Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/298

* MEDINA. 270 MEDINET HABtr. Mohammed. Close behind him is placed, in the same position, Abu Bekr, and behind the latter Omar. Tlie fact, however, is that lu'n the mo>que, which had been struck by lightning, was rebuilt in 892. three deep graves were found in the interior, filled only with rubbish, ilany other reasons make it more than problematic whether the particular spot at Medina really contains the I'rophet's remains. Of the fabulous treasures which this sanctuary once contained, little now remains. As in Mecca, a great number of ecclesiastical officials are attached in some capa- city or other to the mosque, as ulemas, imams, khatibs, etc. ; and not only they, but the towns- people in general, live to a great extent on the pilgiinis' alms, the city having little trade. The mosque was destroyed by fire in 1257, and was rebuilt 12.5S-88; it was restored in 1487 by Khaid Bey, of Kgypt. The city was conquered by the Turkish sultans in the sixteenth centuiy. It fell into the power of Sau<l. the W'ahhabite general, in 1803. and was reconquered by Tussun I'asha in 1S15. There are few other noteworthy spots to be mentioned in Medina, save the minor mosques of Abu Bekr, Ali. Omar, etc. The pri- vate houses, however, surrounded by gardens, fountains, etc., have a very pleasing appearance; and the city, although in its decay, is yet busy and agreeable. A number of medreses, or en- dowed schools, represent what learning there is left in iledina. once famed for its scholars. As is the case with Mecca, non-Jlohammedans are rigorously excluded from the sacred city, yet it has been "visited by Burckhardt (1811) and Bur- ton (1852). Consult: Burckhardt, Travels in Arahia (London, 1820) ; Burton, Joiirvnl of a Pilgrimage to El-Mcdinah and Mecca (London, 18.55) ; Soubhy, Pelerinage a la Mecque et a Medine. (Cairo', 1894) ; Wellhausen, iledinah vor dem Islam, in his Sli—cn. iv. (Berlin. 1889). MEDI'NA. A village in Orleans County. X. Y., 41 miles west of Rochester and equally dis- tant to the northeast from Bulfalo; on Oak Orchard Creek, the Erie Canal, and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad (Map: New York, B 2). It is in a fertile agricultural region and derives good water power from the creek, where a storage dam is being (1902) con- structed, designed to yield 2000 horse-power, which will be utilized to generate electricity for industrial purposes. There are valuable sand- stone quarries, foundries, iron works, pump works, tlouring mills, and manufactories of fur- niture, shoos, shirts, vinegar, cigars, and ex- tracts. Me(lina Falls are visited for their scenic interest. Settled about IS.SO, Medina was in- corporated in 18,'!2. The present government is administered under a charter of 1874, which, as subsequently amended, provides for a president, annually elected, and a board of trustees who act with the executive in electing subordinate ofTi- cials. Population, in 1890, 4402: in 1000, 4716. MEDINA. The sister of Elissa and Perissa. in S|Kiis.r's Faerie Queene. She represents the golden mean. MEDINA, mft-de'nfl. Josf; ^f.vRI.^ (c.l815- 7S). A Central American politician, born in Honduras, .ftcr acting as President of Hon- duras in 18fi2 and ISfi."?. he was elected lo that office in IStU. ISOfi. and 1870. His administra- tion was fortunate and tranquil until 1871. when war broke out with Salvador. Medina was de- feated and was deposed by Arias at the head of the Liberal Party. Against Leiva, who became President in 1874, Medina revolted in 1875-76 and again in 1877. As a result of the later at- tempt iledina was arrested, court-martialed, and shot. MEDINA DE RIO SECO, da re'O sa'kO. A small town of .Spain, in the Province of Vaila- dolid, 20 miles northwest of the city of that name (Map: Spain, C 2). Here, on .July 14, 1808. a Spanish army of 50,000 was defeated by 12,000 French. MEDINA SERIES. A subdivision of the Upper Silurian system. The rocks are conglom- erates, sandstones and shales. They are abundant in the Eastern United States. At Medina, X. Y., large quarries of building stone occur in the formation. See Geolouy; Sa>'1).st0NE. MEDINA SIDONIA, svnu'nt-k. A town of Southern Spain, in the Province of Cadiz, situ- ated on a steep eminence, 20 miles southeast of Cadiz (Map: Spain. C 4). It has a |)icturosque appearance, contains a beautiful (Jotliic cliurch and the ruins of a palace of the dukes of Medina Sidonia. It was fcmnded as a fort by the Moors. Population, in 1000. 11.003. The d'ukes of Me- dina Sidonia played an important part in the ' internal political life of Spain, and to one of them was intrusted the conunand of the Armada for the invasion of England in 1588. See Ab- .M.VUA. MEDINET-EL-FAYTJM, mc-de'net e ft- oom'. The capital of the Egyi)tian Province of Fayum (q.v.), situated on the Bahr-Yusuf, 55 miles south of Cairo (ilap: Egjpt. D 3). It is a well-built town, with an interesting mosque and a fine bazaar. The chief industry is the manu- facturing of woolens ; there is a considerable trade in grain, woolens, and roses. The town is the seat of an. icrican mission. Poi?ulation, in 1900. 40.000. MEDINET HABtr, nK-dr'net liii-bT^'. The modern .r;il)ic name of a ruined Coptic village, built in early Christian times, on the west bank of the Nile in about latitude 25° 50' X. It stood around and upon the ruins of a group of tenq)le buildings in the western quarter of ancient Thebes. These ruins include a small tem|>lc laiilt by Queen Hatasu and King Thothmes III., itli additions by several later monarchs, and a large temple built after the model of the Ramesscuni (q.v.) by Rami'scs III. The larger temidc orig- inally stood within an indosure surrounded by a wall of which considerable traces yet remain. The main entrance to the inclosure is through a gateway in a massive pavilion built in imita- tion of ,a Syrian fortress and containing several chambers whose walls are beautifully decorated with reliefs. Within the inclosure a great pylon gate faces the pavilion, and gives en- trance to a colonnaded court 115 feet in length and about the same in breadth. . second pylon gate forms the entrance to a second colonnaded court (125 feet long and 138 feet broad) which in Christian times was converted into a church. At the upper end of this court is a terrace from which a door leads to the hypostyle hall, sup- ported by twenty-four cohinms. To the. rear of the hall are two smaller halls and a nuniber of chamhers. most of which are in a ruinous condi- tion.