Hast thou not seen the bravest flee before thee, Illustrious youth, thou art our best of blessings; Joy to the world, and to the nations joy! Already changed in fate! Who shall declare That yet he may not yield? The rocks and mountains Thrice noble Taxfin, Allah grants that thou CHAP. XXXIII.-WARS IN AFRICA BETWEEN THE ALMOHADES AND THE ALMORAVIDES. WARS IN SPAIN BETWEEN THE MOSLEMAH AND THE CHRISTIANS. EULOGIUM OF THE ALMORAVIDES AND THEIR CHIEFS. IN the year 524, and in the moon Xaban of that year, Abu Meruan Abdelmelic, called Amad Dolah, King of Saragossa, died in his fortress of Rot-Alyehud, which is situate in the East of Spain. That inaccessible stronghold, the asylum and common retreat of the kings his ancestors, had long been the residence of Amad-Dolah, who was utterly abhorred by his subjects, on account of the compact and alliance into which he had entered with the King of the Christians, Alfonso Ben Raymond Asulatain; nay, they could not endure with patience the sight of their sovereign presenting gifts to the ruler of the Infidels, and assisting him in his wars with the Almoravides. Abu Giafar Ahmed, called Seif-Dolah, succeeded to his father, Amad-Dolah, in the administration of the state, and in the evil counsels which had disgraced the previous reign; nor had he been three years on the throne before he had made over to the enemy all the fortresses by which the eastern frontier of Spain had to that time been defended. He called himself Almostansir* Billah, and Almostaint Billah; but God did not see fit either to aid him or favour him, because of his base and cowardly alliance with the Christians; wherefore the dynasty of the Beni-Hud, so powerful in earlier times, was seen to arrive at its close in his person. : In Africa, the war between the Almoravides and the Almohades was commenced anew by Abdelmumen Aben Aly that sovereign having first taken order for the good government of Tinmaul and the tribes dependent on his rule, then wrote to his Xeques, convoking them to the field, and assembling his people with the determination to renew the Holy War against the King of Morocco. He took counsel with his generals as to the mode in which he might most advantageously employ his troops, and resolved at length to direct their march on the Comarcas of Alziga. That question decided, Abdelmumen left his city of Tinmaul with thirty thousand men, departing from the gates on Thursday, the 24th of the moon Rebie Primera, in the year 526. He made rapid progress in the district which he first assailed, taking possession of the towns and subjugating the people with but slight resistance. Over the tribes by whom he was to a certain extent opposed, Abdelmumen also obtained victory after victory, and made conquest upon conquest. Entering the territory of Tesala, he occupied the city of Derva, subjugating to his arms the inhabitants of Velad Tifar, Velad Fezan, Velad Guyuza, and other districts; after which he passed forward until he had attained the The favoured of God. *The assisted of God. city of Morocco itself, before which he fixed his camp, in the moon Xewal, of the same year 526. Having assaulted the walls of the capital during several days, Abdelmumen Ben Aly then passed on to Velad Tedula, which he took by storm; he next directed his march on Derat, and from that city he proceeded to the town of Sale. When the inhabitants of the last-named place heard that he was approaching, they came peacefully forth to meet him, offering him their allegiance, and placing themselves beneath the shelter of his faith and protection. Abdelmumen thereupon took possession of the city, which he entered on Saturday, the 24th of the moon Dylhagia, in the year 525. In the following year, the victorious leader continued his conquests, and before the close of the year 527 he had subjugated all the district of Teze. In Spain, the Ameer Taxfin continued to make war upon the Christians, with whom he was engaged in a fierce contest upon all his frontiers; but the astute Alfonso Ben Raymund succeeded by means of the wicked treaties made with him by Almostansir Billah Abu Giafar Ahmed Ben Hud Saif-Dolah, King of Saragossa, in obtaining possession of Alyehud, with many other very important fortresses of eastern Spain. Almostansir Billah received in return a large portion of the territory of Toledo, with the half of that city, and to this agreement, which was made in the moon of Dylcada, and the year 527,* Abu Giafar Almostansir was moved, principally by the fear lest his own subiects, in their abhorrence of his treaties and alliances with the King Alfonso Ben Raymond, should surrender those fortresses to the Almoravides. He was besides apprehensive that he should not be able to maintain himself in his sovereignty of the states transmitted to him by his fathers, if that tyrant should deprive him of his friendship, as he not unfrequently threatened to do. Inflated by these advantages, which rendered him very powerful on the shores of the Cinga and Seguira, the enemy of Allah, even Alfonso Ben Raymond, sallied forth with a well-appointed army from Mekinesa, and advanced. *This is the date given by Abdel Halim. Alcodai, on the contrary, affirms that these treaties were made in 534: but Alfonso Ben Raymond was not then living.