But this dependance for some time Year Year of past has been on the decline. In 1746, Ibrahim, one of the veteran colonels of the Janissaries, rendered himself master of Egypt. Ali Bey. did the same in 1766, and had he possessed a greater share of judgment and ability, Egypt might now have been an independent kingdom. IV. 4. Africa, where the caliphs and sheriffs of Morocco had their rise, was invaded by the Saracens in 647, and the conquest of it was completed by them, in The extensive desarts of each country had naturally occasioned an immemorial resemblance in their habits and modes of life, and the Moors easily adopted the language of their conquerors. The consequence was, that, from the time of the Mahometan conquest, the vast territory from the easternmost boundary of Arabia to of the Christ. Hegira. 79 693 the western shore of Africa, appeared Year Year of of the Christ. to be peopled by a nation of the same Hegira, 4 He was the founder of the dynasty called the Aglabite, from his father. But it should be observed, that the Aglabite dynasty reigned over that part only of Africa, which extends from Egypt to Tunis. Edris-ben-Edris, who descended both from Ali and from Fatima, the daughter of Mahomet, reigned over Ceuta, Fez, Tangiers, and almost all the antient Mauritania. The dynasty of the Aglabites expired, in Mahomet-Obeid-Ollah then seized the throne. He expelled the Edrissite dynasty from the countries over which 197 812 296 908 of the Christ. they reigned, and annexed them to Year Year of his empire. He pretended to deduce Hegira. his origin from Fatima, the daughter of Mahomet, and assumed the title of Caliph and Imam. With him the Fatimite dynasty in Africa took its rise. Moez, the last prince of that dynasty, having conquered Egypt, fixed the seat of his empire at Cairo, and transferred the sovereignty of Africa to Sousouf-ben-Zeiri-ben-Mounad, on the condition of receiving homage from him and his successors. This was the origin of the Zeirite dynasty. They were succeeded by the Almoravides, or Recluse; and these, by the Almohades or Unitarians. That dynasty expired in the of Vassek-Aboul-Ala. person Three dynasties arose on its ruins, the Merinis, the Abi-haffs, and the 362 972 553 1153 Beni-Zians or Zenetes. The first, (who Year Year of of the Christ. were the most powerful), ruled in Mo- Hegira. rocco; the second, in the Africa Pro pria of the Romans, the third, in Tremesan. While the princes of these dynasties were contending for dominion, Frederic Barbarossa, one of the many illustrious persons whose atchievements illustrated the reign of Solyman the Magnificent, possessed himself of the whole territory extending from Fez to Egypt. Retaining the government of Algiers for himself, he put one of his brothers in possession of Tunis, another in possession of Tripoli: no part of Africa except Morocco, Fez, and Tremesan, then remained to the Merinis: from those they were expelled by the Sheriffian family, a prince of which now fills that throne. 957 1550 Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli are republics, professing to be under the protection, but disclaiming the sovereignty of the Porte. Barca lies between Tripoli and Egypt, and belongs to the Porte: the nations which fill the northern extremity of Africa, from the streights of Gibraltar to Egypt, are called the states of Barbary. Ceuta, on the streights of Gibraltar, Mellila and the fort of Velez in Fez, belong to the Spaniards: Magazan, in the same kingdom, belongs to the Portugueze; except in those places, Islamism is professed through the whole western coast of Barbary, and very far in the country lying to its south. No part of the history of the Saracens is so confused, and at the same time so disgusting, by the continued scenes it displays of bloodshed and every kind of horror, as that which relates to the history of their African possessions. IV. 5. Spain, including Portugal, reaches from the 7th degree of western to the 3d degree of eastern longitude; and from the 36th to the 44th degree of northern latitude. It is bounded on the north, by the |