Succession.

119

was intent on some important project, and the fact was soon proved by his sending Mesrur to summon

Yahya before Haroun said,

on

him.
"

When the aged O Abu Fadhl, the

1 1

minister arrived,

prophet of God,

whom
fresh.

be peace, died without a testament, when

Islam was yet in the vigour of youth, and the faith

was

The Arabs were

united,

granted security and honour after ment. Then followed the quarrels for the succession, with the melancholy results you wot of. For me, I

and God had peril and abase-

intend to regulate my succession, and to let it pass into the hands of one whose character and conduct I

approve, and of whose political capacity

am

assured.

Such an one

is

Abdallah (Mamun)

but the Beni

Hashem incline to Mohammed (Emi'n) to further their own desires, capricious, extravagant, and sensual though they know him to be, and ever
subject to the influence of

women.

Now,

if I

show

preference for Abdallah, I let loose against me the hatred of the house of Hashim but if I make

my

Mohammed my
on the State."

only After a long deliberation, the compromise to which I have already alluded was decided Zobeideh used all her influence with her upon.
in

heir, I

fear

it

will bring trouble

husband
1

favour of her son, and complained bitterly

Mohammedans usually receive a familiar name after their eldest the prophet Mohammed, for example, is known as Abu 1 Kasim, from an infant son who died.
son
;

I2O

Haroun

Alraschid.

that the Caliph had refused

sidies

him the

military sub"

which he had accorded to

his brother.

Who

are you," said Alraschid, angrily, "to judge of my acts ? Thy son has a peaceable province, while

Abdallah has one

in a state of war,

wherein he has
fear that fear that

more need of troops and money. I have no Abdallah will harm your son but I greatly
;

your son
for

be a source of danger to him." The state of the Caliph's health when he set out
will

necessary for the respective partisans of the two young princes to be on the alert, and the two parties were only awaiting the sovereign's
it

Khorassan made

decease to open the game.

wait.

They had

not long to

Alraschid had not proceeded far upon his way when he said to his aide-de-camp, Es Sabah et Tabari, " I do not think you will see me much longer, for you

do not know what I feel !" Es Sabah tried to reassure him, but he turned aside to rest beneath a tree, and
bade
his attendants leave him.

Then he uncovered
silk
"

himself,

and showed
"

his

companion a
dare not
let

bandage
I suffer,"

with which he had bound himself about.

said he,
terribly
;

anyone know it, for all about me are spies from one or other of my sons. Mesrur watches me on the part of El Mamun, and Gabriel ibn Bakhtishou on the part of
but
I

El

Emm, and
breaths,

there

is

not one that does not count

I

my

and measure the time

have to

live.

To

The
prove

End

approaches.

121

this to you, I will call for a horse,

and you

will

a sorry jade to make me worse but do not speak of this again." Es Sabah uttered a prayer that the Caliph's life might be
see that they will bring
;

me

spared but when the horse was brought, it turned out exactly as the Caliph had foretold. The latter merely gave one look at Es Sabah, and mounted
;

without a word.

This anecdote shows plainly

after
all,

how

miserable were,

the latter days of the great and glorious

Alraschid.

Intoxicated with selfishness and inordi-

nate pride, he had destroyed his best friends, alienated the affection of his kinsmen, and had instilled fear
rather than love into the hearts of his subjects.

He

knew

that his two sons were watching eagerly for

his death,

ready to rend each other like two dogs

;

and the mighty Caliph, whose nod could shake an empire, dared not reveal even to his own physician the painful malady from which he was suffering, or ask his attendants for another and a
over his inheritance
better horse.

expedition the Caliph never ceased to complain of his ministers, and, in spite of himself, to show how much he missed the clear counsels and the

During

this

prompt action of the Barmecides.

After crossing the heights of Hulwan, he halted
at

Kermanshah and harangued

"
he,

his troops.

"

There

have been troubles," said

both

in the

East and

122

Haroun
The West
is

Alraschid.

West.

now

quieted,

and

I shall

know
his

how

to quiet the East also, although

Yahya and
aid."

sons are no more with

me

to lend
his

me

He was

accompanied by

new

Vizier, El

Fadhl

ibn er Rabi'a.

This man's father had been Vizier to El Mehdi, Haroun's father, and he himself had continued to
during the short reign of El Hadi. On Haroun's accession to the throne, he was superseded by Yahya the Barmecide. He had, moreover, been
hold
office

treated with uniform contumely

family,

by Yahya and
little

all his

and had therefore but

cause to love

them,

On

the destruction of the Barmecides, he was

appointed

Prime

Minister,
party.

and recognised as the

leader of the

Arab

On
Caliph

his arrival in the

still

neighbourhood of Tus, the endeavoured to conceal his weakness and

he grew at length so prostrate that he was obliged to be carried by his attendants. His condition made a great commotion among all ranks
fatigue, but

of his army, perceiving which, Haroun insisted upon attempting to ride, that the soldiers might see him

and regain confidence.

to

mount
ass,

first

Having unsuccessfully tried a charger, then a hack, and afterwards

"

an

he cried out,

Take me

back, take

me back

By

Allah, the

men

are right!"

Gabriel ibn Bakhtishou, his physician, tells us that one day he came in to the Caliph while the latter

Haroun's Presentiment of
was
at

his Death.

123

Rakka, and found him quite prostrate, and Being scarcely able to open his eyes or to move.
asked the cause of his
illness,

Haroun

related

vision he

upon his which he recognised, but whose owner's name he had forgotten, protruded itself from under his bed,
;

had had that night, which weighed terribly he fancied that an arm and hand, spirits

and showed him some red

'

earth, while the voice of

some unseen person cried, This is the soil of the land Haroun asked the in which you will be buried.' name of the country, and was told, 'Tus/ Gabriel endeavoured to assure him that it was nothing but a dream arising from a disordered stomach, and from
too

much pondering upon

the revolted state of that

part of his dominions, and ordered the Caliph rest

and recreation, which soon dispelled

all

recollection

of the unpleasant incident. But it was in the red earth of Tus that the Caliph

was to be buried.
village in Tus,

While engaged on this expedition against Raff ibn Leith, Haroun, halting one day at a
suddenly staggered to his feet in great His wives excitement, but was unable to stand. and attendants crowding round, he said to Bakhtishou,
"

Do you remember my

vision about

Tus

at

Rakka

?"

Then

slightly raising his head,

he looked at Mesrur,

and bade him bring him some of the earth of the garden in which he was encamped. Mesrur returned
with a
little

of the garden soil in his open palm,

and

124
held

Haroun
it

Alraschid.

out to Alraschid,

who

shrieked out, " This

in

is

the hand
is

and arm

saw

my

dream, and

this

the

self-same

red

earth!"

and

gave way

to

uncontrollable emotion, weeping and sobbing like a

child.

While

in this pitiful condition, Bashir,

brother of

the rebel leader, Raff, was brought a prisoner into the camp. Alraschid ordered him to be brought into
his presence.
"

If I

had no more time

suffice to

left

me

to live," said he,

lips,
I

"than would
kill

move my

would say

him!"
for a butcher,

he caused the prisoner to be hacked to pieces, limb from limb, alive, before
his eyes.

Then sending

When

the horrible sentence

was executed, the

Caliph fainted away. This was the last public act of the "good Haroun Alraschid!"

On coming

to himself, he
nigh,
in the

knew
house

that his last hour

his attendants

was quickly drawing dig a grave for him

and bade
in

which he was

then staying, and sent for a number of readers, who intoned the whole of the Koran in his presence, all
the dying Caliph lying in the meantime in a sort of litter on the brink of his own grave.
reciting together different chapters
;

After one of the fainting

fits

that

immediately

Death of Haroun Alraschid.

125

preceded his death, he opened his eyes, and, looking towards his vizier, he said, " O Fadhl
!

"And

has the time

all

dreaded come

at last?
;

Ay,

men's eyes are staring

now on me
be
!

Those
I

pity

me who

envied in times past.

;

Let us be patient

what

will be, will

weep for friends I loved in times of yore, For fleeting joys that come again no more
his
last

!"

During
blanket,

moments, he called

for a thick

and

insisted

upon

Sahl

ibn

Said,

the

him, being covered with it. Presently a paroxysm of pain supervened, and Sahl jumped up but the Caliph bade him lie

attendant

who was watching by

;

down
him.

again,

and would not allow him

to wait

upon

Presently he called out, "Where are you, " Sahl ?" The other answered, Here but though I
;

am

reclining,

my

heart will not let

is

me

rest while the

Prince of the Faithful

"

suffering so much."
"

At

this

Alraschid burst out into a hearty laugh

he,

Sahl," said

remember
'

in a

moment

like this

what the poet

has said

Descended from a race so

I firmly

great,
'

bear the hardest

effort,

fate.'

This was his

breathed his
vizier,

last
in

and shortly

after,

he

last

Mesrur,

his

the presence of El Fadhl, his chief executioner and constant

attendant, and one or two other

members of

his court.

126

Haroun
last

Alraschid.

Haroun's
should

instructions

were
all

that

the vizier

money

the troops and which were with him, in order that he might

make

over to

Mamun

effectually repress the rebellion in

Khorassan, and

take peaceable possession of his share of the empire. The minister, however, had the interests of his own

party too much at heart, and, as soon as Haroun Alraschid was buried, he marched hastily back to

paying no heed to the remonstrances of Mamun, who sent an envoy to stop

Bagdad

to join

Emm,

him.

was furious at this defection of Fadhl ibn er Rabi, and he had at his side Fadhl ibn Sahl, whose devotion to the Persian cause was only
equalled by his hatred to his namesake, Emm's vizier. This man pointed out to his master that he must

Mamun

prepare for a decisive struggle, and that his brother had, by his minister's act in depriving him of his

aimed a blow at his succession to that part of the inheritance which his father had left him. He also reminded him of the powerful influence
troops, really

which Persia had exercised

Abbasides to power
fine,

in

the elevation of the

days, and, in

in

Abu Moslem's

urged him to strengthen his position by conciliating the Persian people, and then to aim at
grasping the whole and undivided sovereignty for
himself.

To

this advice

Mamun

gave a not unwilling

ear.

Hostilities between

Emtn and Mamun.

127

peace with the Khorassan rebels, and endeavoured by every means in his power to He was, ingratiate himself with his new subjects.
however, astute enough not to break openly with his brother, but to wait until the latter should commit

He made

some overt

act of hostility towards him, which would

make

action on his part

seem to be simply

in

the

interests of justice

and

his

own

self-defence.

He had
ibn Rabi,

not long to wait.

Urged on by El Fadhl
infant

Emfn

first

set aside the succession to the

in

Caliphate of

Mamun

favour of his

son

Mousa, next ordered the omission of Mamun's name and finally sent a in the public Friday prayer
;

mission to

Mamun demanding
This
last

the cession of three of

refused point

his provinces.

demand was

blank, and war was then rendered inevitable.

Emin, stimulated by the blindly fanatical partisanship of his vizier, released Ali 'bn Isa from prison,
placed him at the head of the army, and conferred upon him the governorship of Khorassan, which he was to take possession of on his obtaining the victory over Mamun. This appointment was the only thing

wanting to consolidate the power of the latter for the Persians who were on his side not only had their old
;

grudge against the Arabs to revenge, but they found themselves once more threatened with the tyranny of
a man, to get rid of whose exactions they had spent their very life's blood. Meantime, an immense force

128

Haroun
All's

Alraschid.

Zobeideh, Emm's mother, presented the general with a set of silver chains with which to bring back Mamun captive

was placed under

command

and

accompanied the army miles of their march from Bagdad.

It
is

Emm

for the first eight

not

my
;

intention

to enter into a detailed

this contest
is

account of the

civil

war of which
it

the

opening scene
struggle

suffice

to say, that after a briei

Mamun

and taken, and

of

Emm

triumphed, Bagdad was besieged himself captured and slain.

left

Haroun Alraschid

behind him an immense sum

(according to some authorities, no less than 900 millions dinars 400 millions sterling!), besides lands and slaves, in all an extraordinary treasure,

money

considering
expenditure.

his

lavish

generosity

and

unlimited

This wealth, only to be compared with the accumulations of

to

some of the Byzantine emperors, enables us form some idea of the enormous sums that came
This money was not always

into the imperial coffers.

honestly come by. Not only did the provinces suffer such severe exactions that one or other of them was

always in a state of insurrection, but his generals and lieutenant-governors were frequently forced to give

up their hoards, and the property of private individuals was often not respected.
instance of the Caliph's high-handed proceedings in this respect, we may quote the case of

As an

Victims of Alraschid's Jealousy.

129

Mohammed, son of Suleiman, who died at Basrah in A.D. 789.

a cousin of Mansuty

Immediately on his decease, Alraschid sent to confiscate the enormous property which he had left
behind
him.

thought

agents seized on what they suitable for the Caliph, including sixty
;

The

and Haroun, on receiving this vast large presents to his boon companions and musicians, and laid up the remainder in
millions in

money amount, made

his treasury.

The
to

pretext of which Alraschid

latter's brother,

availed himself

confiscate

Mohammed's property was

Jaafer ibn Suleiman.

afforded

by the

He had

calumniated the deceased through envy, and had assured the Caliph that he had not an estate or any
property that he had not mortgaged for more than its value to procure funds to assist him in his designs on the Caliphate, and declared that under these
circumstances the

Commander

of the Faithful would

appropriating it. Alraschid kept all Jaafer ibn Suleiman's letters, and when Mohammed died, and Jaafer, who was the only uterine brother he

be justified

in

had, would have inherited

all

this

wealth,

Haroun

adduced
property.

his

own

letters against

him, and seized the

Another victim of Alraschid's jealousy was Mousa

ibn
Jaafer,

lineal

descendant

of

Fatima,

the

Prophet's daughter.

One

of Mousa's kinsfolk,

who

30

Haroun

Alraschid.

had an enmity against him, reported to Alraschid that people used to pay him, Mousa, a fifth of their property, looking upon him as the legitimate Imam. He further
declared that
tion.

Mousa was contemplating an

tales,

insurrec-

These

repeatedly brought to Alraschid,

made a profound impression on him, and caused him deep anxiety. The informer was rewarded with a large sum of money, the payment of
at length

which was charged upon the provincial revenues.

however, live to enjoy the fruits of his treachery, but was presently seized with a violent illness, of which he died. Sudden and fatal
illnesses

The

traitor did not,

were not

uncommon

with

those

whose

presence caused the Caliphs any anxiety. The first ostensible cause of Alraschid's resentment
against Mousa was that, being on a pilgrimage to the sacred cities, he went to Medina, and on entering the
shrine where the Prophet
is

buried, he said,

"

Peace
!"

be upon thee,

apostle

of God,

O my
of

cousin

adding the

last

words

by way

superiority over those

Upon

this,

who Mousa, who was

"

boasting stood round him.

also

his

present, then

Peace be on thee, O my father !" in allusion to his own lineal descent from the Prophet through his daughter Fatima.

advanced and

said,

Haroun's face changed, and he said, " This is a very strong boast, O Mousa!" After this he took Mousa with him to Irak, and threw him int

At

this

Imprisonment of Abd

el

Melik ibn

Salih.

Here he was subseprison in the house of Es Sindi. quently put to death by order of the Caliph. This was done secretly, for fear of the effect which it might
have upon the public, with whom Mousa was a great favourite, both on account of his personal character

and of

his direct descent

from Ali.

In order to avoid
to

scandal, a jury of notables

was impanelled

examine

into the causes of the death.

They

testified that the

prisoner had died a natural death. Abd el Melik ibn Salih, a member of the house of

Abbas, and therefore a near kinsman of the Caliph, also fell under the royal displeasure. He had a son

named Abd

er

Rahman,

after

whom

he was

called,

according to a prevalent Moslem custom, Abu (or This unnatural son confather of) Abd er Rahman.
spired with one Camamah, a secretary, to persuade Haroun that his father was harbouring designs upon

He was accordingly arrested, and Caliphate. confined in the house of Rabi ibn Fadhl, the vizier.
the

One day Haroun

him

sent for the prisoner, and taunted with base ingratitude, and with having repaid the

favours and honours which had been heaped on him " with treacherous designs against his master. No,

Prince of the
"

Faithful,"
so, I

answered

Abd
made
!

el

Melik.

Had
as
it

done

should have been

to repent

would have been lawful to take revenge on are the viceme. You, O Prince of the Faithful It is our gerent of God's Prophet over His people.
it,

132

Haroun

A Iraschid.
;

duty to obey you, and to give you good advice

it

and

is

your duty to the people to rule them justly and

faults."

pardon their
"

" Ah," said Alraschid, you are humble with your tongue and ambitious with your mind here is your
;

secretary,

Camamah, who
said

testifies to

your treachery."
surely

"Nay,"
nothing

Abd

el

Melik, "he cannot

traduce and calumniate

of."

me

about what he knows

then brought up, and Alraschid bade him speak without fear or hesitation, whereupon he declared that Abd el Melik was meditating
treachery and rebellion against the Caliph.

Camamah was

wonder," cried Abd el Melik, "that he has told lies behind my back, for he is calumniating me
to

"No

my
"

very face
is
;

"
!

There

your son

Abd

er

Rahman

too,"

said

Alraschid

your ambitious projects. If I wished to convict you, I could not have better testimony than these two."
will testify to

"he

answered the prisoner, " he is either acting under orders, or he is a rebellious child. If he is acting under orders, there is some excuse for him and if he is rebellious, then he is an ungrateful

"

As

for

my

son,"

scoundrel

persons wives and children ye have enemies, so beware of them."

God Himself warns us against such when He says, 'And amongst your very
;

Abd
On
case
this
is

el

Melik before the Cahph.

133

Alraschid jumped up and cried out, " Your as clear as day, but I will not act hastily.

God
"
I

shall

judge between us

!"

for

am content,'" said Abd el Melik, " to have God my judge, and the Prince of the Faithful to

execute His judgment, assured that he will not prefer his own wrath to his Lord's commands."

On
words
:

another

occasion

the

Caliph
in

sent

for

his

prisoner,

and

addressed

him

the

following

" I desire that he should live, but he desires that I should

die;

Beware of those who seem thy

intentions
lie.

friends

'tis

there that base

By Allah, methinks
its

lowering cloud

see the rain of blood falling with already the threatening lightning
;

flashes before
left

my

eyes

and as the storm

ceases, I see

on
!

the

ground

wristless

hands and

neckless
!

But gently, gently, ye sons of Hashim I have smoothed your difficulties and cleared your
heads

muddy

stream, and the reins of circumstances are in

;

your hands
"

but beware, beware before a crisis comes that shall cause hands to fail and feet to fall!"

