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relating the facts to the young sovereign, he proposed that Chateb and his family should be freed from the payment of all tributes. Almanzor furthermore invited Aben Chateb to the capital, where he paid him great honours, and gave him the name of the Hospitable. On his departure, the Hagib presented to him a beautiful slave for his palace, when Aben Chateb returned well content to his Amilia or government of Tadmir, where all his rights and privileges were preserved to him.

Writing on the same subject, Ahu Becri Ahmed Ben Sind Ben Abilfayadh informs us, in that history of his which was translated into Hebrew, that for the campaign of Barcelona the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor departed from Cordova on the thirteenth day of the moon Dylhagia, in the year 374, which was the fifth of May Anno Domini 984. He adds, that from Elvira, Almanzor went to Basta, Lorca, and Murcia, where he was lodged during three and twenty days in the house of Ahmed Ben Dagim Ben Chateb, and in that of his son Abulaswaz Muza Ben Ahmed, not a man of his train spending a Dirhem. Meats and fruits of various excellence were daily served to Almanzor in precious vessels, while his bath was perfumed with delicious rose-water; and the Hagib, astonished at this magnificence, gave thanks to his host, whom he confirmed in his Amilia, and whose hospitality he celebrated in many praises on his return to Cordova.

In that campaign, the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor was accompanied by Omaya Ben Galib, called the Morori, from his native place Moror, a man of distinguished genius in poetry, who celebrated the generosity of Ahmed Ben Dagim the Tadmiri, in very elegant verses.

On his march, the Hagib Almanzor assembled many troops, both cavalry and foot-soldiers, from Valencia, Tortosa, and Tarragona, whith whom he proceeded to the plains of Barcelona. The King of Afranc * came forth against him with a vast army, but though his people were double

*This King of Afranc, or of the Franks, was Borel, Count of Barcelona. All the region of the Pyrenees, with its valleys and declivities, was then divided into small lordships, and this on the Spanish as well as on the French side. These rulers were all called by our Arabs kings and lords of Afranc.-Condé.

those of the Moslemah in number, yet, by the ability of Almanzor and the aid of God, the valour of the Faithful prevailed: they readily broke and routed that multitude of rude hill-people, who never fight well in the plains, more especially when they have some place of refuge near them; seeing that, in this case, they soon seek their safety in flight. They now fled in much disorder to the city of Barcelona, where they were besieged by the Moslemah with such ardour and persistence, that the Lord of Afranc, not hoping to defend the place successfully, and seeing no prospect of succour, fled secretly by sea, which he did in the night-time, the darkness preventing the ships of Algarve, which guarded the shore, from perceiving his bark; and so that obscurity favoured his escape. Two days afterwards, the city surrendered on conditions agreed to by all the inhabitants, receiving security for their lives, but paying the tribute of blood* for every head among them.

The frontier being secured, Muhamad Almanzor returned to Cordova by the centre of Spain, dismissing the troops of Valencia and Tadmir, and visiting on his way various cities of the kingdom, in all of which he left the memory of his passage by the works which he commanded to be executed for the security, convenience, and advantage of each.

When the Hagib arrived in Cordova, one of his first acts was to appoint a man, of whose reputation for learning he had heard much discourse, to be Prefect of Azala, or Chief Priest in the Mosque of King Hixem. This was Said Ben Edris Ben Yahye, called El Salemi, Mocri or reader of the Aljama of Seville, a learned person who had travelled in the East, had made his Alhig, or sacred pilgrimage, and was admired for his excellences and virtues, no less than for his erudition. He was besides endowed with a fine and sonorous voice. In that office Said Ben Edris remained until the breaking out of the civil war, when he returnd to Seville, and there died full of days and honour, at the end of the year 428.

Meanwhile, Alhassan Ben Kenuz, who still kept the General Omar Ben Abdallah besieged in Cebta, receiving intelligence

* The tribute of blood was always a heavy sum.—Condé.

of the departure of Abdelmelic, the son of Muhamad Almanzor, from Cordova, and knowing that he was approaching to attack his own forces in Almagreb, instantly gave himself up for lost, and ill-advised as he was, resolved to yield his destiny to the hands of his foes. He therefore wrote to Omar Ben Abdallah, requesting that general to give him a safe-conduct for himself and his family, declaring that he had determined to pass over into Spain, and commit himself to the mercy of King Hixem Ben Alhakem. Omar at once replied as Alhassan had desired, and despatched intelligence to Abdelmelic, the son of Almanzor, of the wish thus expressed; then Abdelmelic, referring the matter, by swift Forenicos or couriers, to his father, the latter commanded him to complete the negociation without delay, assuring to Alhassan Ben Kenuz whatever securities he could desire, and recommending that Ameer to repair with all speed to Cordova.

