Egypt: conquered by the Arabs, who are welcomed by the Copts as their deliverers from Byzantine rule. Condition of the Copts under the Muslims. Corruption and negligence of the clergy lead to conversions to Islam.—Nubia: relations with Muhammadan powers: gradual decay of the Christian faith.—Abyssinia: the Arabs on the sea-board: missionary efforts in the fourteenth century: invasion of Aḥmad Grāñ: conversions to Islam: progress of Islam in recent years.—Northern Africa: extent of Christianity in North Africa in the seventh century: the Christians are said to have been forcibly converted: reasons for thinking that this statement is not true: toleration enjoyed by the Christians: gradual disappearance of the Christian Church 102 CHAPTER V. THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AMONG THE CHRISTIANS OF SPAIN. Christianity in Spain before the Muslim conquest: miserable condition of the Jews and the slaves. Early converts to Islam. Corruption of the clergy. Toleration of the Arabs, and influence of their civilisation on the Christians, who study Arabic and adopt Arab dress and manners. Causes of conversion to Islam. The voluntary martyrs of Cordova. Extent of the conversions 131 CHAPTER VI. THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AMONG THE CHRISTIAN NATIONS IN EUROPE UNDER THE TURKS. Relations of the Turks to their Christian subjects during the first two centuries of their rule: toleration extended to the Greek Church by Muḥammad II: the benefits of Ottoman rule: its disadvantages, the tribute-children, the capitation-tax, tyranny of individuals. Forced conversion rare. Proselytising efforts made by the Turks. Circumstances that favoured the spread of Islam: degraded condition of the Greek Church: failure of the attempt to Protestantise the Greek Church: oppression of the Greek clergy: moral superiority of the Ottomans: imposing character of their conquests. Conversion of Christian slaves.—Islam in Albania, conquest of the country, independent character of its people, gradual decay of the Christian faith, and its causes;—in Servia, alliance of the Servians with the Turks, conversions mainly from among the nobles except in Old Servia;—in Montenegro;—in Bosnia, the Bogomiles, points of similarity between the Bogomilian heresy and the Muslim creed, conversion to Islam;—in Crete, conversion in the ninth century, oppression of the Venetian rule, conquered by the Turks, conversions to Islam 145 CHAPTER VII. THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN PERSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA.