OR, CHARLES MARTEL AND THE RESCUE OF EUROPE FROM THE THREATENED YOKE OF THE SARACENS. BEING VOLUME I. OF THE HISTORIC SKETCHES. DESIGNED FOR THE INSTRUCTION AND AMUSEMENT OF OLD AND YOUNG. By G. L. STRAUSS, Ph.D. In magnis voluisse sat est. LONDON: JOHN WEALE, 59, HIGH HOLBORN. 1854. LONDON: BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS....

“Story! bless you—I have none to tell.”— Canning’s Knifegrinder. It is an old and trite saying: “Good wine needs no bush,” and even the finest and most flourishing bush will fail to put either body or flavor into the growth of a bad vintage. It is left to the reader of this little volume to decide whether or not the author has succeeded in producing an acceptable and readable book. July 1, 1854....

ARABIA AND ITS INHABITANTS.—LIFE AND DOCTRINE OF MOHAMMED. The Arabian peninsula, called by the natives Jesira-al-Arab , by the Persians and Turks Arabistan , forms the south-westernmost part of Asia. It is bounded on the north by Syria and the river Euphrates, on the east by the Persian Gulf, on the south by the Indian Ocean, on the west by the Red Sea, or Arabian Gulf. Including the north-eastern desert, it occupies an area ten times the extent of that of Great Britain and Ireland. The connect

THE KHALIFS [43] FROM ABU BEKR TO HASHEM (OR HESHAM). After the death of the prophet, his companions convened an assembly to deliberate on the choice of his successor, as Mohammed had abstained from expressing any explicit command or wish in this respect. Several competitors presented themselves, of whom Ali, Abu Bekr, and Omar were the most important. The illustrious son of Abu Taleb seemed indeed to combine in his own person every possible claim to the vacant throne of Arabia; he was chief, in

THE FRANK CONFEDERACY.—CLOVIS, THE FOUNDER OF THE FRANK MONARCHY. A great deal of labor and ingenuity has been wasted in futile endeavors to trace the origin of a distinct Frank nation; however, after exhausting every possible means of research, and every probable and improbable suggestion of fancy, the most rational writers are now agreed in looking upon the supposed existence of a distinct Frank nation as a myth, [71] and in believing that the name of Franks or Freemen was assumed, most probab

DECLINE OF THE MEROVINGIAN PRINCES.—THE MAYORS OF THE PALACE.—PEPIN OF LANDEN.—PEPIN OF HERISTAL.—CHARLES MARTEL.—THE BATTLE OF TOURS. When the Roman empire had ceased to exist, the Frankish kings had, in imitation of the Roman rulers, begun to surround themselves with a court, and a great many high officers, and charges had been created, among the most important of which may be mentioned the office of Lord High Chancellor (archicancellarius, referendarius); Lord High Chamberlain, or High Treasu