Abyssinians.—State of Religion amongst the Arabs up tó the time of Mühammed.—
War of the Elephant.—Subjection of Yemen by the Persians.—The plans of Mu-
hammed favoured by circumstances.—Early life of the Prophet, and commencement
of his Ministry.—Attractive Doctrines of the new Religion.—Accession of Abû Bekr
and ’Omar.—Character of the latter Prince.—Thè Dress, Arms, &c., of the Arabs,
adapted for difficult enterprises.—Conquests of ’Omar.—Accession of ’Othmân.—The
Berbers : commencement of the Moorish dynasty in Africa.—Ayeshah commences a
Civil War against ’Ali.—Invasion of Spain by the Moors.—Arab Conquests in the
Mediterranean and elsewhere.—Fiscal arrangements of ’Omar ben ’Abd-el-’Aziz.—
The Moors penetrate into France.—Commencement of the reign of the Abassides.—
Baghdad occupied.—Rise of Hârün-el-Rashid.—State o f the Khaliphat during his
reign.—Intercourse cultivated between Arabia and Europe.—Temporary division of
his Territory.—Accession of Mâmün.—He encourages Philosophy and Literature.—
Assemblies of Learned Men at the court of Baghdad.—Cultivation of the Persian,
Indian, and Greek Languages encouraged.—Style of refreshments a t the Khaliph’s
palace.—His liberality.—Revenue of the principal Court Physician.—Mu’tasem’s
accession and contests with Justinian.—His encouragement of Architecture.—Military
and Civil organization.—Extensive privileges of Muslims.—Formation of regular
Troops in Arabia.—Discontent in consequence at Baghdâd.—Construction of the city
of Sammarrah.—A cartel established for the exchange of Muslim prisoners, &c.—
Wars with the Greek Empire.—Recitals of the Rawi to the Khaliph at night.—Muta-
wakkel builds a great palace.—Learned Men in the time of Mutawakkel.—Subdivision
of power in Arabia.—Origin of the Huns and Turkish Tribes.—Conquests of Mahmud
Ghizni and the Afghans.—Rise and progress of the Seljukian dynasties.
C HAP T E R XV.
[Page 471 to 504.]
PRINCIPAL EVENTS CONNECTED WITH WESTERN ASIA FROM THE TWELFTH TO
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
State of the Seljukian rulers in the Eleventh Century.—Peter the Hermit visits Jerusalem,
and urges a Crusade.—The state of Europe favourable to such an enterprise.—Progress
of the first Crusaders through Europe and Lesser Asia.—Favourable disposition
of the Fatimites.—Capture of Antioch.—Divided state of the Muslims.—Capture o
Jerusalem, and Massacre of the People.—The Khaliph Nür-ed-din, and his General^
Salâh-ed-din.—Change in Salah-ed-din’s character.—Termination of the Fatimite
dynasty of Egypt.—Death of Nur-ed-din, and rise of Salâh-ed-din.—Campaign in
Palestine.—Defeat, and return to Egypt.—Salah-ed-din’s Campaign in Mesopotamia,
Syria, and Yemen.—Frank and Egyptian Fleets in the Red Sea.—Capture of Aleppo,
Sinjâr, Nisibin, Damascus, &c.—Defeat of the Crusaders at Hattin.—Salah-ed-din
takes Jerusalem.—Tyre is retained by the Crusaders.—The Franks being reinforced
besiege ’Akkâ.—Salâh-ed-din encloses the besiegers.—Progress o f the Siege-—Obstinate
defence of the Muslim Garrison.—Salâh-ed-din marches towards Koniyeh.—The
Franks are reinforced from Europe.—’ Ak^a is closely pressed.—The Kings of France
and England arrive to assist in the Siege.—Fresh efforts of Salâh-ed-din to relieve
’Akkâ.—Several Battles are fought.:—The Fortress capitulates.—The Crusaders march
against ’Askulân.—Defeat of Salâh-ed-din.—Treaty of Peace with Richard Coeur de
Lion.—Death, and Character of Salâh-ed-din.—The Franks are joined by a Fifth
Armament from Europe.—They are repulsed in Egypt.—Frederic I I . arrives, and
makes a Treaty.—Louis IX. is defeated near Mansourah.—Battle between the Templars
and Hospitalliers.—Louis IX. lands in Africa, and dies near Tunis.—The
Franks are driven out of Palestine.—Separation of the Shi’ah and Sunnie Creeds.—
Limits, &c., of Mongolia.—Rise of Genghis Khân.— Origin of the name.—Consolidation
of his Kingdom.—Invasion of China.—Subjection of Kliarism, Khorásári, Persia,
&o.—Extent of his territories.—P a rt of Eussia is subjected.—Kiptehak becomes a
Hussian Provincei-^The Persian successes of Genghis Khán.—Origin, and titles of
Tamerlane.—Turkistán subjected:-Fresh Conquests meditated by Tamerlane.-Kho-
rásán and Southern Russia suhdued.—Campaign in Siberia, and against Toktamish.-®
Taimiir subjects Southern Persia, Baghdad, Mesopotamia, Armenia, &c.—T a im u rs
Campaigns in India, Anadóli, Syria, &c.—Capture of Baghdád.—Defeat of Bajazet—
Death of Taimiir.—1Taimiir and Alexander compared.—Taimiir’s Successors, and
subdivision of his Territories.—Persia, and the Sophi Dynasty.—Nadir Shéh and his
Successors.—The Seljukians of Bum, and rise of the ’Osmánlí T u rk s—Sultan Murad
reigns at Adrianople, and conquers most of European T u rk ey .-C a re er, and death of
Bajazet, and temporary Restoration of the Seljukides.—Success of Sultán Murád II.
