Arab Lands Folder (Saracens, Hagarenes, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Havilah).kmz

Arab Lands Folder (Saracens, Hagarenes, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Havilah)

Arab History Folder

Arabs, 600 BC - 8th Century, Folder, East African Egyptian Arabs, Nubian Kingdom

Arabs, 600 BC - 8th Century, East African Egyptian Arabs, Blemmyes Nubian Kingdom
East African Egyptian Arabs, 600 BC - 8th Century, Blemmyes Nubian Kingdom; Fathers slain at Sinai and Raithu, Commemorated on January 14;

Arabs, 400BC-106AD, Nabataean Kingdom, Edom

Arabs, 400BC - 106AD, Nabataean Kingdom, Edom
Arab Nabataean Kingdom, 400BC - 106AD; Nabataean kingdom capital of Petra, Edom, annexed by Trajan in 106 ; Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer the Bishop of Antioch, Commemorated December 20 ;

Arabs, 9BC - 40AD, Nabataean King, Aretas IV Philopatris, Edom
Arab Nabataean King, 9BC - 40AD, Aretas IV Philopatris; Arab Nabataean Kingdom, 400BC - 106AD; Nabataean kingdom capital of Petra, Edom, annexed by Trajan in 106 ; The Beheading of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John, Commemorated on August 29 ; Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer the Bishop of Antioch, Commemorated December 20 ;

Arabs, 33-117, Holy Apostles ot70&first Deacons: Prochorus,Nicanor,Timon,& Parmenas, full HS&Wiscom, various times&places
Bithynia, 33-117, Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas, first Deacons otChurch, full Holy Spirit & Wiscom, various times&places, Prochorus wPeter&Bishop Nicomedia, after Dormition wJohn tPatmos, wrote down Book Revelation, returned Nicomedia, then Antioch pagans conversion & martyrdom, Nicanor martyred same day wStephen, Timon tBostra Arabia, into furnace bJews&pagans unharmed, crucified, Parmenas iMacedonia to 117 ; Busra, Hauran ; Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas, Commemorated on July 28; Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas, Apostles of the Seventy were among the first deacons in the Church of Christ. the Acts of the Holy Apostles (6:1-6) it is said that the twelve Apostles chose seven men: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and appointed them to serve as deacons. are commemorated together on July 28, although they died at various times and in various places. first, Saint Prochorus accompanied the holy Apostle Peter, who made him bishop in the city of Nicomedia. After the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Prochorus was a companion and coworker of the holy Apostle John the Theologian and was banished with him to the island of Patmos. There he wrote down the Book of Revelation concerning the final fate of the world. Upon returning to Nicomedia, Saint Prochorus converted pagans to Christ in the city of Antioch, where he suffered martyrdom. Saint Nicanor suffered on the same day that the holy Protomartyr Stephen (December 27) and many other Christians were killed by stoning, he is also commemorated on December 28. Timon was later appointed by the Apostles as bishop of the city of Bostra in Arabia and suffered from the Jews and pagans for preaching the Gospel. He was thrown into a furnace, but by the power of God he came out of it unharmed. The tradition of the Roman Church says that Saint Timon died by crucifixion. Saint Timon is also commemorated on December 30. Parmenas zealously preached Christ in Macedonia. He died after being afflicted with an illness. Some say that Saint Parmenas suffered martyrdom under Trajan (98-117) in the final year of his reign.

Arabs, 106, Nabataean kingdom capital of Petra, annexed by Trajan in 106
Nabataean kingdom capital of Petra, Edom, annexed by Trajan in 106 ; Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer the Bishop of Antioch, Commemorated December 20 ;

Arabs, 110 BC - 622 AD, History Folder, Himyarite Kingdom Pre Islam

Arabs, 110 BC-520 AD, Arabian Himyarite Kingdom, Historical Dhafar, Yemen, Havila
Himyarite Kingdom; Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated October 24 ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated December 19 ;

Arabs, 000, 1st Century Folder, Apostles Thomas,

Arabs, 33-72, Apostle Thomas, Arabia, all outside Roman Empire, Arabia, India, Ethiopia, not fearing
East Africa, 1st Century, Apostle Thomas; the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "Doubting Thomas" because he doubted Jesus' resurrection when first told of it (as related in the Gospel of John alone); later, he confessed his faith ("My Lord and my God") on seeing Jesus' crucifixion wounds. to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of modern-day Kerala in India, Thomas is believed to have travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as the Tamilakam which is in South India.[1][5][6][7] According to their tradition, Thomas reached Muziris of Tamilakam (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala State, India) in AD 52.[8][9][1] In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Ortona, in Abruzzo, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle.[10] He is often regarded as the patron saint of India among its Christian adherents,[11][12] and the Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3 is celebrated as Indian Christian Day by believers belonging to many Christian denominations.[13][14] The name Thomas remains quite popular among the Saint Thomas Christians of the Indian subcontinent. Arapet Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on September 6; Arapet, or “Arabian” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared while the holy Apostle Thomas (October 6) was evangelizing Ethiopia, Arabia, and India. of the usual three stars (signifying the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God), the outer garment of the Theotokos has three circles with the head of an angel inside each one. In this feature, it resembles the icons “In Giving Birth you Preserved your Virginity” (“A Virgin Before and After Giving Birth”) (October 17) and “O All-Hymned Mother” (October 6). Holy, Glorious Apostle Thomas, Commemorated on October 6; Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas was born in the Galilean city of Pansada and was a fisherman. Hearing the good tidings of Jesus Christ, he left all and followed after Him. The Apostle Thomas is included in the number of the holy Twelve Apostles of the Savior. to Holy Scripture, the holy Apostle Thomas did not believe the reports of the other disciples about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). the eighth day after the Resurrection, the Lord appeared to the Apostle Thomas and showed him His wounds. “My Lord and my God,” the Apostle cried out (John 20:28). “Thomas, being once weaker in faith than the other apostles,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “toiled through the grace of God more bravely, more zealously and tirelessly than them all, so that he went preaching over nearly all the earth, not fearing to proclaim the Word of God to savage nations.” icons depicting this event are inscribed “The Doubting Thomas.” This is incorrect. In Greek, the inscription reads, “The Touching of Thomas.” In Slavonic, it says, “The Belief of Thomas.” When Saint Thomas touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, he no longer had any doubts. to Church Tradition, the holy Apostle Thomas founded Christian churches in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Parthia, Ethiopia and India. Preaching the Gospel earned him a martyr’s death. For having converted the wife and son of the prefect of the Indian city of Meliapur [Melipur], the holy apostle was locked up in prison, suffered torture, and finally, pierced with five spears, he departed to the Lord. Part of the relics of the holy Apostle Thomas are in India, in Hungary and on Mt. Athos. The name of the Apostle Thomas is associated with the Arabian (or Arapet) Icon of the Mother of God (September 6).

Arabs, 38-43, Arabian Icon, Roman Province of Arabia (Capital Petra), 3 circles instead of 3 stars
Roman Province of Arabia; Arapet Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on September 6; Arapet, or “Arabian” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared while the holy Apostle Thomas (October 6) was evangelizing Ethiopia, Arabia, and India. of the usual three stars (signifying the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God), outer garment of the Theotokos has three circles with the head of an angel inside each one. this feature, it resembles the icons “In Giving Birth you Preserved your Virginity” “A Virgin Before and After Giving Birth”) (October 17) “O All-Hymned Mother” (October 6).

Arabs, 38-43, Arab Icon, Appeared to Apostle Thomas
Arabs, 38-43, Arab Icon, Appeared to Apostle Thomas; Arapet, or “Arabian” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared while the holy Apostle Thomas (October 6) was evangelizing Ethiopia, Arabia, and India. of the usual three stars (signifying the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God), the outer garment of the Theotokos has three circles with the head of an angel inside each one. In this feature, it resembles the icons “In Giving Birth you Preserved your Virginity” (“A Virgin Before and After Giving Birth”) (October 17) and “O All-Hymned Mother” (October 6). East Africa, 1st Century, Apostle Thomas; the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Thomas is commonly known as "Doubting Thomas" because he doubted Jesus' resurrection when first told of it (as related in the Gospel of John alone); later, he confessed his faith ("My Lord and my God") on seeing Jesus' crucifixion wounds. to traditional accounts of the Saint Thomas Christians of modern-day Kerala in India, Thomas is believed to have travelled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, travelling as far as the Tamilakam which is in South India.[1][5][6][7] According to their tradition, Thomas reached Muziris of Tamilakam (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala State, India) in AD 52.[8][9][1] In 1258, some of the relics were brought to Ortona, in Abruzzo, Italy, where they have been held in the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle.[10] He is often regarded as the patron saint of India among its Christian adherents,[11][12] and the Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3 is celebrated as Indian Christian Day by believers belonging to many Christian denominations.[13][14] The name Thomas remains quite popular among the Saint Thomas Christians of the Indian subcontinent. Arapet Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on September 6; Arapet, or “Arabian” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared while the holy Apostle Thomas (October 6) was evangelizing Ethiopia, Arabia, and India. of the usual three stars (signifying the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God), the outer garment of the Theotokos has three circles with the head of an angel inside each one. In this feature, it resembles the icons “In Giving Birth you Preserved your Virginity” (“A Virgin Before and After Giving Birth”) (October 17) and “O All-Hymned Mother” (October 6). Holy, Glorious Apostle Thomas, Commemorated on October 6; Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas was born in the Galilean city of Pansada and was a fisherman. Hearing the good tidings of Jesus Christ, he left all and followed after Him. The Apostle Thomas is included in the number of the holy Twelve Apostles of the Savior. to Holy Scripture, the holy Apostle Thomas did not believe the reports of the other disciples about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). the eighth day after the Resurrection, the Lord appeared to the Apostle Thomas and showed him His wounds. “My Lord and my God,” the Apostle cried out (John 20:28). “Thomas, being once weaker in faith than the other apostles,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “toiled through the grace of God more bravely, more zealously and tirelessly than them all, so that he went preaching over nearly all the earth, not fearing to proclaim the Word of God to savage nations.” icons depicting this event are inscribed “The Doubting Thomas.” This is incorrect. In Greek, the inscription reads, “The Touching of Thomas.” In Slavonic, it says, “The Belief of Thomas.” When Saint Thomas touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, he no longer had any doubts. to Church Tradition, the holy Apostle Thomas founded Christian churches in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Parthia, Ethiopia and India. Preaching the Gospel earned him a martyr’s death. For having converted the wife and son of the prefect of the Indian city of Meliapur [Melipur], the holy apostle was locked up in prison, suffered torture, and finally, pierced with five spears, he departed to the Lord. Part of the relics of the holy Apostle Thomas are in India, in Hungary and on Mt. Athos. The name of the Apostle Thomas is associated with the Arabian (or Arapet) Icon of the Mother of God (September 6).

Arabs, 300-399, 4th Century Folder, Himyarite King Abu Karab

Arabs, 350-390, Simeon tAncient, oSinai iArab Lands, Arab Syrian Deserts, extreme ascetic child, 2Monasteries Aman, wonderworker
Arabs, 350-390, 4th C, Simeon tAncient oSinai / Mt Horeb in Median, Land of the Arabs. the elder not the stylite, 5th Century Ascetic iSyria, lived cave Syrian wilderness as child, complete solitude, Unceasing prayer, meditation, and contemplation of God were his constant occupation, ate only grass about his cave, to preserve silence left cave when people came, tMts oAman Range, but many visitors, tMt Sinai where Moses received revelation, short stay by divine province, returned Aman, founded 2Monasteries, one on top, other at base Mt Aman, guided monks, warned wiles otEnemy, taught struggle temptations, encouraged ascetic deeds, rousing salvation thoughts, Simeon received wonderworking gift, departed 390 ; Mt Sinai / Horeb up from the Desert of Sin and Jethro's home in Midian (not Mt Sinai in Egypt); St Simeon “the Ancientâ€ of Mt. Sinai, Commemorated on January 26 ; Simeon the Elder was so named in order to distinguish him from Saint Simeon the Stylite (September 1). practiced asceticism in Syria in the fifth century, in his childhood years went out into the Syrian wilderness and lived in a cave in complete solitude. prayer, meditation, and contemplation of God were his constant occupation. ascetic ate only the grass which grew about his cave. people began to come to him to receive guidance, he wished to preserve his silence, he left his cave and settled on one of the mountains of the Aman range. here also his solitude was disturbed by many visitors. Simeon withdrew to Mount Sinai, formerly the Prophet Moses (September 4) received a revelation from God. divine Providence, the holy ascetic returned to Aman after a short stay on Sinai founded two monasteries: one at the top of the mountain, the other at its base. head of these monasteries, Saint Simeon guided the monks, them about the wiles of the Enemy of mankind, and he taught them how to struggle against temptations. inspired and encouraged them in ascetic deeds, rousing them to think of their salvation. of the holiness of his life Saint Simeon received from God the gift of wonderworking. the many labors of his ascetic life, Saint Simeon departed to God around the year 390.

Arabs, 379-417, Ismaelite Saint Agabbas, silence, loin chains, always standing or kneeling, constant prayer, died in peace
Arabs, 379-417, Ismaelite Saint Agabbas of Syria, Saracens, Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Syrian Desert, Pre Islamic Arabia), inner prayer & silence, hermit 38 yrs, barefoot, loin chains, never sat or lay down, always standing or kneeling, constant prayer, died in peace; Saracens; Saint Agabbas of Syria, Commemorated on November 22; Agabbas was by birth an Ishmaelite (Arab) and pursued asceticism in Syria. was a novice under the Monk Eusebius, from whom he learned inner prayer and silence, he lived thirty-eight years as a hermit. saint always went barefoot, wore chains on his loins and never sat nor lay down. Agabbas spent both day and night standing or kneeling, constantly at prayer. finished his ascetic life in peace.

Arabs, 390-420, Arabian Jewish Himyarite King, Abu Karab
Arabs, 390-420, Arabian Jewish Himyarite King, Abu Karab; Venerable Nilus the Faster of Sinai, Commemorated on November 12;

Arabs, 397-473, Arab Bishop, Aspebet-Peter
Jerusalem, 397-473, Arab Bishop, Aspebet aka Peter ; Jerusalem Saint, 397-473, Euthymius the Great; Venerable Theoctistus, Commemorated on September 3; Venerable Euthymius the Great, Commemorated on January 20;

Arabs, 400-499, 5th Century Folder, Ismaelite Saint Agabbas of Syria

Arabs, 401-417, Ismaelite Saint Agabbas, silence, loin chains, always standing or kneeling, constant prayer, died in peace
Arabs, 401-417, Ismaelite Saint Agabbas of Syria, Saracens, Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Syrian Desert, Pre Islamic Arabia), inner prayer & silence, hermit 38 yrs, barefoot, loin chains, never sat or lay down, always standing or kneeling, constant prayer, died in peace; Saracens; Saint Agabbas of Syria, Commemorated on November 22; Agabbas was by birth an Ishmaelite (Arab) and pursued asceticism in Syria. was a novice under the Monk Eusebius, from whom he learned inner prayer and silence, he lived thirty-eight years as a hermit. saint always went barefoot, wore chains on his loins and never sat nor lay down. Agabbas spent both day and night standing or kneeling, constantly at prayer. finished his ascetic life in peace.

Arabs, 495-552, Gregory, Archbishop oHomer (Omrits), called tHomer bMiracles, Converted Jews bDebate&Jesus appearing
Arabs, 495-552, Gregory Archbishop oOmirits (Wadi Nejran), Bishop oHomer (Omrits), as a youth filled wGrace oGod Gifts Healing Wonderworking, Deacon aMilan, hermit gives him prophecy, confirmed bElder schemamonk oMountain, fiery column, was him, standing iAir, Go Rome Boniface Aglaida church, then Alexandria tbBishop, Then tNegran in Homer tPreach, felt unworthy, wished remain wElder, but Elder knew his secret, G had seen vision Peter Paul placing Bishop's robe on him, tCarchage, tRome, Boniface Aglaida church, Tomb St Peter, his vision told him walk virtue live God's will, Paul dream cup oOil, receive priesthood&Episcopacy, during this time Emperor Elesbaan' armies oEthiopia vanquished Himyarite Dunaan a Jew, Negran liberated, christianity restored, but no christians, E asked Alexandria fBishop&Clergy, while praying Apostle Mark appeared tPatriarch told him find Deacon named Gregory who tBe Priest&Bishop, send him to Elesbaan, miracle during the service, face shone wGrace Holy Spirit, vestments fragrance oMyrrh filling whole church, iHomer G preaching tPagans&Jews, after 3yrs E returned Ethiopia, leftAbramus as king, G crowned A, A ordered all baptized, Jews say better believe willingly, requested debate, Jews given 40 days prepare, debate lasted several days, G refuted all Jew arbuments using OT, Rabbi Ervan vision Moses worshiping Jesus, M saying E would be defeated being in oposition tTruth, Christian Truth prevaied iDebate but E needed to see Jesus, G said request impertinent but Lord can do to convince you, G prays aloud, recalling incarnation, miracles, 3day resurrection, ascention and invoked power oLife-creating Cross, Show thyself to these people, Glorify thy Holy Name, Earthquaked, heavens opened in East, iRadiant cloud oLight Jesus came down, Lords Voice, through G's prayer, He whom your fathers put to death will heal you, Jews struck blind, healed receiving baptism, Gregory guided Homer 30 more years til 552; Nejran or Negran; Wadi Najran; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated December 19 ; Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. He made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Arabs, 500-599, Arabian Jewish Warlord Dunaan

Arabs, 501-555, Saint Gregory of Homer or Omrits, many detailed accurate prophecies & visions, many travels, Ethiopia, converts fourfold people
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, 501-555, Saint Gregory of Homer or Omrits was the purported archbishop of Ẓafar, the capital of the kingdom of Ḥimyar, in the mid-6th century, according to a hagiographical dossier compiled in the 10th century. This compilation is essentially legendary and fictitious, although a few parts of it are of historical value. Written in Greek, it survives also in a Slavonic translation.[2] The three works in the dossier are conventionally known as the Bios (Life), Nomoi (Laws) and Dialexis (Debate).[3] The whole dossier is sometimes known as the Acts of Gregentios.[4] name Gregentios is unknown apart from the Bios and related texts. According to the Bios, he received his name from a local holy man. Several later scribes, encountering an unheard of name, changed it to Gregorios (Gregory).[5] This is the name that appears in all the Slavonic versions, as well as an Arabic translation of the Dialexis.[2][5] It also appears in the fresco depicting Gregentios in the monastery of Koutsovendis on Cyprus, painted between 1110 and 1118.[6] Other scribal emendations are Gregentinos and Rhegentios.[5] name has a Latin ending, which may indicate a western origin for the name, but such suffixes had entered vernacular Greek by the time the Bios was written. The name may be derived from Agrigentius, "man from Agrigento", or from a combination of the name Gregory with either Agrigentius or the name of Saint Vincentius. The biography of Gregory of Agrigento was a major source used by the author of the Bios, and an itinerary of Vincentius may also have been used.[5] only known persons named after Gregentios are two 19th-century monks of Mount Athos. The first was the archimandrite of Vatopedi in April 1842 and the second a monk of the Skete of Saint Anne who died in 1879 aged 69. Both monastic communities had copies of the Bios and Dialexis of Gregentios.[5] Bios, which Jean-Marie Sansterre called a "hagiographical romance", is divided into nine chapters. While the first eight are vague in their chronology and geography, the ninth draws on superior historical sources and contains more precise details.[7] The early part, which includes an Avar raid on his hometown, may also reflect authentic conditions in the northern Balkans during the later 6th century.[8] The Bios was completed either at Constantinople in the 10th century or in Rome in the 9th century.[7] The Nomoi and Dialexis are later additions. The whole collection, which presents as a unity, was not brought together before the 10th century. The Nomoi may contain some authentic information, since it shares characteristics with legal inscriptions from pre-Islamic South Arabia.[2] The Dialexis, which is a debate between Gregentios and a Jew named Herban, was the most popular part of the work and circulated independently into modern times.[4] life in Avaria start of the Bios of Gregentios, from a copy made in 1180 and now in Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai[9] to his Bios, Gregentios was born on 6 December in the late 5th century in the town of Lyplianes (Ljubljana) in the land of the Avars.[2][7][10] father was named Agapios and his mother Eusebia. At his baptism, he was named after a sage who lived on a nearby mountain. His schooling begins at the age of seven. At the age of ten, he is pushed into a river by a deer. Miraculously saved from drowning, he retires to the desert, where he receives instruction and prophecies about his future from a holy man.[11] his mother dies, Gregentios is placed in the custody of the married but childless priest who baptised him. During a barbarian invasion, the townspeople flee to the fortress of Korada. Gregentios, who was in the vineyards at the time, manages to sneak in through the Rhomanesios gate while the fortress is besieged. After the barbarians retreat, both Gregentios and his foster mother have prophetic dreams about him. At the urging of a certain Sergios, his foster mother tells her dream to an elder named Niketas, who interprets it as saying that Gregentios will one day convert a fourfold people.[11] next traveled extensively in northern and central Italy and Sicily before sailing to Alexandria in Egypt.[2][7] The Bios presents him as travelling from Lyplianes to Moryne (Murano), Antenora (Padua) and Agrigento, then by boat to Pavia, then to Milan and Carthage, then by foot to Rome, then to Augustopolis (either Augusta or Koper) and finally Alexandria. In its order, timing and means of travel, this itinerary is absurd.[12] and Sicily first departs with the holy man from the desert. They reach Moryne in a single day. There they stay with a man named Sabbatios, where a holy fool named Peter informs Gregentios that his foster parents are searching for him. The holy man and Gregentios leave Moryne after the local bishop learns of the latter's spiritual gifts. In Antenora, they stay in the house of Theodoretos, while the bishop of Moryne searches for him. Bishop Eulogios of Antenora makes Gregentios a deacon and lector. A holy woman named Theodora informs him again of his foster parents' search.[10] the holy man, Gregentios moves on to Agrigento, leaving the bishop of Antenora also to send searchers after him. He is hosted by the priest Stephanos in the church of the Mother of God outside the walls. He visits the grave of the hermit Eirene, who appears to him and talks to him. He visits two churches in the city, and a woman preaching to a crowd from a balcony predicts that he will go to Egypt and Ḥimyar. The holy man then appears and whisks Gregentios away to Milan. Going by boat, they pass Rome on the way.[10] Milan, Gregentios stays with one Niketas, while the holy man moves on to Largention (Piacenza). He visits the grave of Saint Ambrose and begins reading his works. He takes on as a disciple a boy of fourteen named Leon, who later becomes governor of Melike (either Ravenna or the land of the Melingoi) and is assassinated. Gregentios has a vision of the underworld in which he sees Leon among those who died before their time awaiting the Last Judgement. The holy man then returns and the two travel to Carthage, where they stay with one Constantine.[10] and Rome Carthage, Gregentios meets a woman named Philothea who is regarded as a mute who only barks and sighs. The holy man reveals that this is merely a gift God gave her to ward off a man who tried to seduce her. She speaks to Gregentios clearly and lucidly. his time in Carthage, he befriends a young man named George and they visit a church dedicated to Saint Anastasia. There, a holy woman identifies Gregentios by name and birthplace. When George asks for the same treatment, she reproaches and names the women he has been sinning with. young man, a Thracian named Pothetos, asks Gregentios for spiritual advice. Gregentios writes sixteen homilies that make Pothetos regret his marriage, but Gregentios convinces him to go home to his wife.[10] Carthage, the holy man takes Gregentios to Rome. On the way, he has a vision of the devil in the valley of Patherolymna. Rome, they stay with a man named Benedict near the Great Portico. He owns a slave named Elizabeth, who is sexually abused by a demon every night. After Gregentios writes a formula on a piece of papyrus and gives it to her, she is freed from the demon.[10] day, Gregentios is visited by Saint Peter, who had been absent from his grave when Gregentios visited it, for he had gone to give comfort to the persecuted Christians of Negra (Najrān). tells Gregentios that the time has not yet come for the holy man's identity to be revealed. a woman identifies Gregentios by name as the prophet of the Ḥimyarites. He is also identified by name by the monk Abramios. At the request of a beggar named Zacharias, he heals the eye of a youth named Basil. In ecstasy at the tomb of Saint Paul, he sees a vision of the saint bringing him a pallium.[10] visits a church dedicated to Saint Boniface, whose feast day he will come to share. He meets a fool for Christ named John who throws stones at passersby. visits a hermit named Michael, who sends him on to a hermit named Artados, who lives atop a mountain beyond the Dry Lakes. Artados prophesies in detail about Gregentios' future in Egypt and Ḥimyar, where he will convert four peoples: pagans, Jews, Ḥimyarites and Maurousians. a stay of two days, Gregentios returns to Rome, where he meets Pope Felix IV (526–530). The holy man rejoins him and they go to Augustopolis.[10] Augustopolis, Gregentios stays with a widow named Euphemia. In the market, he meets an Armenian from Artazat (Artaxata), who prophesies his future. a few days, the holy man and Gregentios board a ship from Leukas for Alexandria. There, Gregentios is greeted by name by a female slave, whose prophesies how the patriarch will call him to be an archbishop. He stays in the house of one Leontios. In Alexandria, he visits a monastery led by a eunuch-abbot named Epiphanios. His prayers chase away a devil who throws stones at a monk named Kosmas. A woman named Archontia greets him by name.[10] in South Arabia last part of the Bios "contains the only clear historical information scattered through the whole" of the Gregentios materials.[13] 523, the Ḥimyarite king Dhū Nuwās massacres the Christians of Najrān and its leader, Arethas. Emperor Justin I asks the Ethiopian (Aksumite) king Elesboam (Caleb) to lead an expedition against Dhū Nuwās. writes to the patriarch of Alexandria, Proterios, for a bishop to evangelize the Ḥimyarites.[14] (The actual patriarch at this time was Timothy IV.[2]) Mark informs Proterios of Gregentios in a dream. The patriarch consecrates Gregentios as bishop and send him back with the Ethiopian envoys.[14] This takes place after the successful Ethiopian conquest of Ḥimyar (525).[2] Ethiopia, Gregentios stays for a time in the capital, Amlem (Aksum), before crossing the sea to Medekion (Maddaban) and then heading to Taphar (Ẓafār) and finally Najrān, where he meets the king. consecrates the churches that the kings has built and installs priests in them at Najrān, Ẓafār, Akana, Atarph, Legmia , Azaki and Iouze.[14][15] Bios describes Elesboam's retirement to a monastery and the miraculous invocation of his name. Gregentios threatens the Ḥimyarites with the death penalty for all those who do not convert, whereupon the hole country becomes Christian. The Dialexis is interposed here, and the end of the Bios follows.[14] remains in Ḥimyar for thirty years, assisting Elesboam's appointed viceroy, Abraha, in building churches. Shortly after Abraha dies and is succeeded by his son Seridos (Masrūq), Gregentios dies on 19 December. He is buried in the cathedral.[16] He is commemorated in the Synaxarion of Constantinople on 19 December.[2] Start of the Nomoi in a manuscript copied in Gaza in 1487[17] Nomoi ton Homeriton, also known in Latin as Leges Homeritarum,[18] is usually regarded as a fictional law code containing some amount of authentic pre-Islamic South Arabian material. The laws are not arranged thematically, but may be subsumed under eight headings: (1) morals, marriage and family; (2) slavery; (3) right of employment; (4) culture and social life; (5) cruelty against animals; (6) rental laws; (7) officeholders; and (8) miscellaneous. Within the last class are laws concerning sorcery, poisoning, perjury, theft, extrajudicial punishments, infringing ecclesiastical asylum, workhouses for criminals and prohibitions on begging. The Nomoi do not come near to being a comprehensive law code. There is, for example, no law of inheritance.[19] Nomoi prescribes harsh punishments for transgressions, often mutilation, and mitigating factors are nowhere admitted. Its strong prohibitions of wife-beating and cruelty to animals stand out, however, since Byzantine law knew no restriction on the treatment of animals. The laws seem concerned strictly with an urban community like Najrān. Administration and taxation are governed in a clearly Byzantine manner. The prohibitions on dancing, singing, gambling and gaming may be taken from the canons of the Quinisext Council (691/692). On the whole, the influence of canon law is limited, but Christian theological justifications are provided for the laws. Although the Nomoi is a civil law code, it presents itself as having been promulgated by a supernatural force to the geitoniarchai (administrators of Najrān's 36 districts). It bears the unmistakable stamp of a Christian monk of a strong ascetic spirit. In the words of J. B. Bury, the laws "illustrate the kind of legislation at which the ecclesiastical spirit, unchecked, would have aimed."[20] and authorship authenticity of the Nomoi was first put in doubt by Cardinal Jean-Baptiste-François Pitra in 1864. He was followed by many, including Louis Duchesne, but in 1969 Nina Pigulevskaya defended a 6th-century origin. She thought the code was written in the Byzantine Empire and never actually came into force in Ḥimyar. Irfan Shahîd and A. K. Irvine have also defended the authenticity of the code.[21] Garth Fowden considers that it contains some authentic material.[18] It mentions a slave market at a place called Trikanos or Trikanon, a place not attested anywhere else.[21] features of the Nomoi that would be unusual in 6th-century Byzantium have been ascribed to South Arabian influence. They may, however, reflect a later date of composition. Mutilation was an uncommon punishment in Byzantine law prior to Leo III's Ecloga (741). One of the most unusual and cruel punishments in the Nomoi—suspending a convict upside down and smoking him to death with burning hay—is actually attested in an 8th-century Byzantine source (Nikephoros's Breviarium). Some prescriptions regarding marriage in the Nomoi became a part of Byzantine law during the reign Leo VI (886–912).[22] Similarities between the Najrān of the Nomoi and Constantinople under the Macedonian dynasty suggest that the Nomoi was probably written at Constantinople in the 10th century.[23] The Nomoi may be compared with other pseudepigraphal texts of supposed supernatural origin from Byzantium, such as the Didascalia Apostolorum and Letter of Christ Fallen from Heaven.[24] earliest manuscript witness to the Nomoi, a copy made in 1180 on Cyprus, shows some Western influence in its terminology. It is probable that it was copied from a manuscript made shortly before in Crusader Syria. Some of its terminology does not appear in Greek again until the Assizes of Cyprus in the 14th century.[24] Dialexis purports to be a record written around 550 or 560 of a debate between Gregentios and a Jew named Herban that took place before the royal court of Ḥimyar around 520 or 530. The author does not claim to have been present or to have known Gregentios, but does claim to have had access to a record of the proceedings written at the time by the notary Palladios. [25] The text, however, shows clear evidence of having been composed after the start of the controversies over monothelitism (7th century), iconoclasm (8th century) and the filioque clause, which only became a live controversy in the Byzantine Empire after 860.[26] is a treatise against the Azymites in the form of a letter that is ascribed to Gregentios in one manuscript. Given the issue it discusses, it can have no connection to the time in which Gregentios supposedly lived. In 1660, some "letters of Gregentios"—possibly the same treatise—were catalogued as part of the library of Denis Pétau that had been purchased after his death by Queen Christina of Sweden. There is no further record of these letters and they appear to be lost.[27] Afar, Ethiopia (Semara) ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Arabs, 501-555, Elesbaan of Ethiopia, E lost Dunaan war, recluse visit, revenge, vow, victory, crown to J
Africa, East Africa, 501-555, Elesbaan of Ethiopia, Dunaan ruled Arabia & killed christians, E unsuccessful war against D, revelation to visit recluse, lost because unrighteous revenge, vow to serve then victory, then abdication, service, and crown to Jerusalem Christ's Tomb; Ethiopia; Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24 ; Elesbaan1 was the Emperor of what is now Ethiopia, lived when Arabia was ruled by Dunaan, an oppressor of Christians. pious Elesbaan was unable to stand by while those who believed in Christ were being massacred. declared war on Dunaan, but his first military campaign was not successful. to learn the reason for his defeat, Elesbaan, inspired by a revelation from above, visited a recluse named Zenon. revealed to the Emperor that he had acted unrighteously in his desire to take revenge against Dunaan, for the Lord has said, “Vengeance is mine, I shall repay!” (Hebrews 10:30). holy ascetic urged Elesbaan to promise that he would devote the rest of his life to God, if he wished to escape His wrath for his self-willed revenge, and then he would defeat Dunaan. Elesbaan made that vow to the Lord, in 520 he and his army confronted the enemy. This time, he defeated, captured, and executed Dunaan. to the Roman Martyrology, after Elesbaan defeated the enemies of Christ, he sent his royal diadem to Jerusalem to be hung near the Life-Giving tomb of Christ, during the reign of Emperor Justin. his victory, the Saint kept his word and abdicated as Emperor, himself in a monastery. the next fifteen years he lived a life of strict fasting and asceticism. Elesbaan reposed around 553-555. His name is given as Kaleb on his coins and inscriptions.

