ARABIC MSS. IN THE ESCURIAL. 29 faith. The MSS. preserved in the library of the Escurial, whether of foreign or of native composition, abundantly prove the civilisation of the country. Of these most are the production of the Sonna doctors, comprised in the four grand orthodox sects before mentioned; but not a few there are which bear the stamp of heresy, and for the existence of which we should vainly attempt to account, did we not know that it was the policy of the kings of Cordova to attract settlers to the peninsula from all parts of the Moslem world-settlers who could not fail to bring with them not only the most approved editions of the Koran, but the comments of their respective doctors. It is no less certain that Arabian Spain could boast of three great schools all presided by faquis differing in some points, though agreeing in the general denomination of traditionists. We proceed to notice some of the theological and legal writers—for, as observed more than once, the two subjects are inseparable—who enjoyed the most celebrity: the rest will be found in the list at the head of the present volume. 1 Of these commentators the most ancient is Ali ben Mohammed Albagavi, a native of Malaga, who appears to have flourished at the close of the ninth or the beginning of the tenth century. The third volume only of his commentary, of which Casiri renders the title by Sacrarum Literarum Scientia, is now extant, but that is said to display great subtlety - the most enviable quality in a Moslem divine. Abu Said Khalaph ben Abilcassem, an inhabitant of Cordova, is celebrated both for his great learning and for his knowledge of the Mohammedan law. His commentary on the Spanish and African jurisprudence is highly prized by his countrymen. Abu Abdalla Mohammed, also of Cordova, was so celebrated for his erudition and for his voluminous collection of the canons of the Koran, that he is dignified with the title, "Doctor of Spain." 1 Masdeu, España Arabe, lib. ii. p. 207. Cusin, Bibliotheca Arabica. Hispaña Escurialensis, passim. In equal celebrity was held Ibrahim ben Abdelwahid, who wrote on the duties of kings and the art of government. Sherefeddin Issa Alzavavi is known as the author of tracts: 1. On divorce. 2. On wine bibbing. 3. On the use of gold and silver plate at table. Abulwahid Hixem ben Abdalla, chief cadi of Cordova, wrote an esteemed treatise on forensic pleading, and the decision of causes. Still more eminent in the science of jurisprudence was Hixem ben Ahmed, a native of Toledo, who, according to the testimony of an Arabian biographer, excelled all his countrymen of that age (the fifth century of the Hegira). A work entitled Stella Lucida, or the Shining Star, on the political institutions of the Koran, and written by a native of Toledo, Abu Mohammed Abdalla, is highly lauded for its erudition. Another, on the royal revenues, on the branches of national industry from which they arose, and on the mode of collecting them, was composed by a famous cadi of Cordova, Abu Giafar ben Nassir. The critical animadversions of Omer ben Ali, a native of Granada, on a celebrated commentary on the Koran, by an Arabian doctor, is said to exhibit remarkable acuteness, but often undue severity.1 But it was not in theology or jurisprudence alone that the Spanish Mohammedans excelled. In other branches of learning, in history, poetry, philology, rhetoric, in the pure and mixed sciences, in the useful and ornamental arts of life, they also obtained great, we had almost said unrivalled, reputation. The glory of their literature, the first subject we shall notice, appears to have commenced in the tenth century. The early kings of Cordova were certainly enlightened princes, but whether it was owing to the novelty of their situation, or to the troubles which frequently distracted their realm, or the cares of royalty, which, for these times, appear to have been more than ordinarily harassing, they did 1 Abu Bekir, Vestis Serica (apud Casiri Bibliothec. tom. ii. p. 37, &c. Casiri, tom. i. p. 445, &c. in multis codicibus. Masdeu, España Arabe, ib. ii. p. 208. LITERATURE OF ARABIAN SPAIN. 31 little for the encouragement of learning until the accession of Alhakem II. That monarch founded an academy in his capital, established public schools in the great towns, invited to his court and kingdom the most learned men of the age, employed some to write the annals of Spain, others on poetry, others on various branches of literature and science, and rewarded all with regal splendour. He caused his governors, whether walis, wasirs, or alcades, to collect the great antiquities of their respective territories; and he purchased, or caused to be transcribed, every work of merit which came to his knowledge.1 His library is said to have contained 600,000 volumes. The great Almansor followed in his steps, and after this general, succeeding kings, not only of Cordova, but of the separate sovereignties which were established on its ruins; so that, at the close of the eleventh century, Mohammedan Spain could boast of seventy public libraries; of a university in the