"Despatch my bow," was the last reply of Ishmael, "and as it is sent around, the summons will be obeyed by two hundred thousand horse." Well might he fear, for the multitude of shepherds were converted into robbers; the bands of robbers only needed leaders to become an army of conquerors, that would not be ashamed or afraid to measure courage and power with the proudest sovereigns of Asia. Too long did his son and successor neglect the advice of his wise men. "Your enemies" they repeatedly urged "were in their origin a swarm of ants; they are now little snakes; and unless they be instantly crushed they will acquire the magnitude and venom of serpents." When the day of battle came, the swarm of ants had grown into a horde of fierce and mighty warriors: and although "Massoud exhibited such acts of gigantic force and valor as never king had before displayed," in the very hour when victory was about to perch on his banners in dismay, he beheld almost his whole army led by some generals of the Turkish race, "devouring the paths of flight." This memorable day of Zendecan founded in Persia the dynasty of the Shepherd Kings. THE DYNASTY OF THE SELJUKIAN TURKS. (A. D. 1038-1152.) The victorious Turcomans, determined by lot, it is said, the selection of their King; and it fell to Togrul Beg, grandson of Seljuk, whose surname was immortalized in the greatness of his posterity. At the age of forty-five Togrul was invested with the title of Sultan in the royal city of Nishabur, and the sceptre of Irak passed from the Persian to the Turkish nation, that now and everywhere embraced with fervor and sincerity the religion of Mohammed. At the conquest of Mosul and Bagdad he received from the Caliph of the East the title of the lieutenant of the vicar of the prophet, his mystic veil was perfumed with musk, two crowns were placed on his head; two scimitars were girded to his side as the symbol of a double reign over the East and the West. Soon myriads of Turkish horse went forth to conquest, overspreading the frontier of six hundred miles from Tauris to Erzeroum: and the blood of hundreds of thousands of Christians were a grateful sacrifice to the Arabian prophet. The first invasion of poor Armenia was with more than a hundred thousand men and twenty-four provinces were laid waste. The second was with two hundred thousand and they completed the utter ruin of those provinces, carrying into captivity all the inhabitants. In the year 1049 the armies of Togrul made a third invasion, besieging the city of Ardzan, which had a population of three hundred thousand souls, and contained eight hundred churches with schools and hospitals. Notwithstanding their utmost resistance it was taken and a hundred and forty thousand people were massacred, the remnant were carried into captivity and the city was burned. Many other cities were treated in the same way.