Nay," said

Abd

el
!

Melik,
in the

"

fear God,

O Com-

mander of the

whom He

matter of His subjects hath entrusted to your care. Do not show

Faithful

ingratitude in place of thanks, nor punishment where reward is due. I have always given you sincere

134
advice
I

Haroun
;

Alraschit

have shown unreserved obedience to you; I have propped up your empire where it showed signs
of weakness with supports as firm as
I

have given your enemies plenty help me, and commend my life to your mercy, which you may not withdraw after having once shown it, and

Mount Yelemlim; God to think of.

mere suspicion, which the Scriptures say is a sin, or for some rebel who gnaws flesh, by Allah and laps blood. By Allah I have smoothed your difficulties, and made your affairs easy. I have made all men'sHow many a whole hearts content to obey you.
all for
! !

night have I spent working for you a strait have I stood up for you !"

in

how many

To

this
"

burst

of eloquent appeal
!

Haroun only
honour of
!"

replied,

By Allah
Hashem,
time
I

if it

were not
off

for the

the Beni

would cut

your head

with

which speech he sent him back to prison.

A short
another

after,

member
in

however, at the intercession of of his family, the despot consented

to relax the rigour of his treatment.

Abd

el

Melik

remained

when

Emm

confinement until the death of Alraschid, released him from prison, and gave him

the government of Syria. Out of gratitude to his liberator, he took a solemn

oath that, if would never

were killed during his lifetime, he own allegiance to Mamun he died, how;

Emm

ever, before his master.

On

one occasion Alraschid said to

Abd

el

Meli

Alraschid threatens Yahya.

"

135
"

You

are not descended from Salih at

he.
"

all."

From

whom, then?" asked

the Caliph.
in

"From Merwan,"
I

replied

" Well," was the answer, which blood of two such thoroughbred

do not care

sires prevails

my
to

veins

!" fall

After the

of the Barmecides, Haroun sent one

day him

Yahya

in his

and promised to reinstate former position if he would tell him the

in his prison,

truth about

Abd

el
"

Yahya

replied,

Melik's rebellious projects. By heaven, I never noticed any;

thing of the kind in Abd el Melik but if I had, I should have stood between him and you, for your

kingdom and authority were mine, and all my proshow, perity or adversity depended upon your own
;

then,

is it

likely that

Abd

to

me

to help

him

Melik would have applied If you have treated me as you

el

have done, do you not think that he would in that case have treated me worse ? For God's sake, do

saw only that he was a fit and proper person, such as I was glad to find amongst your own family, and I therefore gave him his appointment, and was well satisfied with his conduct. It was only his education, and the
not suspect
of such a conspiracy.
I

me

dignity with which he supported his position, which inclined me so in his favour."

received this reply, he sent back the messenger with the brutal threat that, if Yahya did not confess the truth, he would kill his son, El Fadhl.

When Haroun

136

Haroun

Alraschid.
"

Yahya merely
have us
in

replied, with his usual dignity,

your power; do as you please!" messenger, on hearing this, told El Fadhl, and an affecting but stoical parting took place between father and son. " Are you pleased with me, father ?" " Yes;

You The

may God
away
as

be the same!"
if

El Fadhl was then led

as

for

execution, but

the

Caliph was

utterly unable to find anything against

Yahya, he was

allowed to rejoin the latter after three days. The lady Zobeideh, Haroun's cousin and favourite

no way behind her husband in either She retained a hundred slave piety or magnificence. girls, who knew the Koran by heart, and whose only
wife,

was

in

business was to intone

it

each of these repeated a

tenth of the book every day, so that the palace in which she resided was filled like a hornet's nest with

a continual humming. It was through her munificence that the holy city of Mecca was for the first time properly supplied

with

water,

which

was

before

extremely

scarce,

especially at the time of the great annual pilgrimages,

when a
dinar.

single waterskinful often cost as

much

as a

She

also caused wells to be

sunk along the

roads leading to the city, and caravanserais to be built for the accommodation of the pilgrims.
a most magnificent scale her meals were always served upon gold and silver plate, instead of the simple Arab sufrah,
;

Her household was conducted on

Haroun Alraschid's
or

Character.

137

vogue before her and the time, even with persons of the highest rank litters in which she was borne abroad were constructed of ebony and sandal-wood, richly carved and
leathern
tray,
in
;

which was

ornamented with

silver.

She

also organised a body-

guard of slave girls, attired as pages, who attended her wherever she went and the fashion she thus set
;

was followed by Bagdad.

all

the rich

men and

exquisites of

In judging of Haroun's character, we must not merely adopt the modern standard of virtue, but

must take
time.
Carlos,

into account the political opinions of the

He
in

believed,
his

more than any Chambord or

right
;

was he not the successor of the Apostle of God, and His vicegerent
divine
for

upon earth

He

thought, and

all

agreed with him, that he had

a perfect right to put any suspected person to death,

for to question

his authority

was

to rebel against

Islam

itself,

and

incur

the

dreaded

charge

of

infidelity.

Jaafer himself probably never disputed Haroun's right to put him to death, and certainly no one else would do so, however much the people generally

might lament the sentence, or in their own minds doubt the propriety of its execution.
I

have

known

the previous pages related all that is from authentic sources of Haroun Alraschid's
in

138

aroun Alraschid.
Hitherto

public and political career. him very unlike the merry

we have found

Nights, but

it

monarch of the Arabian must be remembered that he is there

depicted only under circumstances wherein he was subjected to the genial influence of his companions
the Barmecides, and

when

free

from the cares and

responsibilities of state.

now, by relating some of the anecdotes concerning him, with which Eastern writings abound, endeavour to throw some Hght upon his private life.
I will

CHAPTER

V.

THE CALIPH OF THE LEGEND.

rPHE name of Haroun Alraschid is so associated with the Arabian NigJtts, that it is to that work

we

naturally

turn for the lighter incidents

is,

in

his

career.

The book

however, somewhat disappoint-

ing in this respect to the English reader, at least partly, because the Caliph there plays a quite subordinate part, his adventures forming a mere setting to

measure owing to the fact that so many of the anecdotes connected with him depend for their point either on some untranslateable verbal quibble or more than equivocal joke.
the other stories
;

this is in great

The

old-fashioned

edition,
is

made from

Galland's
read, does

French version, which

most generally

not give a very good idea of the original, nor does a picture of Oriental life as it present so faithful
the

more recent
too,

translation

by Lane.
It

Some
shock

of the

stories,

are interpolated.

will

many

people, for instance, to learn that two of the most

favourite tales,

"Aladdin and the Wonderful

Lamp"

140

aroun

A Iraschid.
latter I

and

"

Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves," are not in the

have myself found current under a slightly different form among the Bedawin of Sinai, but it is doubtful whether
original Arabic text.
"

The

Aladdin

"

is

depicted in town but many of the stones contained in the book

;

an Eastern story at all. The life as the Arabian Nights is that of an Arab

are

evidently borrowed Persian sources.

I

from

other

and

probably

need not reproduce any of these old familiar tales

in full, especially as

most of them are pure

fiction,

or

at least old stones with

in

Haroun Alraschid's

nightly

wanderings Bagdad used as a setting. In that of " " the Ladies of Bagdad," and the Porter," the
"

Three Calendars," the Caliph merely plays the part

of a listener to the narratives of the others, and,

by

way of rounding

off the story, assists^at the denouement,

and marries one of the principal

or rather series of tales,
is

actresses.

This

tale,

simply one of enchantment, and at the end the Caliph himself has an interview
with a jinnlyehy or "controlling
the
faith.

who, being a Mohammedan, salutes him as the spiritual head of

spirit,"

Fairy stories are of course as common in the East as in Europe, but the supernatural element is somewhat different. The Persian Peri and the English
Fairy are one and the same, so far as the etymology of the word goes but the fallen angel of Persian
;

Arab
fable,
is

Superstitions.

141

always yearning for the Paradise she has lost, quite a different being from the little elf of
In

Northern superstition.
terious agent
is

Arab

folk-lore the

mys-

Jinn i.e., a monstrous being with superhuman powers, created out of fire instead of earth, but otherwise resembling man or else it is
either a

an Afreet,

an embodiment of

all

that

is

fierce,

grotesque, and horrible, but often posssesing a rude and mischievous sense of fun, like our own English

Other superstitious creations the Arabs have for example, the Hdmah or Sadd, that is, the unquiet ghost of a murdered man issuing from the head of
Puck.
the corpse, and crying for vengeance the Ghoul, a mixture of cannibal and vampire, familiar to the
;

readers of the Arabian Nights ; and the mythical creature consisting only of the front longitudinal half

so firmly believed in that many authors gravely assert that the people of Yemen hunt them and use them for food. Witches
section
t)f

human

being, which

is

and wizards, who obtain control of these supernatural powers, are of course common enough in Arabian
stories,

the great source of

all

magical schools being

a certain pit at Babylon, where the two fallen angels -Harut and Marut are suspended by the heels
until the

of Judgment, but are always willing to impart a knowledge of sorcery to anyone who will consult them.

Day

The

tale of the three apples,

where a fisherman,

142

Haroun

Alraschid.

" for the Caliph's luck," brings up casting in his net the dead body of a young woman, and Haroun

threatens Jaafer with crucifixion unless he discovers the murderer, may relate to an incident which actually

happened, but has little personal connection with the subject of our history.
story of Nooreddin and Enees el Jelees, or, as the older version has it, the Fair Persian, is another
in

The

which Haroun Alraschid

figures.

While on

his

barge upon the Tigris, he notices with surprise that the grand saloon of one of his own pleasure palaces
is

brilliantly

lighted

up.

Going there

secretly

to

ascertain the cause, he finds the keeper of the palace,

Sheikh hitherto renowned for his learning and piety, indulging in a drunken orgie with a young
a

man and

his slave girl,

who were

flying

from the

vengeance of the local governor. Climbing up a tree with Jaafer to watch them, the Caliph sees the Sheikh
the private instrument of the and hand it to the girl. " By favourite court singer Allah!" said he to Jaafer, "if she sing not well, I

Ibrahim bring a lute

you all but if she sing well, I will pardon them and crucify thee." To this reassuring
will

crucify

" O Allah let her not sing speech Jaafer replied, well!" "Why?" asked the Caliph. "That thou
!

" and then we of us," said Jaafer, can console each other!" The damsel, however, sang

mayest crucify

all

and played

in so

enchanting a manner that Haroun's

Anecdotes from the "Arabian Nights!' 143

wrath was appeased, and he desired to join them This he effected by borrowing the clothes incognito. of a fisherman who was poaching in the grounds, and,
introducing himself to the Sheikh and his companions, sold them some fish, which he cooked with his own

How the hands, and was invited to join the party. young man turns out to be the son of the late Vizier of
the Sultan of Basra, and after
tures,
in

many subsequent adven-

the course of which he narrowly escapes falling a victim to the machinations of his rival, and ultimately lives happily with his slave girl in Haroun's
service,

the

reader will find told at length in the

incidents

Arabian Nights. Other well-known

are

in

the same work

The False Caliph," who took story of advantage of Haroun's well-known penchant for
the

"

incognito nocturnal rambles to personate him and amuse himself in a state barge on the Tigris, and

was at length discomfited by falling in with the monarch himself in disguise; and the story of " The
Sleeper

Awakened"
is

language), which

(found in almost every known identical with that of Shakspere's

the prologue to "
are

Christopher Sly the Shrew."

in

The Taming
related

of

Two

anecdotes which

elsewhere

of

Haroun's justice and sagacity sound somewhat strange A pieman was convicted before to a Christian ear.

him of making

his pies of

meat

unfit for

human

food,

144

Haroun

Alraschid.

and was sentenced to have his ear nailed to the doorpost of his shop, and all his pies thrown outside the
city gates.

baker

also,

who had been

own

detected in

adulterating his bread and giving short weight, was

condemned
his

to be burnt alive in his

oven, and

shop was razed to the ground. Jaafer, the Vizier, ventured afterwards to remonstrate with the Caliph " I have perhaps upon the severity of the sentence.
been a
little

too

hasty? said Haroun

and ordered

Jaafer to prepare some new police regulations for the control of the tradesmen of the city.

The
life

Oriental notion of a monarch's right over the

On one of a subject is somewhat startling. occasion a Jew astrologer had predicted that the Caliph Haroun Alraschid would die within the year,
and the Sovereign was much exercised about the At last prophecy, and refused to be comforted. Yahya, his Vizier and Jaafer's father, undertook to Sending for the Jew, he asked quiet the royal mind.

him how long he (the astrologer himself) would live. The Jew replied that his art told him that he would
" Will the Commander of the reach a ripe old age. Faithful order him to be immediately executed?" asked Yahya. " Oh certainly," said the Caliph
!

and the wretched man's head was struck

and
there.
"

off then

the fellow's
torians

Your Majesty now sees the value of and the hispredictions," said Yahya
;

who

narrate the event seem to think

it

not

Harouns Nocturnal Rambles.

145

only a smart thing on the minister's part, but a really humane and laudable action. For all that, Oriental

an important part of their functions to impress a sense of duty on their sovereigns, and an apposite story was often found a convenient
moralists
it

deemed

method of conveying advice which, if offered too directly, might have cost the Mentor his head. Haroun Alraschid suffered much from sleeplessness, and, to divert himself, would either walk incognito
through the streets of Bagdad, accompanied by his trusty companions, Jaafer and Mesrur, or he would
recline

and

listen to

amusing stones or sentimental

poetry.

This furnishes really the motive for a great

part of the tales of the A rabian Nights, many of the histories there related being told to soothe the Caliph
in his restless

moods.

" During one of these fits, he said to Jaafer, I am sleepless to-night, and my heart is contracted, and I

know not what

to do."

On

this,

Mesrur,

who was

standing by, burst out laughing, and Haroun sharply " Dost thou laugh at me, or art thou mad ?" asked,

"No, by Allah!
said the eunuch
;

O Commander
"
I

of the Faithful!"
to the Chief
It

by thy relationship
could

of the Apostles,

not help

it.

was the

sudden recollection of a man, named Ibn el Karibee, whom I saw yesterday amusing a crowd on the banks
of the Tigris, which

made me

laugh, for which

"

humbly beg your Majesty's pardon."

K

Bring him

Ha roun A Irasch id.

here at once," said Alraschid
;

and Mesrur, having

;

found the wag, brought him to the palace but, before admitting him, bargained with him that he
should give him two-thirds of whatever he might receive from the Caliph. To this Ibn el Karibee

agreed after much wrangling, and ushered into the imperial presence.

the

two were

After the usual ceremonious greeting, the Caliph " If you do not make me laugh, I will beat you said,
three times with this leathern bag," pointing to one which lay beside him. The fellow, who was not

without experience of correction from more formidable-looking instruments having, indeed, more than

once brought himself into personal communication with the bastinado thought but little of three blows
with a leathern bag, and put forth
to divert the to
all

his strength

make

Sovereign, uttering drolleries enough a melancholy madman laugh but not a

;

muscle of the Caliph's face was seen to move.

said the

"

Now,"

Commander

of the

"

Faithful,

you have

deserved the beating;" and, taking up the leathern bag, struck the jester one blow therewith, eliciting a
howl, for the bag was filled with large pebbles, and caused no trifling pain. Begging for a moment's
respite,

he told

Haroun of the bargain

between

himself and Mesrur, and begged that the two remaining blows might be given to the eunuch as his share,

according to agreement.

Mesrur was then called

in,

Abu Nawwds.
and on receiving the
first
!

147
"

instalment cried out,

is

Prince of the Faithful

the third
"

enough

for

me,

This restored the Caliph's give him the two-thirds good temper, and, laughing heartily, he rewarded them both. Many of the smaller anecdotes in the Arabian Nights and the works of the native chroniclers, though often humorous in the extreme, it is
!

impossible to quote they exhibit the great personages of the Court in a very unfavourable light,
;

and the morality of Alraschid and his satellites would appear to have been exceptionally low, even
for these licentious

times.

At

the

same

time,

we

must make allowance

licensed jester,

for the fact that

Abu Nawwds,

the hero or narrator of most of the stories, was a

probability often grossly exaggerated the accounts given him, either by the Caliph himself or the attendants, of incidents
in
all

and

occurring in the Imperial harem. The stories told of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid

and Abu Nawwas are innumerable. One is, that the two were disputing one day as to the truth of an

axiom laid down by Abu Nawwas, that " an excuse was often worse than the crime," and the poet offered to convince the monarch of it before the night was The Caliph, with a grim humour peculiarly over.
his

own, promised to take off the jester's head if he After a failed to do so, and went out in a rage.

48

Haroun
Haroun came
in a

A Iraschid.
somewhat
surly temper to

while,
his

harem, and the first thing that greeted him was a kiss from a rough-bearded face. On calling out violently for a light and an executioner, he found
that his assailant
"

was

Abu Nawwas

himself.

What on
conduct
"

earth,

you scoundrel, do you mean by

"
I

this

?"

asked the enraged Sovereign.

it

beg

your Majesty's most humble pardon," said

was,
"
I

Abu Naw-

was your Majesty's favourite wife." What !" shrieked Haroun "why, the excuse is worse than the crime." " Just what I promised to prove to
thought
;

3^our

Majesty," replied Abu Nawwas, and retired, closely followed by one of the Imperial slippers. Another incident in which Abu Nawwas worsted

his

Royal master

is

the following

seated in his divdn, with his

The Caliph was nudamd or equerries,

:

around him, intent upon an evening's amusement. Abu Nawwas, however, had not arrived, and the
Caliph devised a clever plan for punishing him for

arranged a game at forfeits, in which the rule was to be that every one who did exactly as
being
late.

He

he did should receive a dinar

failed to

about half-a-sovereign

but anyone who keep up the game was to receive a dozen strokes of the bastinado. Haroun
then ordered
his

own

eggs, and, putting one under cushion, commanded his followers to do the
in

some

same, and they had scarcely completed their preparations

when the missing poet came

in.

The Caliph

Abu Nawwdss

Witticisms.

149

began the game, and having proposed to Abu Nawwas to join, began clucking like a hen, and produced an egg. Each of the courtiers did the same, and it

came

at last to

Abu

Navvwas's turn.
stare,

With

all

eyes

fixed on

him with a wicked

he stalked into the

middle of the room, flapped his arms against his sides, and crowed loudly " Cock-a-doodle doo," to indicate
that he alone

was cock of the walk.

is

Another ridiculous story

told of

Abu Nawwas,

that the Caliph once bought his beard of him for a sum of money down, and allowed him to keep it till
it

should be wanted.