capital of each province, and of colleges in the other cities. In these libraries, in 1126, were contained the works of 150 writers of Cordova, seventy-one of Murcia, fifty-three of Malaga, fifty-two of Almeria, twenty-five of Portugal, with a great number of Seville, Granada, and Valencia, to omit all mention of the boundless collections of foreign writers. So great, in fact, was the literary reputation of the Spanish Arabs that when the caliph of Egypt desired his library to be arranged and indexes of them to be made, he confided the task to two individuals of that nation.2 As an enumeration of the writers of Mohammedan Spain would exhibit nothing beyond a barren repulsive nomenclature, and as to avoid so dry a detail we have affixed a comprehensive list of such writers at the head of this volume, we proceed to notice such branches of 1 See Vol. I. p. 291. 2 Abu Bekir, Vestis Serica, p. 7. Ben Alabar, Chronologia, p. 202. Alhomaidi, Supplementum, p. 205. (apud Casiri, Bibl. Arab. Hisp. tom. ii.) Casiri in multis codicibus. Risco, España Segrada tom. xxxi. trat. 67. Masdeu, España Arabe, lib. ii. p. 171. literature or science as were cultivated with more than usual success. 1. Historians. Of these, the most ancient is Ahmed Abu Bekir Alrazi, usually denominated Rasis, a native of Cordova, who flourished at the close of the ninth century. Besides a geographical work, and a biography of illustrious Spaniards, he wrote a voluminous history of the kings of Spain, and a particular one of Cordova. Of the former history two pretended translations remain,― one in Castilian, the other in Portuguese; but, with his usual industry, Casiri has proved that they are not translations from this author; that they abound in anachronisms, and other blunders, not to be found among well-informed authors; and that they are a confused mass of compilations from Christian and Moorish sources. To the fragment of Razis, published by that learned librarian, which appears to be the only portion of his works now extant, we have been under considerable obligations. In the following century, we find the names of Abel Madi ben Abiba, who wrote the life of Abderahman III., and of Abdalla Abu Mohammed, son of that prince, who composed a history of the caliphs belonging to the house of Abbas, and whose tragical fate has been recorded.1 Ahmed ben Mohammed wrote, in verse, a history of four kings of Cordova, — from Mohammed I. to Abderahman III. inclusive. So sweet were his strains, that he was the delight of Cordova. In the eleventh century, we find the names of eight historians; of whom the most deserving of notice is Mohammed Abu Bekir Almodafar, king of Badajoz, who left behind him no less than fifty volumes of annals and materials for history. Abu Abdalla Mohammed, surnamed Alhomaidi, wrote, besides, a historic supplement, which has been frequently quoted in the present work; a biographical account of the most eminent Spanish Moors. In the following century, this work was continued to A. H. 560, by Ahmed ben Yahia 1 See Vol. I. p. 289. Eddubi of Majorca. A similar work was written by Abul Cassim Khalaf of Cordova, which is said by Condé to throw great light on the history of Mohammedan Spain during the middle ages. The same favourable judgment is passed on Meraudi, whose "Golden Meadows" greatly assisted the author just mentioned in the composition of his invaluable work. That during the perpetual convulsions of the Mohammedan states, from the eleventh to the thirteenth century, writers should yet be found to record them, is honourable to the literature of the people, and the best proof that can be given how little they deserve the epithet of barbarous, so lavishly applied to them by the ecclesiastical annalists of the middle ages.—The kings of Granada were not without their historians. Lisan Edin, secretary to two of them, wrote in verse on the African and Spanish dynasties, a separate history of Granada, and three volumes of biography. The second of their subjects is no less indebted to Abdalla Algiazami of Malaga, and to Ahmed Almoraxi, who wrote a life of Yussef Abul Hagiag. The "Sweetness of the Rose," by Ismail ben Yussef, and the Holy War by Abdalla Ali ben Abderahman, both writers on the affairs of Granada,— are mentioned with equal respect. It is to be lamented that the preceding works have not been translated and published, under the title of "Scriptores Arabici Rerum Hispanarum:" they would be of inestimable value to the future historians of that country. But the most distinguished place in this list must certainly be assigned to, 1. Abu Abdalla Ben Abi Bekir Alcodai, usually called Ebn, or Ben Alabar, a Valentian, who, in the seventh century of the hegira, wrote the Vestis Serica, or a Bibliotheca of such Spanish Arabs as were eminent for their poetical talents, no less than their dignities, and also a supplement to other biographical works of a more general nature. 2. Mohammed ben Abdalla Ebn Alkathib, who in the eighth century of the hegira composed the Granatensis Encyclica, or a dictionary in the alphabetical order, of the most emi VOL. IV. -- D |