Hundred Great Muslims

Hundred Great Muslims
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Caliph turned his back upon them. But there is hardly any other example of
the generosity shown by the Abbaside Caliph who pardoned the Byzantine
Emperor's breach of pledge more than half a dozen times only to be repeated
again. In 791 A.C. the Byzantines broke the treaty concluded in Caliph Mehdi's
time by invading the Muslim territories only to be repulsed with heavy losses.
The cities of Matarah and Ancyra were captured, Cyprus was re-conquered and
Crete was overrun. The Byzantines begged for peace which was granted on
promise of the regular payment of tribute fixed in the former treaty.
A few years later, when Nicephorus seized the Byzantine throne, he broke
the treaty and sent an insulting letter to the Abbaside Caliph, Haroon ar-Rashid:
"From Nicephorus, the Roman Emperor, to Haroon, Sovereign of the Arabs:
Verily, the Empress who preceded me gave thee the rank of a rook and put
herself in that of a pawn, and conveyed to thee many loads of her wealth, and
this through the weakness of women and their folly. Now when thou hast read
this letter of mine, return what thou hast received of substance, otherwise the
sword shall decide between me and thee". When Rashid read this letter, "he was
so inflamed with anger that no one could dare to look at his face". Then he
wrote on the back of Byzantine Ruler's letter: "From Haroon, the Commander
of the Faithful, to Nicephorus, the Roman dog: Verily I have read thy letter;
the answer thou shall behold, not hear. And he was true to his word. The same
day he started on a nonstop march to Heraclea, a Byzantine stronghold. The
boastful Byzantine Emperor suffered a humiliating defeat at this place. "The
warlike celerity of the Arabs could only be checked by the arts of deceit and a
show of repentence". The Byzantine Emperor, Nicephorus begged for peace
from the kind-hearted Abbaside Caliph which was granted on promise of regular
payment of increased tribute by the Byzantine Emperor. But Rashid had hardly
reached his Headquarters when the Byzantine Emperor broke his pledge,
thinking that the Abbaside Caliph would not take to field in severe winter. But
he had mistaken his adversary. When Rashid came to know of this breach of
pledge, he retraced his steps. "Nicephorus was astonished by the bold and rapid
marches of the Commander of the Faithful, who repassed, in the depth of
winter, the snows of Mount Taurus; his stratagems of policy and war were
exhausted and the perfidious Greek escaped with three wounds from the field of
battle overspread with forty thousand of his subjects". (Gibbon). The Byzantine
Emperor again implored for peace, which was granted. But "over and again when
Haroon was engaged elsewhere, Nicephorus broke his treaty, and as often was
beaten" (Muir). In 189 A.H., the Abbaside Caliph proceeded to Rayy to suppress
the rebellion of the Governor. This was too good an opportunity for the Byzantine
Emperor to miss. Leaving aside all his promises and solemn pledges he burst into
the Abbaside dominions, where he caused widespread devastation and havoc.
Leaving his son, Mamoon at Rakka, with absolute control of the Government,
Haroon hurried to meet the Byzantines. The Abbaside army swept over the
whole of Asia Minor as far as Bithynia on the north and Mysia on the west.
City after city opened its gates to the Abbaside armies. A large force sent by
Nicephorus was routed with fearful losses. Heraclea was stormed. The Byzantine
Emperor again begged for pardon and the kind-hearted Abbaside Caliph with