Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab

jgo HISTORY OF PERSIA.
deliverance of innumerable captives from the prisons
of Edessa and Alexandria. The reign of Khosrii
terminated after thirty-eight years by his murder :
had it been six years shorter it would have been
one of unbroken success. Historians are not agreed
as to the personal share Khosrii had in his earlier
and glorious wars, and some, like Malcolm, attribute
all his gains to the ability of his generals. This much,
is certain that the later victories of Heraclius
however,
nearly annihilated his former power, and practically
destroyed the rule of the Sassanian house.
But a new era was now about to commence for the
nations of the East and a revolution to take place, which
has impressed a lasting character on a large section of
mankind. Muhammed, who was born during the reign
of Nushirwan, had been zealously preaching his new
religion, and a willing army was now ready to enforce
doctrines so acceptable to most of those to whom they
were addressed. The religion of Muhammed, though
containing in it some noble and sublime views, directly
borrowed from the Bible, exhibited from its very origin
the character of violence. The goods of this world and
every earthly enjoyment were the pious prizes of ;he
faithful soldier who drew his sword against the enemies
of Muhammed; moreover, if he fell in this glorious
career, a paradise was open for his reception, with all
the pleasures of the senses at his fullest and freest
disposal. Nor indeed has Muhammedanism even now
lost its aggressive character. Dr. Barth relates, how,
in the centre of Africa, he found a religious war in
full force, the object being to compel the fetish -wor-
shipping
Africans to embrace its tenets.