to please them, adopted Mahomedan practices. But he would only
employ Christians as Ministers of State. His rival Ghazan, on the other
hand, strengthened his own influence by adopting Islam, Baidu's followers
fell off from him, and delivered him into Ghazan's power. He was put to
death 4th of October, 1295, about seven months after the death of his
predecessor. D'Ohsson's authorities seem to mention no battle such as the
text speaks of, but Mirkhond, as abridged by Teixeira, does so, and puts
it at Nakshiwan on the Araxes (p. 341).

NOTE 2.--Hayton testifies from his own knowledge to the remarkable
personal beauty of Arghun, whilst he tells us that the son Ghazan was as
notable for the reverse. After recounting with great enthusiasm instances
which he had witnessed of the daring and energy of Ghazan, the Armenian
author goes on, "And the most remarkable thing of all was that within a
frame so small, and ugly almost to monstrosity, there should be assembled
nearly all those high qualities which nature is wont to associate with a
form of symmetry and beauty. In fact among all his host of 200,000 Tartars
you should scarcely find one of smaller stature or of uglier and meaner
aspect than this Prince."

[Illustration: Tomb of Oljaitu Khan, the brother of Polo's "Casan" at
Sultaniah. (From Fergusson.)]

Pachymeres says that Ghazan made Cyrus, Darius, and Alexander his
patterns, and delighted to read of them. He was very fond of the mechanical
arts; "no one surpassed him in making saddles, bridles, spurs, greaves,
and helmets; he could hammer, stitch, and polish, and in such occupations
employed the hours of his leisure from war." The same author speaks of the
purity and beauty of his coinage, and the excellence of his legislation.
Of the latter, so famous in the East, an account at length is given by
D'Ohsson. (_Hayton_ in _Ramus._ II. ch. xxvi., _Pachym. Andron. Palaeol._
VI. 1; _D'Ohsson_, vol iv.)

Before finally quitting the "Tartars of the Levant," we give a
representation of the finest work of architecture that they have left
behind them, the tomb built for himself by Oljaitu (see on this page), or,
as his Moslem name ran, Mahomed Khodabandah, in the city of Sultaniah,
which he founded. Oljaitu was the brother and successor of Marco Polo's
friend Ghazan, and died in 1316, eight years before our traveller.

CHAPTER XX.

CONCERNING KING CONCHI WHO RULES THE FAR NORTH.

You must know that in the far north t