ded to the
caliphate, and reigned for four years, history being for the most part
silent as to the general condition of Egypt under these two caliphs.
It is recorded that in the year 720, one of Yazid's brothers, by name
Muhammed ibn Abd el-Malik, ruled over Egypt. The Kopts complained of his
rule, and declared that during the whole reign of Yazid ibn Abd el-Malik
the Christians were persecuted, crosses overthrown, and churches
destroyed.

[Illustration: 341.jpg A CROCODILE USED AS A TALISMAN]

Yazid was succeeded, in 724 A.D., by his brother Hisham, surnamed
Abu'l-Walid, the fourth son of Abd el-Malik to occupy the throne of
Islam, who, having been appointed by his brother as his successor, took
possession of the throne on the very day of his death. Muhammed was
replaced in Egypt by his cousin, Hassan ibn Yusuf, who only held office
for three years, resigning voluntarily in the year 730 a.d., or 108 of
the Hegira. The Caliph Hisham replaced him by Hafs ibn Walid, who was
deposed a year later, and in the year 109 of the Hegira the caliph
appointed in his place Abd el-Malik ibn Rifa, who had already governed
Egypt during the caliphate of Walid I. Hisham made many changes in
the governorship of Egypt, and amid a succession of rulers appointed
Handhala to the post. He had already been governor of Egypt under Yazid
II. He administered the province for another six years, and, according
to the Christian historians of the East, pursued the same course of
intolerance and tyranny that he had adopted when he governed Egypt for
the first time under Yazid.

The Caliph Hisham enjoined Handhala to be gentle with his subjects and
to treat the Christians with kindness, but far from conforming with
these wise and kindly intentions, he overwhelmed them with vexations and
tyrannous acts. He doubled the taxes by a general census, subjecting not
only men but also their animals to an impost. The receipts for the
new duty had to be stamped with the impression of a lion, and every
Christian found without one of these documents was deprived of one of
his hands.

In the year 746 (a.h. 124), on being informed of these abuses, the
caliph deprived him of the government of Egypt, and, giving him the
administration of Mauritania, appointed as his successor Hafs ibn Walid,
who, according to some accounts, had previously governed Egypt for
sixteen years, and who had left pleasanter recollections behind him.
Hafs, however, now only held office for