Mohammedan capital of Central Asia. In the same year Asad planned a campaign into Khottal, but the Khākān took measures to forestall him. Asad's advance column was taken completely by surprise, and his camp and harem were captured. A parley ensued without result, after which he returned to Balkh, while the Khākān again withdrew to Tokhāristan. But in the following spring Asad attacked and completely routed the Khākān and rescued all the Moslem provinces.1 The Turk fled back to Tokhāristān, and shortly afterwards, while on his way to attack Samarkand, he was waylaid and killed by a rebellious follower.

1 It is worthy of remark that in the Persian Tabari the record of Asad's second tenure of office is not only very brief, but even differs essentially from that of the Arabic original.

CHAPTER X

NASR IBN SAYYĀR AND ABŪ MUSLIM

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IN A.H. 120 (737)1 Asad died, and was succeeded by Nasr ibn Sayyar, one of the ablest rulers and generals ever sent to the East in Mohammedan times. He was as generous as he was strong, and seems to have won the affection of those under him. During the nine years of his governorship his position was by no means an easy one, for he had to contend with the growing influence of the 'Abbasid faction, and to support, with a loyalty worthy of a better cause, the last degenerate representatives of the house of Umayya. His first care on assumiing the supreme command was to subjugate the Khākān of the Turks, whose name was Kürsül, against whom he led three successive expeditions. The first two seem to have been without result, but in the last, which was directed against Shash, the Khākān fell into his hands and was put to death.3

In the same year Nasr renewed his attempt to subject Shash to the Moslem yoke. The campaign was a bloodless one. He received the submission of Ushrūsana, and concluded an advantageous peace with the king of Shash. He thereupon appointed a Mohammedan governor of Farghāna.

1 In Schefer's edition of Narshakhi (p. 59) the date is absurdly given as 166. See note below, p. 80.

2

* Descendants of 'Abbās, uncle of the Prophet.

3 Cf. Tabari, loc. cit. p. 1988 et seq.

+ Harith ibn Surayj mentioned above was still with the Turks, and when

In the year A.H. 123 (740) this judicious ruler established order throughout Transoxiana, Khorāsān, and Farghāna.1 But he had other difficulties to meet which were not of his own making. The star of the Umayyads was in the descendent, and the 'Abbasid party were daily adding to the number of their adherents. And, apart from dynastic struggles, the whole of Islām was rent with the dissensions of the rival sects of the Khārijites and the Shi'ites. The sectarian zeal of the latter, which to this day remains the cause of bitter discord in the realm of Islām, began now to make itself felt in Persia and in Central Asia.

In A.H. 125 (742) Hisham, the last Umayyad Caliph of any distinction, died. The dynasty lasted seven years longer, and in that short period no less than four Caliphs attempted to restore the fading glory of their house. While such disorders reigned at headquarters there was small hope of quelling sedition in the outlying provinces. The 'Abbasid pretender, Ibrāhīm, thanks to the efforts of his father's emissaries, had now a powerful and rapidly increasing faction in Merv. But Nasr still held command in Khorāsān, and his personal influence was still great enough to avert open rebellion. It failed; and the fierce tribal jealousy which always smouldered in Arab breasts burst into civil war. The two rival factions were the Yemenites and the Modharites. Nasr ibn Sayyar belonged to the tribe of Modhar, and bestowed the highest offices on his clansmen. In fact, all the towns of Khorāsān were governed by members of

Nasr ibn Sayyar reported his victory to the governor of 'Irak the latter ordered him to capture Harith, subdue Farghāna, and destroy the town of Shash.

1 By the promulgation of a general amnesty the Soghdians were brought back to their allegiance.

2 Their names were Welid II., Yezid II., Ibrāhīm, and Merwān II.

3 His father, Mohammed, had died in A. H. 124.

one or the other of the three principal branches of the tribe, Asad, Temim, or Kināna. Now, there was a man of the tribe of Azd called, after his birthplace, Juday' elKirmani, who, before the promotion of Nasr, had held a higher position, and retained some authority among his own people. To him came the Beni Rabi'a with com

He promised his interOn attempting remonstrance

plaints of the partiality of Nasr. cession with the governor.

he raised Nasr's ire, and was cast into prison, whence escaping1 he rejoined his own people. All efforts at reconciliation proving fruitless, the rival parties had recourse to armed strength. In A.H. 127 (744) Harith ibn Surayj, who was permitted to return to Khorāsān from his captivity in Fārāb, set up his standard at Merv, and, gathering many followers around it, openly revolted against Nasr. In the following year Nasr called upon him to swear allegiance to the Caliph Merwan, but Harith refused, and boasted that he was "the man with the black flag" who was to overthrow the Umayyad dynasty. Hostilities thereupon commenced between Nasr and Harith, in which the latter was worsted. He fled to the camp of El-Kirmānī, whom Nasr had meanwhile been vainly endeavouring to conciliate.

Their combined forces now marched against Nasr, whom they defeated in a pitched battle. Nasr fled to Nīshāpūr, while the allies occupied Merv, where, however, dissensions arose between them which cost Hārith his life, A.H. 128 (745).3

It was in the midst of these disorders that Abū

1 An amusing incident is given in this connection by Tabari. Kirmānī was very stout, and the passage by which he had to escape was so narrow that his servant was obliged to drag him through by main force, and the operation very nearly killed him.

2 See note 1, p. 82.

* For a full account of the story of El-Kirmānī and Hārith ibn Surayj, see Tabari, Annales, Series II. pp. 1855-69, 1887-90, and 1917-35.

Muslim, the virtual founder of the 'Abbasid dynasty, raised the black banner in Khorāsān. The advent of the 'Abbasids to the Caliphate was an event of such moment for the future of Central Asia that it is necessary in this place to give a brief account of the rise of the new dynasty. The fall of the Umayyads was the death-knell of unity in Islām. In spite of numberless rebellions in all parts of their conquered provinces the Umayyads had never recognised independent rulers,

but with the establishment of the house of 'Abbās there set in a general dismemberment of the empire of the Caliphs. The origin of the dispute between the Hashimites (or 'Abbasids) and the Umayyads dates back to a period anterior to the birth of Mohammed. It was a rivalry between the two chief stocks of the house of Koraysh.1 We have seen above that, although Mohammed, on first declaring his mission, met with opposition from his own tribe, after the conquest of Mekka they temporarily reconciled the conflicting interests. So after the Prophet's death discussions again arose between 'Ali and the Caliph Mo'awiya. The Khārijites, who demanded a purely theocratic rule, were also continually in a ferment. After the tragic death of Husayn, the son of 'Ali, at Kerbelā, a party arose devoted to the house of 'Ali, and claiming the succession of his family to the Caliphate, 1 The following table will explain the descent of the two branches :