uccessor of this monarch was his eldest {74} son, Aboul-Abbas El
Hakkam, who assumed, like his father, the title of _Emir-al-Mumenim_.

The coronation of El Hakkam was celebrated with great pomp in the city of
Zahra. The new caliph there received the oath of fidelity from the
chiefs of the scythe guard, a numerous and redoubtable corps, composed of
strangers, which Abderamus III. had formed. The brothers and relations
of El Hakkam, the viziers and their chief, the _Hadjeb_, the white and
black eunuchs, the archers and cuirassiers of the guard, all swore
obedience to the monarch. These ceremonies were followed by the funeral
honours of Abderamus, whose body was carried to Cordova, and there
deposited in the tomb of his ancestors.

Aboul-Abbas El Hakkam, equally wise with his father, but less warlike
than he, enjoyed greater tranquillity during his reign. His was the
dominion of justice and peace. The success and vigilance of Abderamus
had extinguished, for a time, the spirit of revolt, and prepared the way
for the continued possession of these great national blessings.

Divided among themselves, the Christian kings entertained no designs of
disturbing their infidel neighbours.

{75}

The truce that existed between the Mussulmans and Castile and Leon was
broken but once during the life of El Hacchem. The caliph then commanded
his army in person, and completed a glorious campaign, taking several
cities from the Spaniards, and convincing them, by his achievements, of
the policy of future adherence to the terms of their treaty with their
Saracen opponents.

During the remainder of his reign the Moorish sovereign applied himself
wholly to promoting the happiness of his subjects, to the cultivation of
science, to the collection of an extensive library, and, above all, to
enforcing a strict observance of the laws.

The laws of the Moors were few and simple. It does not appear that there
existed among them any civil laws apart from those incorporated with
their religious code. Jurisprudence was reduced to the application of
the principles contained in the Koran. The caliph, as the supreme head
of their religion, possessed the power of interpreting these principles;
but even he would not have ventured to violate them. At least as often
as once a week, he publicly gave audience to his subjects, listened to
their {76} complaints, examined the guilty, and, without quitting the
tribunal, caused punishment to be immed