All this was then done as had been commanded by Muhamad Almanzor, and the Prince Alhassan Ben Kenuz immediately passed over into Andalusia, whereupon the Hagib was apprised of his arrival by his son Abdelmelic. But when Almanzor found that Alhassan Ben Kenuz was in his power, he wrote an order to his son, declaring that the service of King Hixem demanded the life of that prince; wherefore, in despite of the solemn promise and safe-conduct given to Alhassan, his head was taken off, in the plain near Alcazar El Ocab, in the territory of Tarifa.

Men say, that at the moment when the betrayed prince was beheaded, there arose a sudden and violent wind, which, taking the vestment from the shoulders of Alhassan, carried it off, and the mantle disappearing immediately could never be discovered again. Those of his household and his disconsolate family then interred his body, while the cavaliers entrusted with that office by the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor repaired with the head to Cordova. This was done in the moon of Giumada Primera, and in the year 375. The government of Alhassan Ben Kenuz had lasted sixteen years during the first period of his rule-from the year 347 to the year 364, that is to say; but in the second period it endured one year and nine months only. The family

left by Prince Alhassan established itself in Cordova, partly near the Aljama of Magarawa, and partly in the divan of the king, where they remained until the race of Omeya had ceased to bear sway, and Abu Ben Hamad had commenced his rule in Cordova, when the memory of that illustrious family began to revive.

With the death of Alhassan Ben Kenuz, the house of Edris became extinct in Almagreb. The dynasty had commenced its reign in the year 172, and on Thursday, the seventh day of Rebie Primera, on which day the oath of allegiance was taken in Medina Velita to Edris Ben Abdallah Ben Hassan. From that time until the day when Alhassan Ben Kenuz was treacherously assassinated, which was in Giumada of the year 375, there had elapsed 202 years and five months; that, therefore, was the tenor of duration assigned in the eternal decrees to the rule of the sons of Edris, and so long did their empire remain.

The extent of territory ruled by the princes of the extinguished family was from Sas Alacsa to Medina Wahran ; the capital thereof was the city of Fez, and at a later period, Medina Biserta. The dominions of the Beni Edris were placed, as it were, in the heart of two powerful dynasties, which surrounded them from east to west, and from west to east. These were the Beni Obeid, lords of Africa, Barca, and Egypt, who were on the east, and the Beni Omeyas, lords of Spain and Almagreb, who were their neighbours on the west. For this cause the house of Edris lived in almost perpetual wars and disquietudes, being now masters of nearly all Almagreb, and anon reduced to the lordship of a few fortresses only, such as Azila, Hijar Anosor, and Biserta, with the distant holds about Telencen, until at length their sovereignty concluded as hath been related. God alone is eternal: He only is the Lord of a perpetual dominion.

For the better adornment of the Aljama of Fez, the Hagib Muhamad Almanzor now commanded that an Alcoba or chapel should be erected in the centre of the great court, where the old tower had previously stood. It was constructed on columns with a cupola, on the summit of which was placed a talisman, similar to that upon the cupola of the chapel of the Mihrab. This talisman was of

a kind which the ancients well knew how to make, and resembled those formed in the time of the Xiyei: it was raised on a bar of iron fixed into the centre of the cupola.

These talismans were made by the ancients for various purposes, but this one was of that kind called Alfar, or of the Rat; and after it had been placed in its destined position, there never was any rat found in the Aljama; for if by chance one of those animals did run in, it could not remain, but died at once, as was soon afterwards discovered in each case that occurred. There was besides another talisman, called the Acrab or that of the Scorpion, and by the means of that one, all scorpions were prevented from entering the Aljama; nor was there one ever seen there. Of these facts there are many credible witnesses, as, for example, the Alfagui Aben Harnu. The talisman, which was placed on the column of pale yellow-coloured metal, had the form of a Haya or Serpent, and no serpent was ever known to enter the Aljama.

All knowledge of this kind is the gift of the genii.

There were many works executed by the command of Almudafar Abdelmelic, the son of Almanzor; among others, was the hospital, which he caused to be supplied with pure water for drinking, by means of a magnificent aqueduct, bringing the stream from the Wadilhassan, which runs without the city at the iron gate. He likewise commanded that an Alminbar or pulpit should be prepared for the Aljama, and the material of this was ebony, richly carved and adorned with costly workmanship. To the Alminbar was appended the following inscription:

"In the name of God the Clement, the Merciful.

May God bless Muhamad, and all the followers that he hath given him, with a perfect felicity.

"This work hath been executed by command of the victorious Caliph, the Sword of Islam, the servant of Allah, Hixem Ben Alhakem El Muyad Billah, whose days may God prolong, and by the hands of his Hagib, Abdelmelic Almudafar, son of Muhamad Almanzor Ben Abi Amer. May God the Highest maintain his prosperity. The work was completed in the moon of Giumada Postrera, and the year 375.