The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

132.
Sbin, 26 xli
132 A.H.
All?. 5.
750 A.D.
A.TT. i?o-
Head sent to
Abu'l-
'Abkls.
His sons and
diiushters.
His
character.
430 MERWAN II. [chap. lix.
fodder in the neighbourhood. From Fiistrit Sfdih detached
Abu 'Aun with a column, which took prisoner.s a troop
of cavalry still attached to the fallen Caliph. .Some they
put to death ; the rest were faithless enough to purchase
their lives by disclosing their Master's hiding-place. He
had taken refuge in a church at BusTr, where surprised by
a small party he was overpowered and slain, just as the
year expired (August, 750 A.D.).
His head was sent to Salih, who had the tongue cut
out and thrown contemptuously to a cat. Thus disfigured
it was despatched to Al-Kilfa. On seeing it, Abu'l-' Abbas
bowed low in adoration. Then raising his head towards
heaven, he praised the Lord who had given him victor}-
and revenge over an ungodly race. He recited also a
verse indicative of the fire that still burned within his
heart :— " Had they quaffed my blood, it had not quenched
their thirst ; so neither is my wrath slaked by theirs,"
True to the sentiment, he named himself (as we shall see)
As-Saffd/i, the Blood-thirsty, and by that title he has ever
since been known.
Two of Merwan's sons fled to Abyssinia, where, attacked
by the natives, one was killed ;
the other escaped, and lived
long concealed in Palestine, from whence he was sent man}'
years after to the Court of Al-Mehdi. The ladies of
Merwan's family had been placed for safety in a church,
from which the}' were dragged to the presence of Salih.^
Before him the elder daughter pleaded for mercy. She
was answered with reproaches for the cruel treatment by
her people of the house of Hashim :— "How," said the
Caliph's uncle, " can I spare any of this wicked race ? "
Again she pleaded for grace and mercy :— " Nay," he
replied, " but if thou wilt, thou mayest marry my son and
save thyself." " What heart have I now for that ? " she
answered ;
" but send us back to Harran again." And
when they returned there, and saw the old home and
palace of Merwan, they lifted up their voices and wept.
Merwan was over threescore years at his death, and
had reigned for nearly six. His mother was a Kurdish
slave-girl, and from her he inherited a handsome counten-
^ The servant, in whose charge they were, is said to have had
instructions to put them to death if Merwan should have lost his life.