intrigues, he deputed the government of that
country to Yazid ibn Abd Allah, and returned to his father's court to
encourage the malcontents and weave fresh plots. His evil schemes soon
began to bear fruit, for, in the year 244 of the Hegira, his agents
stirred up the Turkish soldiery at Damascus to insurrection on the
ground of deferred payment. Whereupon the caliph paid them the arrears,
and left Damascus to retire to Samarrah.

[Illustration: 356.jpg THE MOSQUE OF IBN TULUN, CAIRO.]

At length, in the year 861 (a.h. 247), Mutawakkil discovered the
scarcely concealed treachery of his son, and reproved him publicly.
Some days later the caliph was murdered at night by the captain of his
Turkish Guard, and Muntasir, who is commonly supposed to have
instigated the crime, was immediately proclaimed as his successor in the
government.

The most important event in Egypt during the reign of Mutawakkil was the
falling in of the Nilometer at Fostat. This disaster, was the result of
an earthquake of considerable violence, which was felt throughout
Syria. The caliph ordered the reconstruction of the Nilometer, which was
accomplished the same year, and the Nilometer of the Island of Rhodha
was then called Magaz el-jedid, or the New Nilometer.

After reigning scarcely a year, Muntasir himself succumbed, most
probably to poison, and his cousin Ahmed was elected to the caliphate by
the Turkish soldiery, with the title of Mustain. During his brief reign
the Moslems were defeated by the Byzantines at Awasia, and in 866 the
Turkish soldiers revolted against the caliph and elected his brother
Mutazz in his place. Mustain was, however, allowed to retire to Ma'szit.
He was permitted to take an attendant with him, and his choice fell upon
Ahmed, the son of Tulun, already mentioned. Ahmed served the dethroned
prince truly, and had no part in the subsequent murder of this unhappy
man.

In the meantime the mother of Ahmed had married the influential General
Baik-Bey, and when the latter was given the rulership of Egypt in the
year 868 a. d. (254 a.h.), he sent his stepson as proxy, according to
the custom of the time. On the 23d Ramadhan 254 (15th September, 868),
Ahmed ibn Tulun arrived at Fostat. He encountered great difficulties,
and discovered that at Alexandria and also in other districts there were
independent emirs, who were not directly under the ruler. Soon after his
arrival an insurrection broke out in Upper Egypt. Ahmed showed