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As foon as the caliph thought himself peaceably in poffeffion of the throne, he executed the project of fecuring it in his family. lefid his refid. fon was not only declared his fucceffor, but his colleague. Moft of the Muffulmen took the oaths to him, which 'till then had been done only to the reigning caliph. But Ofein, fon of Ali, and grand-son of the prophet by his mother, had not the fame averfion for the empire as his brother Affan had fhewn; and when, after a reign of nineteen years, the redoubtable Moavia had left all the authority to his fon Iefid, Ofein prepared to dispute with the fon of the ufurper what he confidered to be the patrimony of his forefathers.

All the empire was in fubjection to Iefid, except Mecca and Medina, which the partisans of the house of Ali had caused to declare for Ofein. This prince hoped to get poffeffion likewise of Cufa, which had been the refidence of his father and brother. The intelligence which means had been found to procure him being multiplied, he thought he had only to prefent himself at Cufa to be proclaimed caliph there. But, whilft he was on his way thither, with all his family, at the head of a hundred and fifty armed men, the only forces that he had been able to affemble, and which he thought fufficient in a town that already acknowledged his authority, Iefid, informed of the intentions of the Cufians, fent new troops thither from Syria, and had the principal

partisans

partifans of Ofein punished. In fine, every thing was quieted when the son of Ali appeared, and the unfortunate prince met a numerous army who came to fight him, instead of obedient fubjects whom he expected to fee come running out to meet their lawful mafter.

Ofein's little troop was prefently furrounded: he had only the choice left him, to acknowledge the caliph Iefid, or, with a hundred and fifty men, to make head against fix thoufand. Ofein had with him his brothers, fifters, wives, and `two young fons, all the hope of the house of Ali. His courage, or rather defpair, prevented his faving them from the fword of the vanquisher; he chofe rather to confirm the Ommiafian race on the throne of Mahomet, by delivering to them all those that might difpute their right, than acknowledge them, even by a forced confent, for the family of his mafters. Affecting a prophetic enthusiasm, he fell on his knees amidft his people, and repeated aloud a fervent prayer to ask the protection of God for a just cause and the blood of his prophet.

Ofein knew how to make the best of his bad pofition with a conduct and courage worthy of another recompenfe. During the night that preceded his defeat, and which Iefid's general employed in treating with Ofein, this prince caused to be digged around his camp a large ditch, which he filled in the morning with com

buftibles,

buftibles, so that he seemed to be defended by a rampart of fire, which the horses refused to approach. Notwithstanding the most vigorous refiftance, Ofein perished, with feventeen of his brothers or relations, and almost all his foldiers. His fifters, fome of his wives, and his two fons, called Ali and Amru, were preferved; who, after having been stripped of every thing that they had valuable, were dragged in captivity to Damafcus.

Iefid faw with joy the head of his rival in greatnefs, though he fhewed fome fenfe of compaffion for his fate. Ofein's fifters were treated as became the grand-daughters of Mahomet, notwithstanding the fanguinary reproaches with which they loaded Iefid; he refpected even the infancy of the fons of Ofein. As he was deliberating in his council upon what he should do with them, feveral exhorted him not to pollute his reign with the murder of two innocent victims whofe blood was venerated by every Muffulman. This opinion was violently oppofed by one of Ifeid's minifters; who, holding up a small steel inftrument for cutting nails, faid to the caliph, My lord, this fuffices at prefent to terminate the important affair under confideration; but if it be deferred, the blood of millions will not decide it. This bloody advice feemed to be well founded, as the hatred of Ofein's children manifested itself at every moment. Ifeid, feeing the little Amru, Ofein's fecond fon, quarrelling with

his fon, a child of the fame age, faid jeftingly to the young Amru: Wouldeft thou fight with my fon? Yes, replied the child earnestly; let us each have a fword. This young lion already promised his father's enemies all that hatred which has fince fo violently fhewn itself between the Shiites and Sunnites. But thefe difpofitions made no alteration in Ifeid's conduct, who conftantly treated Ofein's family as generous fouls ought to use the unfortunate. He fent them all back to Medina, expreffing the regret which he felt at having been obliged by circumftances to put Ofein to death; and he lavished on them every fuccour capable of alleviating their misfortune. The Shiites count Ofein and his fon Ali as the third and fourth lawful caliphs.

Iefid's generofity irritated his enemies. No fooner was Ali's family returned to Medina, than the people, full of the remembrance of Ofein, thought they ought to shake off the yoke of the Ommiafian caliphs. Ali and Amru were both too young to be placed at their head; it was therefore neceffary to oppofe fome person that had both courage and experience against a prince fo well fettled on the throne of Mahomet. They chofe Abdallah, the fon of Zobeir, of the family~ of the Afhemites, from whom their first caliph, Ali, was defcended; and being all come to the mofque, the first perfon among them cried: I depofe lefid from the califate, as I take this turban

from

from my head. I depofe Iefid from the califate, faid the fecond, as I take this shoe from my foot. All the Medinefe having followed this example, in an instant the ground was covered with turbans and fhoes. They drove out all thofe who fided with the Ommiafian family, and took meafures, as much as the tumult of a numerous army would admit of, to have the principal towns of Arabia follow the example of Mediņa.

Abdallah marched towards Mecca without many obstacles, as the garrifon, which held for the caliph, was not fufficiently strong to hinder him.

Jefid learned at Damafcus that his clemency to the family of Ali had encouraged the rebels. He fent immediately a numerous army into Arabia; the news of its march brought back a great many of the rebels; but Medina refifted conftantly. This city fuftained a long and bloody fiege, without Abdallah, who meditated the conqueft of the rest of Afia, making any attempt to fuccour it. After a refiftance of three months, Medina was taken and pillaged. The victorious foldiers regarded only the family of Ali, agreeably to the orders. which they had received from Iefid. This fuccefs encouraged the general of the Syrian army: he proposed to befiege the Arabian caliph who was then at Mecca; but whilft he was marching towards it, he learned the death of his roaster, lefid, and returned into his own country. This was the year 684 of Jefus Chrift, the 64th lunar g 2

year

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