The poet having subsequently

court,
"

done something to offend him before the whole

Mind your beard !" "Thank Allah!" said Abu Nawwas, "it is mine again, since the Commander of the Faithful says
Haroun
cried out warningly,

so

!"

This reminds us of the courtier who, having

inadvertently
tutoye

been

immediately put on his rage, demanded how he dared to take such a

"

by a King of Spain, The monarch, in a hat

liberty.
I

Sire,"

was the
I

Spain, or his so familiarly.

must be a grandee of reply, Majesty would not have addressed me

therefore stand

"

upon

my

privileges;"
for

and a patent of nobility was of course made out

him.

ready wit saved him on more than one occasion from more serious consequences than a
beating.

Abu Nawwas's
The

Caliph,

who was

himself

much addicted

150
to drinking

Ha roun A Irasch id.

and otherwise violating the precepts of the Koran, one day in a fit of virtuous indignation ordered Abu Nawwas to be executed then and there.
"

Are you going

to kill me," asked the poet,

"

out
;

"

of mere caprice?" "No," said Haroun Alraschid but because you deserve it." "But," pleaded the poor
"

fellow,

God Almighty

first calls

sinners to account,

How have I deserved and then pardons them. " For that verse of poetry of yours in which death ?"
you say
"
'

Oh, prithee, give wine

!

me

wine to drink, and

tell

me

it

is

Let

me have no
be mine."

concealment, when plain dealing

may

And do you know, O Commander of the Faithful," asked Abu Nawwas, " whether they gave me it, and " " I did drink ?" And I suspect so," said the Caliph. would you kill me on suspicion, when the Koran "You have written says, 'some suspicion is a sin'?"
" which deserve death. other things," said Haroun, That atheistic verse of yours, for instance "
'

"

'

None
If

has e'er
in

he

come back to tell Heaven or Hell doth dwell.'"

tell

"And
poet.

has anyone come back to " No," said the monarch.

kill

us?" asked the

;J
!

"

Then
truth

would not

me

for telling the

all this,"

surely you said Abu

Nawwas.
"

"

But, besides

continued Haroun,

was

it

not you

who wrote

those blasphemous lines

Abu Nawivds.
"
'

151

Mohammed,
storms

thou

to

whom we

look

when
the

trouble's

arise,
sir,

Come
" "
"

on,

for

we twain could beat

Monarch

of

the Skies.'"

Well," asked
I

Abu

don't

know

Nawvvas, meekly, and did we ?" what you did," answered the Caliph.

"

Then

you

surely your Majesty will not kill me for what " don't know." Cease this nonsense," said Haroun
"

Alraschid, getting impatient.

You have

over and

over again in your poetry confessed to things for " which you deserve death." God knew all about
those things," said

Majesty

did,

Abu Nawwas, " long before your and He said in the Koran, Those poets
*

by their familiar demons. Seest thou not how they wander in every valley, and how they say " Let the fellow go," things which they never do !' " there 's no catching him any way." said Haroun How useful it was to cultivate repartee and ready
are followed
'

wit the following incident will testify. An officer named Hamid et Tusi one day incurred the anger of the Caliph, who immediately ordered the sword and

Hamid began to beheading tray to be brought. weep, and Alraschid asked him "what he was
"

weeping
"

for.

"

for that is the

am not afraid of death," said he, common lot but I am distressed

I
;

at being obliged to leave the world while the

Com-

mander

of the Faithful

is

angry with me."

Haroun

laughed, and spared his

life.

152

Haroun
tells

Alraschid.

Haroun Alraschid once praised a song of Ishak's, and ordered a sum of money to be given him at the same time. The
El Asmai
us
that
" Commander of the Faithful your singer said, words of praise are more eloquent than my song

why,

then, shall

take the reward ?"

For

this

com;

pliment the Caliph made him an additional present and El Asmai writes " Then I knew that Ishak was

more clever was!"

at

money-hunting than even

characteristic

myself

An

anecdote,
a"

of

the
in

time,

and
the

affording

hint as to the
his

manner

which Haroun
is

Alraschid
following.

amassed
Sufyan

enormous

wealth,

ibn

Oyainah, the

chief juris-

consult of the city, and a well the "Traditions," once came

known
into

authority for the Caliph's

presence in

company with

a certain ascetic,

named

El Fadhail.
latter

When

they entered the apartment, the

asked which was the Caliph, and on his being " O thou pointed out to him, addressed him thus
with the handsome face
!

art thou

he whose hand

governs this people, and who has taken such a Truly thou hast responsibility on his shoulders ? taken on thyself a heavy burden." On hearing this,
Alraschid shed tears, and ordered a purse of money El Fadhail refused to accept to be given to each. the gift, although the monarch urged that if he did
not require
it

for

himself he might expend

it

in

The Traditions.
charity.
refusal,
"

5 3

When

reproached

he seized his

by the Cadi for his companion by the beard, and

said
city,

can you, the chief jurisconsult of the make so great a blunder? Had these people
Caliph
it

How

(the

and

his

officers)
"

gained
for

the

money

lawfully,
it."

would have been lawful

Traditions

me

to accept

The

"

alluded to are the Hadith, or

sayings attributed to Mohammed, which form, as the Talmud does to the Pentateuch, a sort of appendix to the Koran, and supply a code of laws by which

almost every act of life has no authority unless

is
it

regulated.

But a hadith

can be traced directly to

Mohammed
to give
it

through various trustworthy persons, and the proper sanction the name of each of the

must be mentioned. Thus, if a scrupulous Moslem asks a traditionist whether it be lawful to kill a wasp while he is on a pilgrimage, at which time he
narrators
is

forbidden to

kill

to be sacrificed at

any living thing except the animal Mecca, the answer will be some-

" I have heard from the Rev. Dr. Z. thing like this that the Rev. Dr. Y. told him that he heard from X.,

who had it from till we come to

W.," and so on through the alphabet

Ali,

Mohammed's

"

cousin,

that he

heard the Prophet say that if the beast stung him he would smash it with his miswdk, or toothstick, which
the Prophet was very fond of using, and that, thereOne story fore, it must be lawful to kill the wasp." current about these folk is that a traditionist and a

154

Haroun

Alrasckid.

Christian were in a sailing boat together, and the Christian, not feeling well, produced a bottle of v/ine,

and, pouring out a glass, handed it to his Mohammedan companion before drinking himself. The traditionist

drank
his

smacking
innocently

up without reflecting, and asked, " A glass of wine," lips, what it was.
it

Moslem
as

replied the made a face

Christian

whereupon

the

Moslems never drink wine,

everybody knows, since it is forbidden by their law and asked him if he was sure it was really wine. " " I had it from a Jew wine Quite," said the other.

merchant;

my

servant bought

it

for

me."

a credulous fool you are," replied the traditionists have great discussions about the authority

"What Doctor; "we

of even such persons as Sufyan ibn

Oyainah and
a
it

Yezid ibn

Harun, and am I going to believe Christian on the authority of a slave who had " from a Jew ? Give me another glass
!

I its

by

that this system of tracing a legend to original narrator is extended to secular history thus the story of the quarrel the Arab writers

may add

between the Caliph's half-brother and

Ishak, related further on,
is

the singer told by the author of

the Kitdb el

and

singers),
it

Aghdni who had

(a
it

well-known work on poets direct from one Mohammed,

from his father Ahmed, who had it from his father Ishmael, who had it from his brother, the very Ishak who is the hero of the story. Nearly

who heard

The Chief Cadi.

155

every one of the anecdotes which are embodied in this chapter are thus vouched for, and may therefore

be taken as at any rate contemporary current stories;

while the distinctive characteristics of the various

personages concerned are so easily recognised in the different stones from different sources, that their
truth and genuineness are apparent. These gentry knew well how to turn their

know-

ledge to account by making their decisions suit the The chief wishes of their royal or noble patrons.
Cadi,

Abu

Yusuf, owed his introduction to Haroun

Alraschid and his subsequent eminence to this comHe had, by an ingenious application of plaisancy.
the law, relieved an officer of the Court from the con-

sequences of a perjury he had unwittingly committed, and the latter, finding the Caliph himself one day in
a
state

of mental perturbation,

recommended the

learned Sheikh as an infallible physician in cases of conscience, and Abu Yusuf was accordingly sent for.

While passing between the two rows of buildings which formed the Imperial apartments, he noticed a youth of distinguished appearance at one of the
windows, who, on catching his eye, made signals of distress to him, and appeared to implore his help. On being ushered into the Caliph's presence, the
latter abruptly

asked him whether an

Imam

that

is,

a spiritual leader was bound to punish anyone whom he had himself detected in flagrante delicto with the

156

Haroun

Alraschid.

flogging prescribed by law as a punishment for certain crimes. Abu Yusuf, shrewdly conjecturing
that the

young man whom he had seen might be

connected with the Caliph's family and with the " question submitted to him, promptly answered No ;"

whereupon Haroun threw himself on the ground and " But on what authority," returned thanks to Allah.

demanded he, " is your decision based ? " " Because we are told to reject the application of penalties in
cases of doubt,"
"

was the

"

reply.

How
own

can one doubt

"

what one has seen with

Alraschid.

one's

eyes
"
is

asked

Seeing," said
;

Abu

Yusuf,

not better

than knowing and even knowing of a crime is not of itself sufficient to authorise punishment without
the testimony of witnesses, which the law
besides,

demands

The sum
the

allowed to do justice to himself." Caliph's conscience was quieted, and a handsome of money from both the monarch and his son
is

no one

young man who had caught the Cadi's eyerewarded Abu Yusuf for his courtier-like interpre-

tation of the traditions.

another occasion, Haroun was, to his great joy, assured on clerical authority that he was certain of
entering Paradise, because he had once in his youth
resisted a strong temptation to
"

On

not the Koran say, But as for station of his Lord, and prohibited his soul " lust, verily Paradise is his resort
!

do wrong for does him who feared the

;

from

Abu
Abu Yusuf

Yusuf, ike Cadi.

157

kept up his reputation, and his legal knowledge stood the Caliph often in good stead. One day Haroun sent for him to decide between
himself and his kinsman, Isa 'bn Jaafer. The latter had a slave girl whom the Caliph admired, and

begged for as a present. Isa refused, and the Caliph swore that unless he gave up the girl he would put

him to death. The poor gentleman explained that he had already registered a solemn oath, that if he either gave the girl away, or sold her, he would divorce his wife, emancipate his slaves, and give all ho possessed to the poor. This was the dilemma which Abu Yusuf was called in to deal with, and he advised Isa to give his Sovereign half the girl and sell him the other half, so that the letter, at least, of
his oath

might be preserved

somewhat similar story is told of Jaafer the Barmecide and the Caliph, the same Abu Yusuf One night the two were drinking intervening. " I hear that you have together, when Haroun said
bought a certain slave girl whom I have for a long I time been desirous of obtaining sell her to me."
*'
;

cannot
"

sell her,"
I

Nor

will

give her to me." " give her away," said the other. May
said Jaafer.

"Then

Zobeideh be irrevocably divorced from

shall

me
me,"

if

you
cried

not

either

give

or sell

her

to

Alraschid

in a rage.
fall

before their

The words were scarcely spoken, import dawned on the minds of the

158

Haroun

Alraschid.

" This Caliph and Jaafer, and at once sobered them. " is a matter," said Haroun, which none but Abu

Yusuf can

decide,"

and

at once sent for him.

The

Cadi, rightly conjecturing that nothing but a very important matter would have induced the Caliph to

send for him

hastily,

middle of the night, got up mounted his mule, and told his servant to
in

the

bring the nosebag and a few oats with him, as he might be detained. When he appeared, the Caliph
rose to greet him, and having

made him

sit

down on

the sofa with him, and explained the difficulty he and Jaafer were in, the Cadi proposed the same way out

of

it

as that given in the last account

satisfied.

but Haroun

was not yet

He

wished to have possession

of the girl at once, without watting for the completion of the ceremonies necessary for the expiation of their
oaths. "
"

Nothing

is

simpler,"

replied

Abu

Yusuf.

her to one of your slaves, and make him divorce her the moment afterwards, then she will

Let

me marry

be lawful
girl

So a slave was brought in, the was then and there married to him, and he was
for you."
x

bidden to divorce her.

This, however, he stoutly

refused to do, although tempted with a large bribe,

In certain cases

as, for instance, a

where a man and woman are forbidden to marry husband who has divorced his wife three times, and
the prohibition can only be removed by the

wishes to re-marry her

woman

marrying some one else, and then procuring a divorce from him. The husband's word is sufficient for a divorce.

How

Governors were appointed.

159

thus making matters worse than before, and driving But the courtier the Caliph almost frantic with rage.

Cadi had a legal remedy for the new difficulty, and he caused the husband to be made over as a slave to his

which he pronounced a formal decision annulling the marriage, on the ground that the slave The Caliph and Jaafer had become her property.
wife, after

own

were both so delighted with this result, that they sent him home with the nosebag of his mule filled with
gold.
I

cannot

resist

quoting the
"

comment

of the

historian
reader,

upon
this

this incident.

occurrence,
:

for

Observe, oh learned it contains several

beautiful points

firstly,

the complaisance of Jaafer

towards Alraschid, and secondly, Alraschid's clemency and generosity, and thirdly, the great knowledge of
the Cadi
souls
!

so

may Allah have mercy on

all

their

But
it is

as to the question of the expiation of the

hardly sanctioned by our own sect, and' Abu Yusuf only treated it in accordance with the laws of
oaths,
his

own sect. But Allah knows best which is right!" The following story will give some idea of the way
which the governors of provinces were appointed
Isma'il ibn Salih, brother of the

in

by Alraschid.
el

Abd

Melik who, as I have already said, had fallen under the Caliph's displeasure, was one day sent for by the latter, who desired to see him. Isma'il had

go anywhere during his imprisonment, but was induced by El Fadhl to go, on

promised

his brother not to

i6o

Haroun

A Iraschid.
unwell.

the pretence that

out, however,

Haroun was
el

Before setting

Melik said to his brother, "They only want you to drink with them and sing to them, and if you do so, you are no brother of mine."

Abd

Haroun received him very graciously, and invited him to dine with him, after which the court physician recommended his royal master to drink some wine.
"

By Allah
"
I

!" said

the Caliph,

"

will not

drink unless
lord,"

Isma'il
Isma'il,
sort."

drinks with

me."

"

But,

my

said

have sworn not to do anything of the The Caliph would take no refusal, and they

drank three glasses apiece. curtain was then drawn aside, and some singing and dancing girls
entered and performed, until Isma'il began to grow merry in spite of himself. Now Alraschid had in his

hand a rosary of precious stones, worth an incalculable sum of money, and taking a lute from the hand
of one of the damsels, he threw the rosary over
it,

and placing both in Isma'iTs lap, said " Come, sing us something, and expiate your oath out of the value
of this rosary." following verse
"

Thereupon

Isma'il burst out into the

My hand to sin I never taught, My feet to faults have never led,

Nor eye nor

A
And

ear have ever brought sinful thought into my head ;

if I

now my

fate deplore,

'Tis but the fate of folks before !"

Ibrahim, the Court Singer.

161

Caliph, delighted, called for a lance, and, affixing the banner of Egypt to it, handed it then

The

and there

to Isma'il

he,

by
"

this act,
I
it

appointing him
it,"

with justice, and came away with Jive hundred thousand dinars (250,000) in

governor of the province. " for two years, and I loaded

ruled

says Isma'il,

my pocket /"
Mosili relates that he went out one day to take the air, and get rid of the effects of a too

Ibrahim

el

heavy drinking bout, when he perceived a smell of

cooking that aroused his appetite. Having ordered his servant to find out from which house the odour
proceeded, he presented himself at the door, and requested the girl who opened it to allow him to

partake of the meal that was being prepared. The girl went to her mistress, and at once returned with

She then tasted the permission for them to enter. contents of a pot that was upon the fire, and set a
dish of
it

before the visitors.

heartily,

Ibrahim found
to

savoury, ate

and was about

very take his

it

the lady of the house sent word out departure, to say that she regretted the absence of her husband,

when

who

have been pleased entertain them further, and to drink with them. he was leaving, he passed a man riding upon an

would, she was sure,

to

As
ass,

who turned

out to be the master himself.

He, having

learnt from the girl

what had happened, rode after Ibrahfm and insisted on bringing him back to the

Haroun

Alraschid.

house, where, taking him into the best apartment, he set before his guest an elegant dessert and some ex-

and the two kept up the carousal until the evening. The next day Ibrahim was told that the Caliph had over and over again sent for him during
cellent wine,
his absence, so he hurried to the palace,

making his excuses told his eloquent upon the savoury nature of the stew he had The Caliph was amused, and said, " Did he tasted.
not ask you

of

and by way adventures, and waxed

who you were

"
?

"

No," replied Isma'fl,

to taste

"we had

plenty else to do."

for

Haroun wished

the dish for himself, and ordered Isma'il to procure

an invitation

host with their

them both without acquainting their names and rank. This was easily
was deeply
in

arranged for the next night, Isma'il telling the hospitable stranger that his friend
debt,

and dared not show himself by day for fear of his creditors So the Caliph and his companion mounted two asses and rode to the house, where they were The Caliph decordially received and entertained.
!

had never tasted anything like the stew, was charmed with all he saw and heard, and asked
clared he
his host
"

about his circumstances.

"

My

father," said

a large property, and I dissipated the greater part of it but I retrenched in time, and, thank
he,
left
;

me

Allah,

want for nothing." Presently the fumes of the wine and the songs of the singing girls
I

now

who were

present so expanded the Caliph's heart that

The

Man

with the Stew.

tell

163

he told Ibrahim to take their host aside and

him

who he

was.
is ?

So Ibrahim
"

"
said,

Do you know who

"

your guest

"

No," said he.

Commander
hearing
this,

of the Faithful

Why, he is the The man, on himself."

laughed
out,

till

he rolled over on his back,

and kept calling

thing
"
!

"
!"

O, you

wag

O, what a wonderfully good At this the Caliph laughed

to his wife,

immoderately

too,

and the man called out

?

What

think you of our guests

drunk, and repay my hospitality and one of them declares he is the Prince of the
Faithful;" then, offering a glass with
to Alraschid, he
Faithful,"
"

They have got by making fun of me,

said,

Drink,

mock humility Commander of the

"

and Haroun laughed the more.

is

But,"

said

Ibrahim, "it
!" "

really the

Commander

of the

Pray stop your drunken jokes," said the other; "you have only drunk a couple of glasses, and have turned this fellow into the Commander of
Faithful

the Faithful

in

another half-an-hour you will

"

make

him out

to be the Prophet himself!