Arabs, 517, Martyr Arethas and 4299 who suffered at Negran (Najran), Homer, Omrits, Arabia
Arabs, 517, Martyr Arethas and 4299 who suffered at Negran (Najran), Arabia; Negran (Najran); Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all followers of Christ were to be put to death. the inhabitants of Negran remained faithful to the Lord, Dunaan came with a large army to destroy the city. At the city walls of Negran the king’s heralds announced that Dunaan would only spare those who renounced Christ and referred to His Cross as a “sign of malediction.” daring to assault the Christian city by force, Dunaan resorted to a ruse. Dunaan swore an oath that he would not force the Christians into Judaism, but would merely collect a tribute from Negran. The inhabitants of the city would not heed the advice of Saint Arethas, and putting their trust in Dunaan, they opened the city gates. very next day Dunaan gave orders to light an immense fire and throw all the clergy of the city into it in order to frighten the rest of the Christians. 427 men were burned. He also threw the prefect Arethas and the other chief men into prison. Then the oppressor sent his messengers through the city to convert the Christians to Judaism. Dunaan himself conversed with those inhabitants brought from the prisons, saying, “I do not demand that you should renounce the God of heaven and earth, nor do I want you to worship idols, I want merely that you do not believe in Jesus Christ, since the Crucified One was a man, and not God.” holy martyrs replied that Jesus is God the Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who for the salvation of mankind was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Those suffering said, “We shall not abjure Christ, since He is Life for us. To die for Him is to find Life.” than four thousand Christians, men, women, both the aged and children, from the city of Negran and surrounding villages suffered martyrdom for Christ.

Arabs, 517&525, Ethiopian incursion into Yemen (in support of Arabian Christians)
Yemen; Saint Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia; Dunaan, Jewish king in Yemen; Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated October 24 ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ;

Arabs, 517-525, Arabian Jewish Warlord, Dunaan, killed by Ethiopian King Elesbaan
Arabian Jewish Warlord, 517-525, Dunaan; Nuwas, ,[1] was a Jewish king of Himyar between 517 and 525–527 AD, who came to renown on account of his persecutions of peoples of other religions, notably Christians, living in his kingdom. Hisham's Sirat Rasul Allah (better known in English as the Life of Muhammad), describes the exploits of Yūsuf Dhū Nuwās. Ibn Hisham explains that Yūsuf was a convert Jew who grew out his sidelocks (nuwas), and who became known as "he of sidelocks." historicity of Dhū Nuwās is affirmed by Philostorgius and by Procopius (in the latter's Persian War). Procopius writes that in 525, the armies of the Christian Kingdom of Axum in Ethiopia invaded Yemen at the request of the Byzantine Emperor, Justin I, to take control of the Jewish kingdom in Ḥimyar, then under the leadership of Yūsuf Dhū Nuwās, who rose to power in 522, probably after he assassinated Dhu Shanatir. Hisham explains the same sequence of events under the name of "Yūsuf Dhū Nuwās." Indeed, with this invasion, the Ḥimyarites were smitten, and as such the supremacy of the Jewish religion in the Kingdom of Ḥimyar, as well as in all of Yemen, came to an abrupt end. Imrū al-Qays, the famous Yemeni poet from the same period, in his poem entitled taqūl lī bint al-kinda lammā ‘azafat, laments the death of two great men of Yemen, one of them being Dhū Nuwās, whom he regards as the last of the Himyarite kings: Art thou not saddened how fate has become an ugly beast, the betrayer of its generation, he that swalloweth up people? It has removed Dhū Nuwās from the fortresses who once ruled in the strongholds and over men [2] Syriac source appears to suggest that the mother of Dhū Nuwās may have been herself a Jew hailing from the Mesopotamian city of Nisibis.[3][4] If so, this would place her origins within the Sassanid imperial sphere, and would illuminate possible political reasons for his later actions against the Christians of Arabia, who were natural allies of the Byzantine Empire.[3] Many modern historians, with the exception of Christopher Haas, have argued that her son's conversion was a matter of tactical opportunism, since Judaism would have provided him with an ideological counterweight to the religion of his adversary, the Kingdom of Aksum, and also allowed him to curry favour with the Sassanid shahanshah.[5] Martyrs of Najran[edit] to Ibn Ishaq, the king of Himyar named Dhu Nuwas had burned the Christians in Najran, and an invading army from Aksum (Habashah) occupied Yemen. Dhu Nuwas decided to kill himself by drowning himself in the sea. Arab tradition states that Dhū Nuwās committed suicide by riding his horse into the Red Sea. The Himyarite kingdom is said to have been ruled prior to Dhu-Nuwas by the Du Yazan dynasty of Jewish converts, as early as the late fourth century.[5] to a number of medieval historians, who depend on the account of John of Ephesus, Dhū Nuwās announced that he would persecute the Christians living in his kingdom because Christian states persecuted his fellow co-religionists in their realms; a letter survives written by Simon, the bishop of Beth Arsham in 524 CE, recounting Dimnon (who is probably Dhū Nuwās') persecution in Najran in Arabia.[6] on other contemporary sources, after seizing the throne of the Ḥimyarites in ca. 518 or 523 Dhū Nuwās attacked Najran and its inhabitants, capturing them and burning their churches. After accepting the city's capitulation, he massacred those inhabitants who would not renounce Christianity. According to the Arab historians, Dhū Nuwās then proceeded to write a letter to the Lakhmid king Al-Mundhir III ibn al-Nu'man of al-Ḥīrah and King Kavadh I of Persia, informing them of his deed and encouraging them to do likewise to the Christians under their dominion. Al-Mundhir received this letter in January 519, as he was receiving an embassy from Constantinople seeking to forge a peace between the Roman Empire and al-Ḥīrha.[7] He revealed the contents of the letter to the Roman ambassadors who were horrified by its contents. Word of the slaughter quickly spread throughout the Roman and Persian realms, and refugees from Najran even reached the court of the Roman emperor Justin I himself, begging him to avenge the martyred Christians. and names[edit] name Yūsuf 'As'ar Yath'ar (believed to be Joseph Dhū-Nuwas) appears in an old South Arabian inscription.[8] Related inscriptions from the same period were also deciphered by Jamme and Ryckmans, showing that in the ensuing wars with his non-Jewish subjects, the combined war booty (excluding deaths) from campaigns waged against the Abyssinians in Ẓafār, the fighters in ’Ašʻarān, Rakbān, Farasān, Muḥwān (Mocha), and the fighters and military units in Najran, amounted to 12,500 war trophies, 11,000 captives and 290,000 camels and bovines and sheep.[9] to ‘Irfan Shahid's Martyrs of Najran – New Documents, Dhu-Nuwas sent an army of some 120,000 soldiers to lay siege to the city of Najran, which siege lasted for six months, and the city taken and burnt on the 15th day of the seventh month (i.e. the lunar month Tishri). city had revolted against the king and they refused to deliver it up unto the king. About three-hundred of the city’s inhabitants surrendered to the king’s forces, under the assurances of an oath that no harm would come to them, and these were later bound, while those remaining in the city were burnt alive within their church. The death toll in this account is said to have reached about two-thousand. However, in the Sabaean inscriptions describing these events, it is reported that by the month Dhu-Madra'an (between July and September) there were "1000 killed, 1500 prisoners [taken] and 10,000 head of cattle."[10] Ryckmans, who deciphered the Sabaean inscriptions, writes in his La Persécution des Chrétiens Himyarites, that Sarah'il Yaqbul-Yaz'an was both the tribal chief and the lieutenant of Yusuf 'As'ar (the king) at the time of the military campaign, and that he was sent out by the king to take the city of Najran, while the king watched for a possible Abyssinian/Ethiopian incursion along the coastal plains of Yemen near Mokhā (al-Moḫâ) and the strait known as Bāb al-Mandab. It is to be noted that the Ethiopian church in Ẓafar, which had been built by the Himyarite King some years earlier following the proselytizing mission of Theophilos the Indian and another church built by him in Aden (see: Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, Epitome of Book III, chapter 4), had been seen by Constantius II during the embassage to the land of the Ḥimyarites (i.e. Yemen) in circa 340 CE. This church was set on fire and razed to the ground, and its Abyssinian inhabitants killed. Later, foreigners (presumably Christians) living in Haḏramawt were also put to death before the king’s army advanced to Najran in the far north and took it. Yusuf Asar Yathar, described in an inscription as "king of all nations," had led the major tribes of Yemen (Hamedan, Madh'hij, Kindah, Murad) and successfully defeated the Abyssinian forces in Ẓafar, Mokha and Najran. Dhi Yazan leader, Samu Yafa', become the successor of Yusuf in 527 and the Abyssinian forces led by Abraha had invaded Yemen again in 531.[citation needed] inscription (518 CE):[11][12] who owns the heavens and the earth bless king Yusuf Asar Yathar, king of all nations and bless the Aqials they stand with their master, King Yusuf Asar Yathar, when he burned the church and killed the Habashah (Abyssinians) in Dhofar and war on (Habashah) in Ash'aran and Rakban (regions) and Farasan king has succeeded in these battles in the killing of 12,500 and capturing 11,090 of two hundred thousand camels, cows, sheep, and this Misnad (inscription) was written by Shrahal Dhi Yazan when camped in Najran the nation of Hamedan and the Arabs and the Yazaniin fighters and the A'rab (Nomads) of Kinda and Murad and Madh'hij and his brothers the Aqials who camped with the king the sea from the side of Habashah (Abyssinia) And they set up a series of fortifications in the Bab al-Mandab and all who mentioned in this Musnad they fought and took booty and camped in this mission they returned in the history of thirteen and Rahman (god) bless Sharhabal Ekml and Wh'an and Asar Bni Lhi't Yemen; Saint Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia; Dunaan, Jewish king in Yemen; Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated October 24 ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ;

Arabs, 519, Dunaan, Himyarite King and Jewish Warlord in Yemen
Himyarite king Dunaan ; Himyarite Kingdom (110BC-520AD); St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Arabs, 519-525, Arabian Himyarite King, Dunaan, Jewish Warlord
Himyarite king Dunaan ; Himyarite Kingdom (110BC-520AD); Blessed Elesbaan the King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated October 24 ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ;

Arabs, 520-540, Elesbaan, King, Ethiopia, pious christian, took revenge, defeated, vow, victory, monastery
Ethiopian King, 520-540, Elesbaan (Caleb or Kaleb), Christian Kingdom of Axum (100-940); Blessed Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia, Commemorated on October 24; Elesbaan, King of what is now Ethiopia lived when Arabia was ruled by Dunaan, the oppressor of Christians. pious Elesbaan was unable to look on indifferently as believers in Christ were being massacred. He declared war on Dunaan, but his military campaign was unsuccessful. to learn the reason for his defeat, Elesbaan, with prompting from above, turned to a certain hermit. He revealed to the emperor that he had proceeded unrighteously in deciding to take revenge against Dunaan, since the Lord had said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay!” (Heb 10:30). hermit counseled Saint Elesbaan make a vow to devote his final days of life to God, to escape the wrath of God for his self-willed revenge, and then to defeat Dunaan. Elesbaan made a vow to the Lord, and marching off with his army against the enemy, he defeated, captured and executed him. After the victory the saint resigned as emperor, secluded himself within a monastery and for fifteen years he dwelt in strict fasting and asceticism. Elesbaan reposed around 553-555. St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ;

Arabs, 523-540, Saint Gregory of Homer, during this time Gregory with Elesbaan, Ethiopia, Jesus revealed to Jews
Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, 523-540, Saint Gregory of Homer, during time Gregory with Elesbaan ; -------------------During this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Africa, East Africa, Ethiopia, 523-540, Saint Gregory of Homer or Omrits was the purported archbishop of Ẓafar, the capital of the kingdom of Ḥimyar, in the mid-6th century, according to a hagiographical dossier compiled in the 10th century. This compilation is essentially legendary and fictitious, although a few parts of it are of historical value. Written in Greek, it survives also in a Slavonic translation.[2] The three works in the dossier are conventionally known as the Bios (Life), Nomoi (Laws) and Dialexis (Debate).[3] The whole dossier is sometimes known as the Acts of Gregentios.[4] name Gregentios is unknown apart from the Bios and related texts. According to the Bios, he received his name from a local holy man. Several later scribes, encountering an unheard of name, changed it to Gregorios (Gregory).[5] This is the name that appears in all the Slavonic versions, as well as an Arabic translation of the Dialexis.[2][5] It also appears in the fresco depicting Gregentios in the monastery of Koutsovendis on Cyprus, painted between 1110 and 1118.[6] Other scribal emendations are Gregentinos and Rhegentios.[5] name has a Latin ending, which may indicate a western origin for the name, but such suffixes had entered vernacular Greek by the time the Bios was written. The name may be derived from Agrigentius, "man from Agrigento", or from a combination of the name Gregory with either Agrigentius or the name of Saint Vincentius. The biography of Gregory of Agrigento was a major source used by the author of the Bios, and an itinerary of Vincentius may also have been used.[5] only known persons named after Gregentios are two 19th-century monks of Mount Athos. The first was the archimandrite of Vatopedi in April 1842 and the second a monk of the Skete of Saint Anne who died in 1879 aged 69. Both monastic communities had copies of the Bios and Dialexis of Gregentios.[5] Bios, which Jean-Marie Sansterre called a "hagiographical romance", is divided into nine chapters. While the first eight are vague in their chronology and geography, the ninth draws on superior historical sources and contains more precise details.[7] The early part, which includes an Avar raid on his hometown, may also reflect authentic conditions in the northern Balkans during the later 6th century.[8] The Bios was completed either at Constantinople in the 10th century or in Rome in the 9th century.[7] The Nomoi and Dialexis are later additions. The whole collection, which presents as a unity, was not brought together before the 10th century. The Nomoi may contain some authentic information, since it shares characteristics with legal inscriptions from pre-Islamic South Arabia.[2] The Dialexis, which is a debate between Gregentios and a Jew named Herban, was the most popular part of the work and circulated independently into modern times.[4] life in Avaria start of the Bios of Gregentios, from a copy made in 1180 and now in Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai[9] to his Bios, Gregentios was born on 6 December in the late 5th century in the town of Lyplianes (Ljubljana) in the land of the Avars.[2][7][10] father was named Agapios and his mother Eusebia. At his baptism, he was named after a sage who lived on a nearby mountain. His schooling begins at the age of seven. At the age of ten, he is pushed into a river by a deer. Miraculously saved from drowning, he retires to the desert, where he receives instruction and prophecies about his future from a holy man.[11] his mother dies, Gregentios is placed in the custody of the married but childless priest who baptised him. During a barbarian invasion, the townspeople flee to the fortress of Korada. Gregentios, who was in the vineyards at the time, manages to sneak in through the Rhomanesios gate while the fortress is besieged. After the barbarians retreat, both Gregentios and his foster mother have prophetic dreams about him. At the urging of a certain Sergios, his foster mother tells her dream to an elder named Niketas, who interprets it as saying that Gregentios will one day convert a fourfold people.[11] next traveled extensively in northern and central Italy and Sicily before sailing to Alexandria in Egypt.[2][7] The Bios presents him as travelling from Lyplianes to Moryne (Murano), Antenora (Padua) and Agrigento, then by boat to Pavia, then to Milan and Carthage, then by foot to Rome, then to Augustopolis (either Augusta or Koper) and finally Alexandria. In its order, timing and means of travel, this itinerary is absurd.[12] and Sicily first departs with the holy man from the desert. They reach Moryne in a single day. There they stay with a man named Sabbatios, where a holy fool named Peter informs Gregentios that his foster parents are searching for him. The holy man and Gregentios leave Moryne after the local bishop learns of the latter's spiritual gifts. In Antenora, they stay in the house of Theodoretos, while the bishop of Moryne searches for him. Bishop Eulogios of Antenora makes Gregentios a deacon and lector. A holy woman named Theodora informs him again of his foster parents' search.[10] the holy man, Gregentios moves on to Agrigento, leaving the bishop of Antenora also to send searchers after him. He is hosted by the priest Stephanos in the church of the Mother of God outside the walls. He visits the grave of the hermit Eirene, who appears to him and talks to him. He visits two churches in the city, and a woman preaching to a crowd from a balcony predicts that he will go to Egypt and Ḥimyar. The holy man then appears and whisks Gregentios away to Milan. Going by boat, they pass Rome on the way.[10] Milan, Gregentios stays with one Niketas, while the holy man moves on to Largention (Piacenza). He visits the grave of Saint Ambrose and begins reading his works. He takes on as a disciple a boy of fourteen named Leon, who later becomes governor of Melike (either Ravenna or the land of the Melingoi) and is assassinated. Gregentios has a vision of the underworld in which he sees Leon among those who died before their time awaiting the Last Judgement. The holy man then returns and the two travel to Carthage, where they stay with one Constantine.[10] and Rome Carthage, Gregentios meets a woman named Philothea who is regarded as a mute who only barks and sighs. The holy man reveals that this is merely a gift God gave her to ward off a man who tried to seduce her. She speaks to Gregentios clearly and lucidly. his time in Carthage, he befriends a young man named George and they visit a church dedicated to Saint Anastasia. There, a holy woman identifies Gregentios by name and birthplace. When George asks for the same treatment, she reproaches and names the women he has been sinning with. young man, a Thracian named Pothetos, asks Gregentios for spiritual advice. Gregentios writes sixteen homilies that make Pothetos regret his marriage, but Gregentios convinces him to go home to his wife.[10] Carthage, the holy man takes Gregentios to Rome. On the way, he has a vision of the devil in the valley of Patherolymna. Rome, they stay with a man named Benedict near the Great Portico. He owns a slave named Elizabeth, who is sexually abused by a demon every night. After Gregentios writes a formula on a piece of papyrus and gives it to her, she is freed from the demon.[10] day, Gregentios is visited by Saint Peter, who had been absent from his grave when Gregentios visited it, for he had gone to give comfort to the persecuted Christians of Negra (Najrān). tells Gregentios that the time has not yet come for the holy man's identity to be revealed. a woman identifies Gregentios by name as the prophet of the Ḥimyarites. He is also identified by name by the monk Abramios. At the request of a beggar named Zacharias, he heals the eye of a youth named Basil. In ecstasy at the tomb of Saint Paul, he sees a vision of the saint bringing him a pallium.[10] visits a church dedicated to Saint Boniface, whose feast day he will come to share. He meets a fool for Christ named John who throws stones at passersby. visits a hermit named Michael, who sends him on to a hermit named Artados, who lives atop a mountain beyond the Dry Lakes. Artados prophesies in detail about Gregentios' future in Egypt and Ḥimyar, where he will convert four peoples: pagans, Jews, Ḥimyarites and Maurousians. a stay of two days, Gregentios returns to Rome, where he meets Pope Felix IV (526–530). The holy man rejoins him and they go to Augustopolis.[10] Augustopolis, Gregentios stays with a widow named Euphemia. In the market, he meets an Armenian from Artazat (Artaxata), who prophesies his future. a few days, the holy man and Gregentios board a ship from Leukas for Alexandria. There, Gregentios is greeted by name by a female slave, whose prophesies how the patriarch will call him to be an archbishop. He stays in the house of one Leontios. In Alexandria, he visits a monastery led by a eunuch-abbot named Epiphanios. His prayers chase away a devil who throws stones at a monk named Kosmas. A woman named Archontia greets him by name.[10] in South Arabia last part of the Bios "contains the only clear historical information scattered through the whole" of the Gregentios materials.[13] 523, the Ḥimyarite king Dhū Nuwās massacres the Christians of Najrān and its leader, Arethas. Emperor Justin I asks the Ethiopian (Aksumite) king Elesboam (Caleb) to lead an expedition against Dhū Nuwās. writes to the patriarch of Alexandria, Proterios, for a bishop to evangelize the Ḥimyarites.[14] (The actual patriarch at this time was Timothy IV.[2]) Mark informs Proterios of Gregentios in a dream. The patriarch consecrates Gregentios as bishop and send him back with the Ethiopian envoys.[14] This takes place after the successful Ethiopian conquest of Ḥimyar (525).[2] Ethiopia, Gregentios stays for a time in the capital, Amlem (Aksum), before crossing the sea to Medekion (Maddaban) and then heading to Taphar (Ẓafār) and finally Najrān, where he meets the king. consecrates the churches that the kings has built and installs priests in them at Najrān, Ẓafār, Akana, Atarph, Legmia , Azaki and Iouze.[14][15] Bios describes Elesboam's retirement to a monastery and the miraculous invocation of his name. Gregentios threatens the Ḥimyarites with the death penalty for all those who do not convert, whereupon the hole country becomes Christian. The Dialexis is interposed here, and the end of the Bios follows.[14] remains in Ḥimyar for thirty years, assisting Elesboam's appointed viceroy, Abraha, in building churches. Shortly after Abraha dies and is succeeded by his son Seridos (Masrūq), Gregentios dies on 19 December. He is buried in the cathedral.[16] He is commemorated in the Synaxarion of Constantinople on 19 December.[2] Start of the Nomoi in a manuscript copied in Gaza in 1487[17] Nomoi ton Homeriton, also known in Latin as Leges Homeritarum,[18] is usually regarded as a fictional law code containing some amount of authentic pre-Islamic South Arabian material. The laws are not arranged thematically, but may be subsumed under eight headings: (1) morals, marriage and family; (2) slavery; (3) right of employment; (4) culture and social life; (5) cruelty against animals; (6) rental laws; (7) officeholders; and (8) miscellaneous. Within the last class are laws concerning sorcery, poisoning, perjury, theft, extrajudicial punishments, infringing ecclesiastical asylum, workhouses for criminals and prohibitions on begging. The Nomoi do not come near to being a comprehensive law code. There is, for example, no law of inheritance.[19] Nomoi prescribes harsh punishments for transgressions, often mutilation, and mitigating factors are nowhere admitted. Its strong prohibitions of wife-beating and cruelty to animals stand out, however, since Byzantine law knew no restriction on the treatment of animals. The laws seem concerned strictly with an urban community like Najrān. Administration and taxation are governed in a clearly Byzantine manner. The prohibitions on dancing, singing, gambling and gaming may be taken from the canons of the Quinisext Council (691/692). On the whole, the influence of canon law is limited, but Christian theological justifications are provided for the laws. Although the Nomoi is a civil law code, it presents itself as having been promulgated by a supernatural force to the geitoniarchai (administrators of Najrān's 36 districts). It bears the unmistakable stamp of a Christian monk of a strong ascetic spirit. In the words of J. B. Bury, the laws "illustrate the kind of legislation at which the ecclesiastical spirit, unchecked, would have aimed."[20] and authorship authenticity of the Nomoi was first put in doubt by Cardinal Jean-Baptiste-François Pitra in 1864. He was followed by many, including Louis Duchesne, but in 1969 Nina Pigulevskaya defended a 6th-century origin. She thought the code was written in the Byzantine Empire and never actually came into force in Ḥimyar. Irfan Shahîd and A. K. Irvine have also defended the authenticity of the code.[21] Garth Fowden considers that it contains some authentic material.[18] It mentions a slave market at a place called Trikanos or Trikanon, a place not attested anywhere else.[21] features of the Nomoi that would be unusual in 6th-century Byzantium have been ascribed to South Arabian influence. They may, however, reflect a later date of composition. Mutilation was an uncommon punishment in Byzantine law prior to Leo III's Ecloga (741). One of the most unusual and cruel punishments in the Nomoi—suspending a convict upside down and smoking him to death with burning hay—is actually attested in an 8th-century Byzantine source (Nikephoros's Breviarium). Some prescriptions regarding marriage in the Nomoi became a part of Byzantine law during the reign Leo VI (886–912).[22] Similarities between the Najrān of the Nomoi and Constantinople under the Macedonian dynasty suggest that the Nomoi was probably written at Constantinople in the 10th century.[23] The Nomoi may be compared with other pseudepigraphal texts of supposed supernatural origin from Byzantium, such as the Didascalia Apostolorum and Letter of Christ Fallen from Heaven.[24] earliest manuscript witness to the Nomoi, a copy made in 1180 on Cyprus, shows some Western influence in its terminology. It is probable that it was copied from a manuscript made shortly before in Crusader Syria. Some of its terminology does not appear in Greek again until the Assizes of Cyprus in the 14th century.[24] Dialexis purports to be a record written around 550 or 560 of a debate between Gregentios and a Jew named Herban that took place before the royal court of Ḥimyar around 520 or 530. The author does not claim to have been present or to have known Gregentios, but does claim to have had access to a record of the proceedings written at the time by the notary Palladios. [25] The text, however, shows clear evidence of having been composed after the start of the controversies over monothelitism (7th century), iconoclasm (8th century) and the filioque clause, which only became a live controversy in the Byzantine Empire after 860.[26] is a treatise against the Azymites in the form of a letter that is ascribed to Gregentios in one manuscript. Given the issue it discusses, it can have no connection to the time in which Gregentios supposedly lived. In 1660, some "letters of Gregentios"—possibly the same treatise—were catalogued as part of the library of Denis Pétau that had been purchased after his death by Queen Christina of Sweden. There is no further record of these letters and they appear to be lost.[27] Afar, Ethiopia (Semara) ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Arabs, 600-699, Himyarite Kingdom continued, 614 Raid on Savas Monastery

Arabs, 614, Antiochus, Galatia, Phyriga, writer, Savva Martyrs, Pandect of Scriptures, sleep, repose of both body and soul
Phyriga, 610-641, Antiochus, Galatia, Phyriga, writer, Savva Martyrs, Pandect of Scriptures, down to sleep, repose of both body and soul; Galatia; St Antiochus, Commemorated December 24 ; Antiochus was from Galatia, and lived during the reign of Heraclius (610-641). witnessed the martyrdom of the monks of Saint Savva’s Monastery (May 16) by the Saracens, and recorded their sufferings. also wrote another book, called Pandect of the Scriptures. Divided into 130 chapters, the book examines the moral teachings of the Holy Scriptures. quote attributed to Saint Antiochus is found in the Evergetinos (Book 3:39). One of his best-known prayers is recited during Compline, “And grant us, Master, as we lay down to sleep, repose of both body and soul....”

