mir. Such, however, was the
respect inspired by the holy places, that no disorders resulted.

When, in the year (69 A.H.) 689 Abdalmalik had at last encamped at Botan
Habib in the vicinity of Kinnesrin (Qinnasrin),[18] with the purpose of
marching against Mus'ab, his cousin 'Amr Ashdaq, to whom by the treaty
of Jabia, before the battle of Merj Rahit, the succession to Merwan had
been promised, took advantage of his absence to lay claim to the supreme
power, and to have himself proclaimed caliph by his partisans.
Abdalmalik was obliged to retrace his steps and to lay siege to his own
capital. The garrison of Damascus took fright, and deserted their posts,
so that 'Amr Ashdaq was compelled to surrender. The caliph Abdalmalik
summoned him to his palace and slew him with his own hand. Abdalmalik
has every claim to our esteem as one of the ablest monarchs that ever
reigned, but this murder remains a lasting blot on his career.

Abdalmalik could now give his whole attention to the projected
expedition against Irak. Mus'ab was encamped at Bajomaira in the
neighbourhood of Takrit. But Abdalmalik's first task was to subdue Zofar
and his Qaisites at Kerkesia (Qarqisia), and the rest of the partisans
of Mokhtar at Nisibis. Meanwhile, Mus'ab had to curb a violent revolt in
Basra, brought about by agents of Abdalmalik, and called after a place
in the city the revolt of the Jofrites. About the middle of A.D. 691
Abdalmalik at last encamped at Dair al-Jathaliq (the monastery of the
Catholicus) between Maskin, not far from the site of Bagdad, and
Bajomaira. Mus'ab's best troops were fighting under Mohallab against the
Kharijites; many Basrians were secretly favourable to the Omayyads, nor
were the Kufian soldiers to be trusted. The people of Irak had never
been accustomed to discipline, and no improvement had taken place during
the troubles of the last years. Abdalmalik, therefore, wrote secretly to
the chiefs of Mus'ab's army, and persuaded them to desert to him, with
the exception of Ibrahim b. Ashtar, the brave son of a brave father,
who, after the fall of Mokhtar, had become a faithful supporter of Ibn
Zobair. His death, in the beginning of the battle, decided the fate of
Mus'ab, who was slain sword in hand by a Shi'ite of Kufa.

This victory opened the gates of Kufa to Abdalmalik, and all Irak
received him with acclamation. Thence, a few days later, he sent Hajjaj
b. Yusuf at the head of 2000 Syrians against Ibn Zobair in Mecca,