When

daylight

Ibrahim, failing began to convince his host of the truth of his communication, told
after

to appear, the party broke up.

morning Malik (the King), and after Ibrahfm el Mosili, and when asked his name, to reply that he was "the man with the stew." In the morning his
El
" neighbours said to him, What a noisy party you had who were your two guests ? " When he last night
;

him

to ask his neighbours in the

16 1

Haroun
all,

Alraschid.

had told them

me

one of the neighbours said, " Tel what they were like," and on hearing the descriphis conviction that
it

tion, declared

was

really the

So the man went off to the house of Ibrahim " el Mosili, and sent word in that the man with the stew" had called. Ibrahim at once admitted him, rode with him to the palace, and presented him to
Caliph.

Alraschid,

who

insisted

on

his repeating his sarcastic

observations of the previous night, which he did, to

Haroun's great delight.

The Caliph ordered an im-

mense sum of money to be given to him, and bade him tell him the receipt for the celebrated stew.
" if I No, Commander of the Faithful," said he were to give away a thing that has proved so valuable
;

"

to me,

should have no advantage

left in

it.

shall

be happy to cook it for the Commander of the Faithful whenever he pleases." Haroun was content
with the reply, and the lucky host was ever afterwards known as " the man with the stew."

Haroun Alraschid did not always meet with a Once he was performing the courteous reception.
ceremonies of the Hajj or pilgrimage at Mecca, and

was preparing

to

make

the Tawaf, or circuit of the

Ka'abeh, the holy shrine there, as prescribed by law, when, to his amazement, an Arab of the desert ran
before him,
first.

and commenced to make the circuit At a hint from their master, the chamberBedawi, who, however,

lains stopped the audacious

Alraschid and the Arab.

"

165

promptly answered, God made Imam (Head of the Faith) and subject equal in this place when He said, The Sacred Mosque, which we have made for all men alike, the dweller therein and the stranger, and
'

he

who
will

desires profanation

therein

with
>;>

injustice,

we
25).

make him

taste grievous

woe

(Koran

xxii.

When

Alraschid heard
let

this,

he ordered the

him go on unmolested. The same thing took place when the Caliph wished to
chamberlains to
kiss the celebrated black stone,

and to perform

his

the stone i.e., prayers at the station of Abraham on which the patriarch stood when rebuilding the Ka'abeh. After the ceremonies were complete,

Haroun
him.
"

sent an officer to
I

summon

the

Arab
;

before
"

if he do not want him," said the fellow wants me, let him come to me." So the Caliph went

to him, and, saluting him, said,

"

"

I will sit
is

down

here,

with your permission." was the reply " and the sanctuary
;

The house
is

not mine,"

not

my

sanc;

tuary.

We
"

are

all

equal here.

and
said,

if

not, be

off!"
!

you Then Haroun

like to ask

If

like, sit

down

Arab

should

down, and you about your

sat

religious duties

for if

you are
;

right in that,
if

you
"

will

be right in other matters

but

you

fail in that,

you
you

will fail in other things."

The Arab

said,

Do

ask the question to learn yourself or to confound me !" Alraschid wondered at his ready answer, and said,
"

Nay,

it is

to learn."

"

Then," said the Arab,

"

sit in

66

Haroun

Alraschid.

the position fitting for a pupil

Haroun complied, and

his

sat

who asks his teacher." down upon his heels, with

knees on the ground. " Now," said the other, " ask what you like." " I wish you to tell me," said " the Caliph, what duty God has imposed upon you."
"

Do you

wish

me

to tell

you of one duty that

He

has imposed, or of five, or of seventeen, or of thirtyfour, or of eighty-five, or one for the whole length
of

my
"
I

life?"

Haroun

laughed

mockingly,

and

said,

me an
if

ask you about your duties, and you give " O Haroun account." Said the other,
!

did not involve an account, God would not call men to account on the Day of Judgment,
religion

wronged so much as the weight of a grain of mustard seed, for We are " accountants enough (Koran xxi. 48). The Caliph
'

when no

soul shall be

'

up with fury when he heard himself addressed as simple Haroun, and not as Commander of the
flushed

Faithful

he,

however,

restrained

himself,

out

of

respect for the sanctity of the place in which they " " or I will have were. Explain yourself," said he,

your head cut

beseech your Majesty," interposed the chamberlain, "pardon him, and make a But the Arab gift of his life to this holy place."
off."
I

"

" I know only laughed a scornful laugh, and said, not which of you two is the greater fool, he who

would remit a doom which is due, or he who would As for your hasten a doom that is not due as yet
!

Alraschid and the Arab.

question," he continued,

167

has imposed upon me to you of one duty, I meant the religion of Islam when I spoke of five, I meant the five daily prayers

concerning many of them.

"

my duties, God When I spoke

;
;

when

meant the seventeen prostrations when I spoke of the thirty-four, I meant when I spoke of the the thirty-four adorations eighty-five, I meant the eighty-five utterances of the formula, 'God is great!' when I spoke of one that lasts my whole life long, I meant the duty of the
I

spoke of seventeen,
;

pilgrimage to Mecca." The Arab then retorted

by asking a

difficult

question of the Caliph, which he could not answer, and which turned out to be a kind of legal enigma
relating to the laws of divorce.
at
his

Alraschid, delighted

ingenuity and
to

piety, ordered ten

;

thousand

dirhems to be given to him

refused
accept.

which, however, he

provide for you?"

Then said Haroun, " Shall I "He who provides for you will
Are you in debt ?" God!" replied the
"

provide for me," was the answer. asked Alraschid. "No, thank

Arab,

At

resolved on thwarting the Caliph. the conclusion of the interview, Alraschid dis-

who seemed

covered that the outspoken Sheikh was no other than a direct lineal descendant of AH ibn Abi Talib, who, as the representative of the ousted dynasty of
the Alides, was no doubt glad enough to avail himself of the privileges of the sacred month and sacred

63

Ha roun A Irasch id.

place to display his learning and independence, and humble the pride of the hated descendant of Abbas.

The Ibrahim

el

Mosili,

mentioned

in

some of the

foregoing stories, was one of the most celebrated musicians of the time, and a great favourite at the
court.

way, if he asked Alraschid for permission to spend the day at home with his family, and having received permission, and reached his house, he gave strict orders that

His music was sometimes inspired in an odd we are to believe his own account of it. Once

no one was

to be admitted

What was
the

his surprise,
his

on any pretext whatever. on taking his place amongst

in

members of

harem, to find himself

the

presence of a sheikh of imposing appearance, and of such persuasive powers of speech, that Ibrahim, in spite of himself, was constrained to welcome him,
instead of resenting his intrusion. The two passed the day together in eating, drinking, and music, the

unknown singing

three airs which absolutely charmed his host, after which he disappeared in as mysterious

a manner as he had entered.

Ibrahim rushed out

with a drawn sword, and threatened the porters with death if they did not tell how the Arab had entered,

and where he was gone. They declared that no one had passed through the doors, when suddenly, in the
midst of the disturbance, the voice of the uncanny visitant was heard telling Ibrahim not to trouble
himself,
for
it

was

Abu Murrah

the

Evil

One

Haroim and
himself

his Desert Bride.

169

who had kept him company on

airs,

his holiday.

and sang them to the Caliph, who was much delighted, both with the music and the incident. Probably the ladies of the harem
Ibrahim remembered the
could have given a different account of the handsome

and accomplished sheikh, had they been so disposed. One day the Caliph, while in Jaafer's company, came across a company of Arab maidens, one of
the daughter of a chief, so charmed him with her wit, eloquence, and power of improvising poetry,

whom,

that he proposed for her to her father, and married After some time her father died, and Haroun, her.

who was

excessively attached to her, went himself to break the sad news. No sooner did she see him,

with evident signs of trouble upon his face, than she rushed into her private apartment, and changed her

gorgeous attire for a mourning garment, and cried The Caliph came in out " My father is dead !"
to console her,

and as soon as the

of her grief was over, " her father's death.

paroxysm asked her how she had learnt of

first

From your
"

face,
I

Commander
;

of

the Faithful," said she.

Since

have never seen you one to fear for but my

I

like

have been with you, that before and I had no

were

alive."

long as I knew you short time after, she followed her

father, so

father to the grave.

Maan
officers,

ibn Zai'dah,

who was one

to

of the
his

Caliph's

had

continued

incur

Sovereign's

I/O

Haroitn Alraschid.

although he was still permitted to continue in attendance on him. Seeing that he

displeasure,

walked

slowly,

and with
old,

difficulty,

Haroun
sire,"

said,

"You have grown

some energy
service, sire,"
left,"

Maan."

"Yes,
" It

was
still

the reply, "in your service."

"But you have

is

said Haroun.
"

at

your
are a

answered the old man.

sire."

"You

bold fellow," said the Caliph.

Yes, in withstanding

your enemies,

again into favour, ship of the province of Basra.

These answers brought him and procured for him the governor-

night Haroun was very sleepless, so he sent for Jaafer the Barmecide, and said, " I desire you to Allah dispel the sadness and weariness which I feel.

One

has created

many

folks capable of cheering the sad

" Let us maybe you are one of them." Said Jaafer come out upon the roof of the palace, and watch the myriads of stars, how complicated and how lofty they are the moon rising like the face of one we love, O
;

Commander
"

of

the

Faithful!"

"No,"

said

the

mind for that." "Then," said open the palace window that looks over the Jaafer, garden, and see the beautiful trees, and listen to the songs of the birds, and the murmuring of the waters, and smell the sweet odours of the flowers, and hearken
Caliph, "I have no
to the water-wheel

humming, with a moan

;

like that of

a lover

who has

lost his love

or sleep,

O Commander
"

of the Faithful, until the

dawn

arise."

Nay," said

Abu Miriam, of
the Caliph,
Jaafer,
Tigris,
"
"
I

Medina.
"

171

have no mind

"open and look

Then," said the window which looks over the

for that."

at

the ships, and

"

at

the sailors

singing, sailing, working,

Nay," said Alraschid,

and amusing themselves." I have no mind for that."

t

"Then," said Jaafer, "O Commander of the Faithful rise, and let us go down to the stables, and look at
your Arab horses beautiful creatures of all colours. There are chargers black as the night, when it is at its There are steeds grey, and chestnut, and darkest.
dun, and
pied,
"
"

and

bay, and white, and cream-coloured, and other colours, that would daze one's wits !"
"
I

Nay," said Alraschid,

"

have no mind

for that."
!

Then," said Jaafer, O Commander of the Faithful you have three hundred girls who sing and dance and
play
is
;

send for them

all, it

may
"

be the sadness which

"
"

Then," said Jaafer, cut off your servant Jaafer's head, for he can't soothe

on your heart will cease." I have no mind for that."

Nay," said Alraschid,

"

his Sovereign's grief!"

of Haroun's favourite companions was Abu Miriam, of Medina, an incorrigible wag, and almost
as

One

impudent

as

Abu Nawwas

himself.

One morning

early, the

Caliph came into the room where Abu Miriam was asleep, and, pulling the blanket from his
" are you this morning ? It isn't morning yet/' was the reply; "go about your busi" " ness." Arise," said Haroun, solemnly, and say the
"

face, said,

How

"

172

Haroun

AlrascJiid.

prayers of dawn." "This is the time prescribed by Abu Jerud," said the other; " I belong to Abu Yusufs

So the Caliph proceeded to say his prayers by himself, until, when he came to a passage from the Koran (xxxvi. 21), "What ails me that I should not worship Him who created me?" Abu Miriam obThe Caliph, served, "I am sure I don't know!" much incensed, reproached him for interrupting his
sect."
"

prayers.

did not

mean

to interrupt you," said

he

"
;

but
"
;

was shocked

to hear

you making such a

on which Haroun could not help laughing again, but warned him to avoid making fun of reli-

remark

gious subjects in future. One day Haroun Alraschid ordered an equerry of his, named El Hakam, to accompany him the following

morning on a hunting expedition. El Hakam went home to his wife and said, " The Caliph has ordered
go hunting with him, but I am sure I shall never be able to endure it, for I am, as you know, accustomed to breakfast early, while the Caliph never I shall die of takes a meal until nearly midday

me

to

hunger!
his wife,

By

Allah,
"

won't go!"
it

"Nay," said
do
"
?

"Allah forbid!

is

impossible for you to

I

disobey orders." Said his wife, "

But what
it

am

to

said he.

You can

with you, and put

take a packet of heldweh x in your turban, to eat in the

meantime, and when breakfast-time comes, you can

1

sweetmeat made of hcney and sesame meal.

El Hakam.
make
a good

173

meal with the Caliph."

The next

morning El Hakam bought himself a paper packet of heldweh, and placed it in the folds of his turban,
and, mounting his ass, joined Alraschid's cavalcade. Now it so happened that the Caliph noticed the

paper packet showing through the muslin folds of his equerry's turban, and calling Jaafer aside, he said,
"

Do you

see that paper of heldweh in El

I will

Hakam's

turban?
it."

tease

him and prevent him from eating

the road, the Caliph

As they were going along

as

made

though he saw some game, and rode ahead,

whereupon El Hakam seized the opportunity to take the sweetmeat from his turban and to put a piece in No sooner had he done so than the his mouth.
Caliph wheeled sharply round, and cried, "El
"

Hakam!"

Here, your Majesty !" said he, hastily snatching the piece of heldweh out of his mouth and throwing it
"

away.
please

This

mule,"
;

said

Alraschid,
is

"

does

not

Perhaps the groom has over-fed After a short time the it," suggested El Hakam. Caliph again rode on, and El Hakam, who was now
famishing, again furtively crammed a morsel into his mouth, when the voice of the Commander of the
Faithful suddenly shouting his
to

to-day matter with it."

me

think there

something the

"

name compelled him

"
I

throw

it

away and answer.

cannot think what

;

has happened to this mule to-day," said Haroun "she does not go at all to my liking." "To-morrow,"

i/4
said El

Haroun
Hakam,
"
I

Alraschid.

veterinary doctor."

have her seen to by the Then they went on a little, El

will

grumbling to himself, and calling down all sorts of imprecations upon the mule and her master too. He had scarcely found an opportunity of
slipping another piece of the heldweh into his mouth, when the Caliph turned round and called him again. "Ah!" muttered the unfortunate equerry, disposing

Hakam

of his morsel,

"

what a black day

!

is

this for

me

what madness always Hakam, Hakam, Hakam " has got hold of you ?" See here," said Haroun, " I
think this mule has been purposely lamed don't you " see how she halts ?" To-morrow, your Majesty," " was the reply, the farrier shall change her shoes,
;

please Allah !" As they were travelling along the road, they met a caravan of merchants coming from Persia, one of
will get all right, if
it

and then she

forward, prostrated himself, and kissed the ground before the Caliph, offering him at the same time some costly presents. Among the

whom, stepping

latter

was a young Persian slave

"

girl

beauty,

with undulating form, full waist, eyes like those of a gazelle, and a mouth like

of exquisite bosom, slender

Solomon's ring." Alraschid, ever susceptible to female charms, gave the merchant a princely gift of money, and, turning to El Hakam, bade him ride back at
once to the city with the damsel, and prepare the palace for his reception, and order a suitable banquet

Anecdote of
to

El Hakam.

175

be got ready. El Hakam did as he was bidden, and the Caliph himself returned shortly afterwards, when,
dismissing his attendants, he entered the banqueting apartment with the fair Persian, having first com-

manded El Hakam
give

to stand sentry at the door,

and

him immediate

notice

in

case

the

Princess

Zobeideh should appear upon the scene. El Hakam " I hear and obey Allah and the Commander replied,
of the Faithful," and took his stand outside the door.

Scarcely was the repast over and the wine-cups filled, when a gentle tap was heard at the door, and Haroun,
feeling

sure that the Princess had arrived, hastily

removed the bottle and glasses, and concealed the damsel in a cupboard. Opening the door, he found El Hakam standing there, and asked him, " Has the Princess Zobeideh come ?" " No, O Commander of
the Faithful!" said El

Hakam; "but

knew how

anxious you were about that mule, so I asked the groom, and I found that he had in fact over-fed her
but to-morrow
I

have her bled, and I have no doubt but that she will soon get better." " Never
will

mind the mule," exclaimed the Caliph, angrily; "hold your tongue, and watch by the door and if you see
;

the

Lady Zobeideh coming, let me know at once." They had just comfortably settled down again

when another knock was heard, and, hastily concealing his fair visitor and the wine, Haroun opened
the door, and enquired of El

Hakam

if

the Princess

Haroun
was
really

A Iraschid.
O Commander
;

Faithful!"

coming. said El

"

No,

of the

Hakam

"but knowing your

anxiety about the mule, I enquired of the veterinary doctor, and he tells me that nothing ails her, but that
she
is

little restive

from want of exercise."

"

May

Allah never bless you or the mule

either," shouted " Alraschid. Did I not tell you not to plague me with such nonsense ? Keep at your post, and take care that the Lady Zobeideh does not surprise us for if
;

she does,

will

make
life !"

days of your

this "

one of the most unlucky Upon my head and eyes !"

Presently the Caliph heard a stamping upon the roof of the apartment where El

replied the equerry.

Hakam had gone

tions as before,

to watch, and, taking his precauout, fully

went

expecting this time to

found, however, only
sire,

meet the Princess

El Hakam, who
just as
I

herself. " I said,

He

noticed that mule,

I

stamping stamping now, and feared it be suffering from a colic from the over-feeding, might " " and I feel very anxious about it Begone out
of

am

my

sight

!"
;

said

the

Caliph, with
let

a torrent of

imprecations

"and never
at

me

see your face again.

!"

If I do, I will

have you hanged

the
result

El
of

Hakam went
somewhat

away

crestfallen

his

dangerous jest. His wife, however, consoled him, and waited upon the Lady Zobeideh herself to beg
for her intercession.

The

Caliph, not

knowing how
if

much

the Princess might get to

know

the matter

The Physician and

went
further,

the Fish.

