ed the ambassadors with joy, entertained them
hospitably, conducted them to church, and, when they departed, sent two
monks with magnificent presents to the great khan, and exhortations to
hold fast the profession of his faith without wavering. Even when the
Tartars menaced Bagdad, an ambassador, despatched by King Louis from
Acre, was at the court of the great khan, with the object of converting
the Tartars; and it appears clear that, however little they might care
for either faith, the Tartars, in the struggle of Christian and Moslem
in the East, were ever ready to take the side of the Christian against
the Moslem.

Such being the state of affairs, Mango sent his brother with an army to
besiege Bagdad; and Oulagon, raising his banner, marched towards the
city of the caliph. Now it happened that Musteazem, being at once under
the influence of the most egregious vanity and of the most sordid
avarice, neither believed in his danger, nor had the heart to expend
money to provide the means of defence, but devoted to the hoarding of
the jewels, gold, and treasures with which his palace abounded, the
whole time that should have been employed in mustering armies and
preparing for war.

However, when the caliph learned that Oulagon was approaching to attack
Bagdad, he partially awoke from his dream, and sent offers to treat.
Oulagon, who either suspected, or pretended to suspect, a snare,
thereupon proposed that a marriage should take place between the
children of the caliph and the great khan, as the best way of preserving
peace; and Musteazem expressed his entire satisfaction with the
proposal.

The Tartar then requested the caliph to send sixty of his chief men to
treat of the marriage; and, when this was complied with, he demanded
sixty more, that he might have full security for the fulfilment of the
treaty. Not doubting Oulagon's good faith, Musteazem did as he was asked
to do; and the royal Mogul smiled grimly.

'Now,' said Oulagon to his Tartars, 'seeing that we have in our hands
six score of the caliph's chief counsellors and most wealthy subjects, I
cannot doubt that the remainder are very common sort of people, and not
likely to offer much resistance. My plans have been laid with such
secrecy and caution, that nothing is suspected. I have only to appear
before Bagdad, and take possession.'

And no time was wasted. In fact, Oulagon had no motive for sparing the
seat of the caliphate; and no sooner did he get the