Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/160

 simultaneously; and in their respective territories, as well as all around, they spread everywhere the terror of the name of Mahomet, and everywhere combated the religion of the cross.

But St, John tells us not only that the beast had "seven heads," but it had also "ten horns," and these ten horns were crowned with "diadems."

By these ten diademed horns, I understand ten royal dynasties, which we actually find described in Mahometan history, as having contributed, in an especial manner, to uphold and extend the faith and dominion of the little horn over that portion of the earth which God gave into his hand. The learned author of the "Preuves Incontestables de l'Eglise Catholique déduites de l'Apocalypse" (ch. vi. p. 210), has demonstrated these ten horns to represent the ten great dynasties as follow:—1. The Thaherians; 2. The Soffarides; 3. The Samanides; 4. The Gaznevides; 5. The Bouides; 6. The Tholonides; 7. The Seljucides; 8. The Ajoubites; 9. The Aglabites; 10. The Khouarasmians." These are the principal dynasties that figure in Mahometan history during the period of what we will now call the Saracenic or first beast.

We shall not at present enter into the minutiæ of Mahometan history, as it developed