Arabs, 622-632, History Folder, Muhammad

Arabs, 557-634, Modestus, Archbishop, his story important tTie history of Cross, Persian, Byzantine, & Arab control oJ
Armenia, 557-634, Modestus, Archbishop oJerusalem, fSebaste, Armenia (Iris River Source, Kizilirmak River 1), his story important for history, tonsured Mt Sinai, Superior Theodosios tG m Judea, Locum tenens Gov Jerusalem Church 614, because Persians devastated Jerusalem, took The Cross, 90,000 C's killed, Patriarch Zacharias captured, M restored C shrines, incl Lord's tomb, buried Sava's monks, Z returned wCross 630, M permanent partiarch aZ, M dies a97yr old; Sebaste, Armenia ; St Modestus the Archbishop of Jerusalem, Commemorated December 18 ; Modestos (Módestos) was born into a Christian family at Sebásteia in Cappadocia (Asia Minor). toward a strict monastic life from his youth, the Saint was tonsured on Mount Sinai. he became the Superior of the Monastery of Saint Theodosios the Great in Palestine. the year 614, Syria and Palestine were attacked by the the army of the Persian king Chosroes. Christians were killed, and many Christian churches were destroyed. Zachariah of Jerusalem and a multitude of Christians were taken into captivity, with the Cross of the Lord. Modestos was appointed to govern the Jerusalem Church temporarily as locum tenens of the patriarchal kathedra. the help of Patriarch John the Merciful of Alexandria (November 12), Saint Modestos restored the devastated Christian shrines, which was the Lord's Tomb. also buried the murdered monks from the Monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified. fourteen years, Patriarch Zacharias returned from captivity with the Lord's Cross, after his death, Saint Modestos became the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Modestos reposed at the age of 97 in the year 634. head of Saint Modestós is located in the Athonite Monastery of Simonopetra.

Arabs, 622-632, Muhammad's Raids on Meccan caravans
Arabia, Raids on Meccan caravans 622-632;

Arabs, 622-632, Military career of Muhammad
Military career of Muhammad 622-632; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24;

Arabs, 630, Arab forces seize Edessa
Syria, 630, Arab forces seize Edessa; Translation of the Image œNot-Made-By-HandsÂ of our Lord Jesus Christ from Edessa to Constantinople, the Third œFeast of the Savior in AugustÂ, Commemorated on August 16;

Arabs, 630, Caesarius, Adrian, Dacius, Savva, Sabinian, Agrippa, & Thomas suffered martyrdom at Damascus
Syria, 630, Caesarius, Adrian, Dacius, Savva, Sabinian, Agrippa, & Thomas suffered martyrdom at Damascus in the seventh century; Damascus (Barada River foothills); Martyr Caesarius at Damascus, Commemorated on November 1 ; Caesarius, Adrian, Dacius, Savva, Sabinian, Agrippa, and Thomas suffered martyrdom at Damascus in the seventh century.

Arabs, 632-661, History Folder, Rashidun Caliphate, Sunni and Shia

Arabs, 632-661, Arab Caliphates, Rashidun, based in Medina and Kufa, Messopotamia
Arab Caliphates, 632-661, Rashidun, based in Medina and Kufa, Messopotamia ; Apostle and Evangelist Mark, Commemorated on April 25 ;

Arabs, 656-661, Kufa, Mesopotamia (Caital of the Rashidun Caliphate from 656-661)
Kufa, Messopotamia (Capital of the Rashidun Caliphate from 656-661); Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28;

Arabs, 634-644, Umar I, Rashidun Caliph
Arab Caliph, 634-644, Umar I, 2nd caliph of Rashidun Caliphate, 634-644 ; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24; St Sophronius the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Commemorated on March 11; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20; St Thomas the Patriarch of Constantinople, Commemorated on March 21; Monkmartyr Menas of Palestine, Commemorated on April 12;

Arabs, 637, Seige of Jerusalem
Arabia, 637, Seige of Jerusalem; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24; Monkmartyr Menas of Palestine, Commemorated on April 12;

Arabs, 639, Arab Muslim Conquest of Armenia, Dvin, Armenia
Dvin; Arab Muslim Conquest of Armenia 639;

Arabs, 640-641, Arab Conqest of Babylon Fortress Egypt
Arab Muslim Conqest of Babylon Fortress Egypt 640

Arabs, 641, Mirax, Tanis, Egypt, raised christian, trampled on cross, became moslem, repented, tortured, beheaded
Egypt, 640, Mirax, Tanis, Egypt, raised christian, trampled on cross, became moslem, repented, tortured, beheaded; Tanis or Tathnis; Martyr Mirax of Egypt, Commemorated on December 11 ; Holy Martyr Mirax was born into a Christian family living in the city of Tanis (Egypt) during the seventh century. was raised in piety, but yielded to demonic temptation and trampled on a cross. went to the Emir, the ruler of Egypt, and taking his sword in hand, he declared himself a Moslem. parents, grieving over the terrible downfall of their son, incessantly prayed for him. And then the grace of God illumined the heart of the prodigal. deeply repented and returned home. His parents counselled him to acknowledge his fall into darkness and to show his repentance. Mirax obeyed them. He went before the Emir and announced that he had become a Christian once more. ruler condemned him to tortures, after which the saint was beheaded and cast into the sea (this occurred around the year 640). Prophet Jeremiah, Commemorated on May 1 ;

Arabs, 641-668, St Christopher oGazara, head oSumela Monastery, Mt Mela near Trebizond, founded by Athenian Monks
Arabs, 641-668, St Christopher oGazara and Sumela Monastery, Mt Mela near Trebizond, founded by Athenian Monks Barnabas and his nephew Sophronius; Sumela Monastery, Mt Mela near Trebizond; It is not known when the monastery was founded, but the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism places the date around AD 386, during the reign of the emperor Theodosius I (375–395).[7][8] According to William Miller, two Athenian monks named Barnabas and Sophronios founded the monastery. It became famous for an icon of the Theotokos known as the Panagia Gorgoepekoos, said to have been painted by the Apostle Luke.[9] Saint Christopher of Gazara, Commemorated on August 18; Christopher was born in Gazara, near Trebizond. He was the head of a monastery on Mount Mela in the second half of the seventh century (641-668).

Arabs, 642, Arab Muslim Conquest of Alexandria
Arab Muslim Conquest of Alexandria 642;

Arabs, 644-656, Uthman, 3rd Rashidun Caliph
Arab Rashidun Caliph, 644-656, Uthman, 3rd Rashidun Caliph; Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28;

Arabs, 656-661, Ali, First Shia Iman, fourth and Last Rashidun Caliph
Arab Rashidun Caliph, 656-661, Ali (First Shia Iman, fourth and Last Rashidun Caliph); Martyr Neophytus of Urbin, Georgia, Commemorated on October 28;

Arabs, 661-750, History Folder, Umayyad Caliphate, Sunni

Arabs, 661-750, Umayyad Caliphate based in Damascus, Sunni, after first M Civil War, Large, Spain, Cordoba
Arab Caliphates, 661-750, Umayyad, based in Damascus, Sunni ; Umayyad Caliphate (661-“750 CE)[4] was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty (The third caliph of Rashidun Caliphate, Uthman ibn Affan (r. 644-“656), was also a member of the Umayyad clan. The family established dynastic, hereditary rule with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, long-time governor of al-Sham (Greater Syria), who became the sixth caliph after the end of the First Muslim Civil War in 661. Mu'awiyah's death in 680, conflicts over the succession resulted in a Second Civil War[5] and power eventually fell into the hands of Marwan I from another branch of the clan. The region of Syria remained the Umayyads' main power base thereafter, and Damascus was their capital. Umayyads continued the Muslim conquests, incorporating the Transoxiana, Sindh, the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) into the Muslim world. At its greatest extent, the Umayyad Caliphate covered 11,100,000 km2 (4,300,000 sq mi),[1] making it one of the largest empires in history in terms of area. The dynasty was eventually overthrown by a rebellion led by the Abbasids in 750. Survivors of the dynasty established themselves in Cordoba which, in the form of an emirate and then a caliphate, became a world centre[6][7] of science, medicine, philosophy and invention, ushering in the period of the Golden Age of Islam. Umayyad Caliphate ruled over a vast multiethnic and multicultural population. Christians, who still constituted a majority of the caliphate's population, and Jews were allowed to practice their own religion but had to pay a head tax (the jizya) from which Muslims were exempt.[8] There was, however, the Muslim-only zakat tax, which was earmarked explicitly for various welfare programmes.[8][9] Prominent positions were held by Christians, some of whom belonged to families that had served in Byzantine governments. The employment of Christians was part of a broader policy of religious accommodation that was necessitated by the presence of large Christian populations in the conquered provinces, as in Syria. This policy also boosted Muawiya's popularity and solidified Syria as his power base.[10][11] The Umayyad era is often considered the formative period in Islamic art.[12] Apostle and Evangelist Mark, Commemorated on April 25 ;

Arabs, 661-680, Muawiyah I, Caliph in Damascus and Egypt, Sunni, Syria's Christian beauracracy
Arab Caliph, 661-680, Muawiyah I ; Muawiyah I (597, 603 or 605-680) was the founder and first caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, serving from 661 until his death. became caliph less than 30 years following the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and very shortly after the reign of the four "rightly guided" (Rashidun) caliphs. Although considered to be lacking in the justice and piety of the Rashidun, Muawiyah was also the first caliph whose name appeared on coins, inscriptions, or documents of the nascent Islamic empire.[1] and his father Abu Sufyan had opposed Muhammad, their distant Qurayshite kinsman, until the latter captured Mecca in 630, after which Muawiyah became one of Muhammad's scribes. He was appointed by Caliph Abu Bakr (r. 632-“634) the commander of the vanguard of his brother Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan's army during the conquest of Syria and he moved up the ranks until becoming governor of Syria during the reign of Caliph Uthman (r. 644-“656). He allied with the province's powerful Banu Kalb tribe, developed the defenses of its coastal cities and directed the war efforts against the Byzantine Empire, including the first Muslim naval campaigns. After Uthman's assassination in 656, Muawiyah took up the cause of avenging the caliph and opposed his successor, Ali. During the First Muslim Civil War, the two led their armies to a stalemate at the Battle of Siffin in 657, prompting an abortive series of arbitration talks to settle the war. Afterward, Muawiyah gained recognition as caliph by his Syrian supporters and his ally Amr ibn al-As, who conquered Egypt from Ali's governor in 658. After the assassination of Ali in 661, Muawiyah compelled Ali's son and successor Hasan to abdicate in Kufa and Muawiyah's suzerainty was acknowledged throughout the Caliphate. Muawiyah relied on loyalist Syrian tribes and Syria's Christian-dominated bureaucracy. is credited with establishing government departments responsible for the postal route, correspondences and chancellery. he engaged his troops in almost yearly land and sea raids against the Byzantines, including a failed siege of Constantinople, though the tide turned against the Arabs toward the end of his reign and he sued for a truce. the provinces of Iraq and the eastern Caliphate, he delegated authority to the powerful governors al-Mughira and Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan, the latter of whom he controversially adopted as his brother. Ziyad restarted the eastward Arab conquests in Khurasan and Sijistan and reformed Iraq's army and tax administrations. Muawiyah's direction, the Muslim conquest of Ifriqiya (central North Africa) was launched by the commander Uqba ibn Nafi in 670. Muawiyah confined the influence of his Umayyad clan to the governorship of Medina, he nominated his own son, Yazid I, as his successor. It was an unprecedented move in Islamic politics and opposition to it by prominent Muslim leaders, including Ali's son Husayn and Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr, persisted after Muawiyah's death, culminating with the outbreak of the Second Muslim Civil War. St Phanourius, Commemorated on August 27; Icon of the Mother of God of Damascus, Commemorated on December 4;

Arabs, 685-705, Abdul Malek, Umayyad Caliph, Damascus, born Muslim, centralized r, Dome of Rock, 2nd Civil War
Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 685-705, khalif Abdul Malek, Damascus, Greater Syria; Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam ( July/August 644 or June/July 647 -“ 9 October 705) was the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from April 685 until his death. A member of the first generation of born Muslims, his early life in Medina was occupied with pious pursuits. He held administrative and military posts under Caliph Mu'awiya I (r. 661-“680), founder of the Umayyad Caliphate, and his own father, Caliph Marwan I (r. 684-“685). By the time of Abd al-Malik's accession, Umayyad authority had collapsed across the Caliphate as a result of the Second Muslim Civil War and had been reconstituted in Syria and Egypt during his father's reign. a failed invasion of Iraq in 686, Abd al-Malik focused on securing Syria before making further attempts to conquer the greater part of the Caliphate from his principal rival, the Mecca-based caliph Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr. To that end, he concluded an unfavorable truce with the reinvigorated Byzantine Empire in 689, quashed a coup attempt in Damascus by his kinsman, al-Ashdaq, the following year, and reincorporated into the army the rebellious Qaysi tribes of the Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia) in 691. then conquered Zubayrid Iraq and dispatched his general, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, to Mecca where he killed Ibn al-Zubayr in late 692, thereby reuniting the Caliphate under Abd al-Malik's rule. The war with Byzantium resumed, resulting in Umayyad advances into Anatolia and Armenia, the destruction of Carthage and the recapture of Kairouan, the launchpad for the later conquests of western North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, in 698. In the east, Abd al-Malik's viceroy, al-Hajjaj, firmly established the caliph's authority in Iraq and Khurasan, stamping out opposition by the Kharijites and the Arab tribal nobility by 702. Abd al-Malik's final years were marked by a domestically peaceful and prosperous consolidation of power. a significant departure from his predecessors, rule over the Caliphate's provinces was centralized under Abd al-Malik, following the elimination of his rivals. loyalist Arab troops from Syria were tasked with maintaining order in the provinces as dependence on less reliable, local Arab garrisons receded. Tax surpluses from the provinces were forwarded to Damascus the traditional military stipends to veterans of the early Muslim conquests and their descendants were abolished, salaries being restricted to those in active service. most consequential of Abd al-Malik's reforms were the introduction of a single Islamic currency in place of Byzantine and Sasanian coinage and the establishment of Arabic as the language of the bureaucracy in place of Greek and Persian in Syria and Iraq, respectively. His Muslim upbringing, the conflicts with external and local Christian forces and rival claimants to Islamic leadership all influenced Abd al-Malik's efforts to prescribe a distinctly Islamic character to the Umayyad state. manifestation of this initiative was his founding of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the earliest archaeologically attested religious monument built by a Muslim ruler and the possessor of the earliest epigraphic proclamations of Islam and the prophet Muhammad. The foundations established by Abd al-Malik enabled his son and successor, al-Walid I (r. 705--“715), who largely maintained his father's policies, to oversee the Umayyad Caliphate's territorial and economic zenith. Abd al-Malik's centralized government became the prototype of later medieval Muslim states. Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4; JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN-WRITER, DEFENDER OF ICONS (4 DEC 750); Martyr John of Damascus, Commemorated on December 4;

Arabs, 701-781, JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN-WRITER, ICON DEFENDER, Flesly form God blessed Matter fHis service
Syria, 701-781, JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN-WRITER, ICON DEFENDER, Last otFathers, son oChristian official court oMoslem Khalif, succeeded father's office, Iconoclast Iconodule dispute, Iconoclast Byzantne Emperor Leo III, John's Iconodule writings, protected by being under Moslem Khalif, not Byzantine, even though Moslems were Iconoclasts, 2 oHis Hymns sung in English, many more sung Eastern Church, major writing tFount oKnowledge incl tOrthodox Faith, both Greek &Latin churches Iconodule, Iconoclasts &2nd Commandment about images, Iconodules things changed, God flesly form blessed matter fit for manifesting divine splendor, reclaimed everything fHis service, incl eucharist bread wine, plus painting, sculpture, music, spoken word, daily tasks, pleasures, 16th century Protestants denounce images, sermon about mental images that mind can grasp, vs not thinking at all, like tapioca pudding story, description Eastern Orthodox iconostasis & incense on people, every person image oGod; Syria, 695-749, Saint, John of Damascus; JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN-WRITER, DEFENDER OF ICONS (4 DEC 750); is generally accounted "the last of the Fathers". was the son of a Christian official at the court of the moslem khalif Abdul Malek, and succeeded to his father's office. In his time there was a dispute among Christians between the Iconoclasts (image-breakers) and the Iconodules (image-venerators or image-respectors). Emperor, Leo III, was a vigorous upholder of the Iconoclast position. wrote in favor of the Iconodules with great effectiveness. he was able to do this chiefly because he had the protection of the moslem khalif because the moslems have a strong prohibition against the religious use of pictures or images). John is also known as a hymn-writer. of his hymns are sung in English at Easter ("Come ye faithful, raise the strain" and "The Day of Resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad!"). Many more are sung in the Eastern Church. His major writing is The Fount of Knowledge, of which the third part, The Orthodox Faith, is a summary of Christian doctrine as expounded by the Greek Fathers. dispute about icons was not a dispute between East and West as such. Both the Greek and the Latin churches accepted the final decision. The Iconoclasts maintained that the use of religious images was a violation of the Second Commandment ("Thou shalt not make a graven image... thou shalt not bow down to them"). The Iconodules replied that the coming of Christ had radically changed the situation, and that the commandment must now be understood in a new way, just as the commandment to "Remember the Sabbath Day" must be understood in a new way since the Resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week. Before the Incarnation, it had indeed been improper to portray the invisible God in visible form; God, by taking fleshly form in the person of Jesus Christ, had blessed the whole realm of matter and made it a fit instrument for manifesting the Divine Splendor. had reclaimed everything in heaven and earth for His service, had made water and oil, bread and wine, means of conveying His grace to men. had made painting and sculpture and music and the spoken word, and indeed all our daily tasks and pleasures, the common round of everyday life, a means whereby man might glorify God and be made aware of Him. I always use "man" in the gender-inclusive sense unless the context plainly indicates otherwise.) the use of images and pictures in a religious context is open to abuse, and in the sixteenth century abuses had become so prevalent that some (not all) of the early Protestants reacted by denouncing the use of images altogether. Many years ago, I heard a sermon in my home parish (All Saints' Church, East Lansing, Michigan) on the Commandment, "Thou shalt not make a graven image, nor the likeness of anything in the heavens above, nor in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth -- thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them." (Exodus 20:4-5 and Deuteronomy 5:8-9) preacher (Gordon Jones) pointed out that, even if we refrain completely from the use of statues and paintings in representing God, we will certainly use mental or verbal images, will think of God in terms of concepts that the human mind can grasp, since the alternative is not to think of Him at all. I digress to note that, if we reject the images offered in Holy Scripture of God as Father, Shepherd, King, Judge, on the grounds that they are not literally accurate, we will end up substituting other images -- an endless, silent sea, a dome of white radiance, an infinitely attenuated ether permeating all space, an electromagnetic force field, or whatever, which is no more literally true than the image it replaces, and which leaves out the truths that the Scriptural images convey. of the best books I know on this subject is Edwyn Bevan's Symbolism and Belief, Beacon Press, originally a Gifford Lectures series.[note - now out of print]) C S Lewis repeats what a woman of his acquaintance told him: that as a child she was taught to think of God as an infinite "perfect substance," with the result that for years she envisioned Him as a kind of enormous tapioca pudding. To make matters worse, she disliked tapioca. Back to the sermon.) sin of idolatry consists of giving to the image the devotion that properly belongs to God. No educated man today is in danger of confusing God with a painting or statue, but we may give to a particular concept of God the unconditional allegiance that properly belongs to God Himself. does not, of course, mean that one concept of God is as good as another, or that it may not be our duty to reject something said about God as simply false. concepts, of God matter, because it matters how we think about God. The danger is one of intellectual pride, of forgetting that the Good News is, not that we know God, but that He knows us (1 Corinthians 8:3), not that we love Him, but that He loves us (1 John 4:10). (Incidentally, it was customary in my parish in those days for the preacher to preach a short "Children's Sermon," after which the children were dismissed for Sunday School, and the regular sermon and the rest of the service followed. What I have described above was the Children's Sermon. I remained for the regular sermon, but found it a bit over my head -- a salutary correction to my intellectual snobbery.) the East Orthodox tradition, three-dimensional representations are seldom used. The standard icon is a painting, highly stylized, and thought of as a window through which the worshipper is looking into Heaven. the background of the picture is almost always gold leaf.) an Eastern church, an iconostasis (icon screen) flanks the altar on each side, with images of angels and saints (including Old Testament persons) as a sign that the whole church in Heaven and earth is one body in Christ, and unites in one voice of praise and thanksgiving in the Holy Liturgy. At one point in the service, the minister takes a censer and goes to each icon in turn, bows and swings the censer at the icon. He then does the same thing to the congregation -- ideally, if time permits, to each worshipper separately, as a sign that every Christian is an icon, made in the image and likeness of God, an organ in the body of Christ, a window through whom the splendor of Heaven shines forth. by James Kiefer

Arabs, 701-781, John oDamascus, zealous Icon defender, wrote t Fount of Knowledge incl tOrthodox Faith, a hymnographer
Syria, 701-781, John oDamascus, born 680, Christian father treasurer fCaliph, foster brother saint Cosmas, both good education fSlave Cosmas oCalabria, both mastered secular spiritual sciences, John took father's post, became city perfect, Iconoclasm quickly spreads iConstantinople, Iconoclast Byzantine Emperor Leo III Isaurian, John's 3Iconodule treatises, enraged Leo, but J not Byzantine subject, Leo slandered J tKaliph, letter tLeo fJ offering help in conquering Damascas, Kaliph immediately ordered J removed hand cut off led through D in chains, same evening hand returned tJ, pressed to wrist he prayed MOG heal him so he could defend Orthodoxy and write again, heard voice iSleep commanding him toil w restored hand, awake saw hand restored thin red line around wrist sign oMiracle, silver model hand put on Icon in thanksgiving, of t3Hands Icon, Caliph heard of tMiracle & wanted restore J but J went to Sabbas wComas, only very Experienced Elder would guide him, do nothing to own will, offer God all labors & prayers, & shed tears to wash sins, once sent to Damascus to sell baskets inflated price, dressed in rags, not recognized except for his steward, sold baskets, monk died and J asked to compose consolation, refused but finally submitted, wrote What earthly delight & All human vanity & others, but for disobedience Elder banished him from Elder's cell, Elder refuses forgiveness fJ &All tMonks, then a monk asks fPenance sentence, wash chamber pots &Latrines wBare hands, after while Elder commanded bMOG allow J write again, Jerusalem Patriarch ordained J & mace him preacher at his Cathedral, but J returned to Sabbas, writing spiritual books&hymns, 754 Council Constantinople he denounced Iconoclasts, died 780 more than 100yrOld; Syria, 695-749, Saint, John of Damascus; Martyr John of Damascus, Commemorated on December 4; John of Damascus was born about the year 680 at Damascus, Syria into a Christian family. father, Sergius Mansur, was a treasurer at the court of the Caliph. had also a foster brother, the orphaned child Cosmas (October 14), whom Sergius had taken into his own home. the children were growing up, Sergius saw that they received a good education. the Damascus slave market he ransomed the learned monk Cosmas of Calabria from captivity and entrusted to him the teaching of his children. boys displayed uncommon ability and readily mastered their courses of the secular and spiritual sciences. the death of his father, John occupied ministerial posts at court and became the city prefect. Constantinople at that time, the heresy of Iconoclasm had arisen and quickly spread, by the emperor Leo III the Isaurian (717-741). up in defense of the Orthodox veneration of icons [Iconodoulia], Saint John wrote three treatises entitled, “Against Those who Revile the Holy Icons.” wise and God-inspired writings of Saint John enraged the emperor. since the author was not a Byzantine subject, the emperor was unable to lock him up in prison, or to execute him. emperor then resorted to slander. A forged letter to the emperor was produced, supposedly from John, in which the Damascus official was supposed to have offered his help to Leo in conquering the Syrian capital. letter and another hypocritically flattering note were sent to the Saracen Caliph by Leo the Isaurian. Caliph immediately ordered that Saint John be removed from his post, that his right hand be cut off, and that he be led through the city in chains. same evening, they returned the severed hand to Saint John. The saint pressed it to his wrist and prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos to heal him so that he could defend the Orthodox Faith and write once again in praise of the Most Pure Virgin and Her Son. a time, he fell asleep before the icon of the Mother of God. He heard Her voice telling him that he had been healed, and commanding him to toil unceasingly with his restored hand. awakening, he found that his hand had been attached to his arm once more. Only a small red mark around his wrist remained as a sign of the miracle. in thanksgiving for being healed, Saint John had a silver model of his hand attached to the icon, which became known as “Of the Three Hands.” unlearned painters have given the Mother of God three hands instead of depicting the silver model of Saint John’s hand. Icon “Of the Three Hands” is commemorated on June 28 and July 12. he learned of the miracle, which demonstrated John’s innocence, the Caliph asked his forgiveness wanted to restore him to his former office, but the saint refused. gave away his riches to the poor, and went to Jerusalem with his stepbrother and fellow-student, Cosmas. he entered the monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified as a simple novice. was not easy for him to find a spiritual guide, because all the monks were daunted by his great learning and by his former rank. one very experienced Elder, who had the skill to foster the spirit of obedience and humility in a student, would consent to do this. Elder forbade John to do anything at all according to his own will. also instructed him to offer to God all his labors and supplications as a perfect sacrifice, to shed tears which would wash away the sins of his former life. he sent the novice to Damascus to sell baskets made at the monastery, and commanded him to sell them at a certain inflated price, far above their actual value. undertook the long journey under the searing sun, dressed in rags. No one in the city recognized the former official of Damascus, for his appearance had been changed by prolonged fasting and ascetic labors. Saint John was recognized by his former house steward, who bought all the baskets at the asking price, showing compassion on him for his apparent poverty. of the monks happened to die, and his brother begged Saint John to compose something consoling for the burial service. John refused for a long time, but out of pity he yielded to the petition of the grief-stricken monk, and wrote his renowned funeral troparia (“What earthly delight,” “All human vanity,” and others). this disobedience the Elder banished him from his cell. fell at his feet and asked to be forgiven, but the Elder remained unyielding. the monks began to plead for him to allow John to return, but he refused. one of the monks asked the Elder to impose a penance on John, and to forgive him if he fulfilled it. Elder said, “If John wishes to be forgiven, let him wash out all the chamber pots in the lavra, and clean the monastery latrines with his bare hands.” rejoiced and eagerly ran to accomplish his shameful task. a certain while, the Elder was commanded in a vision by the All-Pure and Most Holy Theotokos to allow Saint John to write again. the Patriarch of Jerusalem heard of Saint John, he ordained him priest and made him a preacher at his cathedral. Saint John soon returned to the Lavra of Saint Savva, where he spent the rest of his life writing spiritual books and church hymns. left the monastery only to denounce the iconoclasts at the Constantinople Council of 754. subjected him to imprisonment and torture, but he endured everything, and through the mercy of God he remained alive. He died in about the year 780, more than 100 years old. John of Damascus was a theologian and a zealous defender of Orthodoxy. His most important book is the Fount of Knowledge. The third section of this work, “On the Orthodox Faith,” is a summary of Orthodox doctrine and a refutation of heresy. Since he was known as a hymnographer, we pray to Saint John for help in the study of church singing.

Arabs, 705-715, Al-Walid I, Umayyad Caliph, continued reforms, Byzntne Raids, public works, U peak, Turkistan, Pakistan
Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 705-715, Al-Walid I; Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ( c. 674 -23 February 715), commonly known as al-Walid I , was the sixth Umayyad caliph, ruling from October 705 until his death. He was the eldest son of his predecessor Caliph Abd al-Malik (r. 685-“705). a prince, he led annual raids against the Byzantines from 695 to 698 and built or restored fortifications along the Syrian Desert route to Mecca. became the heir apparent after the death of Abd al-Malik's brother and designated successor, Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan, in 704. largely continued his father's policies of centralization and expansion, and heavily depended on al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, his father's powerful viceroy over the eastern half of the Caliphate. his reign, Umayyad armies conquered the Maghreb, Hispania, Sind and Transoxiana, expanding the Caliphate to its greatest territorial extent. spoils from the conquests allowed al-Walid to finance public works of great magnitude, including the Great Mosque of Damascus, the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. was the first caliph to institute programs for social welfare, aiding the poor and handicapped in Syria. Although it is difficult to ascertain al-Walid's direct role in the affairs of his caliphate, his reign was marked by domestic peace and prosperity and likely represented the peak of Umayyad power. Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4;

Arabs, 713-762, Theodora oCaesarea, Nun dedicated by childless p's, miraculously saved fMarriage by attack killing husband
Armenia, , Theodora of Caesarea, Cappadocia, Armenia, Dedicated by rich childless parents, entered monastery, but iconoclast Leo tIsaurian arranged marriage tHis Aide, miraculously Scythians attacked during wedding feast, husband killed first skirmish, she sailed back tConvent, imperial emissary found she already tonsured a Nun, Therefore could not be forced to leave monastery, rest of life fasting vigil prayer heavy iron chains; Caesurea, Cappadocia; Venerable Theodora of Caesarea, in Cappadocia, Commemorated December 30 ; Theodora of Caesarea, living during the eighth century, the daughter of the patrician Theophilus and his wife Theodora. parents for a long time had been childless, and grieved over this. prayed and vowed that if a child were born to them, it would be dedicated to God. their daughter was of age, her mother took her to the monastery of Saint Anna in Caesarea, where the maiden entered under the guidance of an abbess. she became familiar with spiritual literature. emperor Leo the Isaurian (716-741), an iconoclast heretic, wanted to give the maiden Theodora into marriage to one of his aides. took her from the monastery against her will and brought her to Constantinople, where everything was already prepared for the wedding celebration. during the wedding feast the Scythians attacked the capital, and Saint Theodora’s husband, sent to help beat back the attack of the enemy, perished in the very first skirmish. advantage of the general confusion, Saint Theodora got on a ship and returned to her convent. an imperial emissary followed her there, he saw that she had already been tonsured a nun. she could not be forced to leave the women’s monastery. spent the remaining years of her life in fasting, vigil, and prayer. wore heavy iron chains on her body, not removing them until death.

