with him until the moon of the Ramazan in the year 515; and the solemn celebration of the oath, in the presence of the whole people, took place on a Juma, which was the 15th day of the said Ramazan, and at the hour of the prayer of Adohar, on that day. The next day, which was Saturday, Abdallah proceeded to the mosque, and ascended the Almimbar, whence he preached to the assembled people, confirming his claim to the office of their Mehedi, and addressing them in the words that follow :— "Men of Tinmaul, I am your Mehedi or Guide, who am come to teach you the knowledge of God the Creator and Lord of all things, the righteous Judge of all his creatures." He then exhorted them to follow his banners against the heretics; and as he finished these exhortations, he was suddenly surrounded by his ten ministers, who held their naked swords in their hands. El Mehedi then passed through the hill-countries, preaching in all parts, and attracting the rude dwellers in those mountains to his banners, insomuch that no long time had elapsed before he found himself at the head of an innumerable multitude, which was besides daily increasing by new proselytes that came flocking from all the surrounding districts. All admired and applauded the teachings of El Mehedi, loading his name with their benedictions; his disciples also instructed the people, to whom they discoursed of the unity of God; and this doctrine being a simple one, easy of comprehension, that people of Barbary, who were a rude and ignorant race, gave their attention to the same with great pleasure, their new teachers adding nothing in respect to other attributes of the Deity, and making no mention of the Koran. Thus it happened that all comprehended the new teachers and heard them with gladness, attaching themselves to the doctrines thus announced with an indescribable warmth of affection. In this manner more than twenty thousand men of the tribe of Masamuda became the followers of El Mehedi, who chose ten thousand of the most valiant among * Adohar: the prayer of mid-day. + Almimbar: the pulpit or reading-desk of the mosque. 358 DOMINION OF THE ARABS IN SPAIN. [A.D. 1121. them to serve him in arms, and raising a white banner he gave the command of the host to Muhamad Albaxir, who directed his march with that force against Medina Agmat. CHAP. XXVII.-WAR OF THE ALMOHADES AND THE ALMORAVIDES. WHEN the Ameer, Aly Ben Juzef, who was then in Spain, heard of these things, he passed over into Africa and sent a body of the Almoravides against the bands of El Mehedi, giving the charge of the expedition to the Wali of Suz, Abu Bekir of Lamtuna, when that general lost no time in setting forth to seek the rebels, and their insurgent leader, he having boasted that he would quickly make an end of El Mehedi's imposture, and the scandal which he was causing in the country. But when the Wali Abu Bekir discovered how vast a horde had gathered around the man, and that he now had followers from the Cabilas of Herga, Tinmaul, Hinteta, Gidmiiua, and Hescura, all Barbary tribes and families of different regions, he did not think it advisable to risk an attack, more especially after he had ascertained the order and arrangements for war already established in the rebel force. He therefore retired and reported to King Aly what was passing, telling him that El Mehedi was not followed by mean, loose, broken men alone, but was surrounded by well-appointed bands ready for combat, every ten men serving under an Almocaden or chief, who directed them with much ability. Abu Bekir furthermore added that the cavalry of the rebels was led by many valiant captains, as were also the cross-bowmen and foot-soldiers generally, all of whom were firmly resolved to die in the defence of their Imaum. Then King Aly commanded that more troops should be assembled, and these being united to the force previously commanded by Abu Bekir, he gave charge of the whole to his brother, Abu Ishac Ibrahim, when all proceeded in search of the rebels. The two armies soon met in open field; but when both were in order of battle, standing one opposite the other, and on the point of commencing the fight, a sudden panic seized the troops of the King,-from what cause arising is not known, nor has the appearance which the vanguard perceived to cause that terror ever been discovered: but so much is known, that the Agemies and other cavaliers who were in the advance turned their horses' heads and fled with all speed from the field; then the rest of the army, thrown into disorder by an event so unexpected, also took to flight in the utmost confusion, insomuch that the rebels beheld the field disembarrassed in a moment, and saw the forces of King Aly Ben Juzef defeated without striking a blow. Then the people of El Mehedi, pursuing the fugitives in great haste, dyed their lances effectually in the shoulders of their terrified enemy, and slew great numbers. They made themselves masters of the flying opponent's camp, and of all the riches it contained, with a large quantity of arms and the horses laden with the tents and stores of the Almoravide troops. Respecting this matter, Abu Juir relates that the King was not so much