Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/331

302 wise was favourable to the project. But it was not till both these counsellors had passed away that Muʿāwiya found himself in a position to proceed with the design.

So soon as Muʿāwiya felt sure of adequate support, and especially that Medīna would not resent the invasion of her elective privilege, deputations from all the provinces and chief cities presented themselves at Damascus. These, received in state, affected to press the nomination; and accordingly, without further ceremony, the oath of allegiance was taken by all present to Yezīd as the next successor. Syria and Al-ʿIrāḳ having without demur tendered homage, Muʿāwiya set out for Mecca with a retinue of 1000 horse, ostensibly to perform the lesser pilgrimage, but in reality to obtain the assent of the two Holy Cities to the succession of Yezīd. The leading dissentients at Medīna were AI-Ḥosein, son of ʿAlī, ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān, son of Abu Bekr, and the two ʿAbdallāhs, sons of ʿOmar and Az-Zubeir. Muʿāwiya on entering the city received them roughly, and so, to avoid further mortification, these left at once for Mecca. The remainder of the citizens consented to the nomination of Yezīd, and took the oath accordingly. Continuing his journey to Mecca, the Caliph carried himself blandly towards its people for the first few days, which were occupied with the rights of the lesser pilgrimage. But as his time of departure drew nigh, he stood up to address them on his errand, and though his speech was gilded with assurances that the rights and privileges of the city would be respected, there was at the first no response. Then ʿAbdallah, son of Az-Zubeir, stood up, and declared that the recognition of an heir-apparent would run counter to all the precedents of Islām. On this the Caliph urged the risks to which Islām was