exterminated, but whom they repelled with extraordinary valour. In that perilous retreat, the brave general of the Africans, Hixem Ben Suleiman, fell wounded with his falling horse in the midst of a troop of Andalusians, who bore him to the presence of Muhamad; the latter immediately commanding that his head should be struck off and thrown over the city wall in the face of the African troops, who had succeeded in forcing their way from the capital.

When they were thus made acquainted with the death of their general, the infuriated Africans hurled loud cries of vengeance against their enemies, and thirsting for blood. that should worthily avenge that of their leader, they chose as his successor one in whom they hoped to find a terrible denunciator of woe to the destroyers. This was a cousin of the unhappy general whose head lay before them, even Suleiman Ben Alhakem Ben Anasir, a man of much prudence, as well as of indomitable valour.

This leader, considering that the forces he commanded did not suffice to maintain the siege of the city and resist the power of Muhamad, then struck his camp,—and some say that this was done at once, being Thursday, the 5th day of the moon Xawal, in that same year of 399;-but we are assured by Homaidi that Suleiman Ben Alhakem made another attempt to force the Alcazar, and obtain possession of Muhamad's person, when, being once more compelled to retreat and leave the city, he departed to the frontiers of Gallicia, where he sought aid from the King of the Christians, Count Sancho. Homaidi adds that the latter assured him of his friendship, entrusted him with several fortresses on that line of frontier, which he permitted him to occupy with his troops, and received in return certain promises from Suleiman Ben Alhakem, who agreed to procure for the Christian King the concession of many strong places which he required for the defence of his frontier, and which he was to receive, on condition of his then assisting the Africans in their attack on Muhamad Ben Hixem, calling himself King of Spain.

This agreement having been made, Suleiman Ben Alhakem Ben Anasir marched against Cordova with an auxiliary force of Christian cavaliers-brave and select troops. These assailants were met by Muhamad Ben Hixem, who sallied

forth on receiving intelligence of their approach, with a very powerful host. It was about the middle of the moon of Rebie Primera, in the year 400, that the two armies encountered each other, which they did at Gebal Quintos, when a fearful contest ensued. The battle was commenced by the Andalusian cavalry, and after a sanguinary combat of several hours, more than twenty thousand of the Cordovan troops lay dead or wounded on the field.

Abu Meruan Ben Hayan* tells us that in this battle Abu Othman Ben Algezar, of Cordova, must have lost his life, since it was known that he had been seen fighting in the mêlée, but he was never beheld from that moment, either living or dead; and a similar fate befel that illustrious poet the Vizier Aly Ben Fath of Cordova, who never appeared again, either in life or death, after having entered into the horrors of that exterminating conflict, which took place on a Saturday in the middle of the moon of Rebie Primera, as we have said.

Muhamad Ben Hixem ultimately fled with the shattered remnant of his host: he crossed the mountains, and passing the plains of Calatrava, arrived at Toledo, where his son Obeidala held the appointment of Wali. By the interven tion of Obeidala, Muhamad also endeavoured to obtain the assistance of the Christians, and it was agreed that for a sum of money Count Bermond and Count Armengudi should supply the Moslemah with auxiliaries, whereupon those brave generals of Afranc† marched to his aid with a powerful body of their troops. By these negociations, Muhamad Ben Hixem was detained at Toledo for the space of something more than six months.

CHAP. CVI.-OF SULEIMAN ALMOSTAIN BILLAH.

AFTER his victory of Gebal Quintos, Suleiman Ben Alhakem Ben Suleiman Ben Anasir pressed forward with

A writer of the period, and an eye-witness of some of the scenes which he describes.-TR. † France.

his conquering host to Cordova, where the people of the city were desirous of opposing his entrance; but, in pursuance of advice given by the Alameri Wadha, they ultimately opened their gates to the victor. Then Suleiman, distrusting, and not without good cause, the inhabitants of Cordova, not only because of their ancient enmity to his Africans, but on account of the hatred which must have been awakened in their hearts by the recent slaughter of the citizens at Gebal Quintos, and still more because of his Christian auxiliaries,-Suleiman, I say, declined to enter the city at that moment: he concerted measures for maintaining the tranquillity of the capital with the Sclavonian Wadha El Alameri, declaring that he did not desire to oppress the inhabitants by the presence of guests so little likely to be welcome as those he had in his company; with other pretexts of much apparent courtesy. Thus encamping with his army in the surrounding Comarcas, he remained inactive until the 15th day of Rebie Postrera, in the year 400, at which period he made his entrance into the capital with his African cavalry, and was there proclaimed king, receiving the appellation of Almostain Billah.

