was one 'Obeid Allah, who, at the head of a number of political and religious fanatics, had succeeded in establishing himself in Irak and Yemen. After a series of romantic adventures, he made himself master of Africa (A.D. 910), where he assumed the title and authority of Caliph, and gave himself out to be the Mehdi, or last of the Imams, foretold by Mohammed. At his death, which happened in A.D. 934, he was succeeded by his son, Al Câïm bi Amr Illah, who reigned until A.D. 946. His son, El Mansur Ismael, then came to the throne, and dying in 952, the caliphate passed into the hands of El Mo'ezz li din Allah Abu Temim Ma'ad. It was this prince who conquered Egypt and founded the city of Cairo, which then became the seat of empire. He died in 969, and was succeeded by his son El 'Aziz billah Abu Mansur Nizur. His death happened in October, A.D. 996 ; and the caliphate then passed to El Hakem bi Amr lllah, about whom it will be necessary to speak more in detail. Hakem was born at Cairo on«the 23rd of August, 985 A.D., and was consequently only eleven years and five months old when he ascended the throne. His father bad assigned the guardianship of the young prince, during his minority, to a white eunuch named Barjewan ; but the real power was vested in a certain Ibn 'Ammdr, who had previously exercised the functions of Câdhi ul Codhat, or chief magistrate, and whom Hakem had been obliged to appoint as his prime minister. About the year 996, Hakem, or rather Ibn Ammâr, had sent Suleiman ibn Ja'afer (better known as Abu Temim Retami) to be governor-general of Syria. Manjutakin, the governor who had been thus superseded, marched against Suleiman ; but he was defeated near Ascalon, and sent a prisoner to Cairo. Abu Temim was now invested with the governor-generalship of Syria, and proceeded to Tiberias, where he fixed his residence, and appointed his brother 'Ali to replace him at Damascus. At first the inhabitants of that city refused to recognise