-Condé. to Medina Fraga, to which city he laid close siege. This place is of great strength by the natural disposition of the site, being constructed on the summit of a range of rocks which are cut through in many parts by torrents; the bravery of the Moslemah by whom it was defended, added greatly, moreover, to that strength, insomuch that Alfonso could do nothing of importance, and the siege was much prolonged. In the skirmishes which were occasionally fought, there were sanguinary and obstinate contests between those of the Christian camp and the Moslemah, not a few of whom then obtained the rewards of martyrdom. At this time the Wali of Lerida was Aben Gania; and that leader, knowing what was passing at the siege of Medina Fraga, went forth with a chosen body of cavalry to cut off the enemy's supplies and intercept whatever provisions might be proceeding to the camp of the Christians. Then it pleased God that on a certain day, when the Moslemah of Medina Fraga were engaged in one of those combats with the Christians which have before been alluded to, and had assailed the enemies of Allah in their own camp, that the cavalry and other forces led by Aben Gania approached the scene of strife. The King Alfonso, perceiving that body of horsemen coming towards his camp at full speed with the manifest purpose of attacking his people, drew off a part of the Christian host, and. marched out to meet Aben Gania: but his troops could not withstand the impetuous onset of the new comers. Those valiant Almoravides broke and defeated the Christians, who fled dismayed and routed after a horrible slaughter, very few of them escaping the death. That cruel destroyer of the Moslemah, King Alfonso, himself was among the first of the slain, and the field remained covered with corpses to be the food of wild beasts and birds of prey. Then Åben Gania wrote an account of that fortunate event and glorious victory to the Ameer Taxfin, who rejoiced much in the relation thus transmitted to him. The day of Fraga became one of renown among the faithful, and not without good cause; neither was it forgotten by the Christians. This important battle was fought in the year 528. But the fortune in arms of Aly Ben Juzef, King of Morocco, was altogether the contrary to that implied by the battle of Fraga, and his Almoravide generals were perpetually compelled to yield to the forces of Abdelmumen Ben Aly, Prince of the Almohades. The continual defeats thus endured by King Aly, the subjugation of his provinces, and the calamities inseparable from an unsuccessful war, exhausted the vast treasures of Aly Ben Juzef, while the revenues and imposts were grievously diminished by the loss of so many Cabilas; and to add to the general distress, a great famine afflicted the whole land of Mauritania, where the oppressed people began to give evidence of much discontent. In this mournful condition of things, certain of the noble Almoravides advised their King to declare his son, the Prince Taxfin, the future sovereign of the empire, since all men knew that Ameer to be a man of great understanding, as well as infinite bravery. He was besides very famous for the exploits and deeds of arms which he had performed in Andalusia; nay, many experienced generals were found to affirm of Prince Taxfin that if he had been supplied with due succours of men from Africa, his valour and persistence, with his long practice in war, must have insured the subjugation of all Spain from sea to sea. It was furthermore added, that in all his encounters and battles with the Christians he had never been defeated but once-even that once being by an accident, and with heavy loss to the enemy. King Aly therefore agreed to that proposal, and sent letters to Prince Taxfin, desiring him to pass over at once into Africa, where the necessities of the times demanded his presence, which was more especially required to oppose the new King of the Almohades, who was going through the land triumphant and victorious. In the year 528, Abdelmumen Ben Aly solemnised the festival of his accession to empire, and assembling the Xeques of all the tribes who owed him obedience in his city of Tinmaul, he was there proclaimed Ameer Amuminin, or Prince of the Moslemah. He likewise commanded that new money should be then coined, and in honour of El Mehedi he determined that his name should be placed thereon. The silver coin bore on one side, "There is no God but Allah ; all empire is in God; there is no power but in God!" with the phrases that follow, on the other: "Allah is our |