Arabs, 717-720, Umar II, Umayyad Caliph, scholars, Hadiths, education, China and Tibet
Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 717-720, Umar II ; Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (2 November 682 -5 February 720), commonly known as Umar II, was the eighth Umayyad caliph, who possessed the largest empire in Islamic history[1](alongside al-Mutawakkil). He made various significant contributions and reforms to the society, and he has been described as "the most pious and devout" of the Umayyad rulers and was often called the first Mujaddid and the fifth righteous Caliph of Islam.[2] was also a cousin of the former caliph, being the son of Abd al-Malik's younger brother, Abd al-Aziz. He was also a matrilineal great-grandson of the second caliph, Umar ibn Al-Khattab. with great scholars, he is credited with having ordered the first official collection of Hadiths and encouraged education to everyone. He also sent out emissaries to China and Tibet, inviting their rulers to accept Islam. At the same time, he remained tolerant with non-Muslim citizens. According to Nazeer Ahmed, it was during the time of Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz that the Islamic faith took roots and was accepted by huge segments of the population of Persia and Egypt. Umar is sometimes deemed a pacifist, since he ordered the withdrawal of the Muslim army in places such as Constantinople and Central Asia despite being a good military leader. Under his rule, the Islamic Spain conquered good amount of territories from the Christian Kingdoms, but he removed troops from Septimania, modern France. Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4;

Arabs, 717-740, Icon of Three Hands, John of Damascus hand, MOG heals h, t Sabbas, t Serbia, donkey igumen story
Syria, 717-740, Icon of Three Hands, John of Damascus' hand, Syria (Barada River foothills, Kings Highway 17, Way of the Sea 17), J slandered by Leo III, caliph cut off J's hand, MOG puts it back on, hand had written Orthodoxy defense, MOG commanded toil w o fail before healing, John to Sabbas w icon, icon to Serbia, MOG leads icon donkey to Hilandar, MOG icon becomes igumen of H; Damascus (Barada River foothills); Icon of the Mother of God of œthe Three Hands, Commemorated on June 28; Icon of the Mother of God, “Of the Three Hands”: the eighth century during the time of the Iconoclasts, Saint John of Damascus (December 4) was zealous in his veneration of holy icons. of this, he was slandered by the emperor and iconoclast Leo III the Isaurian (717-740), informed the Damascus caliph that Saint John was committing treasonous acts against him. caliph gave orders to cut off the hand of the monk and take it to the marketplace. evening Saint John, having asked the caliph for the cut-off hand, put it to its joint and fell to the ground before the icon of the Mother of God. monk begged Our Lady to heal the hand, which had written in defense of Orthodoxy. long prayer he fell asleep and saw in a dream that the All-Pure Mother of God had turned to him promising him quick healing. this the Mother of God bid him toil without fail with this hand. awakened from sleep, Saint John saw that his hand was unharmed. thankfulness for this healing Saint John placed on the icon a hand fashioned of silver, from which the icon received its name “Of Three Hands.” iconographers, in their ignorance, have mistakenly depicted the Most Holy Theotokos with three arms and three hands.) to Tradition, Saint John wrote a hymn of thanksgiving to the Mother of God: “All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace,” which appears in place of the hymn “It is Truly Meet” in the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. John Damascene accepted monasticism at the monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified and there bestowed his wonderworking icon. Lavra presented the icon “Of Three Hands” in blessing to Saint Savva, Archbishop of Serbia (+ 1237, January 12). the time of an invasion of Serbia by the Turks, some Christians who wanted to protect the icon, entrusted it to the safekeeping of the Mother of God Herself. placed it upon a donkey, which without a driver proceeded to Athos and stopped in front of the Hilandar monastery. monks put the icon in the monastery’s cathedral church (katholikon). a time of discord over the choice of igumen, the Mother of God deigned to head the monastery Herself, and from that time Her holy icon has occupied the igumen’s place in the temple. the Hilandar monastery there is chosen only a vicar, and from the holy icon the monks take a blessing for every obedience. Greek usage, this Icon is commemorated on June 28; but on July 12 in Slavic usage.

Arabs, 720-724, Yazid II, Umayyad Caliph, financial crisis, reversing reforms, raising taxes failed
Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 720-724, Yazid II; Yazid bin Abd al-Malik (690/91 -” 28 January 724), also referred to as Yazid II, was the ninth Umayyad caliph, ruling from 9 February 720 until his death in 724. did not possess military or administrative experience before his reign.[1] and military policies[edit] expenses of enforcing Umayyad rule in Iraq and the expansionist war efforts along multiple fronts, including the enormous cost of the failed sieges of Constantinople in 717-“718, had erased much of the monetary gains from the conquests of Transoxiana, Sind and the Iberian Peninsula under al-Walid I and caused a financial crisis in the Caliphate.[33] Among the solutions of Yazid's predecessor to the fiscal burden were the withdrawal of the Syrians from Iraq, a halt on conquests and near elimination of grants to Umayyad princes, as well as an unrealized goal to withdraw Arab troops altogether from Transoxiana, the Iberian Peninsula and Cilicia.[33] most significant reforms of Umar II granted equality to the mawa in Khurasan, Sind, Ifriqiya and the Iberian Peninsula by abolishing the jizya, the poll tax traditionally exacted on non-Muslim subjects but in practice extended to non-Arab Muslim converts, and instituting equal pay for mawa in the ranks of the Caliphate's Arab-dominated armies.[1][34] According to Blankinship, the reforms favoring the mawa may have been guided by Umar II's piety, but also a fiscal consideration: if equal treatment with the Arabs made the government popular with the mawa iit could translate into delegating an increased security role for the mawa in their native provinces and their enthusiastic defense of the Caliphate's frontiers, thereby reducing the expense of deploying and garrisoning Arab troops.[33] attempted to reverse, with limited success, the reforms of Umar II, which were opposed by the Arab militarist camp in the Caliphate and the Umayyad ruling family.[1] During Umar II's rule the militarist camp led by Maslama may have accepted a temporary pause in activity to recover from the Constantinople debacle.[35] Under Yazid, Maslama and his proteges, including Ibn Hubayra, were restored or appointed to senior commands, Syrian garrisons were reintroduced to Iraq, the traditional annual raids against the Byzantines and the war with the Khazars were restarted, and the grants of estates or generous sums to Umayyad princes resumed.[36] Although Yazid's policies were presumably meant to gain the backing of the ruling elite and restore the flow of war spoils, they proved insufficient to finance the Caliphate's troops, particularly as booty had become increasingly difficult to obtain by the Arab expeditionary forces.[36] fill the depleted coffers of the caliphal treasury Yazid turned to the fifth of provincial tax revenues officially owed to the caliph. Historically, the provinces neglected to forward the revenues if political conditions allowed and governors often pilfered such funds. To ensure the flow of revenues to the treasury, Yazid appointed governors based on the example set by al-Hajjaj, i.e. upright, meticulously loyal and ruthless in the collection of taxes.[36] Unlike the era of al-Hajjaj, however, Yazid applied this principle for the first time to Ifriqiya, Khurasan, Sind and the Iberian Peninsula.[36] A major aspect of his policy was the reinstatement of the jizya on the mawa,[36] which alienated the mawa in the aforementioned provinces.[1] Ifriqiya, the caliph's governor Yazid ibn Abi Muslim, himself a mawa from Iraq and prota of al-Hajjaj, was assassinated by his Berber guard in 720, shortly after his appointment, for attempting to reinstate the jizya.[1] Many, if not most, Berbers had embraced Islam and commanded a strong position in the army unlike mawa in other parts of the Caliphate.[37] The Berbers reinstalled Ibn Abi Muslim's predecessor Ismail ibn Abd Allah ibn Abi al-Muhajir and notified Yazid, who approved the change.[38] The incident in Ifriqiya was a blow to the Caliphate's prestige in North Africa and served as a harbinger for the Berber Revolt in 740-“743.[1] The reinstatement of the jizya in Khurasan in 721/22 by Ibn Hubayra's deputy Sa'id ibn Amr al-Harashi led to revolts and wars in the province that continued for twenty years and partly contributed to the Abbasid Revolution.[1] In Egypt pay increases to the indigenous mawa sailors of the Muslim fleet were reversed.[36] groups began to gain power among the disaffected. Al-Tabari records that Abbasids were promoting their cause in A.H. 102 (720-721 CE). They were already building a power base that they would later use to topple the Umayyads in 750 CE. same year Yazid's governor in Medina, Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Dahhak, incurred the caliph's displeasure because the governor was exerting undue pressure trying to force a woman to marry him. She appealed to Yazid who replaced Abd al-Rahman with Abd al-Walid ibn Abdallah.[39] against the Khazars[edit] March 722 the Syrian army of Yazid's governor in Armenia and Adharbayjan, Mi'laq ibn Saffar al-Bahrani, was routed by the Khazars in Armenia, south of the Caucasus. The defeat marked the culmination of the Caliphate's winter campaign against the Khazars and resulted in considerable Syrian losses.[40] To avenge this defeat, Yazid II sent al-Jarrah ibn Abdallah at the head of a 25,000-strong army of Syrians, who pushed into the Caucasus homeland of the Khazars and took their capital of Balanjar on 22 August.[41] The main body of the highly mobile Khazars avoided the Muslims' pursuit and their presence compelled al-Jarrah to withdraw to Warthan south of the Caucasus and request reinforcements of from Yazid.[41] In 723 he led another raid north of Balanjar, but made no remarkable gains.[41] edict[edit] to Greek sources, including Patriarch John V of Jerusalem (d. 735), Theophanes the Confessor (d. 818) and Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople (d. 828), Yazid issued an edict ordering the destruction of all icons in Christian churches across the Caliphate under the influence a Jewish magician from Tiberias, variously called Beser or Tessarakontapechys, who promised Yazid a long life of fortune in return.[42] Syriac sources further note that Yazid entrusted Maslama to execute the order and that the edict influenced the Byzantine emperor Leo III (r. 717-“741) to enact his own iconoclastic policy in the Byzantine Empire.[43] The Egypt-based Arabic historians al-Kindi (d. 961), Bishop Severus ibn al-Muqaffa (d. 987) and al-Maqrizi (d. 1442) also make note of the edict and describe its execution in Egypt.[44] The medieval historians cite different years for Yazid's edict, but the modern historian Alexander Vasiliev holds that July 721, the date cited by Patriarch John V, is the most reliable.[45] The order was reversed by Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik (r. 724-“743).[44] Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4;

Arabs, 722-792, Philaret tMerciful, rich man loved poor, giving all, always rewarded, wife&children eventually learn a90 yrs
Armenia, 722-792, Philaret tMerciful oAmnia, Paphlagonia, Armenia, Rich&Illustrious, but did not hoard wealth, famed for love oPoor, Ishmaelites (Arabs) attached, little left fHim but continued to give, rich wife Theoseba complained, jeers oChildren, he said riches hidden away enough 100 yrs wOut working, his gifts would multiply for recipient, knowing this man asks for calf, cow missed calf, wife complains, but P praises her and gives cow tMan, famine came so p took donkey to borrow 6bushels wheat, poor man asks for some wheat, P tells T give him 1bushel, T says give 4bushels to family, P gives man last 2bushels, T says give half the load, P given him 1 more bushel fHalf tLoad, T says give him the bag too, T says to spite me give him all, P givel all 6, man can't lift 6B so T tells P give him donkey, T &Children hungry, wept, Lord rewarded P friends gave him 40 bushels, T kept most, P gave his share, when eating P went to T&Children for food, T grumbled how long treasure hidden, Empress Irene seeking bride for her son, envoys in Amneia, P happy, T sad because not enough food, P tells T light fire decorate, Neighbors bring everything required, Envoys impressed, select granddaughter Maria, marries Constantine, became Emperess, Emperor C rewards P, P alms&feast fPoor, P&family serve poor aFeast, P orders servant fill 3 bags, 1Gold, 1Silver, 1 copper coins, reach in give as God wills, P refused fine clothes, no imperial rank, just call me grandfather oEmperess, 90 yrs knew death coming, tJudgement Monastery, gave gold, asked buried there, i10days, 10th day exhorted family love poor fSalvation, died 792, miracle after death, T restores monasteries churches a barbarian invasion; Amnia (probably here at the mouth of the Amnia River); Amnia River Region is on the Amnia River near the Battle of Amnia; Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor, Commemorated December 1 ; Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in piety and the fear of God. lived during the eighth century in the village of Amnia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, they had three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia. was a rich and illustrious dignitary, he did not hoard his wealth. that many people suffered from poverty, he remembered the words of the Savior about the dread Last Judgment and about “these least ones” (Mt. 25:40); Apostle Paul’s reminder that we will take nothing with us from this world (1 Tim 6:7); the assertion of King David that the righteous would not be forsaken (Ps 36/37:25). whose name means “lover of virtue,” was famed for his love for the poor. day Ishmaelites [Arabs] attacked Paphlagonia, devastating the land and plundering the estate of Philaret. remained only two oxen, a donkey, a cow with her calf, some beehives, and the house. he also shared them with the poor. wife reproached him for being heartless and unconcerned for his own family. yet firmly he endured the reproaches of his wife and the jeers of his children. “I have hidden away riches and treasure,” he told his family, “so much that it would be enough for you to feed and clothe yourselves, even if you lived a hundred years without working.” saint’s gifts always brought good to the recipient. received anything from him found that the gift would multiply, and that person would become rich. this, a certain man came to Saint Philaret asking for a calf so that he could start a herd. cow missed its calf and began to bellow. Theoseba said to her husband, “You have no pity on us, you merciless man, but don’t you feel sorry for the cow? You have separated her from her calf.” saint praised his wife, and agreed that it was not right to separate the cow and the calf. he called the poor man to whom he had given the calf and told him to take the cow as well. year there was a famine, so Saint Philaret took the donkey and went to borrow six bushels of wheat from a friend of his. he returned home, a poor man asked him for a little wheat, so he told his wife to give the man a bushel. said, “First you must give a bushel to each of us in the family, then you can give away the rest as you choose.” then gave the man two bushels of wheat. Theoseba said sarcastically, “Give him half the load so you can share it.” saint measured out a third bushel and gave it to the man. Theoseba said, “Why don’t you give him the bag, too, so he can carry it?” gave him the bag. The exasperated wife said, “Just to spite me, why not give him all the wheat.” Saint Philaret did so. the man was unable to lift the six bushels of wheat, so Theoseba told her husband to give him the donkey so he could carry the wheat home. Blessing his wife, Philaret gave the donkey to the man, who went home rejoicing. and the children wept because they were hungry. Lord rewarded Philaret for his generosity: the last measure of wheat was given away, an old friend sent him forty bushels. kept most of the wheat for herself and the children, the saint gave away his share to the poor and had nothing left. his wife and children were eating, he would go to them and they gave him some food. grumbled saying, “How long are you going to keep that treasure of yours hidden? Take it out so we can buy food with it.” this time the Byzantine empress Irene (797-802) was seeking a bride for her son, the future emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos (780-797). emissaries were sent throughout all the Empire to find a suitable girl, and the envoys came to Amneia. Philaret and Theoseba learned that these most illustrious guests were to visit their house, was very happy, but Theoseba was sad, for they did not have enough food. Philaret told his wife to light the fire and to decorate their home. neighbors, knowing that imperial envoys were expected, brought everything required for a rich feast. envoys were impressed by the saint’s daughters and granddaughters. Seeing their beauty, their deportment, their clothing, and their admirable qualities, the envoys agreed that Philaret’s granddaughter, Maria was exactly what they were looking for. Maria exceeded all her rivals in quality and modesty and indeed became Constantine’s wife, and the emperor rewarded Philaret. fame and riches returned to Philaret. just as before, this holy lover of the poor generously distributed alms and provided a feast for the poor. and his family served them at the meal. Everyone was astonished at his humility and said: “This is a man of God, a true disciple of Christ.” ordered a servant to take three bags and fill one with gold, one with silver, and one with copper coins. a beggar approached, Philaret ordered his servant to bring forth one of the bags, whichever God’s providence would ordain. he would reach into the bag and give to each person, as much as God willed. Philaret refused to wear fine clothes, nor would he accept any imperial rank. said it was enough for him to be called the grandfather of the Empress. saint reached ninety years of age and knew his end was approaching. went to the Rodolpheia (“The Judgment”) monastery in Constantinople. gave some gold to the Abbess and asked her to allow him to be buried there, saying that he would depart this life in ten days. returned home and became ill. On the tenth day he summoned his family, he exhorted them to imitate his love for the poor if they desired salvation. Then he fell asleep in the Lord. He died in the year 792 and was buried in the Rodolpheia Judgment monastery in Constantinople. appearance of a miracle after his death confirmed the sainthood of Righteous Philaret. they bore the body of the saint to the cemetery, a certain man, possessed by the devil, followed the funeral procession and tried to overturn the coffin. they reached the grave, the devil threw the man down on the ground and went out of him. other miracles and healings also took place at the grave of the saint. the death of the righteous Philaret, his wife Theoseba worked at restoring monasteries and churches devastated during a barbarian invasion.

Arabs, 724-743, Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, Umayyad Caliph, effective rule
Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 724-743, Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik; ibn Abd al-Malik (691-6 February 743) was the tenth Umayyad caliph who ruled from 724 until his death in 743. When he was born in 691 his father named him after his mother. the caliphate from his brother Yazid II, Hisham was ruling an empire with many different problems. He would, however, be effective in attending to these problems, and in allowing the Umayyad empire to continue as an entity. His long rule was an effective one, and it saw a rebirth of reforms that were originated by Umar bin Abd al-Aziz. his brother al-Walid I, Hisham was a great patron of the arts, and he again encouraged arts in the empire. He also encouraged the growth of education by building more schools, and perhaps most importantly, by overseeing the translation of numerous literary and scientific masterpieces into Arabic. He returned to a stricter interpretation of the Sharia as Umar had, and enforced it, even upon his own family. His ability to stand up to the Umayyad clan may have been an important factor in his success, and may point to why his brother Yazid was ineffective. to tradition, Hisham ordered the hadith scholar Ibn Shihab al-Zuhri (d.742) to commit the hadith he had memorized to writing. activities[edit] the military front his empire suffered a series of setbacks, especially in the Caucasus against the Khazars (the Battle of Marj Ardabil) and in Transoxiana against the Turgesh (the "Day of Thirst" and the Battle of the Pass). Hisham sent armies to end the Hindu rebellion in Sindh, and was successful when the Hindu ruler Jai Singh was killed. This allowed the Umayyads to reassert their rule over some portions of their provinces in India. Some invasions of Indian kingdoms were led by the Arab governors of Sindh but they were unsuccessful. Hisham's rule, regular raids against the Byzantine Empire continued. One regular commander of Arab forces was the redoubtable Maslama, Hisham's half-brother. He fought the Byzantines in 725-“726 CE (A.H. 107) and the next year captured Caesarea Mazaca. He also fought the Khazars in the Caucasus. In 728, he fought for a month against the Khaqan there and defeated him. Hisham's son Mu'awiyah ibn Hisham was another Arab commander in the almost-annual raids against the Byzantine Empire. In 728, he took the fort of Samalu in Cilicia. The next year Mu'awiyah thrust left and Sa'id ibn Hisham right, in addition to a sea raid. In 731, Mu'awiyah captured Kharsianon in Cappadocia. raided the Byzantine Empire in 731-“732 (A.H. 113). The next year he captured Aqrun (Akroinos), while Abdallah al-Battal took a Byzantine commander prisoner. Mu'awiyah raided Byzantium from 734-“737. In 737, al Walid ibn al Qa'qa al-Absi led the raid against the Byzantines. The next year Sulayman ibn Hisham captured Sindirah (Sideroun). In 738-“739, Maslama captured some of Cappadocia and also raided the Avars. Theophanes the Confessor (p. 103) states that while some Arabs raided successfully in 739 and returned home safely, others were soundly defeated at the Battle of Akroinon. He records that internal Byzantine strife (the struggle between Constantine V and the usurper Artabasdos) facilitated Arab raids by Sulayman ibn Hisham in 741-“742 (p. 106) that made many Byzantines Arab captives. Al-Tabari refers to the same raid.[2] North Africa, Kharijite teachings combined with natural local restlessness to produce a significant Berber revolt. In 740, a large Berber force surrounded a loyal army at Wadi Sherif, where the loyalists fought to the death. Hisham dispatched a force of 27,000 Syrians, which was destroyed in 741. In 742 Handhala ibn Safwan began successfully, but soon was besieged in Qairawan. He led a desperate sortie from the city that scattered the Berbers, killing thousands and re-establishing Umayyad rule. also faced a revolt by the armies of Zayd ibn Ali, grandson of Husayn bin Ali, which was put down because of the betrayal of the Kufans. The Kufans encouraged Zayd to revolt. Zayd was ordered to leave Kufah and though he appeared to set out for Mecca, he returned and dwelt secretly in Kufah moving from house to house and receiving the allegiance of many people. Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi, Iraq's governor, learned of the plot, commanded the people to gather at the great mosque, locked them inside and began a search for Zayd. Zayd with some troops fought his way to the mosque and called on people to come out. He then pushed back Yusuf's troops, but was felled by an arrow. Although his body was initially buried, the spot was pointed out and it was extracted, beheaded and the head sent to Hisham and later to Medina. Umayyad coin issued by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. Spain, the internal conflicts of the years past were ended, and Hisham's governor, Abd ar Rahman ibn Abdallah, assembled a large army that went into France. He besieged Bordeaux and pushed to the Loire. This marked the limit of Arabic conquest in Western Europe. The wave was halted at the Battle of Tours by Charles Martel who ruled the kingdom of the Franks. Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4;