troubled by the defeat and rout of his army as by the knowledge that the Cabila of Hinteta and other tribes of very brave people had taken up arms against him. But that circumstance, and the defection of those Cabilas, grieved and angered him excessively; wherefore, commandng that a still larger force should be assembled, he placed these troops under the command of a cavalier of Lamtuna, called Syr Ben Musladi. That host accordingly went forth nd encountered the rebels in a fierce and sanguinary battle; ut the Almoravides were again defeated with a terrible aughter. Inflated by these victories, El Mehedi enquired of his llowers, "O Almohades,"*-for so were they namedwhat do the men of Lamtuna say of you ?" and they reed, "They call us, by way of infamy and reproach, parixes-apostates and renegades." Then said Mehedi, We might with better reason call them Muxesimines and ragines; since they have indeed departed from the th and gone out of the right path." * Almohades: followers of El Mehedi. under a Carob-tree; they promised to remain ever fixed to his side, to be as his hands to defend and assist him, making war upon whomsoever should oppose his commands, and holding themselves ever ready to shed their blood in his service. In imitation of these ten men, the natives of Barbary, who were standing around, also rose and took an oath to follow, defend, and protect their teacher against all men, making war at his command on whatever people he should be pleased to send them against, and dying, if need were, to serve him, since he was their Mehedi and their Imaum, nor permitting themselves to be intimidated by perils, death, or afflictions of any kind, which should assail them while labouring in his cause. The ten men by whom the oath of allegiance was first taken, were as follows:* Abdelmumen Ben Aly, Omar Ben Aly, Aznaug Abu Muhamad Albaxir, Abu Chiafax, Aben Yahye Ben Yanti, Soliman Ben Chaluf, Ibrahim Ben Ismail Alhezregi, Abu Muhamad Abdel Wahid Aladri, Abu Amran Muza Ben Temar, and Abu Yahye Ben Jalût. After these ten men there presented themselves fifty more who belonged to the principal families of the district, and these were subsequently followed by seventy others, also men in authority among the people, who took the same oath and performed the same ceremonies with those that had taken place on the day of the general allegiance. Of these two last parties, Mohamad Ben Abdallah Ben Tahart formed two councils, which he called those of the fifty and the seventy; but for the greater authority of himself as their Mehedi, he decided all the grave and more important affairs alone, or assisted only by the ten men who were his chief ministers; matters of less moment were treated by the council of fifty, while those of a simple and ordinary character were decided in the council of seventy: but his own power remained absolute and unlimited in all things. Now the men who had thus taken the oath of allegiance to this Abdallah Ben Tahart, in Tinmaul, remained there * All the historians vary to a certain extent in the names of these ten men.-Condé. * with him until the moon of the Ramazan in the year 515; and the solemn celebration of the oath, in the presence of the whole people, took place on a Juma, which was the 15th day of the said Ramazan, and at the hour of the prayer of Adohar, on that day. The next day, which was Saturday, Abdallah proceeded to the mosque, and ascended the Almimbar, whence he preached to the assembled people, confirming his claim to the office of their Mehedi, and addressing them in the words that follow: "Men of Tinmaul, I am your Mehedi or Guide, who am come to teach you the knowledge of God the Creator and Lord of all things, the righteous Judge of all his creatures." He then exhorted them to follow his banners against the heretics; and as he finished these exhortations, he was suddenly surrounded by his ten ministers, who held their naked swords in their hands. El Mehedi then passed through the hill-countries, preaching in all parts, and attracting the rude dwellers in those mountains to his banners, insomuch that no long time had elapsed before he found himself at the head of an innumerable multitude, which was besides daily increasing by new proselytes that came flocking from all the surrounding districts. All admired and applauded the teachings of El Mehedi, loading his name with their benedictions; his disciples also instructed the people, to whom they discoursed of the unity of God; and this doctrine being a simple one, easy of comprehension, that people of Barbary, who were a rude and ignorant race, gave their attention to the same with great pleasure, their new teachers adding nothing in respect to other attributes of the Deity, and making no mention of the Koran. Thus it happened that all comprehended the new teachers and heard them with gladness, attaching themselves to the loctrines thus announced with an indescribable warmth of ffection. In this manner more than twenty thousand men f the tribe of Masamuda became the followers of El Hehedi, who chose ten thousand of the most valiant among * Adohar: the prayer of mid-day. + Almimbar: the pulpit or reading-desk of the mosque. |