[Cover Illustration] SKETCHES FROM EASTERN HISTORY MORRISON AND GIBB, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH. SKETCHES FROM EASTERN HISTORY BY THEODOR NÖLDEKE PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF STRASSBURG TRANSLATED BY JOHN SUTHERLAND BLACK, M.A. AND REVISED BY THE AUTHOR LONDON AND EDINBURGH A D A M A N D C H A R L E S B L A C K 1892 P R E F A C E. ―•― OF the following studies, three have already appeared in German periodicals, and one (that on the Koran) forms part of the article MOHAMMEDANISM in the 9th edition of the _Encyclopædia Britannica_. But all four have been considerably revised. The remaining essays were written in the course of last year. The fourth, fifth, and sixth, and to some extent the second and third also, may be regarded as supplementing Aug. Müller’s excellent _History of Islam_. I have made careful use of all the sources that were accessible to me, but have cited them only rarely. I hope I have been fairly successful in obliterating the traces of laborious study, while, at the same time, I trust that the book may be found to be of some value, even to the specialist. The account of Mansúr’s reign is preceded by a brief _résumé_ of the antecedent history, and of the beginnings of the Abbásids dynasty; it was impossible otherwise to exhibit the personality of Mansúr in a proper light. Less organically connected with their context are the paragraphs at the close of the essay upon King Theodore. But the interest which Abyssinia now has, even for the ordinary newspaper reader, justifies, I think, the few words on its history after the death of that king, and the forecast of its future. I take this opportunity of mentioning that an Italian of thorough insight and information has expressed to me his entire concurrence with the opinions indicated in the paragraphs in question. But I must earnestly beg those who read what I have there said not to leap to the conclusion that I have the same opinion about the German as about the Italian enterprises in Africa. My old friend, De Goeje, of Leyden, has frequently given me valuable assistance in the history of the servile war, especially on geographical points. I am also indebted for some geographical notes to my friend G. Hoffmann, of Kiel. In speaking of mediæval times I have often retained the familiar classical names of Oriental countries, such as Babylonia instead of Irák, Mesopotamia for Jezíra, in the belief that most readers will find this more convenient.