At this same time, as we are told by Abu Meruan Ben Hayan, the people had risen against the Africans in many parts of Andalusia, and at Malaga, as that author relates, the populace tore in pieces the Havawi, Chalaf Ben Mesaudi, better known as Aben Omaina. Chalaf had entreated permission to make his prayer with two prostrations, as the sole favour that he desired at the hands of his murderers, and they had affected to grant that request, but before he had completed his supplications, they crushed his head to atoms with an enormous stone which they cast upon him for that purpose: they then tore his still quivering body limb from limb.

Suleiman Ben Alhakem passed the greater part of his time at Medina Alzahra, and there he kept his auxiliaries. He changed the Alcaides of some among the fortresses in Andalusia, placing others, who enjoyed his confidence, in their office: he visited numerous cities, and caused justice to be extended to all men wherever he appeared; but he was in perpetual movement, and his life was one of continual march and disquietude, because of the distrust he felt

of the people of Cordova. All the towns on the frontier were of his party, from Tortosa in the east of Spain. to Alisbona in the west; and in many of the cities Suleiman Ben Alhakem Ben Anasir took care to place generals as governors whom he knew to be devoted to his interests.

Among the cavaliers of his African guard were two brothers of the royal family of the Beni Edris. These illustrious generals, both very young, were called Aly Ben Hamud and Alcasim Ben Hamud Ben Meruan. The elder of the two, Suleiman Ben Alhakem now placed in the government of Cebta and Tangiers in Africa; while he appointed the younger to that of Algezira Alhadra on the Spanish

coast.

Now there were certain of the Cordovans who, to sow discord among the Africans, incited Meruan, the cousin of Suleiman, to rise up in revolt against the latter, promising to aid him with all their power, and declaring that the whole country would be glad to see him in the seat of his cousin, Suleiman Ben Alhakem; the latter being, as they assured Meruan, abhorred by every man. But these machinations were made known to him against whom the conspirators were contriving their mischief; and having instituted so minute an enquiry as to render himself sure of the facts, he caused fifty of the principal conspirators to have their heads taken off; his cousin Meruan he shut up in a tower of the city wall.

With the Sclavonians also did Suleiman Ben Alhakem fall into discord, and the cause of that misunderstanding was as follows: they had maliciously advised him to assassinate his Christian auxiliaries, remarking that, after all, those Infidels were his natural enemies, and that the putting them to death would conciliate the affection of the Andalusians. But Suleiman rejected these counsels with bitter reproofs, declaring that he neither could nor would fail in his word to any man, nor think of recalling the promises of security once given, least of all towards those from whom he had received such effectual aid as that lent him by the Christian troops. But Suleiman was not without suspicion that the murderous treachery proposed to him might be committed even against his will, and strongly as his determination had been expressed: he therefore dismissed the Christian

auxiliaries with many gifts, and with promises in still greater

abundance.

In like manner did Suleiman oppose resistance to the eager representations and repeated prayers of Wadha El Alameri, who had discovered to him the secret of King Hixem's existence, and entreated him to make known that fact to the people, replacing the imprisoned monarch on his throne; a step by which El Alameri assured him he would gain the hearts of every good Mosleman. But Suleiman is said to have replied, "I wish it earnestly, Wadha; yet I see that this is not the time to entrust ourselves to hands so weak as those of Hixem : let this matter rest, then, for the present, but be sure that his hour will come.' only alteration made in the position of the King, therefore, was, that his gaoler and the place of his abode were changed; the guardianship of his person being confided to those in whom Suleiman hoped he might place it with security.

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At this time there came intelligence to Cordova, informing Suleiman Ben Alhakem that Muhamad was approaching with a carefully selected body of men, from the Comarcas of Toledo, Valencia, and Murcia, his army being furthermore reinforced by the Christians of eastern Spain, already alluded to. The host of Muhamad counted thirty thousand Moslemah, and nine thousand Christians. But, although that was double the number of the troops that were at Suleiman's command, the latter did not hesitate to go forth, and meeting the enemy at a place called Acbat Albacar, situate about ten miles from Cordova, he attacked the united force of Moslemah and Christians with his usual intrepidity.

His African cavalry, with the people of Algarve and Merida, fought all the day with unflinching bravery; but at the setting of the sun they found themselves compelled to retreat before the more numerous troops of Muhamad Ben Hixem,—wherefore, favoured by the arrival of night, Suleiman determined to leave his camp, and marched with his army to Azahra, not daring to enter Cordova.

It now became evident that the Africans could remain no longer in Andalusia; and Suleiman, gathering such treasures as he had there, prepared to depart; but, to his great