177

thought it best to accede to her request, and pardoned El Hakam.

governor of that place, brought the Caliph a dish containing a very fine fat fish, served up with a dainty sauce, and set it before him. The latter was about to
at Hi'ra,
el Ibddi,

While staying

Aim

taste

it,

when the

court

physician,

Gabriel

ibn

Bakhtishou, forbade his master to touch it, and signs to the host to put it aside for himself.

did not escape Haroun's notice the physician had left, he sent an attendant after him,
;

movement

made The and when

with orders to surprise him in his apartments, and to Gabriel had no doubt report on what he was doing.
anticipated this manoeuvre, for the spy found

him

in

Aun's private apartments,

dinner with the identical

sitting

down
him.

to his

own

fish before

Calling for
;

three bowls, he placed a piece of the fish in each he then poured into one of them a glass of wine, and

food;" into the next he " poured iced water, and said, This is the food of the Commander of the Faithful may Allah glorify him!"
said,
is

"This

Gabriel's

with the third portion of the fish he placed several pieces of meat of different kinds, a sweetmeat, some piquant sauces, vegetables, and various other viands

about one or two mouthfuls of each

"

and poured

iced water over the whole, saying, This is the food of the Commander of the Faithful, if he takes any-

thing besides the

fish."

Then he gave

the three

Haroun

Alraschid.

bowls to his host, and bade him keep them until he should ask for him, after which he sat down and

made a hearty meal washing it down with

of

the

rest

of

the

fish,

copious draughts of wine.

his siesta,

When

the Caliph

awoke from

he

summoned

the spy, and asked if Gabriel had or had not eaten of the fish ? On learning the facts, he ordered the

attendants to bring him the three bowls. In the first, which Gabriel had called his own, and over which he

had poured pure wine, the fish was found to be well In digested, and the whole reduced to a liquid state. the second, the Caliph's bowl, over which the iced water had been poured, the fish was found to be
swelled out to twice
its

size; while the third bowl,

containing the mixed viands, had

corrupted.
Gabriel's
little

already become plan succeeded, for the

Caliph sent him a magnificent present, and treated him ever after with increased confidence and affection.
addicted to the pleasures of the table, and Gabriel tells us that once, after gormandising more than usual, he was seized with a
fit

Alraschid was too

much

of so serious a nature that

all

who were

present

had breathed his last, and the two young princes, Emm and Mamun, were sent for. The physician, detecting some slight signs of anibut Kauther, the mation, ordered him to be bled
thought that he
;

personal attendant of Emin, the then heir-apparent, and who hoped to retain his influence with the new

The Caliph and

his Brother.

179

Caliph, strongly opposed the measure, and declared he would not consent to trying to bleed a dead man.
Emi'n,

however,

interfered,

and

the

Caliph

was

brought round again. Ibrahim ibn el Mehdi, a brother of the Caliph's, " relates the following anecdote Haroun Alraschid
:

while he was staying at Rakka. It was his custom at meals to eat the hot dishes before

once visited

me

the cold, and on one occasion

set

when

the latter were

he noticed a bowl of viands apparThe Caliph thought the ently prepared from fish. pieces too small, and said, Why has your cook cut

upon the

table,

'

it

up

into such small fragments?'

I
'

'Commander
is

of

the Faithful/
fishes'

replied,
'

the

dish
to

composed of
at
;

tongues.'

There seem
in
it/

be

least

hundred

tongues

said

Haroun

but

my

servant, Murakib, declared that there were more than

a hundred and

fifty.

Then

the Caliph

demanded

how much

and on being told that a thousand dirhems (nearly .40) had been spent upon it, he jumped up from the table, and swore that he would not touch another morsel until Murakib brought
it

had

cost,

him a thousand dirhems.

ordered
*

When

the

money came, he
*

it

to be given
will

away

in charity.

There/ said

prove some compensation for your extravagance in expending so much upon one Then he took the dish in his hand, and turning dish.'
he,
I

hope that

to

one of

his

own

attendants, he said,

'

Take

this

i8o

Haroun

Alraschid.

and give it to the first Now," continued Ibrahim, poor person you meet.' " that bowl which I had bought in honour of the Caliph's visit cost me two hundred and sixty dirhems,
outside

my

brother's house,

gave a wink to one of my servants to go outside with the Caliph's officer, and purchase the bowl back
I

and

from whoever might get it. Alraschid noticed and understood the movement, and called out, Page when you give the bowl to the beggar, tell him that
*
!

the

Commander

of the Faithful advises

him not
!'

to

sell it for less

than two hundred dirhems

which,"

says Ibrahim, "is the

sum

that

it

actually cost me."

The same
his brother
in a

prince, Ibrahim, tells another story of

:

Haroun

boat on the
of chess

game

way when Alraschid

is

"I was one day with the Caliph had just finished to Mosul.

We

said to me,

'

Ibrahim,

which do you think

'

the best

name

in the

world

?'

That of the Prophet, on

peace!' said I. 'And That of the Commander of the Faithful,' was

'

be blessing and which next?' asked the Caliph.

whom

my

reply.

'And which name do you

consider the most

unlucky?' enquired his Majesty. 'That of Ibrahim,' 'Shame on you!' he said; 'why, it is the said I.

name
1

of the Friend of Allah!' 1

Abraham

'

Just so/
Ibrahim

answered;
is

The

Patriarch

in

Arabic,

so

called.

According

to the story in the

Koran, he was persecuted by Nimrod,

of his

who threw him into a fiery furnace for opposing the idolatry The fire, however, was miraculously kept from hurting people.

him.

Haroun s
1

Ascetic Son.
attending his
'

181

and

it

was from the

ill-luck

name

that

But Ibrahim was the Nimrod so persecuted him.' name of the infant son of the Prophet/ objected
and had he had any other Yes/ I said How about the Imam, name he might have lived/ Thanks to his name/ I answered, 'MerIbrahim?'
Haroun.
' '

'

'

wan

el

Jaadi killed him by fastening him up in a

sack of quicklime. And I might add, Commander of the Faithful, the names of Ibrahim, the son of
Walid,
dethroned, and Ibrahim ibn Abdallah In short, I ibn el Hasan, the Alide, who was killed. have never known anybody of the name but he was

who was

either
I

condemned

to death, the bastinado, or exile.'

had scarcely done speaking when one of the boatmen shouted out to a comrade, Here, Ibrahim !' and
'

added a most opprobrious

epithet.

Did

not

tell

your Majesty/ I continued, 'that Ibrahim was the most unlucky of names ?' at which the Caliph burst
out into a hearty laugh." All of Haroun's family did not participate in his luxury and fondness for amusement. One of his own
sons was afflicted with melancholy, and at the age of sixteen adopted the habit and life of a recluse.
disgracing him amongst kings ;" and the youth replied that "his father was disgracing him among the saints," and with this

Haroun reproved him

for

"

retort

withdrew himself from the palace, and worked

as a daily labourer

amongst the

bricklayers.

The

182

Haroun

Alraschid.

wages he always demanded were a dirhem and a sixth daily, with the latter of which he supported He himself, and the former he gave away in alms.
died in great penury, having confided to his employer a valuable ruby ring, which he entreated him to give
to the Caliph,

and through which

his fate

and identity

were discovered.

on his return from the pilgrimage to Mecca, during which he made the celebrated arrangement concerning the accession of his two
at Kufa,

While

Haroun Alraschid heard with some concern that there was still living at Damascus a member of the family of Ommaiyeh, who possessed so much
sons,

wealth and such influence

in the city, that the

Caliph
for

was assured that he might

to restore

at

any moment attempt

Sending
courtiers,

the

dynasty of his house.

his

Menara, one of

most trusted

Haroun
the

despatched him with a large company of horsemen

and

slaves,

and secret

instructions

to

arrest

dangerous noble, and bring him back

thirteen days to the Caliph.

fettered within

He

also carried a letter

to the
assist

Governor
in

of

Damascus, ordering
or,

him

to

of the suspected individual refusing to obey the summons, to keep him and his household under the strictest surveillance.
the arrest,
in

case

was, moreover, ordered to take note of every look and word of his prisoner, and to make a full and minute
report of the circumstances in which he found him.

He

The Onimiade Nobleman.

So
that
fast did

183

Menara traverse the intervening desert, he arrived at Damascus on the evening of the

seventh day, after the gates of the city were closed, Not wishing to arouse suspicion by knocking at the
gate and demanding entry for so large a company as he had with him, and so perhaps giving the intended prisoner warning and time to take his precautions,
the envoy camped for the night outside the walls. In the morning, Menara went straight to the house of

Ommiade, and found the evidences of and power even beyond what had been
the

his

wealth

reported.

Entering, without waiting or asking for permission, he found a company of young men, and, announcing

himself as the messenger of the Caliph, demanded which of them was the owner of the house. They
replied that their father

was

at present in the bath,

whereupon Menara peremptorily ordered him to be sent for. After some time, during which Menara begun to get disquieted, and to fear that his prey had
escaped him, the person in question entered, and, without the least embarrassment, entered into conversation with the envoy, and asked him after the

Commander of the Faithful. He then invited Menara to sit down and breakfast with them, which he declined, but watched the man and his sons " You had better join us, enjoying a splendid repast.
health of the

Menara," said the master of the house and Menara, enraged at being thus familiarly addressed by his
;

84

Haroun

Alraschid.

name, for the first time observed that his servants and attendants had been intercepted by the retinue of the other, and that he himself was almost alone in
the

room with only

five followers.

manners of the man, and the

The nonchalant certainty that, if it came

him without the assistance of the Governor of Damascus and his At forces, by no means reassured the messenger.
to a question of arms, he could not arrest
length, after leisurely performing the

noon-day prayer,

the

man condescended

when the latter at The owner of the house read it, and immediately summoned all his sons and attendants round him and when Menara saw them assemble in such a crowd, he made sure of immediate destruction. The
;

Menara his business, once gave him the Caliph's letter.

to ask

Ommiade, however, began to address them, and engaged them by a most stringent oath, that if any two of them met together, they should not utter a word of
blame against anyone
retire to their
else,

but that

they should

apartments, and remain there until they heard from him. " This," said he, " is the letter of the Commander of the Faithful, bidding me to come to
him, and after having seen it, I will not tarry a moment longer bid my women folk behave them;

selves while I

pany me. The envoy did so, and the man cheerfully put out his arms to be bound. Menara then ordered him to be

away. I require no one to accom" Now," he continued, call for your fetters."

am

The Ominiade Nobleman.

placed in a
riding
litter,

185

and

set out then

and

there, himself

by

his side, so as not to lose sight of him.

As

they were going along, they passed through a beautiful garden, and the prisoner, who had been chatting
pleasantly with his captor, called his attention to
said
it
it,

and waxed eloquent on the subject of the rare fruits and flowers which it contained. The same occurred on their passing through some
belonged to himself,
fields

and farms, the prisoner always amicably

dis-

cussing their merits, until at last Menara's patience was exhausted, and he said, " Do you not know that
the

Commander

of the Faithful

is

so anxious and

annoyed on your account that he has sent for you from the bosom of your family, alone, and loaded with
chains?

with you, and yet you seem to trouble yourself less about it than other people do, and keep on describing to me
it

You

don't

know how

may go

your gardens and farms. Why, you do not know what you have been arrested for, or what the Caliph

means

do with you, and yet you are quite quiet and indifferent. I had always supposed you were a Sheikh
to

possessed of good sense."

"

We

the prisoner cried out, belong to Allah, and unto Him shall we return
!
!

Then

By Allah
case, for I

my

discernment has failed

me

in

your

thought that you must be a person of intelligence, or you would never have attained to the posi-

you have with the Caliph, whereas what you are saying is more like the speech of the common herd
tion
!

86
for

Haroun

Alrasckid.

As

what you tell me about the Commander of the Faithful and his anger, and his forcing me to appear I rely upon Allah, in at his door in this condition whose hand is the forelock of the Commander of the

The Commander of the Faithful cannot control either profit or harm for me, save by the perI have mission of Allah, whose name be exalted.
Faithful.

committed no crime against the Caliph that I should fear to meet him. Besides, if he sees how loyal and
true I

am

to him, he will

esteem

me

but

if

Allah in

His prescience has determined that harm shall befall me from him, and my doom is really nigh, and I am to perish by his hand, all the angels and prophets and
all

the people in earth and heaven could not

ward

it

off

from me.

Why

should

trouble myself?

It is
;

useless to

do so about what Allah has already decided and to think the best of His decrees, and to resign ourselves perfectly to His will, is our bounden duty.
thought you knew all this but now that I have found out the extent of your understanding, I will not speak another word to you until His Highness
I
;

"

the Caliph separates us, as please Allah he soon will." After that," says Menara, " I never heard a word
for

from him, except as he read the Koran, or asked

water, or any other necessary, until we came near Kufa, which we did on the thirteenth day." About
six parasangs from the town, a guard

who had been

watching

for their return

met them, and hastened

The Ommiade Nobleman.

187

forward to take the news to the Caliph that the

prisoner

was

in

safe

custody, and

on

his

way.

Towards evening they reached Kufa, and Menara was at once admitted to the presence of the Commander of the Faithful, who bade him narrate every detail of what he had seen and heard. When he told him of the Ommiade's reception of him, and
of his breakfasting in so unconcerned a manner, the veins on Haroun's face swelled with anger when he
;

related

how he had engaged

his relations

and servants

not to harbour a single thought of revenge for the treatment he had received, and how he had voluntarily

submitted to the
softer

fetters,
;

the Caliph's features

but when Menara expression repeated the rebuke which the prisoner had addressed " the accusations to him, Alraschid said, By Allah

assumed a

against

him are false; he is a true and and ordered him to be relieved of his

loyal

man!"
and
entered

fetters,

brought before him.

When

the

Ommiade
to
sit

the room, the Caliph ordered

down, entered into familiar conversation with him, and asked him if he had any request to make. "None," was the " for, except to return to my family politic reply, the justice of the Commander of the thanks to Faithful and his officers, neither I nor the people
;

him

want for anything." Haroun sent him back to Damascus loaded with honours, and ordered Menara to escort him on
of
the
city
I

where

live

i88

Haroun

Alraschid.

his

way, and to attend upon him with the greatest

deference.

were by no means secure at the Court of Bagdad, and the favourite of one day was often disgraced and thrown into a dungeon on the
Life

and

liberty

next.

The
became

poet,
blind,

Abu

'Atahiyeh,

probably

before

he
girl

was desperately enamoured of a

named Otbah, a slave The girl complained

of Kheizaran, Haroun's mother.

to her mistress that the poet

was disgracing her, by composing verses about her, and suggesting that she had given him encouragement. The princess told the Caliph Mehdi, and Abu
'Atahiyeh received a severe beating for his pains. When Haroun Alraschid ascended the throne, the
poet again began his attentions to Otbah, and composed a song in her honour, one verse of which
"

The

Caliph's fawn has hunted me,

shall I again get free ?

And how
coming
;

"

to

Haroun's

ears,

he

was

exceedingly

enraged and considering it an unpardonable liberty to take with his name and dignity, ordered the poet
to be

thrown into prison.

susceptible
if

Abu

'Atahiyeh, knowing

how

the
in

monarch

was

to

flattery,

especially

couched

contrived

to

true poetic language, soon purchase his release with a few

appropriate lines of eulogy, and so far ingratiated himself with Alraschid, that the latter promised him

Abu

'

Atdkiyeh) the Poet.

189

that he would himself endeavour to further his suit,

and

the damsel accepted it, to give the couple a magnificent wedding present.
if

happy

matters, however,

occupied his

Other attention, and he

Abu 'Atahiyeh, not forgot all about his promise. the opportunity of personally reminding him finding
of
it,

composed three

verses,

upon each of three

fans,

and writing one of them induced Mesrur to give them

to the Caliph at a favourable

moment.

On

one of

them Haroun read

" I court
full oft

the breezes

fair,

If haply they the

news might bear,

Of hopes

at last fulfilled for

me

And

in the fragrance of their sighs

A perfume
"

sweet I recognise,
liberality."

Breathed from thy

The scamp
"

writes well," said

Haroun.

On

the

second fan was written

My

spirit, like

a noble steed,
pace,

With outstretched neck and eager Doth ever to thy presence speed, And for thy bounty onward race."
"
fan,

Bravo

!"

said the Caliph

and taking up the

third

he found written upon

"

it

And
I

oft,

when

should else despair,

bid myself more hopeful be, For he is of a nature rare,

Who

guaranteed success to me."

190

Haroun

Alraschid.

so bad! "said the Caliph, and at once sent for the poet, and promised that he would without
fail

"Not

bring his suit

to

favourable issue on

the

morrow.

He

next despatched a message to the

she was to expect him the same evening, as he had a request to prefer to her, which he could only make in person. At the time menslave girl, that
tioned,

Haroun

arrived

at

Otbah's

apartments

attended by his favourite eunuchs, and said to her " Before I tell you what I require, you must promise me to fulfil it." " I am your handmaid," she replied,
"

and

will

obey you

in

everything, except in

the

'Atahiyeh, for I promised your late father so, by every oath that can bind the good and I swore that if I married Abu 'Atahfyeh, I bad
;

matter of

Abu

would walk barefoot to Mecca, and that as soon as one pilgrimage was over I would undertake another, and that no penitence should avail me instead and that whatever I might possess I would give to the poor, except the carpet I pray upon !" She then
;

and, bursting into a paroxysm of weeping, besought him to spare her whereupon Alraschid promised not to trouble her
feet,
;

threw herself at the Caliph's

any more upon the

point.

The next morning Abu

'Atahiyeh appeared before him, radiant with the hope of success; but the Caliph said, "I have done my
Mesrur, Raschid, and the other servants can testify, but I could not prevail upon
best
for

you, as

Abu

'

Atdhiyeh' s Disappointment.

191

your mistress to accept your suit." The poor poet, who appears to have been deeply attached to the

was so overcome by his disappointment, that he assumed the dervish garb, and took the vows of a monastic life. The following is an extract from a
lady,

poem

in

which he laments the

loss of his lady love

" I have cut the strong cords of my hope all apart, From the back of my camel the saddle I've ta'en,

For the

And

of despair has got hold on my heart, I care not to camp or to travel again !"
chill

Haroun Alraschid was very fond of listening to the songs of the boatmen during his progresses up and down the Tigris, but their inaccurate pronunciaand often improper language offended his pure Arab ears. He therefore one day bade his attendants bring him a poet to compose something that the
tion

men might
solecisms.

sing without committing such frequent It turned out that Abu 'Atahiyeh was the

only one capable of performing the task, and he was Haroun sent off to him, with orders to send in prison.
the required poem immediately. " As he relates the story, says,
setting

Abu

'Atahiyeh,

who
of

made no mention

determined to write something which should make him weep rather than amuse him,
at liberty, I

me

and having composed the lines, I handed them to This the officers who had brought the message."
composition
is

extant,

and

is

a very

fair,

but by no

192

Haroun

Alraschid,

means extraordinary, copy of verses on the vanity of human wishes and the certainty of death they seem,
:

however, to have produced the desired effect upon the Caliph, who wept so copiously on hearing the boatmen sing them, that El Fadhl ibn Rabi was
obliged to tell them to stop. But then Haroun, as " the old historians tell us, was the most easily moved
to tears

and the quickest

of

to get in a passion of

any

man

living."

