as prophet began while Heraclius and Chosroes II. were flying at each other’s throats; by the year of the death of Chosroes (A.D. 628) he had acquired a strength greater than that of any other Arab chief; two years later he challenged Rome to the combat by sending a hostile expedition into Syria; and before his death (A.D. 632) he was able to take the field at the head of 30,000 men.  During the time of internal trouble in Persia he procured the submission of the Persian governor of the Yemen; as well as that of Al Mondar, or Alamundarus, King of Bahrein, on the west coast of the Persian Gulf.  Isdigerd, upon his accession, found himself menaced by a power which had already stretched out one arm towards the lower Euphrates, while with the other it was seeking to grasp Syria and Palestine.  The danger was imminent; the means of meeting it insufficient, for Persia was exhausted by foreign war and internal contention; the monarch himself was but ill able to cope with the Arab chiefs, being youthful and inexperienced; we shall find, however, that he made a strenuous resistance.  Though continually defeated, he prolonged the fight for nearly a score of years, and only succumbed finally when, to the hostility of open foes, was added the treachery of pretended friends and allies.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Death of Mohammed and Collapse of Mohammedanism.  Recovery under Abu-bekr.  Conquest of the Kingdom of Hira.  Conquest of Obolla.  Invasion of Mesopotamia.  Battle of the Bridge—­the Arabs suffer a Reverse.  Battle of El Bow-eib—­Mihran defeated by El Mothanna.  Fresh Effort made by Persia—­Battle of Cadesia—­Defeat of the Persians.  Pause in the War.  March of Sa’ad on Ctesiphon.  Flight of Isdigerd.  Capture of Ctesiphon.  Battle of Jalula.  Conquest of Susiana and invasion of Persia Proper.  Recall of Sa’ad.  Isdigerd assembles an Army at Nehawend.  Battle of Nehawend.  Flight of Isdigerd.  Conquest of the various Persian Provinces.  Isdigerd murdered.  Character of Isdigerd.  Coins of Isdigerd.

“Yazdejird, Persarum rex....  Rostamum misit oppugnatum Saadum... neque unquam belloram et dissentionum expers fuit, donee oecideretur.  Regnavit autem annos viginti.”—­Eutychius, Annales, vol. ii. pp. 295-6.

The power which Mohammed had so rapidly built up fell to pieces at his decease.  Isdigerd can scarcely have been well settled upon this throne when the welcome tidings must have reached him that the Prophet was dead, that the Arabs generally were in revolt, that Al Mondar had renounced Islamism and resumed a position of independence.  For the time Mohammedanism was struck down.  It remained to be seen whether the movement had derived its strength solely from the genius of the Prophet, or whether minds of inferior calibre would suffice to renew and sustain the impulse which had proceeded from him, and which under him had proved of such wonderful force and efficacy.