Arabs, 735-736, Marwan ibn Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf), Umayyad Caliph, fought all across Georgia East to West
Persia, 735-736, Umayyad Caliph, Marwan ibn Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf); ibn Muhammad's invasion of Georgia took place from 735 to 737. It was initiated by the Umayyad Caliphate. The goals of the campaign are disputed among historians. The Georgian historiography insists its main purpose was to finally break the stiff Georgian resistance against Arab rule,[1] however, the western historians such as Cyril Toumanoff,[2] and Ronald Suny,[3] view it as a general campaign directed at both the Byzantine Empire, who exerted dominion over Western Georgia, and the Khazars, whose repeated raids affected not only Iberia (Eastern Georgia) and the whole Caucasus, but had in 730 reached Arab lands all the way to Mosul. invasion[edit] invasion was led by Marwan ibn Muhammad, who later became the last Umayyad caliph Marwan II. He first campaigned in Kartli, after which he led his armies to the west and besieged the fortress of Anakopia, where Archil of Kakheti and his brother Mihr, who were assisted by Leon I of Abkhazia, were stationed. The Arabs failed to take the fortress and were forced to retreat. Fearing an onslaught, large numbers of Georgians fled to the mountainous regions. Marwan later invaded Samtskhe, encamped in Odzrkhe and led his forces against the princes of Argveti, Constantine and David, from whom, upon their capture, he demanded unconditional conversion to Islam, which both refused. He tortured and then killed them for their refusal. After that, Marwan took Tshkumi (modern Sukhumi) and Tsikhegoji and again turned to Anakopia. The Georgians fought fiercely and the Arabs were powerless to take the fortress, especially after heavy rains and floods began. The Arabs retreated with heavy losses. cruelty and ruthlessness was epitomized by the Georgians by naming him Murvan Qru ("Marwan the Deaf"). After his campaign, most major settlements were utterly ruined and people faced starvation. If Georgian historiography insists that Kartli was devastated by the invasion, Toumanoff, relying on local and Arab sources, claims that most of the damage in the Eastern part of the country was actually the result of the previous Khazar raids, and that the local Georgian prince, Guaram III of Iberia, actually sided with the Arabs in order to repeal them beyond the Caucasian range.[4] In any case, the Arab intervention gave them more power over Iberia than they had managed to attain in almost a century of previous conquests. They established the Emirate of Tbilisi to exert direct control over Iberia, even though the Principate of Iberia was not abolished, and local nobility retained most of their power. Because civil instability and foreign enemies were plaguing the caliphate, it was unable to launch another invasion and until 786 settled upon receiving irregular tributes from the Georgian local princes. Arab general Marwan the Deaf; ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam (691 - 6 August 750), usually known simply as Marwan II, was the fourteenth and last caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 744 until he was killed in 750. of his reign was dominated by a civil war, and he was the last Umayyad ruler to rule the united Caliphate before the Abbasid Revolution toppled the Umayyad dynasty. and background[edit] ibn Muhammad was a member of the Marwanid household of the Umayyad Caliphate. His grandmother, named Zaynab. Marwan's father, Muhammad ibn Marwan, who was the son of the fourth Umayyad Caliph Marwan I (r. 684–685), and hence half-brother to fifth Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705).[1][2] mother was a woman who's mostly unnamed, however sometimes is called Rayya or Tarubah, and is likely of non-Arab origin (a Kurd according to some accounts). Some have referenced that his mother was already pregnant with Marwan before his legal father, Muhammad, bed her, thus making the child not his.[3] A couple sources report that Muhammad had taken her captive during the suppression of Ibn al-Zubayr's revolt.[4] There is much doubt and dispute on his mother's name but she was most commonly known as Umm Marwan (meaning "Mother of Marwan"). life[edit] 732–733 Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia. In 735–736 Marwan invaded Georgia, devastated it and then took three fortresses of the Alans and made peace with Tumanshah. In 739-740 he launched further raids and obtained tribute. 744-745, on hearing news of the plot to overthrow al-Walid II, Marwan wrote to his relatives from Armenia strongly discouraging this. He urged them to harmoniously preserve the stability and well-being of the Umayyad house. Yazid III persisted in overthrowing al-Walid II, Marwan at first opposed him, then rendered allegiance to him. On Yazid's early death (Yazid named his brother Ibrahim as his successor. Yazid fell ill of a brain tumour[5]), Marwan renewed his ambitions, ignored Yazid's named successor Ibrahim, and became caliph. Ibrahim initially hid, then requested Marwan give him assurances of personal safety. This Marwan granted and Ibrahim even accompanied the new caliph to Hisham's residence of Rusafah. Old map of western Eurasia and northern Africa showing the expansion of the Caliphate from Arabia to cover most of the Middle East, with the Byzantine Empire outlined in green The expansion of the Muslim Caliphate until 750, from William R. Shepherd's Historical Atlas. Muslim state at the death of Muhammad Expansion under the Rashidun Caliphate Expansion under the Umayyad Caliphate Byzantine Empire named his two sons Ubaydallah and Abdullah heirs. He appointed governors and proceeded to assert his authority by force. However, the anti-Umayyad feeling was very prevalent, especially in Iran and Iraq. The Abbasids had gained much support. As such, Marwan's reign as caliph was almost entirely devoted to trying to keep the Umayyad empire together. took Emesa (Homs) after a bitter ten-month siege. Al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Shaybani led a Kharijite rebellion. He defeated the Syrian forces and took Kufa. Sulayman ibn Hisham turned against Marwan, but suffered a severe defeat. The Kharijites advanced on Mosul and were defeated. Sulayman joined them. Al-Dahhak's successor al-Khaybari was initially successful in pushing back Marwan's center and even took the caliph's camp and sat on his carpet. However, he and those with him fell into fighting in the camp. Shayban succeeded him. Marwan pursued him and Sulayman to Mosul and besieged them there for six months. Then, reinforced, the caliph drove them out. Shayban fled to Bahrayn where he was killed; Sulayman sailed to India. Khurasan there was internal discord, with the Umayyad governor Nasr ibn Sayyar facing opposition from al-Harith and al-Kirmani. They also fought each other. In addition, Abbasid envoys arrived. There had long been religious fervor and a kind of messianic expectation of Abbasid ascendency. During Ramadan of 747 (16 May – 14 June), the Abbasids unfurled the standards of their revolt. Nasr sent his retainer Yazid against them. Yazid, however, was bested, taken, and held captive. He was impressed by the Abbasids and when released told Nasr he wanted to join them, but his obligations to Nasr brought him back. continued throughout Khurasan with the Abbasids gaining increasing ascendency. Finally, Nasr fell sick and died at Rayy on 9 November 748 at the age of eighty-five. campaigned in Egypt in 749 to quell the Bashmuric Revolt and secure his rear, but his campaign was a failure.[6] The Abbasids, meanwhile, achieved success in the Hijaz. Marwan suffered a decisive defeat by Abu al-Abbas al-Saffah on the banks of the Great Zab, called Battle of the Zab. At this battle alone, over 300 members of the Umayyad family died. Marwan fled, leaving Damascus, Jordan and Palestine and reaching Egypt, where he was caught and killed on 6 August 750. His heirs Ubaydallah and Abdallah escaped to modern Eritrea. Abdallah died in fighting there. death signaled the end of Umayyad fortunes in the East and was followed by the mass killing of Umayyads by the Abbasids. Almost the entire Umayyad dynasty was killed, except for the prince Abd ar-Rahman who escaped to Spain and founded an Umayyad dynasty there. In Egypt, Marwan's tongue was fed to a cat.[7] Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2; 8th century was extremely difficult for the Georgian people. Marwan bin Muhammad (called “the Deaf” by the Georgians and “the Blind” by the Armenians), the Persian ruler and military leader for the Arab caliph, invaded eastern parts of the Byzantine Empire, then Armenia and Georgia. fire and the sword he fought his way across Georgia from the east to the city of Tskhumi (now Sokhumi) in the region of Abkhazeti. The princes David and Constantine Mkheidze of Argveti were faithful Christians and skilled military leaders. When they heard about the enemy’s invasion, the brothers prayed to God for protection, assembled their armies, and urged their people to pray fervently for God’s help. Persian warriors approached Argveti from Samtskhe and attacked the Georgians on Persati Mountain. The Georgian army won the battle, with David and Constantine leading the resistance against the fearsome conquerors. before long the enraged Marwan the Deaf gathered an enormous army and marched toward Argveti to take revenge. This time the enemy routed the Georgian army. Many were killed and those who survived were forced to flee to the forests. The commanders David and Constantine were taken captive. Persian soldiers bound David and Constantine and brought them before Marwan the Deaf, who began to mock them. But they reacted with complete composure, saying, “Your laughter and boasting are in vain, since earthly glory is fleeting and soon fades away. It is not your valor that has captured us, but our own sins. For the atonement of these sins have we fallen into the hands of the godless enemy!” furious Marwan ordered that the brothers be beaten without mercy, but they steadfastly endured the suffering. Stunned by the brothers’ resolve, Marwan decided to win them over with flattery instead. Promising him great honors and command of the armies, he turned to the older brother, David, saying, “I have heard of your valor, and I advise you to abandon your erroneous faith and submit yourself to the faith of Muhammad!” David crossed himself and answered, “Let not this disgrace come upon us, that we would depart from the light and draw nearer to the darkness!” Then he condemned the error of the Islamic faith: “Muhammad converted you from the worship of fire, but he could not instill in you the knowledge of the True God. Therefore it appears as though you suffered a shipwreck and saved yourselves from the depths of the sea, but drowned in the shallow waters of the coast.” at this reply, Marwan turned to the younger brother, Constantine, hoping to win him over to his side. But Constantine was also unbending, and he fearlessly glorified the Most Holy Trinity: “My brother David and I believe and follow the one Faith and one doctrine in which we have been instructed. Our faith is in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and we will die for the sake of the One True God!” ordered that the brothers be starved to death. After they had suffered for ten days, Marwan sent sorcerers and charmers to arouse in them a desire to convert to Islam, but their efforts were in vain. Finally the holy brothers David and Constantine were led to the riverbank near the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. There they were brutally beaten and bound. Heavy rocks were hung from their necks, and they were drowned in the river. night three beams of light descended from the heavens and lit up the place where the brothers had been drowned. According to God’s holy will, the ropes binding the holy martyrs were loosed, and their bodies floated to the surface. A group of faithful Christians carried them out of the river and buried them on the bank of the Tsqaltsitela River, in a church that Marwan the Deaf had devastated. place of their burial remained concealed until the beginning of the 12th century, during the reign of King Bagrat the Great (1072-1117). Then, in fulfillment of King Bagrat’s decree, the Monastery of the Martyrs (Motsameta) was built over that place, and the incorrupt relics of the Great Martyrs are still preserved there. Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Arabs, 740, Damascus Icon aka 3Hands, iconodule John oD slandered bIconoclast, MOG heals hand, Silver hand oHer Icon
Syria, 740 & 1237, Damascus Icon or 3Hands Icon, Syria, John oDamascus venerated icons, slandered by iconoclast Leo III Isaurian, Caliph cut off his hand, tMarketplace, asked for hand put it on joint prayed tMOG at her icon, hand had written Orthodoxy defense, saw MOG in dream promised quick healing, before this MOG bid him toil without fail with this hand, woke wHealed hand, in thankfulness put silver hand on Icon, 3hands Icon, wrote thanksgiving hymn All Creation Rejoices in You O Full oGrace, in Basil' Liturgy place It is Truly Meet, John oD monk at Sabbas, there gave icon, 1237 icon tSerbia aSava's Monastery, icon put on donkey during Turk invasion, donkey tSerbian Monastery Hilandar oAthos, MOG made Icon Hilandar Igumen by MOG; Damascus (Barada River foothills); Icon of the Mother of God of Damascus, Commemorated on December 4 ; Damascene Icon of the Mother of God, by ancient tradition, was painted by Saint John of Damascus gratitude to the Theotokos for the miraculous healing of his right hand, off through the perfidy of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. icon is also known as “Of the Three Hands” Icon of the Mother of God (June 28, and July 12). the ninth century in the time of the Iconoclasts, Saint John of Damascus (December 4) was zealous in his veneration of holy icons. of this, he was slandered by the emperor and iconoclast Leo III the Isaurian (717-740), informed the Damascus caliph that Saint John was committing treasonous acts against him. caliph gave orders to cut off the hand of the monk take it to the marketplace. evening Saint John, having asked the caliph for the cut-off hand, put it to its joint and fell to the ground before the icon of the Mother of God. monk begged Our Lady to heal the hand, had written in defense of Orthodoxy. long prayer he fell asleep saw in a dream that the All-Pure Mother of God had turned to him promising him quick healing. this the Mother of God bid him toil without fail with this hand. awakened from sleep, Saint John saw that his hand was unharmed. thankfulness for this healing Saint John placed on the icon a hand fashioned of silver, which the icon received its name “Of Three Hands.” iconographers, in their ignorance, have mistakenly depicted the Most Holy Theotokos with three arms and three hands.) to Tradition, Saint John wrote a hymn of thanksgiving to the Mother of God: “All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace,” appears in place of the hymn “It is Truly Meet” in the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. John Damascene received monasticism at the monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified there bestowed his wonderworking icon. Lavra presented the icon “Of Three Hands” in blessing to Saint Savva, Archbishop of Serbia (+ 1237, January 12). an invasion of Serbia by the Turks, some Christians who wanted to protect the icon, entrusted it to the safekeeping of the Mother of God Herself. placed it upon a donkey, which without a driver proceeded to Athos and stopped in front of the Hilandar monastery. monks put the icon in the monastery’s cathedral church (katholikon). a time of discord over the choice of igumen, Mother of God deigned to head the monastery Herself, from that time Her holy icon has occupied the igumen’s place in the temple. the Hilandar monastery there is chosen only a vicar, and from the holy icon the monks take a blessing for every obedience.

Arabs, 744-750, Marwan II bin Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf or Blind), Umayyad Caliph, Third M Civil War
Arab general Marwan the Deaf; Syria, Arab Umayyad Caliph, 744-750, Marwan II bin Muhammad (Marwan the Deaf) invasion of Georgia; ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam (691 -“ 6 August 750), also called Marwan II, was the fourteenth and last caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, ruling from 744 until he was killed in 750. Much of his reign was dominated by the Third Muslim Civil War, and he was the last Umayyad ruler to rule the united Caliphate before the Abbasid Revolution toppled the Umayyad dynasty. A.H. 114 (732-“733) Caliph Hisham appointed Marwan governor of Armenia and Azerbaijan. In A.H. 117 (735-“736) Marwan invaded Georgia, devastated it and then took three fortresses of the Alans and made peace with Tumanshah. In A.H. 121 he launched further raids and obtained tribute. In A.H. 126, on hearing news of the plot to overthrow al-Walid II, Marwan wrote to his relatives from Armenia strongly discouraging this. He urged them to harmoniously preserve the stability and well-being of the Umayyad house. Yazid III persisted in overthrowing al-Walid II, Marwan at first opposed him, then rendered allegiance to him. On Yazid's early death, Marwan renewed his ambitions, ignored Yazid's named successor Ibrahim and became caliph. Ibrahim initially hid, then requested Marwan give him assurances of personal safety. This Marwan granted and Ibrahim even accompanied the new caliph to Hisham's residence of Rusafah. named his two sons Ubaydillah and Abdullah heirs. He appointed governors and proceeded to assert his authority by force. However, anti-Umayyad feeling was very prevalent, especially in Iran and Iraq. The Abbasids had gained much support. As such, Marwan's reign as caliph was almost entirely devoted to trying to keep the Umayyad empire together. took Emesa (Homs) after a bitter ten-month siege. Al-Dahhak ibn Qays al-Shaybani led a Kharijite rebellion. He defeated the Syrian forces and took Kufa. Sulayman ibn Hisham turned against Marwan, but suffered a severe defeat. The Kharijites advanced on Mosul and were defeated. Sulayman joined them. Al-Dahhak's successor al-Khaybari was initially successful in pushing back Marwan's centre and even took the caliph's camp and sat on his carpet. However, he and those with him fell in fighting in the camp. Shayban succeeded him. Marwan pursued him and Sulayman to Mosul and besieged them there for six months. Then, reinforced, the caliph drove them out. Shayban fled to Bahrayn where he was killed; Sulayman sailed to India. Khurasan there was internal discord with the Umayyad governor Nasr ibn Sayyar facing opposition from al-Harith and al-Kirmani. They also fought each other. In addition Abbasid envoys arrived. There had long been religious fervour and a kind of messianic expectation of Abbasid ascendency. During Ramadan 747 (May 16-“June 14), they unfurled the standards of their revolt. Nasr sent his retainer Yazid against them. Yazid, however, was bested, taken and held captive. He was impressed by the Abbasids and when released told Nasr he wanted to join them, but his obligations to Nasr brought him back. continued throughout Khurasan with the Abbasids gaining increasing ascendency. Finally, Nasr fell sick and died at Rayy on November 9, 748 at the age of eighty-five. campaign in Egypt in 749 to quell the Bashmuric Revolt and secure his rear, but his campaign was a failure.[3] The Abbasids, meanwhile, achieved success in the Hijaz. Marwan suffered a decisive defeat by Abu al-'Abbas al-Saffah on the banks of the Great Zab called Battle of the Zab. At this battle alone, over 300 members of the Umayyad family died. Marwan fled, leaving Damascus, Jordan and Palestine and reaching Egypt, where he was caught and killed on August 6, 750. His heirs Ubaydallah and Abdallah escaped to modern Eritrea. Ubaydallah died in fighting there. death signalled the end of Umayyad fortunes in the East, and was followed by the mass-killing of Umayyads by the Abbasids. Almost the entire Umayyad dynasty was killed, except for the talented prince Abd ar-Rahman who escaped to Spain and founded an Umayyad dynasty there. In Egypt, Marian's tongue was fed to a cat.[4] Martyr David the Prince of Georgia, Commemorated on October 2; Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4; St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated on January 8; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ;

Arabs, 750-1517, History Folder, Abbasid Caliphate, Sunni

Arabs, 750-1517, Abbasid Caliphate, first b in Baghdad, then took Fatmids 1171, Sunni, Revolution, Persian bureaucrats
Arab Caliphates, 750-1517, Abbasid, based in Baghdad, Shia ; The Abbasid Caliphate was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib (566-“653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes its name.[2] They ruled as caliphs for most of the caliphate from their capital in Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, after having overthrown the Umayyad Caliphate in the Abbasid Revolution of 750 CE (132 AH). Abbasid Caliphate first centered its government in Kufa, modern-day Iraq, but in 762 the caliph Al-Mansur founded the city of Baghdad, near the ancient Sasanian capital city of Ctesiphon. Abbasid period was marked by reliance on Persian bureaucrats (notably the Barmakid family) for governing the territories as well as an increasing inclusion of non-Arab Muslims in the ummah (national community). customs were broadly adopted by the ruling elite, and they began patronage of artists and scholars.[3] became a center of science, culture, philosophy and invention in what became known as the Golden Age of Islam. this initial cooperation, the Abbasids of the late 8th century had alienated both non-Arab mawali (clients)[4] and Iranian bureaucrats.[5] were forced to cede authority over al-Andalus (Spain) to the Umayyads in 756, Morocco to the Idrisids in 788, Ifriqiya and Southern Italy to the Aghlabids in 800, Khorasan and Transoxiana to the Samanids and Persia to the Saffarids in the 870s, and Egypt to the Isma'ili-Shia caliphate of the Fatimids in 969. political power of the caliphs was limited with the rise of the Iranian Buyids and the Seljuq Turks, who captured Baghdad in 945 and 1055, respectively. Abbasid leadership over the vast Islamic empire was gradually reduced to a ceremonial religious function in much of the Caliphate, the dynasty retained control over its Mesopotamian domain. Abbasids' period of cultural fruition and its (reduced) territorial control ended in 1258 with the sack of Baghdad by the Mongols under Hulagu Khan and the execution of Al-Musta'sim. Abbasid line of rulers, and Muslim culture in general, re-centred themselves in the Mamluk capital of Cairo in 1261. lacking in political power (with the brief exception of Caliph Al-Musta'in of Cairo), the dynasty continued to claim religious authority until after the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517.[6] Apostle and Evangelist Mark, Commemorated on April 25;

Arabs, 750-799, 8th Century History Folder, Abbasids in Baghdad

Arabs, 749-810s, Khuzayma ibn Khazim, Dzhidzhum-Asim, Abbasid military leader, great influence role to power
Arabs, 749-810s, Abbasid military leader, Khuzayma ibn Khazim, Dzhidzhum-Asim ; ibn Khazim ibn Khuzayma al-Tamimi (died 818/9) was a powerful grandee in the early Abbasid Caliphate. The son of the distinguished military leader Khazim ibn Khuzayma, he inherited a position of privilege and power, and served early on in high state offices. was crucial in securing the accession of Harun al-Rashid in 786, and was an influential figure throughout his reign. During the civil war of 811-“813 he sided with al-Amin, but finally defected to the camp of al-Amin's brother al-Ma'mun and played a decisive role in ending the year-long siege of Baghdad in a victory for al-Ma'mun's forces. was the son of Khazim ibn Khuzayma, a Khurasani Arab who became an early follower of the Abbasids and played an instrumental role in their rise to power both during and after the Abbasid Revolution. Through Khazim, the family achieved a prominent place among the Khurasaniyya, the Khurasani soldiers who had come west during the Revolution and formed the main power-base of the early Abbasid regime.[1] In his youth, Khuzayma participated in the Revolution alongside his father, and according to al-Dinawari was named governor of Tabaristan in 760.[2] After Khazim's death (the date is unknown, but sometime after 765[3]), his position and influence were mostly inherited by Khuzayma.[4] Khuzayma served as sahib al-shurta (chief of police) of Baghdad under Caliph al-Mahdi (r. 775-“785).[5] power was shown in 786, at the death of al-Hadi (r. 785-“786), when he was instrumental in securing the accession of al-Hadi's younger brother Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-“809) against the claims of al-Hadi's son Ja'far. At the time of his sudden death on 14 September, al-Hadi was planning to remove Harun from the succession in favour of Ja'far, but he had not yet done so. Thus, on the night when al-Hadi died, Harun's supporters hastened to acclaim him as Caliph, while others gave the oath of allegiance to Ja'far. Although Khuzayma had been a staunch supporter of al-Hadi, the Caliph's decision to strip his brother Abdallah from the post of sahib al-shurta probably alienated him. Khuzayma reportedly gathered and armed 5,000 of his own followers, dragged the young prince from his bed and forced him to publicly renounce his claims in favour of Harun.[3][6][7] Khuzayma and his brother Abdallah enjoyed great influence and occupied senior provincial governorships under Harun; Khuzayma's wealth was such that he built a magnificent palace in Baghdad.[3] Khuzayma served as governor of Basra,[2] as well as twice as governor (ostikan) of Arminiya (a large province encompassing the whole of Transcaucasia) the first time for 14 months in 786-“787, and again for an unknown period of time around 804. According to Arab sources, his first tenure was distinguished for his sound government, but according to Armenian sources he launched repeated and bloody persecutions of the semi-autonomous local princes in both Armenia and Iberia, executing many of their number (among them Archil of Kakheti).[8] After the 799 Khazar invasion of Arminiya, Khuzayma and Yazid ibn Mazyad were tasked with confronting the Khazars. Yazid led the troops against the Khazar invaders, while Khuzayma remained in reserve near Nisibis.[9] In 808, when Harun journeyed east to deal with the revolt of Rafi ibn al-Layth in Khurasan, Khuzayma was appointed as the guardian and tutor over Harun's third son, al-Qasim, who was governor of the frontier zone with the Byzantine Empire.[10][11] Towards the end of Harun's reign, he also served as the Caliph's shahib al-shurta.[2] the death of Harun and the rise to the throne of al-Amin (r. 809–813), Khuzayma was appointed as Qasim's deputy for the Jazira, and in 810, when Qasim was recalled to Baghdad and placed under virtual house arrest, Khuzayma succeeded him as governor of both the Jazira and the Byzantine frontier.[12] In the period leading up to the civil war between al-Amin and his half-brother al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833), at the time heir-apparent and governor of Khurasan, Khuzayma was among those who advised al-Amin to avoid openly breaking relations with al-Ma'mun by removing him from the line of succession.[2][13] By this time, Khuzayma was in very advanced age and almost blind. Like most of the Khurasaniyya and the traditional Abbasid elites, he and his brothers initially supported al-Amin, who was based at Baghdad, against al-Ma'mun, who was based in Khurasan. After the victories of al-Ma'mun's troops, however, Baghdad itself came under a year-long siege. As the siege progressed, the elites' support for al-Amin began to waver, and in September 813, Khuzayma was contacted by al-Ma'mun's general, Tahir ibn Husayn. The talks bore fruit, and on the night of 21 September, Khuzayma's servants cut the main bridge over the Tigris linking the eastern and western quarters of Baghdad. The eastern part surrendered the very next day, while Tahir's troops stormed and captured most of the western city, resulting in al-Amin's flight, capture and execution by Tahir's men.[14][15] Khuzayma remained an important personage and was involved in the tumultuous politics of Baghdad during the next few years, being one of the leaders of the uprising of Baghdad against al-Ma'mun's governor, al-Hasan ibn Sahl, in 816.[2][16] He died in 818/9.[17] After his death, and with the end of the civil war and the rise of new elites under al-Ma'mun, his family, like most of the Khurasaniyya, lost its previous power.[3] Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia, Commemorated on June 21 Holy Martyr Archil II, King of Georgia belonged to the dynasty of the Chosroidoi, and he was a direct descendant of the holy emperor Saint Mirian (+ 342). the reign of Archil II, Georgia was subjected to a devastating invasion by Murvana-Kru (“the Wildâ€), so called by the Georgian people for his inexorable cruelty. The position of the Georgian people was desperate, and the emperor Archil II, together with his brother Myro, the ruler of Western Georgia, tearfully implored the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, and She showed forth Her mercy. a battle by the Rivers Abasha and Tskhenis-Tskhali the Georgian forces miraculously gained the victory over the significantly superior forces of Murvana-Kru. this victory the emperor Archil II was occupied with the restoration of the Georgian kingdom. He rebuilt the city of Nukhpatis, rebuilt ruined churches in Mtskheta and furthered the acceptance of Christianity by many of the mountain tribes. But soon Georgia suffered a new Arab invasion with the sudden appearance of Dzhidzhum-Asim (Jijum-Asim). Having paid a tribute to the Arabs, the emperor did not expect this invasion. In order to deliver the land from new devastation and avert the intrusion of Islam upon it, he deemed it beneficial to go himself to Dzhizhum-Asim, and subject formerly independent Georgia to the Arabs, and ask for peace. Placing all his hope on the mercy of God and ready to offer up his soul for his holy Faith and for his nation, Saint Archil went to the camp of the Arabs. Dzhidzhum-Asim received him hospitably and promised his suzerainty, but insisted on acceptance of Mohammedanism. As the “Georgian Chronicleâ€ relates, the holy emperor Archil calmly said, “It will not be, that I should forsake Christ, the True God, Who for our salvation took upon Himself human flesh. I know, if I obey you, then I shall die a spiritual death and shall suffer eternally. If for my firmness you put me to death, I shall then rise as did my Lord, and I shall go to Himâ€. these words, Dzhidzhum-Asim gave orders to seize the confessor and take him off to prison. But neither tortures nor promises could make the eighty-year-old emperor Archil apostasize. March 20, 744 the holy emperor Archil was beheaded. The body of the martyr was secretly taken by Georgian Christians to the locale Ertso and buried in Kakhetia, in the Notkor church built by the holy emperor himself.

Arabs, 750-754, As-Saffah, Abbasid Caliph, first A caliph, ruthless, long rule
Abbasid Caliph, 750-754, As-Saffah; -10 June 754) was the first caliph of the Abbasid caliphate, one of the longest and most important caliphates (Islamic dynasties) in Islamic history. (Due to different methods of romanising Arabic names, the spellings As-Saffah and Al-Saffah may both be found.) meaning "the Blood-Shedder" for his ruthless tactics and perhaps also to instill fear in his enemies. St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21;

Arabs, 754-775, Al-Mansur, Abbasid Caliph, real founder of the caliphate, Bagdad founder
Abbasid Caliph, 754-775, Al-Mansur; or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur (95AH – 158 AH (714 AD – 6 October 775 AD) was the second Abbasid Caliph reigning from 136 AH to 158 AH (754 AD – 775 AD) and succeeding Abu al-'Abbas as-Saffah. is generally regarded as the real founder of the Abbasid Caliphate, one of the largest polities in world history, for his role in stabilizing and institutionalizing the dynasty.[1]:265 He is also known for founding the 'round city' of Madinat al-Salam which was to become the core of imperial Baghdad.[1]:270 St Sarmean, the Catholicos of Kartli, Georgia, Commemorated on August 21;

Arabs, 766-781, Abo tPerfumer, Bagdad, tTbilisi, amazed aPiety, baptized, tAbkhazeti, tTiblisi, Martyred wJoy, divine lght
Georgia, 766-781, Abo the Perfumer, Bagdad, to Tbilisi, amazed at piety, baptized, to Abkhazeti, to Tiblisi, Martyred w joy, Saracen's tyrannized Kartli, 1st step tGeorgia, tUproot Faith, 766 uprising iKakheti, 772 Kartli Governor Duke Nerse summoned tBagdad, 3yr captivity, met 17yr old Abo, both back tGeorgia, Abo liked piety Georgian people, attended services, talked tPriests, baptized iKhazaria accompanied bNerse, tAbkhazeti tEscape Saracen raids, entire population praised Jesus wOne heart, Nerse btKartli, Abkhaz King requested Abo stay tEscape torture, Soon Abo requests go declare faith tThose hate Christ, Abo preaches 3yrs iTiblisi, then hCountrymen captured him, but released bDuke, New emir, plotted caputre, Christians begged him conceal identity, Abo rejoiced, prepared torture &Death, captured, Judge tries return him tMoslem faith, cast prison, suffering fills Abo greater love, gave clothes, prepared death as though for feast, arms crossed joyfully bowed head beneath sword, swung 3times, not frightened, beheaded, defeated ashamed Executioners burned body garments earth blood in sack near Metekhi Cliff, put ashes in sheepskin, cast into river, that night shining star hung over river light reflecting where his remains rested, Later Abo's chapel built there; Tbilisi; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; the 8th century a Saracen army tyrannized Kartli as a first step towards overturning the Georgian nation. invaders were certain that the best way to conquer Georgia was to uproot the Christian Faith. Georgian people were alarmed, and the clergy and the best sons of Kartli sought desperately for a resolution to this calamity. blood was shed in 766 when the Muslim invaders crushed an uprising in the eastern region of Kakheti. 772, Caliph Al Mansur (754-775), dissatisfied with the provincial governor of Kartli, Duke Nerse, summoned him to Baghdad. spent the following three years in captivity. that time he became acquainted with a seventeen-year-old perfumer named Abo, when he was released he brought Abo back with him to Georgia. was amazed at the great piety of the Georgian people, and he began to learn the Georgian language, attend the divine services, and speak with local priests. sought with all his heart to become a Christian, and he was eventually baptized in Khazaria, while in the company of Duke Nerse. Abo accompanied the duke to Abkhazeti, to escape the Saracen raids. an entire population of Christians praising Jesus Christ with one heart and mouth, Abo gave great thanks to God for the opportunity to visit this area. later returned to Kartli, but Abo remained at the request of the Abkhaz king, who feared that the Saracens would torture Abo for his devout faith in Christ. however, Abo became restless and told the king, “Let me go, and I will freely declare my Christian Faith to those who hate Christ!” labored in Tbilisi for three years, preaching the Christian Faith. Then his own former countrymen betrayed and captured him, but he was released soon after at the request of the duke Stepanoz. new emir was appointed to rule in Tbilisi, and when the Christians heard that he was plotting to capture Abo, they begged him to conceal his identity. Abo simply rejoiced and told them, “I am prepared not only to be tortured for Christ, but to die for His sake as well.” predicted, the emir’s servants captured Abo and brought him before a judge. judge tried in vain to entice Abo to return to the faith of his ancestors. in a rage, he ordered that Abo be cast into prison and that his hands and feet be fettered in chains. his suffering for Christ filled the blessed Abo with even greater love, he asked his Christian brothers and sisters to sell his clothes and use the money earned to buy candles and incense for local churches. the day of his execution Abo washed his face, anointed it with holy oil, partook of the Holy Gifts, and prepared for his death as though preparing for a feast. “Weep not, but rejoice, for I am going to my Lord. Pray for me, and may the peace of God protect you,” he cheerfully told the faithful Christians who surrounded him in his last hours. his time had come, Saint Abo placed his arms on his breast in the form of a cross and joyously bowed his head beneath the sword. executioners swung their swords three times in hopes of frightening Abo into denying Christ, but the blessed Abo stood unyielding until his last breath. convinced that all their efforts and cunning were in vain, the executioners were given a sign and they beheaded the holy Abo. and ashamed, Abo’s godless executioners tossed his body, his garments, and the earth that had been soaked with his blood into a sack, dragged it outside the city, and burned it near the Mtkvari River. they wrapped his ashes in sheepskin and cast them into the river. the evening a sign was given from above. to the Metekhi Cliff, by the bridge, a shining star hung over the river with its bright light reflecting in the water where the remains of the saint rested. a chapel was built in honor of Saint Abo on the left bank of the Mtkvari.

