The Chaliphate - Muir - The Search For Mecca

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556 AL-MUKTAFI [chap. Lxxi
A. 11. 279- Throughout these two reigiLs, hostilities prevailed more or
2?^ less with the Greeks, who were not slow to take advantage
War with the of the exigencies of the Caliphate. In 285 A.ii. a J^yzantine
286\.h" ^' f\'^c\: was set on fire, and 3000 sailors decapitated. ^ But
there were reverses also. Tarsus was closely besieged by
the Greeks, and the governor taken prisoner. Still worse,
Egyptian rebels, to spite the Caliph, induced the '1 '^'li^'i'''tl
governor of Tarsus to burn the Muslim fleet of fifty vessels
at anchor in their port. In consequence the Greeks were
able to ravage the coasts at pleasure, both by land and sea,
carr)'ing vast numbers away captive. War was kept up
with various fortune. Ten golden crosses, each followed by
10,000 men, swept devastation and captivity along the
292 A.H. Muslim shores ;
while, on the other hand, a Muslim fleet
under a renegade Greek, and manned by negroes, ravaged
the coast opposite Byzantium. There followed further
294 A.H. fighting, till in the end peace was made and prisoners on
either side exchanged or ransomed.
Death of Thus, after a stormy reign of between six and seven
years, Al-Muktafi could look round and find the Caliphate
^gs'^H."'
907 A.D. more secure than it had been since the days of Al-Mo'tasim.
One of his last acts was, on the death of the Samanid
prince, to recognise the succession of his son in Khorasan,
and forward to him a banner mounted by his own hand.
He died at the early age of thirty-three, and left the throne
to a minor brother. But, before proceeding with the
melancholy, sequel of the Caliphate, some account should be
given of the Ismailians, who arose about this time and
materially influenced the future history of Islam."-
^
So our authorities, though one can hardly beheve it.
- The annals of the Caliphate from 291 to 320 A.H. (
= Nov. 903
Dec, 932 A.D.), are given in the Co7itinuatioti of the History of At-
Tabari by 'Arlb ibn Sa'd of Cordova, edited by De Goeje, Leyden, 1897.