[283]. Seventh Abbaside, A.H. 198–227 = 813–842. See vol. iv. 109. He was a favourite with his father, who personally taught him tradition; but he offended the Faithful by asserting the creation of the Koran, by his leaning to Shi’ah doctrine, and by changing the black garments of the Banu Abbas into green. He died of a chill at Budandún, a day’s march from Tarsus, where he was buried: for this Podendon = πόδα τείνειν = stretch out thy feet, see Al-Siyuti, pp. 326–27.
[284]. Sixth Abbaside, A.D. 809–13. See vol. v. 93: 152. He was of pure Abbaside blood on the father’s side and his mother Zubaydah’s. But he was unhappy in his Wazir Al-Fazl bin Rabí’, the intriguer against the Barmecides, who estranged him from his brothers Al-Kásim and Al-Maamún. At last he was slain by a party of Persians, “who struck him with their swords, and cut him through the nape of his neck and went with his head to Tahir bin al-Husayn, general to Al-Maamún, who set it upon a garden-wall and made proclamation, This is the head of the deposed Mohammed (Al-Amín).” Al-Siyuti, pp. 306–311. It was remarked by Moslem annalists that every sixth Abbaside met with a violent death: the first was this Mohammed al-Amin surnamed Al-Makhlú’ = The Deposed; the second sixth was Al-Musta’ín; and the last was Al-Muktadí bi ’lláh.
[285]. Lit. “Order and acceptance.” See the Tale of the Sandal-wood Merchant and the Sharpers: vol. vi. 202.
[286]. This is not noticed by Al-Siyuti (p. 318) who says that his mother was a slave-concubine named Marájil who died in giving him birth. The tale in the text appears to be a bit of Court scandal, probably suggested by the darkness of the Caliph’s complexion.
[287]. Bresl. Edit., vol. viii. pp. 226–9, Nights dclx-i.
[288]. King of the Arab kingdom of Hirah, for whom see vol. v. 74. This ancient villain rarely appears in such favourable form when tales are told of him.
[289]. The tribe of the chieftain and poet, Hátim Táí, for whom see vol. iv. 94.
[290]. i.e. I will make a covenant with him before the Lord. Here the word “Allah” is introduced among the Arabs of The Ignorance.
[291]. i.e. The man of the tribe of Tay.
[292]. A similar story of generous dealing is told of the Caliph Omar in The Nights. See vol. v. 99 et sqq.