The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

A.i). 775-S5] HIS LIFE AND CHARACTER 471
return to the frontier of Harun, who had got entangled
in defiles. The spoil was immense, and the number slain
incredible.^ It is interesting to note that in the early part of
this reign, a descent from Africa made with the object of
restoring Spain to the Caliphate ended in disaster ; and that,
on th3 other hand, the " Ruler" of Spain - had in preparation
an expedition against the 'Abbasids in Syria, which he was
hindered from carrying out by troubles at home.
There were expeditions in other quarters, but none
requiring notice, excepting perhaps that to India, which
stormed the city of Barbad, and burned the image of the
Buddha with a company of its worshippers. But the end
was disastrous: the army lost 1000 men by a "mouth
disease," and the fleet was wrecked by a storm on the Persian
shore.
Shortly after his accession, Al-Mehdi gave her freedom to
Khei/Airan, the mother of his sons Musa and Harun, whose
influence over him even in affairs of state was great, aiid
then married her. The unfortunate 'Tsa, whom Al-Mansur
had forced to postpone his claim to that of Al-Mehdi, was
now compelled altogether to relinquish his title to the
throne,—a claim which he had now held for thrce-and-twenty
years ; and Musa, now surnamed Al-IIddi (the Guide),
was proclaimed heir-apparent. With Harun, the younger
son, his father was so pleased after the expedition to the
Bosphorus, that he placed him, though still quite a x'outh,
in charge of all the Western provinces including Azerbljan,
and two years later proclaimed him, under the title of
Rasliid (the Upright^), second in succession, l^ut Harun
was so much the favourite of his mother, and was also so
preferred by his father, that he went a step further, and a
\'ear or two after called on Al-IIadi to waive his claim of
precedence in his brother's favour. Al-Hadi, at the time
])rosecuting a campaign in Jurjan, naturally resisted the
demand, and treated contumeliously a second messenger
summoning him to Bagdad. Al-Mehdi thereupon, accompanied
by Harun, set out with an army to reduce his con-
'
54,000 Greeks slain ;
5000 taken prisoners, of wlioni 2090 were
"executed in cold blood" ; 20,000 cattle driven oflf, and 100,000 slain.
^ He is called simply the Umeiyad Sahib (ruler) of .Spain.
•^
Or "rightly directed." Pronounced Harun ar-Rashid.
A.H. 15S-
169.
Spain,
161-163 .^.H.
India,
160 KM.
Mehdi
marries
Kheizuran,
159A.H.
Iladi heirapparent,
160 A.H.,
and Harun,
166 A.H.