eraclius, leading his forces bravely against Chosroes,
drove him back from Syria and became in his turn the invader, and he
then recovered Egypt. The Jacobite patriarch Benjamin fled with the
Persians; and Heraclius appointed George to the bishopric, which was
declared to have been empty since John the Almsgiver fled to Cyprus.

The revolt of the Arabs, which overthrew the power of the Persians in
their western provinces and for a time restored Egypt to Constantinople,
was the foundation of the mighty empire of the caliphs; and the Hegira,
or flight of Muhammed, from which the Arabic historians count their
lunar years, took place in 622, the twelfth year of Heraclius. The
vigour of the Arab arms rapidly broke the Persian yoke, and the Moslems
then overran every province in the neighbourhood. This was soon felt
by the Romans, who found the Arabs, even in the third year of their
freedom, a more formidable enemy than the Persians whom they had
overthrown; and, after a short struggle of only two years, Heraclius
was forced to pay a tribute to the Moslems for their forbearance in
not conquering Egypt. For eight years he was willing to purchase an
inglorious peace by paying tribute to the caliph; but when his treasure
failed him and the payment was discontinued, the Arabs marched against
the nearest provinces of the empire, offering to the inhabitants their
choice of either paying tribute or receiving the Muhammedan religion;
and they then began on their western frontier that rapid career of
conquest which they had already begun on the eastern frontier against
their late masters, the Persians.

[Illustration: 322.jpg TAILPIECE]

CHAPTER III.--EGYPT DURING THE MUHAMMEDAN PERIOD

_The Rise of Muhammedanism: The Arabic Conquest of Egypt: The Ommayad
and Abbasid Dynasties._

The course of history now follows the somewhat uneventful period
which introduced Arabian rule into the valley of the Nile. It is only
necessary to remind the reader of the striking incidents in the life of
Muhammed. He was born at Mecca, in Arabia, in July, 571, and spent his
earliest years in the desert. At the age of twelve he travelled with a
caravan to Syria, and probably on this occasion first came into contact
with the Jews and Christians. After a few youthful adventures, his
poetic and religious feelings were awakened by study. He gave himself
up to profound meditation upon both the Jewish and Christian ideals, and
subsequently beholdin