Caliph's high-handed the following proceedings Salih ibn Mehran, one of the intimates of Haroun
is
:

Another instance

the

Alraschid, relates that one day, being summoned into the Caliph's presence, he found him in a very gloomy

After a few moments, Haroun raised his " Go this moment and take from head, and said, Mansur ibn Ziyad ten million dirhems, and if he refuses

mood.

to

pay them, bring me

execute
father

his

head
I

If

you hesitate and

of
"
!

fail to

my command,

swear by the soul

Mehdi that I will decapitate you Salih asked what he was to do in case Mansur paid part at once, and gave security for the payment of the rest on the following day. Haroun answered, " If this

my

very day he

pay ten million dirhems in ready Let me hear no more idle talk." money, behead him Salih felt assured from this that the Caliph was bent upon taking Mansur's life, and came away in great distress, for the person threatened was a friend of his
fail

to

The Barmecides.
own, and one of
the most influential

193
in

persons

However, he went straight to his house, and, taking him aside, told him what had happened. Mansiir threw himself at Salih's feet, and weeping,
Bagdad.
"

said,

The Commander

of the Faithful must have re-

solved to take
I

he knows well enough that have never had so much money, and that I could

my

life,

for

how, then, am I to do so in one day ? For Allah's sake do me one favour, and let me go back into the house to bid farewell to my
not collect
it

in

a lifetime

family,

and

let

me

entrust

all

the property

have

into your

hands

am
I

dead.

among them when I No harm can come to you, because when

for distribution

have said good-bye to

my poor children,

and handed

the

money over
tell

and

you can cut off my head, the Caliph that you have executed his
to you,

Salih acceded to his request so far as to bring him into the house, and when the sad news
orders."

became known, the family

lamentation.

set

up a heart-rending

He

then allowed him to

the

make

over his

property, &c., in

manner he

desired,

and was

about to carry him off to a convenient place of execution. Mansiir, in despair, but still clinging to life,
said to him,
"

Salih, in the old times, long before

Haroun Alraschid was

Yahya

quarrelled with 'bn Khalid, the Barmecide, and since then I

Caliph,
I
*

have always received insults and annoyance at his hands except on one occasion, when the FarthingN

194
'

Haroun
!

Alraschid.

grubber

became displeased with me, and handed me over to him for punishment then he treated me with the greatest kindness, and interceded with the
;

Caliph for me.

His house

there, perhaps he may agreed to this, and they reached Yahya's house just: as he had finished his prayers. The latter, seeing

me

on the way pray take have pity on me." Salih

is
;

Mansur's agitation and distress, asked the cause, and, when he heard it, promised to do what he could for
him.

Sending

for his treasurer,

he found that he had

the help of his
to get together

not enough

money on hand, but by

and Fadhl, contrived

two
ibn

sons, Jaafer

seven millions, promising the rest next day.

Salih

Mehran explained

that his orders were imperative,

and that he must have the whole sum that day, or take the prisoner's head to the Caliph. When Jaafer
heard
this,

he ordered a favourite slave

girl

of his to

start off at

once and borrow the amount from Fatima,

sister.

Haroun's

The

Princess,

who was

a very

generously disposed woman, sent a valuable necklet, worth the sum asked for; and Yahya, having thus procured the ten million dirhems, sent them off by porters
Caliph asked how the money had been procured, and, learning the particulars, commanded that it should be placed in the treasury, that

with Mansur.

The

Jaafer Mansur, the grandfather of Haroun Alraschid, and of the Abbaside dynasty, was so called because of his avaricious Caliph
disposition.

Abu

Anecdote of Yahya.

195

Mansur should be

released,

and that Yahya should

be summoned before him. found Haroun Alraschid

before,
in

When Yahya

came, he a worse humour than

and began to

fear that his interposition in

favour of
trouble,

Mansur might have brought himself into but his wit and persuasive conversation soon

so far softened the Caliph's heart that the Minister ventured to ask how Mansur had fallen into disgrace.

Haroun

told

him

he suspected
treated

his loyalty,

was partly because but chiefly because he had

that
it

Yahya himself so badly the very man who had now come forward to save him. The matter
of the necklace was

took

very ill " Your Majesty," said the Princess for such a thing. Minister, "when Allah sends trouble on a man, he
look anywhere for a
;

it

a sore point, and Alraschid that Yahya should have asked the
still

will

way

out of it!"
sister,

Haroun

laughed

but he sent for his

her bitterly for her share in " that she looked upon Yahya as merely answered a father, and could not be so unfilial as to refuse him
so trifling a request."

and reproached the transaction. She

obliged to be content with this, and gave her back the necklace. The crowd who had in the meantime collected

The Caliph was

about the palace gates were very much astonished to see both Mansur and Yahya issue forth with their

heads

still

upon

their shoulders.
this

Nothing can show better than

incident the

196

Harou n

A Iraschid.

noble character of the Barmecides, the avarice and despotic tyranny of their master, and the terrible
insecurity of
life

and property under

his reign.

story told of the survivors of the unfortunate family illustrates the ingenious methods by which the

Arabs of the day knew how to convey a covert reproach to their superiors, and shows Haroun's own quickness
one day presented herself before the Caliph when he was surrounded by the most notable persons of his court,
at detecting such remarks.

A woman

and addressed him thus

Faithful
!

"

O Commander

of the

Allah give repose to thine eye, and make thee rejoice in what He has given thee, for thou hast judged, and hast been just." " Who are

may

"I am a woman of the you?" asked Alraschid. sons of Barmek," said she, " whose men you slew, and whose wealth you seized." The Caliph answered, " As for the men, they suffered what Allah decreed.

As

for their wealth,

it

has been restored to whence

"

it

came."

turning to his courtiers, he asked, Do you understand what this woman said?" "Nought " but good," they answered. Nay," said Haroun,

Then

"

do not think you quite understand

'

her.

When
she
is,

she said,

Allah give repose to thine meant, literally, may it cease from motion When she said, in blindness or death.

May

eye,'
'

that

'

May He
thee,'

make

thee rejoice in what alluded to the words of the

He

has given
'

she

Koran

And when

they

Ulaiyeh and the Page-boy.

rejoiced in

197

what was given them, we punished them

vi.,

on a sudden!' (chap,
said,

ver. 47).

And when

she

'Thou hast judged, and been just/ she used the last word in the sense of trespassing, in which it occurs in another passage, and as for the trespassers,
'

they are fuel for hell

'

!'

(chap. Ixxii., ver. 15).

talent for playing with the text of the

in

Koran

seems to have been inherent

the family of the Caliph. Ulaiyeh, one of his sisters, was a poetess of considerable talent, and used to celebrate in her
verses a

young page

called Tell

(Dew), for

whom

she had conceived a violent attachment; and Haroun, being informed of the circumstance, forbade her ever

mention the name of her lover again. One day he passed by her apartment, and overheard her
to

reading the Koran.

"

When
on
it,

she came to the verse,

A heavy shower falls

;

twofold
falls

and

if

the

dew"

brings forth food no heavy shower falls on it, there (chap, ii., ver. 261), instead of proit

and

" there falls word, she read what the Commander of the Faithful has forbidden

nouncing the

last

me

to mention

!"

Haroun laughed, and, entering

the apartment, kissed her on the forehead and said, " Well, well, I will allow you Tell in future."

Ulaiyeh appears to have been on good terms with Zobeideh, the Caliph's chief wife, and on more than one occasion employed her musical and poetical
talents for the purpose of reconciling the two,

when,

198
as

Haroun

Alraschid.

was too frequently the

for jealousy.
for

case,

Haroun gave

the

princess cause

neglected

the

company

Thus, finding herself of a new favourite,

Zobeideh complained to her sister-in-law, who promised to win back her husband's affections for her.

Having composed a pretty air, she adapted it to some appropriate words, and taught the whole of her own and Zobeideh's female attendants to sing it. Then dressing the girls in their most splendid garments, the two princesses, placing themselves at the head of the
troop, rushed unexpectedly into the courtyard,

where

the Caliph was regaling himself, and burst out with Haroun's heart was one voice into the melody.

touched

he started up to meet

his

wife,

took her

hand, and, placing her by his side, remained with her for the rest of the day, which he declared was the
happiest he had ever passed. An anecdote is extant of the introduction of Fadhl
ibn Yahya, the Barmecide, into the apartments of the Princess Ulaiyeh, which, though having no particular

point in it, throws some light on the domestic arrangements of the Court of Haroun Alraschid. I will give it in the words of El Fadhl himself, as related by a

son of Jaafer's, who, when a little boy, overheard his uncle relating the circumstance to his grandfather.
"

My

father," said

El Fadhl,

"

the

Commander
and led

of

the Faithful, took

me by

the hand,

me

through a chamber until we came to a room, the

Fadhl's Introduction
door of which was locked.
opened, he sent away the

to

Ulaiyeh. soon
as
it

199

As

was
in

servants

who were

attendance, and we went on until we reached another locked door, which the Caliph himself opened. This

we passed
inside.

through, and he locked it after us on the We then went on to a corridor, and stopped at

the door of an apartment from within which the sound of voices proceeded. Alraschid sat down by this door,

gently with his knuckles, on which we heard a rustling noise within, and a sweet voice

and tapped

it

suddenly burst forth in song to the sound of a lute, the melody being one of my own composing I was
;

so charmed and excited at hearing it, that I could have dashed my head against the wall. Then the
air

changed, and the person within the room sang

air
'

of Ulaiyeh's, and the Caliph and I danced together to the tune. Then he said, Let us be off,

an

we shall make still greater fools of ourselves ;' and we accordingly turned to depart. When we had
or

reached the vestibule of the suite of apartments,

me by the hand and said, Do you know who that woman was ?' No, Commander of I replied. He rejoined, I know that the Faithful
Haroun
seized
' '
'

!'

you

will

ask after her

if I

do not

tell

you, and so the

tell
if

matter

will get abroad.

was Ulaiyeh my sister, a word of this to anyone,

myself Allah and, by

!

Now I
I will

you that it you breathe

assuredly kill you." In the A rabian Nights stories, the Princess Zobeideh

20O

Harouti Alraschid.

plays a considerable part she also appears in many of the anecdotes of Haroun Alraschid's reign which
;

are found in other Arabic works.

are,

Very few of these

however, suitable for reproduction here. Zobeideh was, as I have before said, the cousin and

principal wife of the Caliph,

and appears to have

over him than

exercised a

much

greater

control

might have been expected, considering his violent temper and impatience of contradiction. She was
also of a very jealous disposition,

her

imperial

husband

soundly

and often rated for his numerous

amours and frequent escapades. It is related that Alraschid was one day in a very sullen and gloomy temper, when Abu Nawwas came in, and endeavoured to cheer and amuse him, but
without success.
is

At

the

Commander

remarked, Why of the Faithful so sad ? By Allah

last the jester

"

never saw anyone so unjust to himself as your Majesty is. Why do you not enjoy the pleasures of this world and the next, both of which are within
I

your grasp.

next world, they are to be had by charity to the poor and

for the pleasures of the

As

the orphan, by performing the pilgrimage to Mecca,

by repairing mosques, by founding

improving the country,
for all

schools,

and by
will

which things you

reap a rich reward. And as for the pleasures of this world, they are the enjoyment of delicious foods and drinks, and surrounding yourself with damsels, tall

Abu

Naw was

and

ZobeideJi.

201

or of middle height or short, sweet blondes or luscious brunettes, girls of Medina, or Hijaz, or Room, or
Irak, in stature as straight as

Samhari
fair,

lances, with

wits as keen as their forms are

and tongues as

eloquent as their eyes are bright."

this
strain,

And

talking in

Abu Nawwas

at

length

aroused

the

Caliph from his lethargy and departed. Presently Zobeideh entered the apartment, and by dint of

him to repeat to her " Did you not scold him," asked she, "for giving you such advice?" " Why should I scold him when the advice was so
cajoling and entreaty induced all that Abu Nawwas had said.

good ?" .was the reply whereupon Zobeideh started up and left the room in a rage. Having reached her own palace, she summoned her slaves, and ordered them to follow Abu Nawwas and give him a sound
;

beating.

The

slaves

Nawwas's house
spirits at

obeyed, and going to Abu where they found him in high

the Caliph's having listened to him, and expectant of reward fell upon him, and beat him so severely that, had not his women interfered and

rescued him, he would have been killed.

As

it

was,

he was confined to his bed

injuries

for

which he had received.

some days with the Alraschid, who knew

nothing of this transaction, at length sent for the

poet,

and Mesrur, who brought the message, was

much
it,

surprised at his condition, but, notwithstanding induced him to accompany him back to the palace.

202

Haroun
received

Alraschid.

him very graciously, bade him sit down, and asked how it was that he had not seen him for so long. Now Abu Nawwas had, upon his entry, remarked an open door with a curtain hanging before it, and some one moving behind it,

Haroun

whom

he shrewdly conjectured to be the Princess Zobeideh. So he determined this time to be cautious,

"
ill.

and replied that he had been

said the Caliph.
"

am

sorry for

it,"

By-the-bye, that was a capital discourse of yours the other day about the damsels. " I should like to hear it again." Yes," said Abu

your Majesty that the Arabs derived the word dharrah, rival wife,' from dltarar, harm,' and that their proverb has it, He who has

Nawwas,

"

was

telling

'

'

'

two wives, lives the rest of his life in trouble and and he who has three wives, his whole sorrow
;

life

is

disturbed

and he who has

four,

may

be

reckoned as a dead man, though he be alive;' that

suggested to your Majesty and I added that whosoever was content with one, finds in her
is

what

" honour and glory." Alraschid shouted out, May I be quit of my religion, if I heard a word of the sort " from you !" Perhaps it may have slipped your

Majesty's memory," said there is one thing which

that the Beni

Abu Nawwas, meekly

I
1

"
;

but
is,

wished to add, and that

are,

Makhzum

according to the Arab

The branch

of the Koreish to

which Zobeideh belonged.

Abu Nawwds and

Zobeideh.

203

proverb, the flower of the Koreish tribe, and that you

have espoused Casim's daughter Zobeideh, who is the flower of flowers and the joy of beholders, and that

saw from the expression of your Majesty's face that you were hankering after other maidens, and I wished to point out that this lady was the only one suitable
I

your Majesty." "Confound you!" said Haroun, " furious do you mean to make me out a liar, O
for
;

me before my time?" retorted the other, "or to lay me up again with nothing but my rage to console me?" At this
?

Abu Nawwas

"

"

Do you

wish to

kill

a laugh was heard from behind the curtain, and a " voice said, You have spoken the truth, Abu Nawwas;

you never gave him any advice different to that which you have given him now it was only his own loose " ideas which distorted your words." Yes, yes," said
;

and, rising up hastily, hurried off home Howin a fright, lest he might have gone too far. ever, when he arrived at his house, he was met by

Abu Nawwds;

some servants of the Princess Zobeideh, who were bringing him a costly present. Whereupon he swore that he would never say another word that should cause the lady annoyance. Haroun was much amused when he learnt the whole truth, and consoled Abu

Nawwas
as well.

for his beating

with a present from himself

Zobeideh never ceased to urge upon her husband

the claims of her son

Emm

to the entire succession,

2O4
as

Haroun

Alrasckid.

belonging to the pure Hashemi race on both parents' side, and she was exceedingly jealous of Haroun's other son, Mamun, whom she hated not
only as the child of a rival, but as having Persian blood in his veins, and more particularly because of
the

much more

brilliant intellect

which he displayed.

This subject was the cause of many stormy scenes between the royal pair, several of which are related

by the Arab
witnesses.

historians

on the authority of eye-

one occasion, the story goes, the fond mother asserted that Emm was an excellent poet,

On

and induced him to submit some of

his verses to

Abu Nawwas's

the latter pointed out some gross violation of the rules of prosody in one of the lines, the young prince flew into a passion,
criticism.

When

and caused
time
after,

Abu Nawwas

to be imprisoned.

Some
was

Haroun Alraschid sent

for the poet,

surprised to learn of his incarceration and the reason of it, and severely reproved -his son. asked to be allowed to read some other verses in the presence

Emm

of his father as well as of

Caliph acceded to his Nawwas had heard the

Abu Nawwas, and the As soon as Abu request.

first

few

lines,

he started

up

you going?" asked Haroun. "Back to prison!" was the reply. The character of Emm was indeed most frivolous and unstable, and one incident alone will show how
unfit

to leave the

room.

"Where

are

he was to govern.

When,

after Haroun's. death,

Alraschid's Son,

Abu

'Isd.

205

war had broken out between the two brothers, the important town of Rhe, in Persia, had declared against him, and a messenger brought him news of
the defeat of his armies, and the proclamation of Mamun as Caliph, he was fishing at the time, and

merely remarked, here has caught two

"

Do

not trouble

me

Kauther

fine fish,

and

have not caught

one

!'

Another member of Haroun's family, his son, Abu 'Isa,by a foreign mother, was also a very talented singer. He died in the reign of Mamun, and one of the latter's courtiers who was much attached to the deceased

when he heard of
upon the ground.

it,

took off his turban and threw

it

Now

it

was the custom

at the

Court that, when a Caliph died, the mourners should remove their turbans a thing to which no Moham-

medan

will

consent at other times

ill,

Mamun,
"

therefore,

took the action

and said

sarcastically,

Fate has

interposed between you and your wish"

that
"

meaning

Abu Tsa had

himself.

The Commander of
is

not lived to succeed or supplant him other, with courtly sagacity, replied
the Faithful, any misfortune that

avoids you
this

Allah has been pleased time to impose mourning on you, and not for
easy to bear.

you."

Mamun

was himself so affected by

his brother's

death, that he refused food for so long a time that his

life

was

in danger.

The next anecdote

exhibits

in

a very striking

206

Haroun
in

Alraschid.

manner the way

received at
el

which poets and musicians were the Court of Bagdad. Ishak ibn Ibrahim

and composer, was a One day he great favourite with Haroun Alraschid. sang a verse before the Caliph and his half-brother, Ibrahim ibn el Mehdi, when the latter, who himself laid some claim to musical talent, interrupted him by
Mosili, the celebrated singer
telling

him
"

that he

was singing neither correctly nor

nothing about the matter,"
it

sweetly,

You know
"
;

said the musician

try

yourself,

and

if

you don't

make a mistake
you may the Caliph, and
end,
this is

every verse from beginning to take my life!" Ishak then turned to

in
said,

"O Commander

of the Faithful!
it is

my

art,

and

my

father's art

what has
service,
;

brought us near you, and placed us in your and caused us to tread upon your carpet
persons about it,

and
"

if

who know nothing of it wrangle with we cannot help speaking out our mind."

us
I

don't blame you at all," said the Caliph, and left the room. As soon as he had gone, Ibrahim started up,
" Dare you and, coming towards Ishak, exclaimed, talk to me in that way, you nameless son of a slave-

girl?"

