Mahomet was born at Mecca of good family. He lost

bolh fatlicr and mothcr early. At the âge of forty he often retired to a cave at the foot of Mount Hira for religions méditation. Three years later he began to proclaim his vicws, and, after a time, claimed to be a prophet. On June 20, 622, he had to flec from Mecca to Médina. 'l'his date is the Moslem era of the Hejira. At Mecca he had been an enthusiast, at Médina he became a fanatic. In 624, at the head of 300 followers, he defeated 950 of the Meccans. This victor}' encouraged him in future to propagate his faith by the sword, and he was so successful that at his death in 632 he was virtual sovereign of Arabia. The M.ahometans now number about 250 millions. The Koran (=that which is read or recited) is their sacred book and code of law. Their faith is called Islam ( =surrcnder of the will to God). No other faith offers so stubborn a résistance to the spread of Christianity.

,, 31. deux lieutenants : lieutenant in the sensé of gênerai.

., Omar succecded .\bubckr as caliph or viccgerent of Mahomet A.D. 634. Jérusalem had been captured A.n. 611 by Khosru IL, but the Roman Emperor Heraclius regaincd it by his defeat of the Perçians A.n. 627 at Nineveh. Eight years after this Jérusalem surrendered to Omar after a siège of four months, and a treaty was made between Christians and Saracens.

3. 4. Coi^n (Koran), the bible of the followers of Mahomet, the

record of Mahomet's messages from God through Gabriel.

,, 6. Heraclius, Emperor of Rome from A.n. 603-641. Constantine had changed the capital to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople.