his authority; but Abu" Temim having written tbem a threatening letter, they proffered their submission, and asked pardon for having resisted. 'Ali refused to listen to their excuses, attacked the city, and put a number of the inhabitants to death; but, on the arrival of Abu Tenrim himself, order was at last restored. The governorgeneral then proceeded to occupy himself with the reduction of the maritime ports of Syria, and dismissing Jaish ibn Samsamah from the government of Tripoli, gave the post to his own brother 'Ali. Jaish at once returned to Egypt, where he made common cause with Barjewân against Ibn Ammàr. The latter was not idle, and in the meantime had laid a deep plot against the life of his rival and his associates. Barjewan, however, obtained information of the plot ; open hostilities were commenced, and Ibn 'Ammar was defeated, and compelled to seek safety in concealment. Barjewân now succeeded to the duties and responsibilities of his office, and appointed as his secretary one Fahd ibn Ibrahim, a Christian, to whom he gave the title of Beis. At the same time he wrote privately to the principal officers and inhabitants of Damascus, inciting them to rise and attack Abu Temim. Abu Temim thus found himself assailed at a moment when he least expected it ; his treasures were pillaged, all his immediate followers were killed, and he himself was but too glad to escape by flight. "While Damascus was thus suddenly exposed to all the horrors of civil war, the other provinces of Syria were agitated by diverse insurrections. In the same year (A.D. 997) the Tyrians had revolted, and placed at their head a fellah named Olaka ; while Mofarrij ibn Daghfal ibn Jerrâh had also headed a party of insurgents, and was making raids in the neighbourhood of Bamleh. The Greeks, under a general named Ducas, were also, at the same time, laying siege to the castle of Apameus. Meanwhile, Barjewân bad committed the government of Syria to Jaish ibn Samsamah, who at once