At
I

this the

singer's
"

and he screamed
think

out,

You

rage knew no bounds, abuse me because you

cannot answer you, because you are the son of a Caliph and the brother of a Caliph if it were
!

not for that,

would
I

call

you the son of a

call

slave-girl.

Perhaps you think

dare not

you the son of a

Harouns Brother and the Musician.

slave-girl
!

207

were to abuse you, it would only reflect on your uncle, El A'alam, who was a most 1 Thinking then that respectable man, and a farrier I" he had gone a little too far, Ishak followed up this piece of abuse with another, deliberately devised, as he
but
if I

produce an effect upon the Caliph when the incident should be reported to him. " I
himself
tells us, to

" suppose," said he, you think the Caliphate already belongs to you, and that you can frighten me as you

do

the other friends of your brother, because you envy him and his sons the empire. But you are not strong enough to stand against them, and you are
all

not strong enough to rule that empire, So you make light of their friends to give a vent to your wrath
!

the empire go out of the hands of Alraschid and his sons, and that he will
I trust

But

Allah

will

never

let

kill

you before
!

it

can

But

if it

should

which Allah

has no more value for me, and I should prefer to die rather than live under you, so you can do with me then just as you please!" When
forbid
life

Alraschid returned, Ibrahim jumped up, and, standing before him, said, "O Commander of the Faithful this
!

has been abusing me, and has talked about my " What mother, and treated me with contumely." have you been saying?" asked the Caliph, angrily.
1

man

inferior wives; the

Ibrahim was the son of Mehdi, Haroun's father, by one of the mention of her family relations makes the taunt all

the worse to the proud Abbaside prince.

208
"

Haroun

Alraschid.

do not know," said Ishak.

"Ask
to

those

who were
and

present."

So Alraschid turned

Mesrur

Honein, another attendant, and asked them what had passed between his brother and the musician.

he heard the words repeated, his face at first grew livid, and he absolutely foamed at the mouth with rage but when the remarks about the Caliphate
;

When

more composed, " It was and, addressing himself to Ibrahim, said, your own fault you should not have abused him first he only told you that he dared not answer So back to your place, and do not be guilty you.
were mentioned, he seemed a
little
; ;

the assembly broke up, he signed to Ishak to stay behind, which the " Do you latter did with no small apprehension.

of such folly in future

!"

When

think," said
"

that

Haroun, when they were alone together, did not see the drift of your remarks ? You

made the same reproach three times to him that he had made to you. Do you think if Ibrahim beats you
that
I

shall beat

him

in return

or do
kill

you imagine
you,
I

that, if

he orders his servants to

shall

take blood vengeance for you when he is my own brother?" "O Commander of the Faithful!" said the
" poor singer, you have killed me with those words I expect he if he hears of them, he is sure to kill me has heard them already!" Then the Caliph called for Mesrur, and told him to send Ibrahim to him at
;
!

once.

Ishak,

who was

dismissed before the prince

Haroun 's Brother and the Musician.

came
in,

209

the particulars of the interview from one of the attendants. As his brother entered,

learned

Haroun began
"

to reproach

him

for his folly,

and

said,

Do you

treat with

contumely

my

servant,

and

my

companion, and the son of my companion, and make light of my kindness and that of my father to him,

and

this

in

my own

court
ridicule

too,
?

and Majesty up to attack this man and

to be rich
?

holding Ah ah
!

my
!

court
!

ah

you

his fellows because

you happen

Who
in
is

forced you to contend with him,

and to compete and livelihood it

music with one whose profession ? Then you think you can find

you know nothing whatever about it, till he obliges you to answer his arguments, and you cannot do so, and make yourself ridiculous, and display your ignorance, and ill breeding, and conceit Now, by Allah and by His prophet and
fault with his art, while
!

by

grave if anybody harms him, or if a stone from heaven falls on him, or if he even falls off

my

father's

his horse, or if a roof falls

on him, or

if

he drops
will
!

down
Allah,

dead,
I

I
!

will

kill

you.
I

By
!

Allah,

by

will

The poor

by Allah, prince went out

will

And now

be

off."

with fear on hearing this time afterwards, when

and half-dead outburst of rage. For some Ibrahim and Ishak were
crestfallen

together in the Caliph's presence, the latter would look first at one and then at the other, and then
burst out laughing. o

One day he

said to his brother,

2IO
"I

Haroun

Alraschid.

and enjoy receiving lessons in music from him, and that he will not come to you until you have given him satisfacnow give him a present, and treat him kindly, tion

know you have

really a liking for Ishak,

and recognise
you, you

his merit,

and

if after

him to long tongue and a heavy hand !" Then he turned " Do you go up and kiss the head of Ishak and said, one who is your master and your master's son."

may

deal with

that he annoys as you please with a

Ishak complied, and so the feud between the prince and the singer was ended.

Ishak had been prohibited by the Caliph from singing to anyone but himself or his friend and
vizier,

Jaafer the Barmecide.

On

one occasion El

Fadhl, Jaafer's brother, charmed with his singing and conversation, induced him by a bribe of a thousand

dirhems

to

spend the evening at his house, and

promised not to betray him. The news was, however, brought to Haroun, who was lying ill at Rakka at the time, and was exceedingly annoyed when he
heard of
it.

He

at once sent for Ishak,

who, sus-

pecting something was wrong, returned the money to El Fadhl, and when the Caliph reproached him

with having disobeyed his orders, and entertained El Fadhl at Bagdad while his master was lying lonely

Rakka, swore that he had only passed the evening in conversation, and had not sung a note. Alraschid was obliged to be content with this explaill

and

at

The Caliph and

nation,

the Convent.

211

and gave him a sum of money equivalent to that which he had returned. Ishak also relates that, being one day out hunting
with the Caliph, the latter rode ahead, and he, feeling tired, made for a small convent which he observed
close by,

and asked

for shelter.

He was

hospitably

entertained

good

by the prior, a venerable man, meat and wine before him, and amused

who

set

him with

experiences, which extended back as far as the preceding dynasty of the Ommiades,

a recital of his

own

several princes of which family had also been his To complete Ishak's satisfaction, he was guests.

waited upon at table by a clever and beautiful nun, and the time passed so rapidly that it was late in the evening before he returned to camp. The Caliph

was angry at his absence, but hearing of his adventure, and some verses which he had improvised on
the occasion, gave orders to delay their departure for

another day, that he might himself visit the hospitable This he did the next little Christian community.

morning, and was so charmed with his entertainment that he also remained the whole day, and, on taking
his leave,

a present of a thousand dinars (nearly ^"500) to the monastery, and remitted the taxes on the lands and gardens belonging to it for seven years.

made

El Asmai, another of the Caliph's literary friends, was a complete master of the Arabic language, and the

most eminent of the authors,

poets,

and

story-tellers

212
of ihe day.
to

Haroun
He was

Alraschid.

a native of Basra, but

removed

Bagdad

in the reign

of

Haroun Alraschid.

Abu

being told that he and Abu Obeidah, another " As for accomplished scholar, were at court, replied,

Nawwas

Abu
him,

Obeidah, he
all

will recite to

them,

if

they will

let

the history of the ancients, and the moderns

is

too; but as for El Asmai, he

enchant them by his songs." by heart sixteen thousand pieces of verse in one metre alone. Between him and this Abu Obeidah a
rivalry existed,
"

a nightingale who will It is said that he knew

and he himself

tells

the following

story

and

Fadhl ibn

er

Abu Obeidah went one day to visit Rabf, the minister, who asked me of how
'

horses was composed. of only one.' He then asked the I answered him, same question of Abu Obeidah, who said his consisted of fifty volumes. Go over to that horse/ said the
'

many volumes my work upon

Vizier,

I am and name the various parts of it.' but all that I have compiled no farrier/ he replied on the subject was gleaned from the Arabs of the
'

'

then went up, and laying my hand on each part of the animal in succession, named them, and recited an appropriate
desert.'

At

a hint from Fadhl,

verse from

When

some old Arab poet concerning each. had finished, he bade me keep the horse
;

and whenever Obeidah, him a visit.''" rode on that horse to pay El Asmai, who had, as was usual with his class,
I

wished to annoy

Abu

El Asm at.

213

neglected to economise and provide for his old age, waited upon Haroun Alraschid for a long time after his
accession, but
his attention.

was never fortunate enough to At length one day, as he was

attract
sitting

disconsolate at the gate, almost determined to relin-

quish his hopes of the

for

new

Caliph's bounty

and seek

a livelihood elsewhere, the door opened, and an attendant asked, " Is there anyone here who can make

good poetry
"
I

?"

El Asmai jumped up, and exclaimed,

am

vant;

man for that." " Come, then," said the ser"follow me into the palace, and if the Commander
the
is

of the Faithful

only pleased with your verse, you

may

of your fortunes !" The Caliph, who was sitting upon a sofa, with Jaafer the Barmecide beside him, acknowledged El Asmafs
salutation as he entered,

look upon this evening as the

dawn

and said to him kindly,

sit

"

If

you

feel at all flurried

or frightened,

down and
El

compose yourself before improvising anything."

Asmai, fearing that such an opportunity might not occur again, explained that he was ready to exhibit
his skill either as a poet or a reciter.

After pro-

posing some very difficult questions in literature, which the other answered promptly and correctly, Haroun asked him to recite a certain poem. This

he at once began to do very glibly but coming to a passage in which the previous and rival dynasty of the Ommiades was eulogised, he skilfully passed it over, and went on to another part of the ode which
;

214

Haroun

Alraschid.

contained a panegyric upon Haroun's own grand" Did you leave the passage out on father, Mansur.
purpose," asked Alraschid, "or from forgetfulness ?" " On purpose," said the poet " I left out the lies
;

Ommiades, and told the truth about Mansur;" and was complimented on his courtierlike diplomacy. In his next recitation, which he performed very quickly, with a view to show his thorough familiarity with the old Arab literature, " Gently, gently Jaafer interrupted him by saying,
about the
!

You need
will get

not be in

such haste to
"

paid for your trouble." " promised him payment," said the Caliph, you must "And I," replied El Asmai, join me in the expense."
"

you depart Since you have

;

will

improvise you

contention

for

excellence

between Arab and Persian, that the Caliph and his minister may contend as to which can give me the
largest
reciting

reward."

some

the poet was well-known verses which contain a

little

later

on,

" long description of a camel, and Jaafer said, Stop cannot you find something better than a camel for
;

us

to talk about all night?"

"It was that same

"

that took camel," remarked Alraschid, sarcastically, the crown from your heads and the kingdom from

your monarchs
Jaafer's

alluding to the conquest of Persia, fatherland, by the Arabs, whose most

!"

typical

possession
said Jaafer

is

the
"
I

camel.

"

Praise
"

be to
are

Allah

!"

ask pardon."

You

El Waltd and
wrong
*

the Singing Girl.

215

again," said

Praise be to

Haroun " you should not say, Allah !' when you are speaking of mis;
'

fortunes, but rather,

ask aid of Allah

' !

"

Another of the Court singers was Hisham ibn Suleiman, formerly a freedman of the Ommiade family, and a favourite with the last sovereigns of that dynasty. One day he sang before Haroun Alraschid, and so pleased the Caliph, that he gave him a costly necklace which he happened to have on
at the time.

No

sooner had Hisham beheld the

filled

present than his eyes

with tears, and when Haroun asked him to explain the cause, he related
:

" the following incident As the Caliph Walid was one day seated by the Lake of Tiberias, I approached,

and found him surrounded by a company of very Not recognising me, as I had beautiful singing girls.

my
So
I

litham 2 over

my

face,

he said

'Here comes a

desert

Arab

let

us call

joined the party, play and sing a song and air of my made several mistakes in it, and

him up and make fun of him.' when one of the girls began to

own composing, but

I

could not refrain

'

from telling her that she was not singing correctly. At this she laughed, and, turning to El Walid, said O Commander of the Faithful do you hear what
!

in

These and similar stereotyped formulae are used to the present day speaking Arabic. There is one for nearly every occurrence in life.

sort of veil

worn by the Arabs, both

from the sun.

for purposes of

concealment

and

to protect themselves

2l6
this desert

Haroun

A Irasch

id.

singing.'

Arab says ? he is finding fault with our At this the Caliph looked at me somewhat
I

anncyed, but
offered
to

explained the mistakes to him, and

the

sing

song

myself.

When

had

jumped up and threw herself upon my neck, crying out, 'My master Hisham, by the Lord of the Ka'abeh!' I at once removed my veil, was recognised by the Caliph, and passed the
finished, the girl

remainder of the day with him.

Presently, the barge

approached to take them to the camp, but, before leaving, Walid made me a handsome present, and the girl, having asked his permission, gave me this very
necklace as a keepsake. The Caliph then embarked, cne of the girls stepped in after him, and the other

who had

recognised me was about to follow, when her she fell into the water, and was never foot slipped
;

El Walid wept grievously at her loss, and begged of me to let him have the necklace, for which he gave me a large sum of money in exchange.
seen again.

was the memory of this incident that made me weep when I saw the necklace." Haroun Alraschid's " only comment on the story was, How marvellous is
It

Allah's grace, that, while he has given

me

the throne

of the

Ommiades

for

an inheritance, he has given

!"

me

their personal property too

This story bears the semblance of reality. Many of the narrations of personal adventures with which
the courtiers entertained their master were, however,

An
evidently
fertile

Eastern Munchausen.
their

217

drawn from the resources of

own

imaginations. Some of those in the Arabian Nights are good specimens of this kind of improvised

romance, and others are found scattered through works which pretend to greater historical accuracy,

and are mixed up with the more authentic stories. One Obeid ibn el Abras, a poet, for instance, told
Alraschid as a fact how, when once upon a pilgrimage to Mecca, the road of the caravan in which he was

was barred by a great dragon, whose roaring and threatening attitude forced them to choose There they were met by a similar another path. monster, and as no one else ventured to. attack it and retreat was impossible, Obeid drew his sword,
travelling

a girbeh> or water-skin, as a shield, advanced to the attack. The beast opened its mouth
and,

taking

as

if

to swallow the intrepid Arab,

when
mouth.

the latter

pushed

the

water-skin

into

its

To

his

astonishment, the dragon swallowed the water greedily, and went quietly off. On his return from Mecca,

Obeid became benighted and lost his way, when a mysterious voice was heard bidding him mount a
camel that stood beside him.
short time

He

did so, and in a

came

in sight of the caravan.

The camel

then halted, Obeid dismounted, and the voice informed him that his guide was the dragon, grateful to him

having relieved his thirst. To people as superstitious as the Arabs, with whom a belief in jinns, or
for

2i8

Haroun
is

Alraschid.

genie,

and whose works on natural history contain minute and so-called scientific
an
article

of faith,

accounts of
this story

all

the monsters of mediaeval romance,

may
it

any

rate,

not have seemed so improbable. At gained its narrator a large pecuniary

reward.

Sometimes the story would turn upon some point of theological law, which was sure to interest the pious and learned Caliph, and to which the narrator would contrive to give a witty turn. El Asmaf once told Haroun that he knew a man who had " divorced five wives in one day. How is that
possible,"

asked the Caliph, "when the law only allows him to have four?" El Asmai said "The

man had
them
all

four wives, and,

coming home one day, found

'

quarrelling together. have this disturbance in my house

'

How
?

long am I to This is your

'

doing/ said he, turning to one of his wives, and you are divorced You need not have divorced her in
'
!

such a hurry,' said the second you might have admonished her first!' 'And you are divorced too
*

for interfering/ said the

man.

Then
'

the third inter-

posed, and abused him, saying that he had lost two Then/ retorted he, I will lose a third ; good women.
'

you are divorced too/ The fourth next struck in 'Cannot you manage your wives any way but by divorcing them?' asked she. 'No/ said the man;
'

so you are divorced as well

!'

This

moment a

neigh-

Ready Answers of
hour's wife

the Arabs.

219

him volubly for divorcing all his wives for nothing. Turning If your husband would allow sharply to her, he said, me, I would divorce you too, you chatterbox !' 'Oh/

came

in,

and began
*

to abuse

said the husband,

you are " the So," said El Asmai, quite welcome to do so.' man divorced five wives in one day." The Cadi Abu Yusuf, whose complaisant interpretation of the law I have before spoken of, was one

who now

joined the party,

'

day sent
his wife

for to decide

between Haroun Alraschid and

Zobeideh the weighty question which of two dishes was the best. The Cadi tasted first one and
then another, and at length said, when he had nearly " finished them both I never saw two claimants

whose causes were so equally balanced. As soon as I have listened to one, the other brings an argument
to overrule
it."

One more specimen

of the ready answers of the

Arabs of the period. Meeting an old woman in the desert in the course of his numerous pilgrimages to Mecca, Haroun asked her to what tribe she belonged. " To Taiy," was the
" How is it that your Ah," said the Caliph. tribe cannot produce another Hatim?" 1 "How is "

reply.

it,"

retorted the politic

old lady,

"

that the whole

Hatim Taiy was an Arab who

lived a few years before

Mohammed,

and was proverbial

for his great liberality.

220

Haroun

Alraschid.

race of the Caliphs have never produced another like you ?" The compliment gained her a rich reward.

Thus

far

my

information

has

been exclusively

European chronicles mention an embassy sent by Charlemagne to the court of the Caliph, and the interchange of presents and diplomatic courtesies between the two monarchs. As none of the Arabic histories even hint at this circumstance, and the tradition is entirely unsupported by collateral evidence, I am afraid it must be relegated to the ever-increasing category of exploded

taken from Oriental sources.

popular errors. At a decisive or culminating point in a nation's

history, the central figure will

always form the focus of innumerable popular legends. Haroun Alraschid is no exception to the rule, and Arabic literature is
full

of stories

in

part,

but

many

which the great Caliph plays a of which might as well have been

any other person or time. From this mass of heterogeneous materials I have selected chiefly such anecdotes as have been handed down
attributed to

by trustworthy authority, such as bear upon themselves the stamp of truth, or such as obviously belong
at least to the period of our history.

They

are indeed the best

and almost the only source

from which information as to Alraschid's personality can be obtained, for the science of biography was
almost unknown to the Arabs of the time, and even

Character of the Caliph.

