hen he learned that his palace with all its treasures
would then be given up to plunder, he refrained from fulfilling his
threat. The power of the Hamdanites and the Turks increased with
every victory over the negroes, who finally could no longer maintain
themselves at all in Upper Egypt. The caliph was treated with contempt,
and had to give up his numerous treasures, one by one, to satisfy the
avarice of his troops. Even the graves of his ancestors were at last
robbed of all they contained, and when, at last, everything had been
ransacked, even his library, which was one of the largest and finest,
was not spared. The best manuscripts were dispersed, some went to
Africa, others were destroyed, many were damaged or purposely mutilated
by the Sunnites, simply because they had been written by the Shiites;
still others were burnt by the Turks as worthless material, and the
leather bands which held them made into sandals.

[Illustration: 383.jpg MUSTANSSIR'S GATE AT CAIRO]

Meanwhile war between Mustanssir and Nasir ed-Dowlah continued to be
waged in Egypt and Syria, until at last the latter became master of
Cairo and deprived the caliph once more completely of his independence.

Soon after, a conspiracy with Ildeghiz, a Turkish general, at its head,
was formed against Nasir ed-Dowlah, and he, together with his relations
and followers, was brutally murdered. Ildeghiz behaved in the same way
as his predecessor had-done towards the caliph, and the latter appealed
to Bedr el-Jemali for help. Bedr proceeded to Acre with his best Syrian
troops, landed in the neighbourhood of Damietta and proceeded towards
the capital, which he entered without difficulty (January, 1075). He was
appointed general and first vizier, so that he now held both the highest
military and civil authority.

In order to strengthen his position, he had all the commanders of the
troops and the highest officials murdered at a ball. Under his rule,
peace and order were at last restored to Egypt, and the income of the
state was increased under his excellent government.

Bedr remained at his post till his death, and his son El-Afdhal was
appointed by Mustanssir to succeed him. Upon the death of Mustanssir
(1094), his successor El-Mustali Abu'l Kasim retained El-Afdhal in
office. He was afterwards murdered under Emir (December, 1121) because,
according to some, he was not a zealous enough Shiite, but, according
to others, because the caliph wished to gain posses