Harun-al-Rashid
Caliph from 786-809 A.D.
The most celebrated of all Mohammedan caliphs was Harun-al-Rashid,
which means, in English, Aaron the Just. Harun is the hero
of several of the stories of the "Arabian Nights," a famous book,
which perhaps you have read. There are many curious and wonderful
tales in it.
When Harun was only eighteen years old he showed such courage and
skill as a soldie
him to lead an army against the enemies of the Mohammedans; and he
won many great victories.
He afterwards commanded an army of ninety-five thousand Arabs and
Persians, sent by his father to invade the Eastern Roman Empire,
which was then ruled by the Empress Irene (i-re'-ne). After defeating
Irene's famous general, Nicetas (ni-ce'-tas), Harun marched his
army to Chrysopolis (Chrys-op'-o-lis), now Scutari (skoo'-ta-re),
on the Asiatic coast, opposite Constantinople. He encamped on the
heights, in full view of the Roman capital.
The Empress saw that the city would certainly by taken by the Moslems.
She therefore sent ambassadors to Harun to arrange terms; but he
sternly refused to agree to anything except immediate surrender.
Then one of the ambassadors said, "The Empress has heard much of
your ability as a general. Though you are her enemy, she admires
you as a soldier."
These flattering words were pleasing to Harun. He walked to and
fro in front of his tent and then spoke again to the ambassadors.
"Tell the Empress," he said, "that I will spare Constantinople if
she will pay me seventy thousand pieces of gold as a yearly tribute.
If the tribute is regularly paid Constantinople shall not be harmed
by any Moslem force."
The Empress had to agree to these terms. She paid the first year's
tribute; and soon the great Moslem army set out on its homeward
march.
When Harun was not quite twenty-one years old he became caliph.
He began his reign by appointing very able ministers, who carried
on the work of the government so well that they greatly improved
the condition of the people.
Harun built a palace in Bagdad, far grander and more beautiful than
that of any caliph before him. Here he established his court and
lived in great splendor, attended by hundreds of courtiers and
slaves.
He was very anxious that his people should be treated justly by
the officers of the government; and he was determined to find out
whether any had reason to complain. So he sometimes disguised
himself at night and went about through the streets and bazaars,
listening to the talk of those whom he met and asking them questions.
In this way he learned whether the people were contented and happy,
or not.
In those times Bagdad in the east and the Mohammedan cities of Spain
in the west were famed for their schools and learned men. Arabian
teachers first introduced into Western Europe both algebra and the
figures which we use in arithmetic. It is for this reason that we
call these figures the "Arabic numerals."
Harun-al-Rashid gave great encouragement to learning. He was a
scholar and poet himself and whenever he heard of learned men in
his own kingdom, or in neighboring countries, he invited them to
his court and treated them with respect.
The name of Harun, therefore, became known throughout the world. It
is said that a correspondence took place between him and Charlemagne
and that, as you have learned, Harun sent the great emperor a
present of a clock and an elephant.
The tribute of gold that the Empress Irene agreed to pay Harun was
sent regularly for many years. It was always received at Bagdad with
great ceremony. The day on which it arrived was made a holiday.
The Roman soldiers who came with it entered the gates in procession.
Moslem troops also took part in the parade.
When the gold had been delivered at the palace, the Roman soldiers
were hospitably entertained, and were escorted to the main gate of
the city when they set out on their journey back to Constantinople.
II
In 802 Nicephorus (Ni-ceph'-o-rus) usurped the throne of the Eastern
Empire. He sent ambassadors with a letter to Harun to tell him
that the tribute would no longer be paid. The letter contained
these words:
"The weak and faint-hearted Irene submitted to pay you tribute.
She ought to have made you pay tribute to her. Return to me all
that she paid you; else the matter must be settled by the sword."
As soon as Harun had read these words the ambassadors threw a
bundle of swords at his feet. The caliph smiled, and drawing his
own sword, or cimeter (sim'-e-ter), he cut the Roman swords in two
with one stroke without injuring the bald, or even turning the edge
of his weapon.
Then he dictated a letter to Nicephorus, in which he said:
"Harun-al-Rashid, Commander of the Faithful to Nicephorus, the Roman
dog: I have read thy letter. Thou shalt not hear, thou shalt SEE
my reply."
Harun was as good as his word. He started that day with a large
army to punish the emperor. As soon as he reached Roman territory
he ravaged the country and took possession of everything valuable
that he found. He laid siege to Heraclea (Her-a-cle'-a), a city on
the shores of the Black Sea, and in a week forced it to surrender.
Then he sacked the place.
Nicephorus was now forced to agree to pay the tribute. Scarcely,
however, had the caliph reached his palace in Bagdad when the
emperor again refused to pay.
Harun, consequently, advanced into the Roman province of Phrygia,
in Asia Minor, with an army of 15,000 men. Nicepherus marched
against him with 125,000 men. In the battle which followed the
emperor was wounded, and 40,000 of his men were killed.
After this defeat Nicephorus again promised payment of the tribute,
but again failed to keep his promise.
Harun now vowed that he would kill the emperor if he should ever
lay hands upon him. But as he was getting ready to march once more
into the Roman provinces a revolt broke out in one of the cities
of his own kingdom; and while on his way to suppress it the great
caliph died of an illness which had long given him trouble.
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