.221

when
its

it

was cultivated by them

later on,
I

it still

retained

anecdotal form.

Although

have refrained from

inserting

many

of the time-honoured jokes and wit-

ticisms attributed to Alraschid

and

his

merry com-

panions, several of the foregoing stones may appear too frivolous for a serious historical work. I would,

however, remind the reader that beneath the

exterior of these tales there lies

trivial

and they certainly reflect it existed under the Caliphs of Bagdad.

much that is true, faithfully Arab society as

They show

us the subject of our history as he lived and thought and spoke, and throw a much stronger light upon his

personal character than any of the records of his

public acts.

must now take leave of Haroun Alraschid I have endeavoured to bring him out of the dim mists of
I
;

fable into the clear daylight of history.

If,

now

that

we know him

we must deny him the timehonoured title of the Good," we can scarcely study his chequered youth, his glorious reign, and hh
better,
"

miserable end, without allowing him that of

Great."

"

the

He was
strong

will.

man of great talents, keen intellect, and Had he been born in a humbler position,

he might have done something for the good of his country and the world at large, and would certainly
even then have attained to eminence.

The eloquence and impetuosity

of his discourse, as

222

Haroun
in

Alraschid.
of his

shown

those speeches

which have been

for a

preserved,

were remarkable even

time when
as

eloquence

was

cultivated

and

regarded

the

That these speeches are genuine is proved by the fact that, though related by different persons, the style is identical in them all, and they are of so remarkable a character, that even
greatest accomplishment.

of anyone who reads them once in the original and at the time they were uttered, with the tragic circumstances that for the
linger in the

now they

memory
;

most part surrounded them, they must have fixed themselves indelibly upon the hearers' minds, and could scarcely have been repeated otherwise than
faithfully.

As

a man, he showed

many

and affectionate
position in

disposition,

indications of a loyal but the preposterous

crushed

all

which he was placed almost necessarily It must really human feelings in him.

not be forgotten that he inherited what was practithat he was cally the empire of the civilised world
;

the recognised successor and kinsman of God's own that he was the head of the vicegerent on earth
;

Faith
be, a

that, in

a word, there was not, and could not

more grand, important, or worshipful being in the world than himself. Nor was this merely instilled into his mind by servile courtiers it was the deliberate conviction of the whole Moslem world that is to for no Moslem then, and say, of the world at large
;

Character of the Caliph.

223

few Moslems now, would regard an infidel as even deserving the name of one of God's creatures. That
such a

man

should not be
not

spoilt, that

such absolute

of arbitrary injustice, that such unlimited power and absence of all feelings of responsibility could be possessed with-

despotism

should

lead

to

acts

out unlimited indulgence, was not in the nature of human events. He was spoilt, he was a bloodthirsty
despot,

he was a debauchee

but he was also an

duties of

energetic ruler, he
his religion,

humbly performed the

his

and he strove

utmost to increase, or
in carrying out

at least preserve intact, the glorious inheritance that

had been handed down

to him.

If,

any of these views, a

subject's

life

were

lost

or

an enemy's country devastated, he thought no more of it than does the owner of a palace who bids his menials sweep away a spider's web. When he could

shake off his imperial cares, he was a genial, even an amusing companion, and all around him liked him,
although such as ventured to sport with him did so with the sword of the executioner suspended above
their heads.

The subsequent

history of the Caliphate

is

a sad

Under story of civil war, invasion, and decadence. Haroun's son, Mamun, it is true the lustre of its
glory was scarcely dimmed for, although the limits of the Empire were already contracted, and its power restricted, the impulse which that enlightened
;

224

Haroun

Alrasckid.

monarch gave

to literature

and

science,

by encourag-

ing the translation of the great works of antiquity from Sanscrit, Zend, and Greek into his own native

language, must make his reign gratefully remembered by the civilised world. With his successors it was
of luxury, indolence, and cruelty were indulged in by them to an unlimited extent, and entailed their necessary fatal consequence,
far

different

the vices

until at length

El Motawukkel, the

last of the Caliphs,

was carried by the Ottoman Sultan, Selim, a prisoner from Egypt where he still possessed the shadow of
authority to Constantinople, and was forced to surrender even his empty title to the conat least spiritual

queror.

The

religion

which

Mohammed

taught, and

which the early Caliphs,

his successors, disseminated

;

so widely, has ever since gained ground but the domination of El Islam as a consolidated temporal power virtually ceased with the decadence of the

imperial city of Bagdad, the glories of which are inseparably connected with the name of Haroun

Alraschid.

GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE HOUSES OF OMMAIYEH, ABBAS, & ALL

ABD MENAF.
I

Abd Shems.
Ommaiyeh.

INDEX.
ABBASAH,
98. Abbasides, 24-26, 37, 55, 58, 75, 126. Abd el Melik ibn Salih, 48, 75, 100, lot, 131-135, 159-161. Abdallah, father of Mohammed, 25.

murder 83, 84 murder of the two sons of,

;

of,

92

Arabian Nights,
145, 147, 199
;

30, 80, 138-140, 143, Galland's version of, 139; Lane's version of, 139. 24, 64.

Armenia,

Asfzar, 108.

Abdallab ibn Omar, 18. Abdallah ibn Zobeir, 19-22.

Astrologer, the Jew, 144. Attaf ibn Sufeyan, 64.

Aun

Abd al Muttaleb, 24. Abd el Aziz, 22. Abd el Melik, 21, 22. Abd el Mehk ibn balih, 75. Abd er Rahman, son of Abd
Melik, 132.

el Abddi, 177. Ayesha, 15, 16.

Azerbaijan, 24.

BABYLON,
el

141.

Babylonia, 16. Bagdad, 54-56, 63, 71, 74, 90, 107,

Abdarrahman, murderer of Ali,

Abraham
note.

15. (Patriarch), legend of, 180,

no,

113, 116, 128, 145, 188.

Balkh, in. Bardanes, 76.

Abu Abu

'Atahiyeh, 31, 32, 188-191. Isa, son of Alraschid, 205.

Barmecides, 76, 80, 115, 121, 135, 138, fall of, 42, 196, 213 origin of, 81
; ;

Abujerud, sect of, 172. Abu Heidham, 63, 64.

81, 82, 86.

Abu Jaafer Mansur, 26. Abu Moslem, 25, 26, 107, no, 126. Abu Nawwas, 147-150, 171,200-204,
212.

Bashir, brother of Rafi ibn Leith, murdered, 124. Byzantine empire, 50, 75, 128.

CABUS,

69.

Abu Mu'awiyeh, 32. Abu Yusuf, 155-159,

Caliph, 17.

172, 219. Afreet, 141. Africa, 19, 67, 69, 72, 73, 115. Aladdin, story of, 140.
Ali,

Camamah,

132. Christians, disabilities Crete, 75. Cyprus, 75, 78.

of, 78,

79.

family of, 19, 15, 16, 20, 25 25- 2 7- 55- 57. 73 murder of, 15. Al Asma'i, 118, 211-213, 218. Ali ibn Abi Talib, 85, 131, 153, 167
; I

DAMASCUS,
;

15, 24, 55, 182, i8.|,

/.

family of, 100, 107. Ali ibn Isa, 77, 108, 110-112, 127. Alraschid, see Haroun. Amir ibn Amanih, 63.

Divorce, 158, note. Decay of the empire, 2.24. Dome of the rock, 22.

Ancyra, 75. Arab, 10, 18-21

ligion, ii
;

art,

character, 10 re19 folk-lore, 141.

;
;

EDRIS, 73, 74. Egypt, 15, 26, 115, 161. Egypt, viceroy of, 45-47. Emin, 35, 113-115, 117, 119, 120,
Euphrates,
127, 128, 13^, 178, 179, 203-205. 17, 56.

Arabia,

14,

115.

226
.FADHL,

Index.
Arabian Nights, 139death predicted by a Jew astrologer, 144; suffers from sleephis incognito walks lessness, 145 anecdotes of, in Bagdad, 145 with Ibn el Karibee, 146 Abu Nawwas, 147-151, 201 Hamid et Tusi, 151; El Asmai, 152, 212; the Cadi Abu Yiisuf, 155, 157-159 Maan ibn Isma'il ibn Salih, 159 Zaidah, 169; Jaafer, 170; Aba El Hakam, 172 Miriam, 171 Gabriel ibn Bakhtishou, 177 his half-brother, Ibrahim ibn el Mehdi,
in the

the Barmecide, 40, 41, 43-45. 49-S 2 5 8 6 4> 86 101-104, Z 35> J 3^> I 4. I 5 2 Z 59. 198-200, death 210; beaten in prison, 102
. .
> >

him
143

his

of, 104.

Fadhl ibn Rabf,

53,

81,

122,

125,

127, 131, 192, 212.

Fadhl ibn Rauh, 67-69. Fadhl ibn Sahl, 113, 114. Fatima, daughter of the Prophet,
130.

',

Fatima, sister of Alraschid, 194. Female children buried alive, 12. Persian, 140. Folk-lore, Arab, 140
;

GABRIEL IBN BAKHTISHOU,

122, 123, 177, 178. Galland, 139. Ghoul, 141. Greeks, 18, 19, 75.

89, 120,

HADI, EL,
Hajj, 164.

27, 33-35.

Ommiade noble, 'Atahiyeh, 188-191 Mansur ibn Ziyad, 192 a woman of the Barmecides, 196; Ishak ibn Ibrahim el Mosili, 210, 211 Hisham ibn Suleiman, 215; an old.woman in the desert, 219 his quarrel with Jaafer about a slave girl, 157-159
179, 180, 206; the

182

Abu

Hakam, Hdmah,
Hani,

El, story of, 172-177.

141.

16.

Haroun

Alraschid, his name, pedihis gree, and date of birth, 29 accession, 29 piety, 30 patronage
;
;

of learned men, 31 appoints Yahya the Barmecide his vizier, anecdote of, with a eulogist 39 of the Barmecides, 42 jealousy of the Barmecides, 81, 82, 85-89 marries Jaafer and his sister
; ; ;
;

adventure with Ibrahim el Mosili, 161-164 with a Bedawi at the Ka'abeh of Mecca, 164-167 introduces his Arab bride, 169 El Fadhl the Barmecide into the apartments of his sister Ulaiyeh, 199; his son Abu 'Isa the singer, 205 his character, 221-223. Hdriit and Marut, 141.
his
;

Hashem, family

of,

59, 88, 98, 119,

Hassan, son of Jaafer, 98. Hejjaz, El, 21, 22.

Heraclea, 78.

Abbasah, 83;

slights

Yahya, 89;

his

pride of birth, 92; murders Abbasah, 92; causes Jaafer to be put to death,

Herthemah,
Hirah, 177.

65, 70, 71,

in,

112.

95

murders Jaafer's sons, 98 inYahya's mother, 100 causes El Fadhl to be beaten, 102 removes his residence from Bagdad to Rakka, 107; arranges for the suc; ;

Hisham,

23.

sults

Hisham

ibn Suleiman, 215, 216. Holy war, 30.

Hulwan,

121.

cession of Emin and Mamun, 114; falls sets out for Khorassan, 120 vision of his apill at Tus, 122 proaching death, 123 his death, his wealth, 128 puts 124, 125 Mousa ibn Jaafer to death, 130 interview with Abd el Melik ibn Salih, 131-133; his idea of his
; ; ;
;

Husein, El, son of Ali ibn Isa. 108. Husain, son of Ali, 16, 17, 19. Husein, son of Jaafer, 98.

IBADHIYEH,

67.

Divine right, 137

part played by

Ibn el Farsi, 69, 70. Ibn el Janid, 68, 69. Ibrahim, brother of Yezed III., 24. Ibrahim ibn el Aghlab, 72. Ibrahim, son of Ibn Abbas, 25, 26.

Index.
Ibrahim ibn
el

227
139.

Mehdi, Alraschid's

LANE,

brother, 179-181, 206-210. Ibrahim el Mosili, 161-164, 167-169.

MAAN

Ibrahim, Sheikh, 142.

IBN ZAIDAH, 169, 170. Magians, 114.

Imam,

the, 25, 26, 130, 155, 165. India, 22, 56. Irak, 23, 24, 115, 130. Irene, Empress, 75.

35, 113-115, 117, 119, 120, 126-128, 134, 178, 204, 205. Mansur, the Caliph, 31, 129, 194,

Mamun,
211.

Isabad, 36. Isa 'bnjaafer, 157. Isbak ibn Ibrahim el Mosili, 206-211. Islam, 15, 17-19, 24, 116. Ismail ibn Yahya, 86-88. Ismail ibn Salih, 159.

Mansur ibn
Mansur,
49,

Ziyad, 192-195.

26, 27, 55.

30, 31, 102, 116, 153, 164, 167, 182, 190, 217, 219. Medina, 19, 130, 171. Mehdi, El, the Caliph, 27, 122, 188.

Maslamah, 23. Mecca, n, 19-22,

JAAFER,

the

Barmecide,

40,

41,

Menara, 182-187. Merv, in, 112, 115.

43-46, 48, 49, 80, 85-89, 93-96, 98-100, 142, 144, 145, 157-159, 169-171, 210, 213, 214, 217; amour death of, with Abbasah, 83, 84 of, 97 burning the body of, 99
;

Merwan,

20, 22, 26, 135. 57, 107. Mesnir, 92, 93, 95, 96, 103, 123, 125, 145, 146, 190, 201.

Mesopotamia,

Moawiyeh,

mother

of,

105.

Moawiyeh
Modhari

15, 16, II., 20.

19.

Jaafer, son of \L\ Hadi, 33, 34, 36. Jaafer ibn Suleiman, 129. Jerusalem, 22.

clan, 24, 63.

Mogheirah, 68.

Mohammed,

the Prophet,

9,

11-14,

"Jinn, 141.

Jinniyeh, 140.
Jisr el

Ghawwasin, 36.
101, 116, 164, 165.

Mohammed Mohammed
"

17, 18, 21, 25, 130, 153.

ibn Mukatil, 72. ibn Ibrahim, the

Imam,

KA'ABEH, u,

SL Mosque

Pigeon," 21.
El, 224.

Kasim, son of Alraschid, 113. Kasr el Khuld, 90. Kermanshah, 121. Khalid the Barmecide, 39.
Khalifeh, 17. Kharegites, 15, 20, 24. Kheizaran, Alraschid's mother, 188.

Motawukkel,

Mousa

ibn Jaafer, 129-131.

Muktadir, El, 38.

Muktafi, El, 38.

Mukanna,

27.

Musa

'bn Isa, 61, 62.

57.

Khorassan,
88, 91, 94,

25, 26, 50, 57, 64, 77, 78, 95, 107-109, 112, 113,

NAFS EZ ZAKIYEH, EN,

Nahrawan, 94, 113. Nasr ibn Sujam, 1 10.
Ni m rod,
Nicephorus, 75-78.
1 80,

120, 126,
27.

127

veiled prophet of,

Khosroes, 18. Khozars, 74, 75.

Khuz'.-imat ibn Khnzim, 34.

note.
of, 142.

Nita's, 26.

Nooreddfn, story

Aghani, 154. Kohistan, 108.

Kitab

el

Koran,
I S3.

9,

14, 21, 23,

156,

165,

117, 150, 151, 166, 172, 186, 196,

OBEID IBN EL ABKAS, Olympic games, n.

Omani,
Onmuiiyeh,

217.

197.

Koreish, 12, 20, 203.

Kufa,

15,

17, 20, 55, 104,

182, 187.

El, the poet, 117. 15. Ommiades, 16, 20-22, 26, 27, 182, 213, 214.

108,

228
Ommiade party, 107. Ommiade nobleman,
Omar, Caliph,

Index.

Tartary, 56. 183-187.

17, 18, 22, 78.

Omar

ibn Mehran, 61-63.

12, 14, 15.

Tawaf, the, 164. Tell, page-boy, lover of Ulaiyeh, 197. Theophilus (Greek Admiral), 75.
Tiberias, Lake of, 215. Tigris, 56, 142, 171, 191. Traditions, the, 14, 153.

Othman,

Oxus, 113.
PERI, Persian, 140. Persian, 14, 18-21, 25 art, 19 Gulf, 56 fables, pire, 9 hatred of Arabs, 115.
;
; ;

Em140
;

Transoxania, 113. Tunis, 68, 72.

Persian, the

142. Persian party, 126. Pilgrimage, 30, 31. Prophet, the, 153.
fair,

ULAIYEH, Alraschid's sister, 197; her amour with Tell, 197 her talents
;

as a musician, 197, 198.

VEILED prophet
113, 123.

of Khorass

Vizier, office of, 37.

RAFI IBNLEITH, no, in,

Rakka, 107, Rakkeh, 77.
112, 113, 123.

WA'D EL BENAT,
Walid Walid
I.,

12.

Rhe

(or Rye), 58, 64, 109, 205.

SABAH ET TABARI,
Sabaeans,

Es, 120.

24. II., 22, 23. Walid, Caliph, 215, 216. Walid ibn Tarff, 65, 66.

n,

12.

Sacrifices, festival of, 104.

Sadii, 141. Saffah, Es, 26. Safsaf, 75.

YAHYA, wife of, 100. Yahya 'bn Abdallah, 57-61,

Yahya

85.

Sassanian emperors, 25, 37, 56. Sahl ibn Said, 125. Salih ibn Mehran, 192, 193.
Shiahs, 14, 58, 107.
Sinai, Bedawinof, 140. Sindi, Es, 131.

'bn Musa, 70. Yahya, the Barmecide, 33-36, 39, 40, 43-45, 81-83, 89, 90, 101, 119, 122,
135, 136, 144, 104.

193-195
27.

death

of,

Ya'kub ibn Baud, Yelemlim, Mount, Yemen, 17, 20.

.

134.

Sleeper awakened, 143. Spain, anecdote of a king of, 149. Sufyan ibn Oyainah, 152, 153. Suleiman, Caliph, 22, 129. Suleiman, son of Abd el Melik, 22. Sunnis, sect of, 14.
Syria, 24, 115, 134.

Yemeni

faction, 23, 24, 63.

Yezid ibn Harun, 154. Yezid I., 16, 19, 20. Yezid II., 23. Yezid III., 24.

ZAB,

70, 72.

TABERISTAN,

58.

Zein el Abidin, 25. Zobeideh, 85, 91, 114, 115, 119, 128,
136, 157, 175, 176, 197, 203. Zobeiri, the, 59, 60.

Tahir ibn Husein, 109. " Taming of the Shrew," 143.

Tarsus, 78.

199,

200-

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