Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/343

 314 so robed to come to court; but Ibn az-Zubeir scorned the offer and imprisoned the embassy, Its leader, a brother of his own named ʿAmr, who was hostile. to himself, he put to a terrible death.

Meanwhile, Medīna was in a ferment. The crafty pretender, still feigning friendship with Yezīd, advised him to send a milder governor there, as likely to conciliate the people. Accordingly, Yezīd removed the governor and deputed in his place a young and inexperienced cousin of his own, ʿOthmān ibn Moḥammad, who in an evil hour despatched a company of his chief citizens to Damascus, hoping that they might there be won over by the gifts and promises of the Caliph. They returned munificently rewarded. But, accustomed as they had been to the frugal and pious habits of the Prophet's home, they were shocked at the profane behaviour and indulgent excesses of the Syrians; and brought back such an account of the luxury and ungodliness of the Court,—wine and music, singing men and singing women, cockfighting and hounds,—that the Caliph was at once denounced, and a rival sworn to in his room. After a final attempt on the part of Yezīd to win them over, the Anṣār of Medīna under the leadership of ʿAbdallah ibn Ḥanẓala, threw off their allegiance, by each one casting off his mantle or shoe. The young governor was fain to fly; the Umeiyad party, 1000 strong, were put in durance, and only allowed to leave the city after swearing that they would not assist the enemy. To chastise these rebellious citizens, and thereafter proceed to Mecca against Ibn az-Zubeir, the Caliph despatched, under Muslim ibn ʿOḳba al-Murri (a Ḳoreishite having declined), a column which, in a bloody battle, called the battle of the Ḥarra, defeated the troops of Medīna; and the unfortunate city was for three days given up to the licence and rapine of the Syrian army. After forcing the citizens, at the point of the sword, again to swear allegiance to Yezīd, the force continued its march on Mecca under the command of Al-Ḥoṣein ibn Numeir as-Sakūni, Muslim having died on the way.

Ibn az-Zubeir had nothing effectual to oppose. He was indeed supported by the malcontent fugitives from Medīna, and by the Khawārij who from all quarters flocked to the defence of the Holy House. People hardly believed that