Capture of Constantinople, and first use of Gunpowder.—Sultán Suleiman extends his
Conquests in Europe, transports a Fleet to the Red Sea, and sails to India -O rg a n ization
of his Empire.—Yemen, Georgia, Cyprus, and Dághestán are added to the
Turkish Territories.—Extent of the latter in the time of Múhammed 111.—Turkey
comes into warlike Collision with European Powers.-Treaties of Belgrade and
Kuchuk K ainarji.—The French invade Egypt and Syria.—War of Russia and England
against the Porte, in 1806.—Accession and Reforms of Sultán Mahmud,IL
Effects of these changes.—Rehellion in Greece.—Battle of Navanno. Russian War
of 1828 and 1829.—Loss of Territory, and present Limits of Turkey.
C H A P T E R XVI.
[Page 505 to 537.]
INTERCOURSE BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA.
Settlement of the Indo-Chinese and Egyptian races.—The similarity of the Monuments of
Art denotes a common origin of the P e o p le .-F irs t settlement in Bactria.—Spread of
Religion and Knowledge from thence to Hinddstan, to China, the Indian Archipelago,
and America—Resemblance of the People of the latter country to those of Central
¿ sja The Syro-Arahian race, and extent of their Territory.—The Scythian people
and their early Conquests—Character, Government, &c., of the ancient Scythians.—
Their settlement in Mesopotamia, and on the borders of Egypt. Affinity of the
European and Asiatic Languages.—Inroads of the Kunmerians, the Scythians, and
Franks, into Europe.—Connexion of the Scandinavians and Normans with the East.—
Settlements in Europe previous to the Irruption of the Black Sea. Settlement of the
Celts in different parts of Europe.—The Scandinavian worship handed down from
Asia.—Colonies from Spain and Barhary settle in Ireland.—Central Asia connected
with’ Greece through Asia Minor.—Relations of the latter country with Persia.—
Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus derived their knowledge in part from Asia. The
Grecian Sages seek instruction in Asia.—Democritus.—Philosophy and Astronomy
first cultivated in Asia.—Orpheus the supposed founder of the Greek religion.—
Thales studied in Phoenicia and Egypt.—Pherecydes the Tutor of Pythagoras.—Solon
visits Egypt and Lydia.—Ctesias.—Hecateus.—Hellanicus, the cotemporary of Herodotus,
writes a history of Persia and Babylon.—Pythagoras visits the Egyptians, the
Chaldeans, Persians, and Scythians, and returns to Greece.—Plato visits Egypt,
acquires Eastern learning, andi makes Philosophy attractive—Aristotle derived his
knowledge from the E a s t—Plato’s philosophy was founded upon that of the Persians
and Indians.—Democritus is instructed by the Magi and Chaldeans, and travels to
India and Ethiopia—Antiquity of the Magian and Indian tenets.—The Greeks
improve upon Eastern Literature.-—Herodotus and his Acquirements. Isociates and
his Pupils.—Astronomy, Mechanics, Geometry, Mineralogy, Botany, and Medicine,
derived from the East.—Hippocrates.—Galen.—Intercourse with the East, by Mer