I
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 soldier that his father, who was then caliph, allowed
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 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.
[Illustration: THE PRESENTS FROM HARUN-AL-RASHID]
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.