nd a
strict disciple of the precepts of Islam. We can scarcely, therefore,
credit the charges made by the adversaries of his chosen successor
Yazid, that he was a drinker of wine, fond of pleasure, careless about
religion. All the evidence shows that, during the reign of the Omayyads,
life in Damascus and the rest of Syria was austere and in striking
contrast to the dissolute manners which prevailed in Medina.

2. _Rule of Yazid._--When Moawiya died, the opposition had already been
organized. On his accession Yazid sent a circular to all his prefects,
officially announcing his father's death, and ordering them to
administer the oath of allegiance to their subjects. In that sent to
Walid b. 'Otba, the governor of Medina, he enclosed a private note
charging him in particular to administer the oath to Hosain, Abdallah b.
Omar and Abdallah b. Zobair, if necessary, by force. Walid sent a
messenger inviting them to a conference, thus giving them time to
assemble their followers and to escape to Mecca, where the prefect Omar
b. Sa'id could do nothing against them. In the month Ramadan this Omar
was made governor of Medina and sent an army against Ibn Zobair. This
army was defeated, and from that time Ibn Zobair was supreme at Mecca.

On the news of Yazid's accession, the numerous partisans of the family
of Ali in Kufa sent addresses to Hosain, inviting him to take refuge
with them, and promising to have him proclaimed caliph in Irak. Hosain,
having learned that the majority of the inhabitants were apparently
ready to support him strenuously, prepared to take action. Meanwhile
Yazid, having been informed of the riotous behaviour of the Shi'ites in
Kufa, sent Obaidallah, son of the famous Ziyad and governor of Basra, to
restore order. Using the same tactics as his father had used before,
Obaidallah summoned the chiefs of the tribes and made them responsible
for the conduct of their men. On the 8th of Dhu'l-Hijja Hosain set out
from Mecca with all his family, expecting to be received with enthusiasm
by the citizens of Kufa, but on his arrival at Kerbela west of the
Euphrates, he was confronted by an army sent by Obaidallah under the
command of Omar, son of the famous Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, the founder of
Kufa. Hosain gave battle, vainly relying on the promised aid from Kufa,
and fell with almost all his followers on the 10th of Muharram 61 (10th
of October 680).

No other issue of this rash expedition could have been expected. But