alue. Another history, of which we possess the greater
part, is the large work of Ibn al-Furat (d. 1404). Far superior to all
these, however, is the famous Ibn Khaldun (q.v.) (d. 1406). Of the
historical works of the famous lexicographer Fairuzabadi (q.v.) (d.
1414) only a _Life of the Prophet_ remains. Maqrizi (d. 1442) is the
subject of a separate article; Ibn Hajar (d. 1448) is best known by his
_Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries of the Prophet_, published in
the _Bibliotheca Indica_. Ibn 'Arabshah (d. 1450) is known by his
_History of Timur_ (Leeuwarden, 1767). 'Aini (d. 1451) wrote a _General
History_, still extant. Abu'l-Mahasin ibn Taghribirdi (d. 1469) wrote at
length on the history of Egypt; the first two parts have been published
by Juynboll and Matthes, Leiden, 1855-1861. Flugel has published Ibn
Kotlubogha's _Biographies of the Hanifite Jurists_. Ibn Shihna (d. 1485)
wrote a _History of Aleppo_. Of Sakhawi we possess a bibliographical
work on the historians. The polymath Suyuti (q.v.) (d. 1505) contributed
a _History of the Caliphs_ and many biographical pieces. Samhudi's
_History of Medina_ is known through the excerpts of Wustenfeld (1861).
Ibn Iyas (d. 1524) wrote a _History of Egypt_, and Diarbekri (d. 1559) a
_Life of Mahomet_. To these names must be added Maqqari (Makkari) (q.v.)
and Hajji Khalifa (q.v.) (d. 1658). He made use of European sources, and
with him Arabic historiography may be said to cease, though he had some
unimportant successors.

A word must be said of the historical romances, the beginnings of which
go back to the first centuries of Islam. The interest in all that
concerned Mahomet and in the allusions of the Koran to old prophets and
races led many professional narrators to choose these subjects. The
increasing veneration paid to the Prophet and love for the marvellous
soon gave rise to fables about his childhood, his visit to heaven, &c.,
which have found their way even into sober histories, just as many
Jewish legends told by the converted Jew Ka'b al-Ahbar and by Wahb ibn
Monabbih, and many fables about the old princes of Yemen told by 'Abid,
are taken as genuine history (see, however, Mas'udi, iv. 88 seq.). A
fresh field for romantic legend was found in the history of the
victories of Islam, the exploits of the first heroes of the faith, the
fortunes of 'Ali and his house. Then, too, history was often expressly
forged for party ends. The people accepted all this, and so a