Arabs, 775-785, Al-Mahdi, Abbasid Caliph, by future standards, a model of order and decorum, rightly guided
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 775-785, Al-Mahdi; Abdallah Muhammad ibn Abdallah al-Mansur ( 744 or 745 -785), better known by his regnal name al-Mahdi ("He who is guided by God"), was the third Abbasid Caliph who reigned from 775 to his death in 785. He succeeded his father, al-Mansur. father, Al-Mansur, died on the hajj to Mecca in 775. The throne then passed to Al-Mansur's chosen successor, his son Al-Mahdi. According to Marozzi, "[it] was, by the standards of the future, blood-soaked successions of the Abbasid caliphate, a model of order and decorum."[5] whose nickname means "Rightly-guided" or "Redeemer", was proclaimed caliph when his father was on his deathbed. His peaceful reign continued the policies of his predecessors. with the Alids in the Caliphate occurred under al-Mahdi's reign. The powerful Barmakid family, which had advised the Caliphs since the days of Abu al's as viziers, gained even greater powers under al-Mahdi's rule, and worked closely with the caliph to ensure the prosperity of the Abbasid state. of Al-Mahdi, 166 AH, Kirman, silver 2.95 g. reigned for ten years. He imprisoned his most trusted vizier Ya'qub ibn Dawud. In the year 167 AH/ 783 AD, al-Mahdi instituted an official inquisition which led to the execution of alleged Zindiq (heretics). He was fond of music and poetry and during his caliphate many musicians and poets received his patronage and he supported musical expression and poetry across his dominion; accordingly, his son Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi (779-“839) and his daughter ˜Ulayya bint al-Mahdi (777-825) were both noted poets and musicians.[6] 775, a Byzantine envoy, Tarath, travelled to Baghdad to convey the congratulations of the Byzantine emperor to Al-Mahdi on his accession to the throne. Tarath was so pleased with the hospitality he received that he offered to put his engineering knowledge to use and build a mill that would generate annual profits, of 500,000 dirhams, equal to the cost of its construction. On completion, the envoy's forecast proved to be correct, and so, delighted, Al-Mahdi ordered that all profits should be given to the envoy, even after he left Baghdad. It is believed this continued to his death, in 780.[7] 777 AD (160 AH) he put down the insurrection of Yusuf ibn Ibrahim in Khurasan. In the same year al-Mahdi deposed Isa ibn Musa as his successor and appointed his own son Musa al-Hadi in his place and took allegiance (bayah) for him from the nobles. In 778 AD (161 AH), he subdued the rebellion of Abdullah ibn Marwan ibn Muhammad, who was leading the Umayyad remnant in Syria. was poisoned by one of his concubines in 785 AD (169 AH). Martyr Theophilus the New in Cyprus, Commemorated on January 30;

Arabs, 785-786, Al-Hadi, Abbasid Caliph, internal chaos, power struggles with mother
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 785-786, Al-Hadi; Muhammad Musa ibn Mahdi al-Hadi ( 6 April 764 CE – 14 September 786 CE)[1] the fourth Abbasid caliph who succeeded his father Al-Mahdi and ruled from 169 AH (785 AD) until his death in 170 AH (786 AD). short reign ended with internal chaos and power struggles with his mother.[2] Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29;

Arabs, 786-809, Aaron (Harun) al-Rashid, Abbasid Caliph, Shia, Bagdad library, knowledge, Golden Age peak
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 786-809, Aaron (Harun) al-Rashid, Shia ; al-Rashid ( "Aaron the Orthodox" or "Aaron the Rightly-Guided", 17 March 763 or February 766-“ 24 March 809 (148-“193 Hijri)[1] was the fifth Abbasid Caliph. His birth date is debated, with various sources giving dates from 763 to 766. epithet "al-Rashid" translates to "the Orthodox", "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". ruled from 786 to 809, during the peak of the Islamic Golden Age. He established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq, and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a center of knowledge, culture and trade.[2] his rule, the family of Barmakids, which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Raqqa in present-day Syria. Frankish mission came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Harun sent various presents with the emissaries on their return to Charlemagne's court, including a clock that Charlemagne and his retinue deemed to be a conjuration because of the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked.[3] of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself.[4] Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious. of the Twelver sect of Shia Muslims blame Harun for his supposed role in the murder of their 7th Imam (Musa ibn Ja'far). New Martyr Isaac of Georgia, Commemorated on September 16; Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor, Commemorated on December 1; Martyr Theophilus the New in Cyprus, Commemorated on January 30; Translation of the relics of St Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari, Commemorated on May 9;

Arabs, 788-854, King Constantine of Khandzta, commander wSon vs 853-4 Burga tTurk invasion capture, tSamarra, body on pillar
Georgia, 788-854, Prince Constantine of Khandzta and Kartli, King of Georgia, Arab Muslims Kartli havoc, forced conversions fire sword, many tempted, from Kakhi, Jerusalem pilgrimage distributed gifts, jordan wilderness, holy fathers blessings, inner joy, returned, 30k silver pieces per yr, 853-4 Burga tTurk invasion, 85yr old C commanded army w son Tarkhuj, both captive outside Gori, tSamarra, beheaded, body on pillar, buried, translated back to Georgia, sainthood; Georgia, Arab Military Slave, 819-845, Bugha the Turk, Bugha al-Kabir; Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; 9th century was one of the most difficult periods in Georgian history. Arab Muslims wreaked havoc throughout the region of Kartli, forcibly converting many to Islam with fire and the sword. of the destitute and frightened were tempted to betray the Faith of their fathers. that time the valorous aristocrat and faithful Christian, Prince Constantine, was living in Kartli. was the descendant of Kakhetian princes, hence his title “Kakhi.” is meet for a Christian believer, Saint Constantine considered himself the greatest of sinners and often said, “There can be no forgiveness of my sins, except through the spilling of my blood for the sake of Him Who shed His innocent blood for us!” on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Jerusalem, Constantine distributed generous gifts to the churches, visited the wilderness of the Jordan, received blessings from the holy fathers, and returned to his motherland filled with inner joy. After that time Constantine would send thirty thousand pieces of silver to Jerusalem each year. the years 853 to 854, when the Arab Muslims invaded Georgia under the command of Buga-Turk, the eighty-five-year-old Prince Constantine commanded the army of Kartli with his son Tarkhuj. the city of Gori an uneven battle took place between the Arabs and the Georgians. Despite their fierce resistance, the Georgians suffered defeat, and Constantine and Tarkhuj were taken captive. captive Constantine-Kakhi was sent to Samarra (a city in central Iraq) the caliph Ja’far al Mutawakkil (847-861). ’far was well aware of the enormous respect Constantine-Kakhi received from the Georgians and all the Christian people who knew him. received him with honor, he proposed that Constantine renounce the Christian Faith and threatened him with death in the case of his refusal. by divine grace, the courageous prince fearlessly answered, “Your sword does not frighten me. am afraid of Him Who can destroy my soul and body and Who has the power to resurrect and to kill, for He is the true God, the almighty Sovereign, Ruler of the world, and Father unto all ages!” enraged caliph ordered the beheading of Saint Constantine-Kakhi. on his knees, the holy martyr lifted up a final prayer to the Lord. Saint Constantine-Kakhi was martyred on November 10, 852, the day on which Great-martyr George is commemorated. holy martyr’s body was hung from a high pillar to intimidate the Christian believers, but after some time it was buried. few years later a group of faithful Georgians translated Saint Constantine’s holy relics to his motherland and reburied them there with great honor. In that same century the Georgian Orthodox Church numbered Prince Constantine-Kakhi of Kartli among the saints.

Arabs, 790, Michael, Abbot iArmenia + 36, Zobē Monastery, Haragenes seized monastery, M and 36 resisted conversion, beheaded
Armenia, 790, Michael, Abbot iArmenia + 36, Zobē Monastery (Μονή Ζώβη), near Sebastopol in Armenia, Haragenes (Saracens) seized monastery, M and 36 resisted conversion, beheaded; Zobē Monastery (Μονή Ζώβη), near Sebastopol in Armenia; Martyr Michael, Abbot in Armenia, and 36 Fathers with him, Commemorated on October 1; Monastic Martyr Michael was the Igoumen of Zobē Monastery (Μονή Ζώβη), near Sebastopol in Armenia. he labored in asceticism with thirty-six other monks at the end of the VIII century, the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI and his mother Empress Irene. the land was invaded by the Hagarenes (Saracens). Alim seized the Monastery and tried to persuade the monks to to deny Christ and convert to Mohammedanism. However, strengthened from above, the Holy Fathers paid no attention to the words of the infidels. in the midst of his monks, Saint Michael encouraged them to face death courageously for the sake of Christ. the monks were beheaded with swords, and then Saint Michael was tortured and beheaded. Thus, they all received crowns of glory from Christ around the year 790.

Arabs, 800-899, 9th Century History Folder, Abbasid Anarchy, Shia Sunni battles

Arabs, 809-813, Al-Amin, Abbasid Caliph, pure Persian, Barmakids d, abna central power, taxes, Civil War
Arabs, 809-813, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Amin; Musa Muhammad ibn Harun al-Rashid (April 787 - 24/25 September 813), better known by his regnal name of al-Amin, was the sixth Abbasid Caliph. He succeeded his father, Harun al-Rashid, in 809 and ruled until he was deposed and killed in 813, during the civil war by his half-brother, al-Ma'mun. life and the issue of succession[edit] the future al-Amin, was born in April 787 to the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-809) and Zubayda, herself descended from the second Abbasid caliph, al-Mansur (r. 754–775). [1] had an elder half-brother, Abdallah, the future al-Ma'mun (r. 813–833), who had been born in September 786. However, Abdallah's mother was a Persian slave concubine, and his pure Abbasid lineage gave Muhammad seniority over his half-brother.[1][2] Indeed, he was the only Abbasid caliph to claim such descent.[2] Already in 792, Harun had Muhammad receive the oath of allegiance (bay'ah) with the name of al-AmÄ«n ("The Trustworthy"), effectively marking him out as his main heir, while Abdallah was not named second heir, under the name al-MaÊ¾mÅ«n ("The Trusted One") until 799.[1][2] brothers were assigned members of the powerful Barmakid family as tutors: al-Amin's tutor was al-Fadl ibn Yahya, while al-Ma'mun's was Ja'far ibn Yahya.[2][3] coinage, naming al-Amin as governor of Khurasan, c. 796–801 arrangements were confirmed and publicly proclaimed in 802, when Harun and the most powerful officials of the Abbasid government made the pilgrimage to Mecca. Al-Amin would succeed Harun in Baghdad, but al-Mamun would remain al-Amin's heir and would additionally rule over an enlarged Khurasan.[1][2] was an appointment of particular significance, as Khurasan had been the starting-point of the Abbasid Revolution which brought the Abbasids to power, and retained a privileged position among the Caliphate's provinces. the Abbasid dynasty relied heavily on Khurasanis as military leaders and administrators. Many of the original Khurasani Arab army (Khurasaniyya) that came west with the Abbasids were given estates in Iraq and the new Abbasid capital, Baghdad, and became an elite group known as the abna al dawla (ons of the state/dynasty").[4][5] large-scale presence of an Iranian element in the highest circles of the Abbasid state, with the Barmakid family as its most notable representatives, was certainly a factor in the appointment of al-Mamun, linked through his mother with the eastern Iranian provinces, as heir and governor of Khurasan.[6] stipulations of the agreement, which were recorded in detail by the historian al-Tabari, accorded al-Mamun's Khurasani viceroyalty extensive autonomy. However, modern historians consider that these accounts may have been distorted by later apologists of al-Mamun in the latter's favour.[7] third heir, al-Mutamin, received responsibility over the frontier areas with the Byzantine Empire in Upper Mesopotamia and Syria.[2][3] complex arrangements, sealed with mutual judicial and religious oaths, clearly demonstrate that Harun was conscious of their precariousness, in view of the profound differences between al-Amin and al-Mamun, both in character and in interests.[1] quickly, this latent rivalry had important repercussions: almost immediately after the court returned to Baghdad in January 803, the Abbasid elites were shaken by the abrupt fall of the Barmakid family from power. On the one hand, this event may reflect the fact that the Barmakids had become indeed too powerful for the Caliph's liking, but its timing suggests that it was tied to the succession issue as well: with al-Amin siding with the abna and al-Mamun with the Barmakids, and the two camps becoming more estranged every day, if al-Amin was to have a chance to succeed, the power of the Barmakids had to be broken.[2][8][9] Indeed, the years after the fall of the Barmakids saw an increasing centralization of the administration and the concomitant rise of the influence of the abna, many of whom were now dispatched to take up positions as provincial governors and bring these provinces under closer control from Baghdad.[9] This led to unrest in the provinces, especially Khurasan, where local elites had a long-standing rivalry with the abna and their tendency to control of the province (and its revenues) from Iraq.[10] The harsh taxation imposed by a prominent member of the abna, Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan, even led to a revolt under Rafi ibn al-Layth, which eventually forced Harun himself, accompanied by al-Mamun and the powerful chamberlain (hajib) and chief minister al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi, to travel to the province in 808. Al-Mamun was sent ahead with part of the army to Marv, while Harun stayed at Tus, where he died on 24 March 809.[2][9][11] article: Fourth Fitna towards al-Mamun[edit] had distrusted al-Amin before their father's death and convinced Harun to take him with him on Harun's last journey east. Although Harun had instructed the Baghdad commanders of this expedition to remain with al-Mamun, after Harun's death they returned to Baghdad. Al-Amin sought to turn al-Mamun's financial agent in Rayy against al-Mamun and he ordered al-Mamun to acknowledge al-Amin's son Musa as heir and return to Baghdad. Al-Mamun replaced his agent in Rayy and refused the orders. His mother was Persian and he had strong support in Iran. brothers had different mothers. Al-Amin was prompted to move against al-Mamun by meddlesome ministers, especially al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi'. He had Harun's succession documents brought from Mecca to Baghdad, where he destroyed them. Then, he sent agents east to stir opposition to al-Mamun. However, a careful watch at the frontier denied them the opportunity. Al-Amin denied al-Mamun's request for his family and money and kept them in Baghdad. March 811 Al-Amin dispatched an army under Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan against Al-Mamun. Ali advanced on Rayy. Mamun's capable general Tahir bin Husain met and defeated Ali, who was killed. rebellions[edit] faced unrest in Syria. He sent Abd al-Malik ibn Salih to restore order there. There was fierce fighting and Abd al-Malik died. Al-Amin sent Ahmad ibn Mazyad and Abdallah ibn Humayd east, each with an army (al-Tabari v. 31 p. 100 says each had 20,000 men). However, Tahir's agents sowed discord and these two armies fought against each other. faced an uprising in Baghdad led by Ali ibn Isa's son Husayn. This was quelled and Husayn was killed. took Ahwaz and gained control of Bahrayn and parts of Arabia. Basra and Kufa swore allegiance to al-Mamun. Tahir advanced on Baghdad and defeated a force sent against him. Mecca, Dawud ibn Isa reminded worshippers that al-Amin had destroyed Harun ar Rashid's succession pledges and led them in swearing allegiance to al-Mamun. Dawud then went to Marv and presented himself to al-Mamun. Al-Ma'mun confirmed Dawud in his governorship of Mecca and Medina. relationships, death and succession[edit] article: Siege of Baghdad (812–813) is recorded as having two wives, Arib bint al-Ma'muniyyah, and LubÄna bint ‘Alī ibn al-MahdÄ« (who was noted for her exceptional beauty).[12] However, Al-Amin died before the consummation of his marriage to Lubanah; her attested poetry includes a lament for his death: 'Oh hero lying dead in the open, betrayed by his commanders and guards. I cry over you not for the loss of my comfort and companionship, but for your spear, your horse and your dreams. I cry over my lord who widowed me before our wedding night'.[13] 812, Tahir advanced and set up camp near Baghdad's Anbar Gate and besieged the city. The effects of this siege were made more intense by the rampaging prisoners who broke out of jail. There were several vicious battles, such as at al-Amin's palace of Qasr Halih, at Darb al- Hijarah and the al-Shammasiyyah Gate. In that last one Tahir led reinforcements to regain positions lost by another officer. Overall the situation was worsening for al-Amin and he became depressed. Tahir pushed into the city, al-Amin sought to negotiate safe passage out. Tahir reluctantly agreed on the condition al-Amin turn over his sceptre, seal and other symbols of office. Al-Amin tried to leave on a boat, apparently with these symbols, rejecting warnings to wait. However, Tahir noticed the boat, and Al-Amin was thrown into the water, swam to shore, was captured and then brought to a room, where he was executed. His head was placed on the Anbar Gate. Al-Tabari (v. 31 pp. 197–202) quotes Tahir's letter to al-Mamun informing him of al-Amin's capture and execution and the state of peace resulting in Baghdad. had appealed to his mother to arbitrate the succession after his death and champion his cause and lineage as Aisha had done two centuries before. Zubaida, however, refused to do so. As al-Ma'mun refused to acknowledge Al-Amin's son Musa as heir, the throne went to al-Mamun. Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 786-809, Aaron (Harun) al-Rashid, Shia ; al-Rashid ( "Aaron the Orthodox" or "Aaron the Rightly-Guided", 17 March 763 or February 766-“ 24 March 809 (148-“193 Hijri)[1] was the fifth Abbasid Caliph. His birth date is debated, with various sources giving dates from 763 to 766. epithet "al-Rashid" translates to "the Orthodox", "the Just", "the Upright", or "the Rightly-Guided". ruled from 786 to 809, during the peak of the Islamic Golden Age. He established the legendary library Bayt al-Hikma ("House of Wisdom") in Baghdad in present-day Iraq, and during his rule Baghdad began to flourish as a center of knowledge, culture and trade.[2] his rule, the family of Barmakids, which played a deciding role in establishing the Abbasid Caliphate, declined gradually. In 796, he moved his court and government to Raqqa in present-day Syria. Frankish mission came to offer Harun friendship in 799. Harun sent various presents with the emissaries on their return to Charlemagne's court, including a clock that Charlemagne and his retinue deemed to be a conjuration because of the sounds it emanated and the tricks it displayed every time an hour ticked.[3] of the fictional One Thousand and One Nights are set in Harun's court and some of its stories involve Harun himself.[4] Harun's life and court have been the subject of many other tales, both factual and fictitious. of the Twelver sect of Shia Muslims blame Harun for his supposed role in the murder of their 7th Imam (Musa ibn Ja'far). Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25;

Arabs, 813-833, Al-Ma'mun, Abbasid Caliph, of concubine, educated, algebra, Mutazilism, r persecution, Byz war
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 813-833, Al-Ma'mun; al-Abbas Abdallah ibn Harun al-Rashid (14 September 786 - 9 August 833), better known by his regnal name al-Ma'mun, was the seventh Abbasid caliph, who reigned from 813 until his death in 833. He succeeded his half-brother al-Amin after a civil war, during which the cohesion of the Abbasid Caliphate was weakened by rebellions and the rise of local strongmen; of his domestic reign was consumed in pacification campaigns. educated and with a considerable interest in scholarship, al-Ma'mun promoted the Translation Movement, the flowering of learning and the sciences in Baghdad, and the publishing of al-Khwarizmi's book now known as "Algebra". is also known for supporting the doctrine of Mutazilism and for imprisoning Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, the rise of religious persecution (mihna), and for the resumption of large-scale warfare with the Byzantine Empire. 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia, Commemorated on March 6; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25;

Arabs, 813-833, Michael tBlack-Robed, oSabbas, Queen Seida, King al-Mamun, no adultry, poison fails, Relics Plllar oFire
Jerusalem, 813-833, Michael tBlack-Robed, oSabbas, Lavra of St Sav, Sabbas watercourse from Theodosius', Judea, near Jerusalem, From Edessa, distributed inheritance, tJerusalem under Moslem Rule, tSabbas, kin Theodore, reed baskets, tJMarketplace, Queen Seida wants him, King al-Mamun, M rejects adultery, accused insulting Queen&enemy oIslam, debate wKing, Mohammad neither apostle of Jesus nor prophet, he a deceiver&antichrist forerunner, send me to my monastery, be baptized&reign forever, or send me to Christ tMartyrdom, sign oCross, deadly poison failed tHarm, decapitated, Theodore notified bLord, fight over relics, King decided go to Sabbas, Pillar oFire wRelics to Lavra, buried wMartyrs, many miracles, 12th century Daniel tTraveler sees relics; Edessa, Syria; Martyr Michael the Black-Robed of Saint Savva Monastery, Commemorated on July 29; Venerable Michael lived in the ninth century, and was from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia, the son of Christian parents. After their death he distributed his inheritance to the poor, then went to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places. The Holy Land at that time was under Moslem rule. remained in Palestine and settled in the Lavra of Saint Savva, he became the disciple of his relative, Saint Theodore of Edessa (July 9), who spent his time both in the monastery and living as an anchorite in the Judean desert. Theodore accepted him and tonsured him right away. The two made baskets of reeds together in order to support themselves. Saint Michael would take the baskets to the marketplace in Jerusalem in order to sell them. day while at the marketplace, the eunuch of the Muslim Queen Seida, seeing that the baskets were both fine and well-made, took him along to the Queen, who was visiting the city with her husband King al-Ma’mun (813-833). handsome monk aroused the desire of the Queen, who tried to lead him into the sin of adultery, but he did not accept her suggestions. enraged Seida told her husband to have the monk beaten with rods because he had insulted her, and accused him of being an enemy of Islam. was a debate about which faith is the true one, Christianity or Islam, and the king said, “Do as I tell you, and confess that Mohammed is a prophet and an apostle of Christ, then I will adopt you as my son.” Michael said, “Mohammad is neither an apostle nor a prophet, but a deceiver and the forerunner of the antichrist. send me back to my Elder at the monastery, or be baptized into our Christian faith and reign forever in the heavens, or send me to Christ through martyrdom.” king gave the Saint a cup with deadly poison to drink. Michael made the Sign of the Cross over the cup, and he drank it, but he remained unharmed, according to the promise of the Lord (Mark16:18). this the king ordered that he be decapitated. monks of the Lavra of Saint Savva wanted to take the Saint’s relics to their Lavra, but the Christians of Jerusalem would not permit this. They said that since he was martyred in Jerusalem, his relics ought to remain monks of the Lavra disagreed with them, saying that he was nurtured in the Lavra and so he should be buried there. There was such a heated argument that the king decided that the relics would go to the Lavra. the same day that Saint Michael was put to death, the Lord revealed this to Saint Theodore. informing the brethren, he sent some monks to bring the relics to the Lavra. the relics were carried to the Lavra, there was a pillar of fire from Heaven accompanying the relics, and it remained until they reached the Lavra. Theodore and the monks came out to meet the procession with lit candles, and singing hymns. holy relics were buried with the other holy Fathers who had endured martyrdom. miracles took place before the relics of Saint Michael, as a sign that he had found favor with God. the beginning of the twelfth century the relics of Saint Michael were seen by Daniel, the Igoumen of the Kiev Caves Monastery, while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Michael is commemorated twice during the year: on May 23 (his repose) and July 29 (the transfer of his relics).

Arabs, 813-840, Theodore tBranded, fJeruslem then Sabbas wBro Theophanes, won debate wLeo, iconodule, tortured&exiled 3times
Jerusalem, 813-840, Theodore Graptus, the Branded, fJeruslem then Sabbas, Lavra of St Sava, Sabbas watercourse from Theodosius', Judea, near Jerusalem, Chrisstian parents, shunned ammusements, attended church, sent wYounger bro Theophanes to Sabbas &Pious Priest fEducation, became monk&priest, Iconoclast emperor Leo V expelled Michael I, brothers sent tConstantinople by Jerusalem Patriarch tDefend icons, theo won debate wLeo, Leo ordered bros beaten&exiled, forbidding help, returned from exile bIconoclast Michael II & Iconodule Theolophilius, , returned, faces branded because would not communion wIconoclasts & exiled again tApamea, Bithynia, Theodore died there 840, bro became bishop Nicea&Author defending Orthodoxy, many healings Theodore's relics in Constantinople; Great Lavra of St. Sabbas; Venerable Theodore Graptus, "the branded," Confessor, Commemorated December 27 ; Theodore the Confessor, and his brother Theophanes (October 11) born in Jerusalem of Christian parents. early childhood Theodore shunned childish amusements and loved to attend church services. his younger brother Theophanes (October 11), he was sent to the Lavra of Saint Savva to be educated by a pious priest. brothers became monks, and Saint Theodore was ordained to the holy priesthood. iconoclast emperor Leo V the Armenian (813-820) expelled and replaced the pious ruler Michael I Rhangabe (811-813). the beginning, Leo concealed his heretical views, but later declared himself an iconoclast. Patriarch of Jerusalem sent the two brothers to Constantinople to defend the holy icons. refuted Leo’s arguments, proving the falseness of his beliefs. ordered that both brothers be beaten mercilessly, and then had them sent into exile, forbidding anyone to help them in any way. the subsequent emperors, Michael II (820-829), and particularly under the iconoclast Theophilus (829-842), both brothers returned from exile. they were urged to accept iconoclasm, but they bravely endured all the tortures. They were sent into exile once more, but later returned. time they were subjected to fierce torture, finally, their faces were branded with the verses of a poem which mocked the holy confessors. Therefore, the brothers were called “the Branded.” city prefect asked Saint Theodore to take communion with the iconoclasts just once, promising him freedom if he did. the holy martyr replied, “Your proposal is the same as saying: ‘Let me cut off your head once, and then you may go wherever you wish.’” torture the holy brothers were banished to Apamea in Bithynia, where Saint Theodore died around the year 840. Theophanes survived until the end of the iconoclast heresy, and died as Bishop of Nicea. Theophanes was author of many writings in defense of Orthodoxy. relics of Saint Theodore were transferred to Chalcedon, where they worked many healings.

Arabs, 819-861, Bugha the Turk, Abbasid, Arab Military Slave, Subdued Great Armenia and Georgia, selected al-Musta'in
Messopotamia, Abbasid, Arab Military Slave, 819-861, Bugha the Turk, Bugha al-Kabir; al-Kabir (Bugha the Greater/Elder), also known as Bugha al-Turki (Bugha the Turk), was a 9th-century Turkic general who served the Abbasid Caliphate. was of Turkic origin, and was acquired along with his sons as a military slave (ghulam) by al-Mu'tasim in 819/820.[1] He is first mentioned in 825, and then again in 835, when he led reinforcements in the fight against the Khurramite rebels of Babak Khorramdin. Bugha also participated in Mu'tasim's Amorium campaign in 838, where he led the rearguard, and later served as the Caliph's chamberlain.[2] In 844/845, he suppressed a revolt of the Bedouin tribes of central Arabia.[3] he played an important role in crushing the Armenian revolt of 850–855: in 852 he was entrusted by the Caliph al-Mutawakkil with its suppression. Setting out from his base at Diyar Bakr, he first focused on the southern half of Armenia, i.e. the regions of Vaspurakan and Lake Van, before moving north to Dvin, Iberia and Albania. During these campaigns, he also defeated the renegade Emir of Tiflis, Ishaq ibn Isma'il, and sacked and burned Tiflis. By the end of 853, he had subdued the country and made many Caucasian magn ates and princes (the eristavi and nakharar) captive, including Grigor-Derenik Artsruni, his uncle Gurgen and his father Ashot I, all sent to caliphal capital of Samarra.[4][5] was dispatched to the frontier (thughur) against the Byzantine Empire in 857/8, where he distinguished himself and where he remained for the next few years.[5] He was thus absent from Samarra at the time of Mutawwakil's assassination, but returned immediately upon hearing of it. Following the death of Mutawwakil's heir, al-Muntasir, a few months later, Bugha and the other Turkic commanders of the Abbasid army selected al-Musta'in as his successor (see the "Anarchy at Samarra").[3] Bugha died a few months later, in August 862, reportedly at an age of "over 90 [lunar] years".[1][2] His son Musa, and his sons in turn, rose to the senior court and military offices in Samarra during the late 9th century.[3][6] Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia, Commemorated on November 10; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated on December 12 ; 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia, Commemorated on March 6;

Arabs, 820, Luke of Sicily, Tauromenium, left parents and fiancee for wilderness, revelation founded monastery
Sicily, 820, Luke of Sicily, Tauromenium, left parents and fiancee for wilderness, revelation founded monastery, many yrs fasting prayer, Mt Aetna, visited many monasteries searching for Rule, Died Corinth; Taormina; Venerable Luke of Sicily, Commemorated on November 6 ; Luke of Sicily was a native of the Sicilian city of Tauromenium. In his youth he left his parents and fiancée and went into the wilderness, where he spent many years in fasting and prayer. He lived the ascetic life at Mount Aetna. the end of his life Saint Luke, because of a revelation to him, founded a monastery. In order to become familiar with the rule and life of other monasteries, he visited many other cities. He died at Corinth in 820.

