rdly quiet during Motamid's reign, but under Motadid the government
began to have misgivings about them. Abu Sa'id al-Jannabi, who had
founded a Carmathian state in Bahrein, the north-eastern province of
Arabia (actually called Lahsa), which could become dangerous for the
pilgrim road as well as for the commerce of Basra, in the year 900
routed an army sent against him by Motadid, and warned the caliph that
it would be safer to let the Carmathians alone. In the same year the
real chief of the sect, whose abode had been discovered by the caliph,
fled from Salamia in Syria, where he lived, to Africa, and hid himself
at Sijilmasa (in Tafilalt) in the far west, whence he reappeared ten
years later at Kairawan as the Mahdi, the first caliph of the
Fatimites.[42]

Motadid died in Rabia II. A.H. 289 (March 902), leaving the Caliphate to
his son _al-Moktafi billah_ ("he who sufficeth himself in God").

17. _Reign of Moktafi_.--Moktafi inherited his father's intrepidity, and
seems to have had high personal qualities, but his reign of six years
was a constant struggle against the Carmathians in Syria, who defeated
the Syrian and Egyptian troops, and conquered Damascus and other
cities. Moktafi led his troops in person, and his general, Mahommed b.
Suleiman, gained a signal victory. Three of their chiefs were taken and
put to death. But, to avenge their defeat, they lay in wait for the
great pilgrim caravan on its return from Mecca in the first days of 294
(906), and massacred 20,000 pilgrims, making an immense booty. This
horrible crime raised the whole Moslem world against them. Zikruya their
chief was defeated at last and perished.

After the defeat of the Syrian Carmathians, Mahommed b. Suleiman was
sent by the caliph to Egypt, where he overthrew the dominion of the
Tulunids. 'Isa b. Mahommed al-Naushari was made governor in their stead
(905).

The war with the Byzantines was conducted with great energy during the
reign of Moktafi. In the year 905 the Greek general Andronicus took
Marash, and penetrated as far as Haleb (Aleppo), but the Moslems were
successful at sea, and in 907 captured Iconium, whilst Andronicus went
over to the caliph's side, so that the Byzantine emperor sent an embassy
to Bagdad to ask for a truce and an exchange of prisoners.

18. _Reign of Moqtadir._--The sudden death of Moktafi, Dhu'l-qa'da 295
(August 908), was a fatal blow to the prestige of the Caliphate, which
had revived under the successive