of the house of Babek had for some years
found a refuge. It is said that during this interval he had made efforts
to engage the Khan of the Turks and the Emperor of the Chinese to
embrace his cause; but, if this were so, it was without success. Though
they may have lent him some encouragement, no real effort was made by
either potentate on his behalf. Isdigerd, at Merv, during his later
years, experienced the usual fate of sovereigns who have lost their
kingdoms. He was alternately flattered and coerced by pretended friends
among his own people--induced to cherish vain hopes, and driven to
despair, by the fluctuating counsels of the monarchs of neighboring
nations. At last he was murdered by a subject for the sake of his
clothes, when he was flying from a combined attack of treacherous
subjects and offended foreigners.

It is difficult to form a decided opinion as to the character of
Isdigerd III. He was but fifteen years of age at his accession,
twenty-four at the time of the battle of Nehavend, and thirty-four at
his decease, A.D. 651. It is in his favor that "history lays no crimes
to his charge;" for this can be said of very few Sassanian sovereigns.
It is also to his credit that he persevered so long in struggling
against his fate, and in endeavoring to maintain, or restore, the
independence of his nation. But, on the other hand, it must be confessed
that there is little to be admired in the measures which he took to meet
the perils of the time, and that personally he appears to have been weak
and of luxurious habits. During the whole of his long struggle with
the Arabs he seems never once to have placed himself at the head of his
troops, much less to have crossed swords with the enemy. He intrusted
the defence of Persia to generals, and did not even seek to inspire
his soldiers with enthusiasm by his own presence in their camp. Always
occupying some secure fortress far in the rear of his army, he fled from
each as the enemy made a step in advance, quitting Ctesiphon for Holwan,
Holwan for Rei, and Rei for Merv, never venturing upon a stand, never
making an appeal to the loyalty which was amongst the best qualities of
the Persians, and which would have caused them to fight with desperation
in defence of a present king. Carrying with him in all his wanderings
the miserable pageant of an Oriental court, he suffered his movements
to be hampered and his resources crippled by a throng of 4000 useless
retainers, whom he