Arabs, 827, Arab Muslim Conquest of Sicily and Southern Italy 827
Arab Muslim Conquest of Southern Italy 827 ; Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11;

Arabs, 827-1061, Muslim Rule of Sicily and Southern Italy 827
Arab Muslim Conquest of Southern Italy 827 ; Apostle Bartholomew of the Twelve, Commemorated on June 11;

Arabs, 833-842, Al-Mutasim, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, warrior c, private army of Turk slaves (ghilman), d Theophilus
Arabs, 833-842, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mu'tasim; Isá¸¥aq Muá¸¥ammad ibn Harun al-RashÄ«d (October 796 - 5 January 842), better known by his regnal name Al-Mutaá¹£im bilah (he who seeks refuge in God), was the eighth Abbasid caliph, ruling from 833 until his death in 842.[1] younger son of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, he rose to prominence through his formation of a private army composed predominantly of Turkic slave-soldiers (ghilman). This proved useful to his half-brother, Caliph al-Mamun, who employed al-Mutasim and his Turkish guard to counterbalance other powerful interest groups in the state, as well as employing them in campaigns against rebels and the Byzantine Empire. al-Mamun died unexpectedly on campaign in August 833, al-Mutasim was thus well placed to succeed him, overriding the claims of al-Mamun's son al-Abbas. continued many of his brother's policies, such as the partnership with the Tahirids, who ruled Khurasan and Baghdad on behalf of the Abbasids. With the support of the powerful chief qadi, Ahmad ibn Abi Duwad, he continued to implement the rationalist Islamic doctrine of Mutazilism and the persecution of its opponents through the inquisition (miá¸¥na). Although not personally interested in literary pursuits, al-Mutasim also nurtured the scientific renaissance begun under al-Mamun. In other ways, his reign marks a departure and a watershed moment in Islamic history, with the creation of a new regime centred on the military, and particularly his Turkish guard. 836, a new capital was established at Samarra to symbolize this new regime and remove it from the restive populace of Baghdad. power of the caliphal government was increased by centralizing measures that reduced the power of provincial governors in favour of a small group of senior civil and military officials in Samarra, and the fiscal apparatus of the state was more and more dedicated to the maintenance of the professional army, which was dominated by Turks. Arab and Iranian elites that had played a major role in the early period of the Abbasid state were increasingly marginalized, and an abortive conspiracy against al-Mutasim in favour of al-Abbas in 838 resulted in a widespread purge of their ranks. strengthened the position of the Turks and their principal leaders, Ashinas, Wasif, Itakh, and Bugha. Another prominent member of al-Mutasim's inner circle, the prince of Ushrusana, al-Afshin, fell afoul of his enemies at court and was overthrown and killed in 840/1. The rise of the Turks would eventually result in the troubles of the Anarchy at Samarra and lead to the collapse of Abbasid power in the mid-10th century, but the ghulam-based system inaugurated by al-Mutasim would be widely adopted throughout the Muslim world. reign was marked by continuous warfare. The two major internal campaigns of the reign were against the long-running Khurramite uprising of Babak Khorramdin in Adharbayjan, which was suppressed by al-Afshin in 835–837, and against Mazyar, the autonomous ruler of Tabaristan, who had clashed with the Tahirids and risen up in revolt. his generals led the fight against internal rebellions, al-Mutasim himself led the sole major external campaign of the period, in 838 against the Byzantine Empire. His armies defeated Emperor Theophilos and sacked the city of Amorium. The Amorium campaign was widely celebrated, and became a cornerstone of caliphal propaganda, cementing al-Mutasim's reputation as a warrior-caliph. 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia, Commemorated on March 6;

Arabs, 842-847, Al-Wathiq, Abbasid Caliph, Mutazila muslim, Probably Christian Caliph Mavi
Arabs, 842-847, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Wathiq, Mutazila muslim; St. Theodore the Bishop of Edessa, Commemorated on July 9;

Arabs, 846-881, Theoctiste oLesbos, hid 35yrs in prayer fArabs, died aTaking gifts, no leave till hand returned, empty grave
Lesbos, Isle of Lesbos (Between Troy and Ephesus), fMethymna, Lesbos, orphaned, tMonasatery, loved m life, 846 18yr old T visited sister nearby, village captured by Arabs, tParos is, Lord helped T escape, lived there 35 yrs in old church, sunflower seeds food, prayer all time, hunter discovers her, she tells him her story and asks for particle reserved gifts, he does 1881, she dies next day, he cuts off hand, can't leave until hand returned, told companions, return to venerate but she not in grave; Isle of Lesbos; Venerable Theoctiste of the Isle of Lesbos, Commemorated on November 9; Theoktίstē was born in the city of Methymna on the island of Lesbos. was orphaned at an early age, so her relatives sent her to a monastery to be raised by the nuns. girl was quite happy to forsake this sinful world. She loved the monastic life, the long Church Services, monastic obedience, the strict fasting, and unceasing prayer. She learned much of the chants, prayer, and psalmody by heart. the radiant Feast of Christ's Resurrection in the year 846, when Theoktίstē was eighteen years old, she left the Monastery with the blessing of the Igoumeness, and went to a nearby village to visit her sister, remaining there overnight. Arabs invaded the settlement, captured all the inhabitants, and forced them onto a ship. By morning, they were at sea. brigands took the captives to the desolate island of Paros so that they might examine them in order to set a price on each when they were sold at the slave market. Lord helped the young maiden to escape, and the Arabs did not catch her. Saint Theoktίstē lived on the island for the next 35 years. An old church dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos served as her abode, her food was sunflower seeds. spent all her time in prayer. a group of hunters landed upon the island. One of them, pursuing his prey, went far from the coast into the forest, and suddenly he saw the church and went inside in order to pray. the hunter saw what seemed to be a human form in a dim corner, not far from the holy altar table, Brushing aside thick cobwebs. drew nearer and heard a voice say, “Stay there, and come no closer, for I am a naked woman, and I am ashamed.” hunter gave the woman his outer garment and she came out from her place of concealment. He saw a grey-haired woman with worn face, who called herself Theoktίstē. a faint voice, she told him of her life, which she had devoted to God. Saint Theoktίstē finished her story, she asked the hunter, if he should happen to come to this island again, to bring her a particle of the reserved Gifts. In all the time she had lived in the wilderness, she had not been able to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ even once. year later, in 881, the hunter returned to the island and brought a small vessel with a particle of the Holy Mysteries. Theoktίstē approached the Holy Gifts and fell to the ground, praying with tears for a long time. Standing up, she took the vessel and received the Body and Blood of Christ "with faith, reverence, and in the fear of God." next day, the hunter found the dead body of Saint Theoktίstē in the church. After digging a shallow grave, he placed her in it. brazenly, he cut off one of her hands, in order to take a relic of the Saint with him. night the ship was tossed upon a tempestuous sea. In the morning, it ended up at the very place from which it started. the man realized that his taking the relic was not pleasing to God. to the grave, he placed the hand with the Saint's body. the ship was able to sail away without difficulty. .On the journey, the hunter told his companions all that had happened on the island. hearing his story, they all decided to return to Paros at once, that they might venerate the relics of the great ascetic, they did not find her holy body in the grave.

Arabs, 847-861, Al-Mutawakkil, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, assasinated by his son
Arabs, 847-861, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mutawakkil, Sunni; The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Mother of God at Blachernae,Commemorated on July 2;

Arabs, 862-866, Al-Musta'in, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, Anarchy of Samarra
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 862-866, Al-Musta'in, Shia; ’l-ʿAbbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Mu'tasim (836 - 17 October 866), better known by his regnal title Al-Musta'in (836 - 17 October 866) was the Abbasid caliph from 862 to 866, during the Anarchy at Samarra. the death of previous Caliph, Al-Muntasir (who had not appointed any successors), the Turkic military leaders held a council to select his successor. They were not willing to have Al-Mu'tazz or his brothers; so they elected Ahmad ibn Muhammad, a grandson of Al-Mu'tasim, who took the regnal name Al-Mustaʿin bi-llah (he who looks for help to God). and other troops based in Baghdad, displeased at the choice, attacked the assembly, broke open the prison, and plundered the armory. They were attacked by the Turkic and Berber soldiers, and after some fighting in which many died, succumbed. Baghdad had yet to learn that the Caliphate no longer depended on the opinions of the Arabians, but had passed into other hands. St Fantinus of Calabria, Commemorated on August 30; St Anthony the Patriarch of Constantinople, Commemorated on February 12; Martyr Michael œthe Black-Robedof St Sava Monastery, Commemorated on May 23;

Arabs, 866-869, Al-Mu'tazz, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, Anarchy of Samarra
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 866-869, Al-Mu'tazz; ū ʿAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar (847 - 16 July 869), better known by his regnal title al-Muʿtazz bi-ʾllāh (He who is strengthened by God) was the Abbasid caliph from 866 to 869, during a period of extreme internal instability within the Abbasid Caliphate, known as the "Anarchy at Samarra". named as the second in line of three heirs of his father al-Mutawakkil, al-Mu'tazz was forced to renounce his rights after the accession of his brother al-Muntasir, and was thrown in prison as a dangerous rival during the reign of his cousin al-Musta'in. was released and raised to the caliphate in January 866, during the civil war between al-Musta'in and the Turkish military of Samarra. Al-Mu'tazz was capable and determined to reassert the authority of the caliph over the Turkish military, but had only limited success. by the vizier Ahmad ibn Isra'il, he managed to remove and kill the leading Turkish generals, Wasif al-Turki and Bugha al-Saghir, but the decline of the Tahirids in Baghdad deprived him of their role as a counterweight to the Turks. Faced with the assertive Turkish commander Salih ibn Wasif, and unable to find money to satisfy the demands of his troops, he was deposed and died of ill treatment a few days later, on 16 July 869. reign marks the apogee of the decline of the Caliphate's central authority, and the climax of centrifugal tendencies, expressed through the emergence of the autonomous dynasties of the Tulunids in Egypt and the Saffarids in the East, Alid uprisings in Hejaz and Tabaristan, and the first stirrings of the great Zanj Rebellion in lower Iraq. St Fantinus of Calabria, Commemorated on August 30; St Anthony the Patriarch of Constantinople, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 870-892, Al-Mu'tamid, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, start Abbasid Restoration, end Anarchy at Samarra, c and succeeded by b
Messopotamia, Abbasid Caliph, 870-892, Al-Mu'tamid ; ’l-ʿAbbās Aḥmad ibn Jaʿfar (c. 842 – 14 October 892), better known by his regnal name Al-Muʿtamid ʿalā ’llāh (Dependent on God), was the Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate from 870 to 892. reign marks the end of the Anarchy at Samarra and the start of the Abbasid restoration, but he was a largely a ruler in name only. was held by his brother al-Muwaffaq, who held the loyalty of the military. Al-Mu'tamid's authority was circumscribed further after a failed attempt to flee to the domains controlled by Ahmad ibn Tulun in late 882, and he was placed under house arrest by his brother. In 891, when al-Muwaffaq died, loyalists attempted to restore power to the Caliph, but were quickly overcome by al-Muwaffaq's son al-Mu'tadid, who assumed his father's powers. When al-Mu'tamid died in 892, al-Mu'tadid succeeded him as caliph. St Fantinus of Calabria, Commemorated on August 30; St Anthony the Patriarch of Constantinople, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 892-902, Al-Mu'tadid, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni, regent then c, close army relations, m active, restored Abasid power
Arabs, 892-902, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mu'tadid, Sunni; Ahmad ibn Talha al-Muwaffaq (853/4 or 860/1 – 5 April 902), better known by his regnal name al-Mu'tadid bi-llah (Seeking Support in God[1]), was the Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate from 892 until his death in 902. was the son of al-Muwaffaq, who was the regent and effective ruler of the Abbasid state during the reign of his brother, Caliph al-Mu'tamid. As a prince, the future al-Mu'tadid served under his father during various military campaigns, most notably in the suppression of the Zanj Rebellion, in which he played a major role. When al-Muwaffaq died in June 891 al-Mu'tadid succeeded him as regent. quickly sidelined his cousin and heir-apparent al-Mufawwid; when al-Mu'tamid died in October 892, he succeeded to the throne. his father, al-Mu'tadid's power depended on his close relations with the army. These were first forged during the campaigns against the Zanj and were reinforced in later expeditions which the Caliph led in person: al-Mu'tadid would prove to be the most militarily active of all Abbasid caliphs. Through his energy and ability, he succeeded in restoring to the Abbasid state some of the power and provinces it had lost during the turmoil of the previous decades. a series of campaigns he recovered the provinces of Jazira, Thughur, and Jibal, and effected a rapprochement with the Saffarids in the east and the Tulunids in the west that secured their—albeit largely nominal—recognition of caliphal suzerainty. These successes came at the cost of gearing the economy almost exclusively towards the maintenance of the army, which resulted in the expansion and rise to power of the central fiscal bureaucracy and contributed to the Caliph's lasting reputation for avarice. Al-Mu'tadid was renowned for his cruelty when punishing criminals, and subsequent chroniclers recorded his extensive and ingenious use of torture. His reign saw the permanent move of the capital back to Baghdad, where he engaged in major building activities. A firm supporter of Sunni traditionalist orthodoxy, he nevertheless maintained good relations with the Alids, and was interested in natural sciences, renewing caliphal sponsorship of scholars and scientists. his successes, al-Mu'tadid's reign was ultimately too short to effect a lasting reversal of the Caliphate's fortunes, and the revival that he spearheaded was too dependent on the presence of capable personalities at the helm of the state. The brief reign of his less able son and heir, al-Muktafi, still saw some major gains, notably the annexation of the Tulunid domains, but his later successors lacked his energy, and new enemies appeared in the form of the Qarmatians. In addition, factionalism within the bureaucracy, which had become apparent during the later years of al-Mu'tadid's reign, would debilitate the Abbasid government for decades to come, eventually leading to the subjugation of the Caliphate by a series of military strongmen, culminating in the conquest of Baghdad by the Buyids in 946. St Anthony the Patriarch of Constantinople, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 892, Theodora&dTheopiste, tThessalonica from Saracen Raids on Aegina Island, tMonastery aHusbands' death, virtuous life
Greece, 892, Theodora and her daughter Theopiste, moved tThessalonica due to Saracen Raids on Aegina Island, tMonastery after husbands death, virtuous life; Aegina Island; Venerable Theodora and her daughter Theopiste, Commemorated on August 3; Theodora was born in Aegina. her marriage, she and her husband moved to Thessaloniki because of the raids of the Saracens. her husband's death she entered the Monastery of Saint Stephen with her daughter Theopiste. lived a life of great virtue and reposed in the year 892. the commemoration of these saints is on August 29, their celebration was moved to August 3 because of the Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

Arabs, 900-999, 10th Century History Folder, Sunni Said Georgia Invasion

Arabs, 908-932, Al-Muqtadir, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni
Abbasid Caliph, 908-932, Al-Muqtadir ; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated on November 17;

Arabs, 914, Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia, and Kvelistsikhe Fortress
Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Arabs, 960's, Al-Muttaqi, Abbasid Caliph, Sunni
Arabs, 960's, Abbasid Caliph, Al-Muttaqi, Sunni; Venerable Euthymius, founder of Dochiariou Monastery (Mount Athos ”10th c.), and Venerable Neophytus, Co-founder of the Monastery, Commemorated on November 9;

Arabs, 964-, Euthymius&Neophytus, uncle&nephew, founders Docheiariou, Mt Athos, Arabs attack, rebuilt, expanded, protos
Greece, Mt Athos, 960's, Euthymius & Neophytus, uncle&nephew, founders Docheiariou monastery, Mt Athos, f aristocracy, Athanasius' friend, then disciple (novice), his steward, settled Daphne, monastery, attention towards self, tStirrings of tSoul, explaining tStruggle, Saracens (Arabs) attack, tForest, monastery razed, rebuilt, Neophyt companion Emperor Nikephoros Phocas, came Mt Athos uncle Euthymius' m, became igumen, asked Emperor N to support, that enlarged m t prent size, N became protos oHoly Mt at Kyres many years, then returned to D; Docheiariou monastery; Venerable Euthymius, founder of Dochiariou Monastery (Mount Athos—10th c.), and Venerable Neophytus, Co-founder of the Monastery, Commemorated on November 9; Euthymius and Neophytus, founders of the Dochiariou Monastery on Mount Athos, an uncle and his nephew, to the highest Byzantine aristocracy. Euthymius, while still in the world, was the friend of Saint Athanasius of Mount Athos (July 5), and he later became a novice and disciple of the great ascetic. his sincere love of the brethren, gentleness and his particular zeal in the ascetic life, Saint Athanasius granted the monk the duty of steward, which Saint Euthymius fulfilled as though entrusted to him by God Himself. Euthymius settled with several of the monks in the locale of Daphne, he founded a monastery dedicated to Saint Nicholas, which he called Dochiariou in memory of his obedience. his own younger brethren, Saint Euthymius taught the necessity of attention towards self, to all the stirrings of the soul, that the struggle of Christians, according to the Apostle Paul, is not “against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and against powers, and against the world-rulers of this darkness” (Eph 6:12). peaceful ascetic life of the monks was disturbed by the Saracens. monk led all the brethren into the forest. they found the monastery razed to its very foundations. Euthymius did not lose heart, and the monastery was rebuilt. Neophytus, in the world, was a companion of the emperor Nikēphóros Phocas (963-969). the death of his parents he came to Mount Athos, where he was tonsured in the monastery of his uncle Saint Euthymius. his death, Saint Euthymius handed over the administration of the monastery to his nephew. the spiritual guidance of Saint Neophytus, the small monastery grew into a Lavra. the emperor Nikēphóros to become a benefactor of the monastery, Neophytus enlarged the monastery to its present size. Neophytus was deigned to be chosen “protos” (head of the governing Council of Elders of the Holy Mountain) for many years he labored there. taking leave of the Council in his declining years, he returned to the Dochiariou monastery, where peacefully he fell asleep in the Lord.

Arabs, 970-994, Vitalius oCastronovo, Sicily, wealthy, pilbrimages, Rome&Calabria, Demena, Bari, Sardinia, monastery iRapolla
Sicily, 970-994, Vitalius of Castronovo, Sicily, Palermo Provence, wealthy, fled tMonastery early, asceticism, virtue f15yrs, Rome&Calabria Pilgrimages, met Luke oDemena, went to Bari, settled on Mt Turri, Sardinia, built monastery in Rapolla, gathered monks, died 994; Castronovo, Sicily; Venerable Vitalius of Castronovo, Commemorated on March 9; Vitalius was born in the Sicilian town of Castronovo in the X century to wealthy and pious parents, Sergius and Chrysonίkḗ, who raised him according to God's Word, and saw that he received a good education. an early age, Vitalius loved Christ and the monastic state, which is why he fled to the monastery of Saint Philip at Agira (Ancient Agyrion). he became a monk and received the Angelic Schema after living a life of asceticism, and by making progress in virtue for fifteen years. this time, he made pilgrimages to Rome, Calabria and other holy places. he returned to Calabria and engaged in further ascetical struggles on the mountain of Liporachos. There he met the ascetic Anthony and lived with him for a short time. he moved from mountain to mountain, until at last he settled in the monastery of Saint Elias at Carbone. several years, he went to a cave between the mountains of Turri and Armento. The Saint struggled day and night, praying and ascending to great spiritual heights. Even the wild beasts of the mountain approached him docilely in order to receive his blessing. he was visited by Saint Luke of Demena, Sicily (October 13, February 5), with whom he prayed and discussed spiritual matters.1 the Saint went to Bari with his nephew Elias and settled on Mount Turri, where he built a small church. The final abode of Saint Vitalius was in the region of Rapolla,where he built a monastery. There he spent the rest of his life, gathering a multitude of monks around him. Vitalius reposed peacefully in the year 994. 1 San Luca d’Armento (October 13, February 5) was a monk in Lucania, Sicily. He founded the monastery of Saints Elias and Anastasios the Persian (January 22) at Carbone, Italy and served as its first Igoumen. Saint Luke based his Rule for the monastic life on the Greek Typika.

Arabs, 1200-1299, 13th Century History Folder, Abbasid Mamluk Sultanate, Cairo Egypt, Crusades

Arabs, 1250-1517, Mamluk Sultanate (Abbasid Caliphate, Cairo), Sunni Islam
Egypt, 1250-1517, Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo), Sunni Islam;

Arabs, 1259-1260, Mamluk Sultan, Qutuz, or al-Malik al-Muzaffar Saif ad-Din Qutuz
Egypt, 1259-1260, Mamluk Sultan, Qutuz, or al-Malik al-Muzaffar Saif ad-Din Qutuz ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated on October 19;

Arabs, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar
Egypt, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated on October 19; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 1260-1277, Abbasid Sultan, Rukn al-Din Baibars, Sunni
Egypt, 1260-1277, Abbasid Sultan, Rukn al-Din Baibars, Sunni; Martyr Salome the Georgian, Commemorated on July 20; Venerable Gregory of Sinai, Mt. Athos, Commemorated on August 8; Holy Queen Tamara, Commemorated on May 8;

Arabs, 1261-1517, Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate (Abbasid Caliphate), Sunni, from Cairo, Egypt
Egypt, 1261-1517, Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate (Abbasid Caliphate), Sunni, from Cairo, Egypt ; Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo), 1250-1517

Arabs, 1277-1279, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Said Barakah, Sunni
Egypt, 1277-1279, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Said Barakah, Sunni;

Arabs, 1279-1279, Abbasid Sultan, Solamish, Sunni
Egypt, 1279-1279, Abbasid Sultan, Solamish, Sunni;

Arabs, 1279-1290, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Qalawun, Sunni
Egypt, 1279-1290, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Qalawun, Sunni; Venerable Gregory of Sinai, Mt. Athos, Commemorated on August 8;

Arabs, 1290-1293, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Khalil, Sunni
Egypt, 1290-1293, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Khalil, Sunni ; Venerable Gregory of Sinai, Mt. Athos, Commemorated on August 8;

Arabs, 1400-1499. 15th Century History Folder, Abbasid, Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt

Arabs, 1497-1508, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mustamsik, Sunni
Egypt, 1497-1508, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mustamsik, Sunni; St. Phanourius, Commemorated on August 27;

Arabs, 888-1037, Sajid & Sallarid dynasties Folder, from Persia into Geogria, Sunni

Arabs, 889-929, Sajid dynasty, from Persia into Geogria, Sunni
Persia, 889-929, Sajid dynasty, from Persia into Geogria; Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Arabs, 889, John of Zedazeni, Mtskheta, Georgia, murdered at Zendazeni by Muslims
Georgia, 889, John of Zedazeni, Mtskheta, Georgia, murdered at Zendazeni by Muslims; Zedazeni Monastery. This location is only approximate. Zedazeni Monestary is located on the Zedazeni mountain the hills of Saguramo, northeast to Mtskheta and to the east side of the Aragvi River. ; Martyr John, Abbot of the Zedazeni Monastery, Commemorated December 12 ; life of the holy martyr John, Abbot of Zedazeni Monastery, has not been preserved, but the list recalling “the names of the holy fathers who reposed at Zedazeni Monastery after John of Zedazeni,” which was compiled by Catholicos Arsenius II, tells us that Abbot John was “murdered at Zedazeni by Muslims.” Saint John was martyred in the 9th century.

Arabs, 889-901, Saiid Dynasty in Maragheh, Iran
Saiid Dynasty in Maragheh, Iran;

Arabs, 901-929, Saiid Dynasty in Ardabil, Iran
Saiid Dynasty in Ardabil, Iran;

Arabs, 914, Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia and Kvelistsikhe Fortress
Arab Sajid invasion of Georgia 914 Kvelistsikhe Fortress; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ;

Georgia, 985-1034, Macarius tFaster oKhakhuli M, spiritual guide tMany wonderworking fathers, great ascetic teacher&prophet
Georgia, 985-1034, Macarius tFaster oKhakhuli Monastery, Georgia (Chorokhi River 3), spiritual guide tMany wonderworking fathers, great ascetic teacher&prophet, young George otHoly Mt called M's spiritual son, tFaster for his exceptional fasting&prayer, divine light he shone like morning sun, entire Tao-Klarjeti region, reposed 1034; Khakhuli Monastery; Venerable Macarius the Faster, Abbot of the Khakhuli Monastery, Commemorated December 21 ; the second half of the 10th century King Davit Kuropalates constructed the Khakhuli Church in southern Georgia. also founded Khakhuli Monastery, which in later centuries would become a center of spirituality, science, and education. this monastery is located on Turkish territory, but the grace of the ascetic labors of the fathers who labored there in the past pours forth hope upon the Georgian people to this day. holy and wonderworking fathers labored at Khakhuli Monastery, including Saint Basil the son of King Bagrat III, brothers George and Saba of Khakhuli, Hilarion of Tvali and many other God-fearing ascetics, whose righteousness and spiritual feats were guided by the holy abbot Macarius. Macarius was a great ascetic, teacher, and prophet. and wise, experienced elders alike flocked to him for advice and blessings. young monk George, later the great ascetic George of the Holy Mountain, was brought to Saint Macarius to receive his blessing. Saint Macarius called George his spiritual son. the grace of God, Saint Macarius reconciled his responsibilities as abbot of the monastery with the great spiritual labor of solitude. earned the title “the Faster” for his exceptional ascesis in fasting and prayer. is said that, as abbot of Khakhuli Monastery, “he shone like the morning sunrise and guided the spiritual activity and secular life of the entire Tao-Klarjeti region.” Macarius reposed around the year 1034.

Arabs, 909-1171, 10th-12th Century Folder, Fatmid Caliphate, Shia

Arabs, 905-955, Paul oLatros, for ascetic deeds gifts oClairvoyance&Wonderworking, counciled Emperor, estab&restor monasteries
Ephesus, 905-955, Paul oLatros, fPergamun, Mysia, Lydia (near Ephesus, Caicus River 1), ed iPhrygia, after mom's death monk aMt Latra near Miletos, then in a cave, gifts oClairvoyance wonderworking, counciled Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos, withdrew twice tSamos, estab m, restored 3 monassteries Arabs ravaged, foretold time oDeath, 955; Pergamun; Venerable Paul of Latros, Commemorated on December 15 ; Paul of Latros was a native of the city of Aelen in Pergamum. bereft of his father, he was educated at the monastery of Saint Stephen in Phrygia. the death of his mother, he devoted himself completely to monastic deeds at a monastery on Mount Latra, near Miletos. even loftier accomplishments, he secluded himself in a cave. his ascetic deeds he gained the gifts of clairvoyance and wonderworking. emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos (912-959) often wrote to him, asking his prayers and counsel. Paul twice withdrew to the island of Samos, where he established a monastery and restored three monasteries ravaged by the Hagarenes (Arabs). his end, the monk reposed in the year 955.

Arabs, 909-1171, m's d, Fatmid Caliphate, Shia Islam, all of North Africa, Egypt in 969, Levant, Sicily
Egypt, 909-1171, Fatmid Caliphate, Shia Islam Fatimid Caliphate, an Ismaili Shia caliphate of the 10th to the 12th centuries AD, spanned a large area of North Africa, from the Red Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The Fatimid dynasty, of Arab origin,[4] ruled territories across the Mediterranean coast of Africa and ultimately made Egypt the center of the caliphate. At its height the caliphate included - in addition to Egypt - varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and the Hijaz. Fatimid caliphate represented the peak of Ismaili political success. Ismailis had faithful supporters in the lands governed by the Fatimids' rivals, and areas with a significant Ismaili population and presences were able to set up their own independently-administered polities, which were loyal to the Imam in Egypt.[5] Fatimids claimed descent from Fatimah, the daughter of the prophet Muhammad. The Fatimid state took shape among the Kutama, Berbers living in the west of the North African littoral (in Kabylie in present-day Algeria). In 909, using the military resources of the Kutama, the Fatimids occupied Raqqada, the Aghlabid capital. In 921 the Fatimids established the Tunisian city of Mahdia as their new capital. In 948 they shifted their capital to al-Mansuriyya, near Kairouan in Tunisia. In 969 they conquered Egypt, and in 973 they established Cairo as the capital of their caliphate. Egypt became the political, cultural, and religious centre of their empire, which developed a new and "indigenous Arabic" culture.[6] ruling class belonged to the Ismai'li branch of Shi'a Islam, as did the leaders of the dynasty. The existence of the caliphate marked the only time the descendants of Ali and Fatimah were united to any degree (except for the final period of the Rashidun Caliphate under Ali himself from 656 to 661) and the name "Fatimid" refers to Fatimah. Orientalist authors sometimes use the separate term Fatimi (or "Fatimite") to refer to the caliphate's subjects. its initial conquests, the caliphate often allowed a degree of religious tolerance towards non-Shia sects of Islam, as well as to Jews, Maltese Christians, and Copts.[7] However, its leaders made little headway in persuading the Egyptian population to adopt its religious beliefs.[8][need quotation to verify] the late eleventh and twelfth centuries the Fatimid caliphate declined rapidly, and in 1171 Saladin invaded its territory. He founded the Ayyubid dynasty and incorporated the Fatimid state into the Abbasid Caliphate.[9]

Arabs, 909-934, Fatmid Sultan, Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah, Fatmah and Ali's son, Umayyads rejected, as usurpers, Abbasids r, not Ali's sons, occultation, millenialist ex
Egypt, 909-934, Fatmid Sultan, Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah; Muhammad Ubayd Allah ibn al-Husayn (873 -“ 4 March 934), better known by his regnal name Abu Muhammad Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah , was the founder of the Isma'ili Fatimid Caliphate, the only major Shi'a caliphate in Islamic history, and the eleventh imam of the Isma'ili faith. in the late 9th century since the murder of Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, in 661, which led to the establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate, a large part of the Muslim community rejected the Umayyads as usurpers and called for the establishment of a regime led by a member of the Ahl al-Bayt, the Family of Muhammad. Abbasids, who claimed descent from Muhammad's paternal uncle Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, profited from this during their rise to power against the Umayyads; but their claim too was rejected by the Shi'a, who insisted on the exclusive right of the descendants of al-Husayn and Hasan, Ali's sons by Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.[1] A line of imams emerged from the offspring of Husayn, who did not openly lay claim to the caliphate, but were considered by their followers as the true representatives of God on earth.[1] The sixth imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq, had appointed his son Isma'il ibn Ja'far as his successor, but Isma'il died before his father, and when al-Sadiq himself died in 765, the succession was left open. One faction of Shi'a held that al-Sadiq had designated another son, Musa al-Kazim, as his heir. followed other sons, Muhammad and Abdallah al-Aftah ”shortly after his death, they went over to Musa's camp ”or even refused to believe that al-Sadiq had died, and expected his return as a messiah.[2] Musa's adherents, who constituted the majority of al-Sadiq's followers, followed his line down to the twelfth imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who vanished in 874.[1][3] branch believed that Ja'far was followed by a seventh imam, who also had gone into hiding; hence this party is known as the Seveners. The exact identity of that seventh imam was disputed, but by the late 9th century had commonly been identified with Muhammad, son of Isma'il and grandson of al-Sadiq. From Muhammad's father, Isma'il, the sect receives its name of "Isma'ili".[1][4][5] Neither Isma'il's nor Muhammad's lives are well known, and after Muhammad's death during the reign of Harun al-Rashid (r. 786–809), the history of the early Isma'ili movement becomes obscure.[6] Both the Twelvers and the Seveners held that their final imams were not dead, but had simply gone into hiding ("occultation"), and that they would soon return as a messiah, a mahdÄ« ("the Rightly Guided One") or qÄÂÂÊ¾Ä«m ("He Who Arises"), to usher in the end times.[1][7] The mahdÄ« would rapidly overthrow the usurping Abbasids and destroy their capital Baghdad, restore the unity of the Muslims, conquer Constantinople, ensure the final triumph of Islam and establish a reign of peace and justice.[8] The Isma'ilis in particular believed that the mahdÄ« would reveal the true, "inner" (bÄÂÂá¹ÂÂin) meaning of religion, which was until then reserved for a few selected initiates. The mahdÄ« would dissolve the outer forms and strictures of Islam, since henceforth the true religion, the religion of Adam, would be manifested without the need for symbols and other mediating devices.[9] Secret leadership of the Isma'ili daÊ¿wa at Salamiya While the mahdÄ« Muhammad ibn Isma'il remained hidden, however, he would need to be represented by agents, who would gather the faithful, spread the word (daÊ¿wa, "invitation, calling"), and prepare his return. The head of this secret network was the living proof of the imam's existence, or "seal" (á¸¥ujja).[10] The first known á¸¥ujja was a certain Abdallah al-Akbar ("Abdallah the Elder"), a wealthy merchant from Askar Mukram, in what is now southwestern Iran. Apart from improbable stories circulated by later anti-Isma'ili polemicists, his exact origin is unknown.[11] His teachings led to his being forced to flee his native city to escape persecution by the Abbasid authorities, and seek refuge in Basra, where he claimed to belong to the Aqil branch of the Banu Hashim, the clan of Muhammad. Once again, his teachings attracted the attention of the authorities and he moved on to the small town of Salamiya on the western edge of the Syrian Desert.[12] There he settled as a merchant from Basra, and had two sons, Ahmad and Ibrahim. When Abdallah died c. 827/8, Ahmad succeeded his father as the head of the Isma'ili movement, and was in turn succeeded by his younger son, Muhammad, known as Abu'l-Shalaghlagh.[13][14] During the late 9th century, millenialist expectations increased in the Muslim world, coinciding with a deep crisis of the Abbasid Caliphate during the decade-long Anarchy at Samarra, the rise of breakaway and autonomous regimes in the provinces, and the large-scale Zanj Rebellion, whose leader claimed Alid descent and proclaimed himself as the mahdÄ«.[15] In this chaotic atmosphere, where the Abbasids were preoccupied with suppressing the uprising, the Isma'ili daÊ¿wa spread rapidly, aided by dissatisfaction among Twelver adherents with the political quietism of their leadership and the recent disappearance of the twelfth imam.[16] Missionaries (dÄÂÂ'Ä«s) like Hamdan Qarmat and his brother-in-law Abu Muhammad Abdan spread the network of agents to the area round Kufa in the late 870s, and from there to Yemen (Ibn Hawshab, 882) and thence India (884), Bahrayn (Abu Sa'id al-Jannabi, 899), Persia, and the Maghreb (Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i, 893).[17][18] The real leadership remained hidden at Salamiya, and only the chief dÄÂÂ'Ä«s of each region, such as Hamdan Qarmat, knew and corresponded with it.[19] The true head of the movement remained hidden even from the senior missionaries, however, and a certain Fayruz functioned as chief missionary (dÄÂÂ'Ä« al-duÊ¿ÄÂÂt) and "gateway" (bÄÂÂb) to the hidden leader.[20] Early life The future caliph al-Mahdi Billah was born as Sa'id, the son of Ahmad's elder son, al-Husayn, who died around 880.[21] The official biography gives the date of birth as 31 July 874, although a different tradition gives a date exactly one year earlier.[22] After his father's death, he was fostered by his uncle Abu'l-Shalaghlagh, who was without an heir of his own—his son and grandchild were reportedly captured and imprisoned by the Abbasids. Sa'id was thus designated as his successor, and given his uncle's daughter in marriage.[22] Most of the information about Sa'id's early life comes from the memoirs of the eunuch chamberlain Ja'far, who was a few months older than Sa'id and came with him to the household at Salamiya. The two were reared by the same wet-nurse, and Ja'far became a close confidant of Sa'id until his death.[23] Sa'id's only child, Abd al-Rahman, the future al-Qa'im bi-Amr Allah, was born in March or April 893.[22] While ostensibly merely the stewards for the absent imam, Ja'far reports that Abu'l-Shalaghlagh—perhaps encouraged by the rapid progress of the daÊ¿wa, now establishing armed strongholds—secretly declared himself to senior members of the daÊ¿wa not as the á¸¥ujja for Muhammad ibn Isma'il, but the actual imam; and that he claimed for his nephew the title of mahdÄ«, and the latter's infant son the title of qÄÂÂÊ¾Ä«m.[24] Various genealogies were later put forth by the Fatimids to justify this claim (see below). In the most common, Abdallah the Elder was proclaimed to be the son of Muhammad ibn Isma'il, but even in pro-Isma'ili sources, the succession and names of imams who supposedly preceded Ahmad is not the same; for example, Sa'id himself in a letter claimed descent not from Muhammad ibn Isma'il, but from the latter's older brother Abdallah. Anti-Isma'ili Sunni and Twelver sources of course reject any Fatimid descent from the Alids altogether and consider them impostors. The situation is further complicated by the use of the title qÄÂÂÊ¾Ä«m, normally a synonym for the mahdÄ«, for Sa'id's son. This has led to suggestions (first by Bernard Lewis) of two parallel lines of imams, one public (and of non-Alid descent), serving as trustees of the hidden, real one. In this interpretation, Sa'id was the last representative of the former line, and his "son" was the genuine imam.[25][26] Leadership of the daÊ¿wa When Abu'l-Shalaghlagh died around 899, Sa'id became the new head of the movement.[27] Soon after, the letters from Salamiya revealed changes in the official doctrine of the daÊ¿wa. This worried Hamdan Qarmat, who sent his brother-in-law to Salamiya to investigate the matter. It was there that Abdan learned that Sa'id claimed that the imam was not Muhammad ibn Isma'il, but Sa'id's father al-Husayn, and now Sa'id himself. This caused a major rift in the movement: Hamdan denounced the leadership in Salamiya, gathered the Iraqi dÄÂÂ'Ä«s and ordered them to cease the missionary effort. Shortly after he disappeared from his headquarters.[28][29] It was Al-Shi'i's success which was the signal to Al Mahdi to set off from Salamyah disguised as a merchant. In 905 he started proselytising. However, he was captured by the Aghlabid ruler Ziyadat-Allah due to his Ismaili beliefs and thrown into a dungeon in Sijilmasa. In early 909 Al-Shi'i sent a large expedition force to rescue Al Mahdi, conquering the Khariji state of Tahert on its way there. After gaining his freedom, Al Mahdi became the leader of the growing state and assumed the position of imam and caliph. Al Mahdi then led the Kutama Berbers who captured the cities of Qairawan and Raqqada. By March 909, the Aghlabid Dynasty had been overthrown and replaced with the Fatimids. As a result, the last stronghold of Sunni Islam in North Africa was removed from the region. Reign Al-Mahdi established himself at the former Aghlabid residence at Raqqada, Al-Qayrawan (in what is now Tunisia). After that his power grew. At the time of his death he had extended his reign over the Maghreb, but campaigns into Egypt (in 914–915 and 919–921) faltered against the resistance of the Abbasids, with heavy casualties. The historian Heinz Halm has described the early Fatimid regime as being little more than a "hegemony of the Kutama".[30] The position of these semi-civilized tribesmen as the chosen warriors of the imam-caliph was greatly resented, not only by the other Berber tribes, but chiefly by the inhabitants of the cities, where the Arabic culture predominated.[31] As Halm writes, the situation was similar to a scenario where, "in the early eighteenth-century North America, the Iroquois, converted to Catholicism by Jesuit missionaries, had overrun the Puritan provinces of New England, installed their chieftains as governors in Boston, Providence and Hartford, and proclaimed a European with dubious credentials as King of England".[31] The first years of Fatimid rule in Ifriqiya, Sicily, and Tripolitania were marked by revolts by the local inhabitants against the arrogance and exactions of the Kutama.[32] Al-Mahdi founded the capital of his empire, al-Mahdiyyah, on the Tunisian coast sixteen miles south-east of Al-Qayrawan, which he named after himself. The city was located on a peninsula on an artificial platform "reclaimed from the sea", as mentioned by the Andalusian geographer Al-Bakri. The Great mosque of Mahdia was built in 916 on the southern side of the peninsula.[33] Al-Mahdi took up residence there in 920. In 922 the Bulgarian emperor Simeon I sent envoys to al-Mahdi to propose a joint attack on the Byzantine capital Constantinople with the Bulgarians providing a large land army, and the Arabs a navy. It was proposed that all spoils would be divided equally, with the Bulgarians keeping Constantinople and the Fatimids gaining the Byzantine territories in Sicily and South Italy.[34] As a result of the Byzantine–Bulgarian war of 913–927, by 922 the Bulgarians controlled almost the whole Balkan peninsula but Simeon I's main objective to capture Constantinople remained out of his reach because he lacked a navy. Although the Byzantines and the Fatimids had concluded a peace treaty in 914, since 918 the Fatimids had renewed their attacks on the Italian coast.[34] Al-Mahdi accepted the proposal and sent back his own emissaries to conclude the agreement.[34] On the way home the ship was captured by the Byzantines near the Calabrian coast and the envoys of both countries were sent to Constantinople.[34] When the Byzantine emperor Romanos I learned about the secret negotiations, the Bulgarians were imprisoned, while the Arab envoys were allowed to return to Al-Mahdiyyah with rich gifts for the caliph. The Byzantines then sent their own embassy to North Africa to outbid Simeon I and eventually the Fatimids agreed not to aid Bulgaria.[35] After his death, Al-Mahdi was succeeded by his son, Abu Al-Qasim Muhammad Al-Qaim, who continued his expansionist policy. Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in Schema Stephen) of Spain, and Egypt, Commemorated on December 17

Arabs, 934-946, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Qa'im, reconquest of Sicily
Egypt, 934-946, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Qa'im; Muhammad ibn Abdallah (April 893 -“ 17 May 946), better known by his regnal name al-Qa'im bi-Amr Allah or bi-Amri 'llah , was the second caliph of the Fatimid Caliphate in Ifriqiya and ruled from 934 to 946. He is the 12th Imam according to the Isma'ili faith. was born in Salamiyah in Syria in 895 with the name Muhammad. After his father Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah (910-934) seized power in Ifriqiya he was named heir to the throne in 912, and helped put down several revolts. However, campaigns into Egypt (in 914-“915 and 919-“921) faltered against the resistance of the Abbasids, with heavy casualties. In 934 Al-Qa'im succeeded his father as Caliph, after which he never again left the royal residence at Mahdia. Nevertheless, the Fatimid realm became an important power in the Mediterranean. After the re-conquest of Sicily the Byzantine province of Calabria and the Ligurian coast was plundered and the city of Genoa sacked. From 944 to 947 the realm was plunged into crisis by the revolt of Abu Yazid, who had united the Kharijite Berber tribes of the Aurals Mountains of eastern Algeria and overrun Ifriqiya. Imam Al-Qa'im was able to hold out in Mahdia with the help of the navy for over a year, but died (13th Shawwal 334 AH (Mahdiyya)/17 May 946) before the revolt could be put down. was succeeded by his son Ismail al-Mansur (r. 946-953). Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in Schema Stephen) of Spain, and Egypt, Commemorated on December 17

Arabs, 946-953, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Mansur bi-Nasr Allah, supressed the large-scale Kharijite rebellion
Egypt, 946-953, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Mansur bi-Nasr Allah; Tahir Isma'il (January 914 -18 March 953), better known by his regnal name al-Mansur bi-Nasr Allah, was the third caliph of the Fatimid Caliphate in Ifriqiya, ruling from 946 until his death. He presided over a period of crisis, having to confront the large-scale Kharijite rebellion of Abu Yazid. He succeeded in suppressing the revolt and restoring the stability of the Fatimid regime. Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in Schema Stephen) of Spain, and Egypt, Commemorated on December 17

Arabs, 950, 10th C, Daniel tConfessor, oNiverta Is, b monk, iRome, tJerusalem, great Schema, martyred bSaracens
Spain and Portugal, 950, 10th C, Daniel tConfessor, Perfect oNiverta Islands, disdained worldly glory, became monk, iRome, tJerusalem holy places, great Schema aStephen, martyred bSaracens ; Since these are the only Islands off the Spanish mainland, Niverta Island must be one of these Balearic Islands. Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in Schema Stephen) of Spain, and Egypt, Commemorated on December 17 ; Daniel the Confessor, (in the schema Stephen) lived in the tenth century. was a Spanish dignitary, and prefect of the island of Niverta. worldly glory, he became a monk in Rome and went on pilgrimage to the holy places at Constantinople and Jerusalem, he received the Great Schema and the name Stephen. received the crown of martyrdom after he refused the Saracens’ demand that he renounce Christ and become a Moslem.

Arabs, 953-975, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, Fatmid center moved to Cairo from Tunis in 969
Egypt, 953-975, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah; Tamim Ma'ad al-Muizz li-Din Allah (; 26 September 932 -19 December 975) was the fourth Fatimid Caliph and 14th Ismaili imam, reigning from 953 to 975. was during his caliphate that the center of power of the Fatimid dynasty was moved from Ifriqiya (modern Tunisia) to Egypt. The Fatimids founded the city of al-Qhirah (Cairo) "the Victorious" in 969 as the new capital of the Fatimid caliphate in Egypt.[1] Venerable Daniel the Confessor (in Schema Stephen) of Spain, and Egypt, Commemorated on December 17

Arabs, 975-996, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Aziz Billah, good admin, econ, but extrav, Katuma Berbers west, Turks east, replacng slaves, into Syria, empl Ch Jews, not sunnis
Egypt, 975-996, Fatmid Sultan, Al-Aziz Billah; Mansur Nizar (10 May 955 -“ 14 October 996), known by his regnal name as al-Aziz Billah, was the fifth caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, from 975 to his death in 996. Nizar, the future al-Aziz Billah, was born on 10 May 955, the third son of the fourth Fatimid Caliph, al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah (r. 95-“975).[1][2] His mother, Durzan, usually known as al-Sayyida al-Mu'izz" the chief concubine of al-Mu'izz, and likely of Bedouin origin. She was known for her beautiful singing voice, which earned her the nickname Taghr ("Twitter").[3] She died in 995.[4] 974 his older brother Abdallah ibn al-Mu'izz ”who had been the designated heir in preference to the oldest of al-Mu'izz's sons, Tamim”died, and Nizar found himself as his father's designated successor (walahd).[5] The succession was not confirmed in front of the members of the dynasty and court, however, until a day before al-Mu'izz's death on 18 December 975.[1] His official proclamation as caliph was delayed until 9 August 976.[1] Administration and economy[edit] According to the sources, al-Aziz Billah was "tall, with red hair and blue eyes, generous, brave, fond of horses and hunting and very humane and tolerant in disposition".[1] He was marked for his skill as an administrator, reforming the finances of the Fatimid state, standardizing and streamlining the payment of officials, and taking steps to ensure their integrity.[1] At the same time, he was known for his extravagant lifestyle and obsession for precious objects and materials, rare animals and delicacies; it is said that on one occasion, he had carrier pigeons bring him cherries from Ba'albek.[6] The Egyptian economy was also nurtured, and tax revenue thereby increased, through the expansion of streets and canals and the establishment of a stable currency. The general economic well-being was also apparent in an elaborate building programme. The most influential official during most of his reign was Ya'qub ibn Killis, who was the first in Fatimid history to be designated as "vizier", in 979. Apart from two brief periods when Ibn Killis fell into disgrace ”in 979 and 984 ”he remained al-Aziz's chief minister until his death in 991.[1] Just like his master, Ibn Killis lived in great luxury, facilitated by a salary of 100,000 gold dinars.[7] Ibn Killis is credited with the capable administration of the public finances, which ensured a full treasury despite the vast sums expended by the luxury-loving Caliph,[8] but also for his role as a patron of men of letters, and the author of a book that codified Fatimid laws.[1] In contrast, his successors did not long remain in office, and in the short space of five years, the post of vizier was occupied by six men: Ali ibn Umar al-Addas, Abu'l-Fadl Ja'far ibn al-Furat, al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan al-Baziyar, Abu Muhammad ibn Ammar, al-Fadl ibn Salih, and Isa ibn Nasturus ibn Surus.[1] reforms[edit] Al-Aziz also undertook major military reforms. Berbers, and especially the Kutama tribe, had traditionally provided the mainstay of the Fatimid armies, and had played the main role in the takeover of Ifriqiya and the conquest of Egypt and the southern Levant under al-Aziz's predecessors.[9] Until the 970s, the Kutama provided the cavalry, with the infantry composed of Slavic, Greek and Black African slaves.[10][11] the forays into the Levant revealed the inadequacies of an army based solely on the Kutama, and from 978, al-Aziz, began to introduce mercenaries from the Islamic East, especially Turks and Daylamites. The adoption of the ghilmn system had far-reaching repercussions, as the Turkish ghilmn assumed senior positions in the state and began to rival the Kutama for influence, especially as the flow of new recruits from the Kutama homeland ebbed after c.987/88.[12][13] Consequently, a fierce antagonism developed between the two groups, termed Magriba ("Westerners") and Mashriqa ("Easterners") respectively, which would erupt in open warfare after al-Aziz's death.[14][15][16] policies[edit] employment of the Christian Ibn Nesturus, just as that of the Jew Manashsha as Secretary for Syria, was a prominent example of the Fatimids' tolerance in religious matters, further encouraged under al-Aziz by his Melkite Christian wife. Two of her brothers, Orestes and Arsenius, were appointed as Patriarch of Jerusalem and metropolitan bishop of Cairo, respectively.[1] The Coptic Christians also benefited from the Caliph's favour, allowing them to rebuilt the Saint Mercurius Church despite Muslim opposition, or refusing to punish a Muslim man who converted to Christianity.[1] This leniency, crowned by the appointment to high office of Ibn Nesturus and Manashsha, was resented by the Muslim populace, with Muslim opinion incensed by hostile tracts circulating among them. The Caliph was briefly forced to depose his two ministers and imprison them, but soon their undoubted skill ensured their release and reinstatement.[1] Anti-Christian animus was most evident in 996, when merchants from Amalfi were suspected of being responsible for a fire that destroyed the arsenal at Cairo; in a city-wide anti-Christian pogrom, the Amalfitans were murdered and churches were ransacked.[1] tolerance did not extend towards the Sunni Muslim population, however, as al-Aziz followed a fervently Isma'ili agenda: he erected inscriptions denouncing the Companions of the Prophet, abolished the Tarawih prayers in 982, and initiated the celebration of the Ashura festival in Cairo. In 991, a man found in possession of the Sunni legal treatise Muwatta Imam Malik was executed.[1] reign of Al-Aziz was also culturally significant. Ibn Killis founded the al-Azhar University in Cairo (988) which went on to become the most important centre of learning in the Islamic world. Likewise a library with 200,000 volumes was built in Cairo. According to Professor Samy S. Swayd Fatimid missionaries made their Dawah in China during the reign of Al-Aziz.[17] Expansion into Syria[edit] Map of Early Islamic Syria and its provinces in the 9th-“10th centuries In foreign affairs, al-Aziz concentrated on the extension of Fatimid control over Syria,[7] whose conquest had begun immediately after the Fatimid conquest of Egypt in 969.[18][19] of Syria, and particularly Palestine, was a constant foreign policy objective for many rulers of Egypt both before and after the Fatimids, to foreclose the most likely invasion route into the country by the powers of Western Asia.[20] the Fatimid case, this drive was given additional impetus by their ambitions to lead the entire Islamic world and unseat the Abbasid Caliphate by conquering Iraq and the eastern Islamic lands, which was possible only via Syria.[7][21] the same time, the balance of power in the region was altered with the simultaneous expansion of the Byzantine Empire into northern Syria against the Hamdanid Emirate of Aleppo, culminating in the capture of Antioch in 969. Fatimids used the Byzantine advance as a major item in their propaganda, claiming to be the only power capable of championing the jihad against the "infidel" threat.[22] However, policy with regard to Syria during the early part of al-Aziz's reign was dominated by the vizier Ibn Killis, who, according to historian Hugh N. Kennedy, "believed that the Fatimids should concentrate on controlling Palestine and southern Syria, while leaving the north of the Hamdanids and their successors to form a buffer state against the Byzantines, with whom the caliph should try to keep on good terms".[21] initial successes, the initial Fatimid invasion of Syria, under the Kutama general Ja'far ibn Fallah, quickly came to a halt through a combination of rebellions by the citizens of Damascus and the Bedouin tribes of the Syrian Desert.[23][24] August 971, the Fatimids were defeated in battle against the Bedouin and their Qarmatian allies, leading to the near total collapse of Fatimid control in southern Syria and Palestine, and even a short-lived Qarmatian invasion of Egypt.[18][25][26] al-Aziz came to power, Damascus was ruled by the Turk Alptakin, who with only 300 of his fellow Turks had taken power by exploiting the unpopularity of the Fatimids' Kutama troops, gained popular support by restoring order in the city, and held it against the Fatimids, recognizing Abbasid suzerainty.[7][21] Further south, Palestine was under Fatimid control, but the powerful Bedouin chieftain of the Banu Tayy tribe, Mufarrij ibn Daghfal ibn al-Jarrah, was opposed to them and held the provincial capital Ramla.[7] of Damascus[edit] Commander of the Faithful, maintain peace with the Byzantines as long as they maintain peace with you. Be satisfied if the Hamdanids [of Aleppo] recognize you in the mint and the [Friday] oration. Do not spare Mufarrij ibn Daghfal ibn Jarrah, [however], if you get hold of him." Advice of Ya'qub ibn Killis to al-Aziz on his deathbed.[27] 975 al-'Aziz took control of Baniyas in an attempt to subdue the anti-Fatimid agitation of the Sunni Mahammad b. Ahmad al-Nablusi and his followers.[28] 976, the Fatimid general Jawhar, the conqueror of Egypt, campaigned against Damascus, but after two months of clashes before the city he had to retreat due to the arrival of Alptakin's Qarmatian allies.[7] Followed by Alptakin's forces, Jawhar was pushed back to Tiberias, Ramla and finally Ascalon, where he was besieged.[7] The siege lasted for seventeen months and ended in early 978 with a negotiated agreement, which abandoned the entire territory from Ascalon to Damascus to Alptakin. Only Gaza remained under direct Fatimid control, although Alptakin was prepared to acknowledge the nominal suzerainty of al-Aziz over the territories he ruled. Jawhar and his men had also to undergo the humiliation of passing under a sword and lance in token of their defeat while departing Ascalon for Egypt.[7][29] Fatimid court could not accept this humiliating agreement, which not only left Egypt vulnerable to attack, but also deprived senior members of the Fatimid elite ”including Ibn Killis himself ”of important properties around Damascus.[30] a result, al-Aziz took the field in person and, at the head of an enormous army, defeated and captured Alptakin in August 978.[7][30] The Qarmatians were bribed with promises of an annual payment of tribute to retreat to Bahrayn, thus bringing an end to their incursions into Syria.[7][30] The events of the previous years also demonstrated to Ibn Killis the dangers of continuing to rely on the Kutama. As a result, the Caliph unexpectedly showed clemency to Alptakin, taking him and his Turkish followers into Fatimid service.[7][30] Alptakin himself was taken to Cairo, where he was lavishly honoured by the Caliph, arousing the envy of Ibn Killis, who had Alptakin poisoned.[7] Nevertheless, as noted before, this event was of momentous importance and marked a major departure from previous Fatimid practice; especially in Syria, the Turkish ghilmÄÂÂn remained influential and often occupied the position of governor of Damascus.[13] itself was taken over by one of Alptakin's lieutenants, Qassam, with the support of the local population and the city militia, who wished to avoid a renewed Berber occupation.[7][30] Fatimid general al-Fadl ibn Salih, a protage of Ibn Killis, was sent with a Berber army against Qassam, but other than a show of force against the coastal cities failed to achieve anything and retreated to Palestine.[7][31] Matters became complicated with the arrival of Abu Taghlib, the ousted Hamdanid ruler of Mosul, who contacted al-Aziz with an offer to capture the city if they supported him with troops. This was opposed by Ibn al-Jarrah, who feared lest the Hamdanid and his followers form the Banu Uqayl tribe, rivals to the Tayy, threaten his own position, particularly his possession of Ramla and the pasture lands of his tribe. Al-Fadl apparently played a duplicitous game, encouraging Abu Taghlib in his designs on Ramla in an effort to sow dissension among the Arab tribes and strengthen Fatimid authority; however, in August 979, when Ibn al-Jarrah attacked Abu Taghlib and his men at Ramla, al-Fadl came to his aid with his own troops. Abu Taghlib was taken captive and executed.[7][32][33] This battle established Ibn al-Jarrah and his Tayy as a major player in the region's power politics: despite his recognition of Fatimid suzerainty, the Tayy chieftain was a virtually independent ruler and remained a constant nuisance for the Fatimid government for decades.[31] fragment with a mounted warrior, 11th century continued to resist Fatimid attempts to capture it, notably under the Kutama chieftain Sulayman ibn Ja'far ibn Fallah in 979/80,[7][31] while, despite al-Fadl's efforts to use the Uqayl to contain them, the Tayy and their unchecked depredations grew to be a menace to the settled and agrigultural districts of southern Syria: Ramla was "reduced to a ghost town", in the words of Kennedy, and the Ghuta plain around Damascus and the Hawran region were so devastated that Damascus faced famine, alleviated only through supplies sent from Homs, ruled by the Turk Bakjur for the Hamdanids of Aleppo.[31] As a result of the successive failures of Berber commanders to capture Damascus and restore order in the province, the Fatimid court appointed a Turk, Baltakin, a former follower of Alptakin, as commander of the next expedition into Syria. Baltakin defeated Ibn al-Jarrah, who fled north to Antioch and the protection of the Byzantines, while Qassam was finally forced to surrender Damascus in early 983, albeit under generous terms that allowed him to remain in control under a Fatimid-appointed governor.[7][31] for Aleppo[edit] securing Fatimid rule in central and southern Syria, Caliph al-Aziz aimed to capture Aleppo as well, but was restrained by Ibn Killis while he lived.[7] The question of Aleppo was complicated, as it risked provoking a direct confrontation with Byzantium.[34] Since 969, the Hamdanid emirate had been tributary to the Byzantines. Its ruler, Sa'd al-Dawla (r. 967-“991), resented this dependence, but was forced to abide with it in order to prevent an outright Fatimid conquest. As a result, his policy vacillated between the two powers.[35][36] Nevertheless, the Fatimids benefited from the weakness of the Hamdanids, as many Hamdanid supporters began entering Fatimid service. For example, Raja al-Siqlabi defected with 300 of his men, and was appointed governor of Acre and Caesarea.[11] The most important such defection was that of the Hamdanid governor of Homs, Bakjur, in 983. Bakjur contacted al-Aziz directly and offered to enter Fatimid service against Aleppo in exchange for the governorship of Damascus.[7][11] Attracted by the possibility of taking over not only Homs but possibly Aleppo as well, al-Aziz agreed to Bakjur's offer over the vehement opposition of Ibn Killis, who was briefly deposed and imprisoned in conjunction with a harvest failure that led to famine in the capital.[11] The Caliph provided Bakjur with an army, with which he attacked Aleppo in September. Sa'd al-Dawla was forced to appeal to the Byzantine emperor Basil II (r. 976–1025) for help, who sent his general Bardas Phokas the Younger to assist Aleppo. Forewarned of the Byzantines' approach by the exiled Ibn al-Jarrah, Bakjur raised the siege and fled to Fatimid territory. The Byzantines proceeded to sack Homs in October, and returned the city to Hamdanid control.[7][37] In 987/8, a seven-year truce was concluded with the Byzantines. It stipulated an exchange of prisoners, the recognition of the Byzantine emperor as protector of Christians under Fatimid rule and of the Fatimid Caliph as protector of Muslims under Byzantine control, and the replacement of the name of the Abbasid caliph with that of the Fatimid caliph in the Friday prayer in the mosque at Constantinople.[38] Despite his failure, Bakjur was named governor of Damascus by al-Aziz, and was joined by Ibn al-Jarrah. Ibn Killis, who was released and restored to his office after barely two months, immediately began working against the two. Bakjur gradually made himself unpopular to the Damascenes due to his cruelty, and after several failed efforts, in 989 Ibn Killis finally persuaded al-Aziz to replace Bakjur with one of the vizier's personal ghilmÄÂÂn, Ya'qub al-Siqlabi. Bakjur fled to Raqqa, from where he continued his unsuccessful attacks on Aleppo.[7][11] At the same time, Baltakin was sent to pacify the Bedouin tribes who were raiding the Hajj caravans, leading to the establishment of a Fatimid garrison at Wadi al-Qura, north of Medina.[11] Ibn Killis' death in 991 freed al-Aziz to pursue a more aggressive stance in the Aleppo question. Immediately he dismissed Ibn Killis' protégé and appointed the Turk Manjutakin as governor of Damascus.[7][39] Manjutakin's use of Damascus as his base during the subsequent campaigns shows the consolidation of Fatimid control in the area, but also, as Hugh Kennedy remarks, the changes it brought to the "political and economic geography of Syria": given the continued insecurity of the overland routes due to the depredations of the Bedouin, the Fatimids supplied their forces in Syria by sea—notably via Tripoli—and as a result the chief coastal towns rose in importance, as centres of Fatimid control and administration as well as commerce, experiencing a revival which continued into the 12th century.[40] Manjutakin invaded the Hamdanid emirate, defeated a Byzantine force under the doux of Antioch, Michael Bourtzes, in June 992, and laid siege to Aleppo. However, he failed to pursue the siege with vigour and the city was easily able to resist until, in the spring of 993, after thirteen months of campaigning, Manjutakin was forced to return to Damascus due to lack of supplies.[41] In spring 994, Manjutakin launched another invasion, again defeated Bourtzes at the Battle of the Orontes in September and again besieged Aleppo. The blockade was far more effective this time and soon caused a severe lack of food, but the city's defenders held out until the sudden arrival of the Byzantine emperor, Basil II, in person in April 995.[41] Basil crossed Asia Minor in only sixteen days at the head of an army; his sudden arrival, and the exaggerated numbers circulating for his army, caused panic in the Fatimid army. Manjutakin burned his camp and retreated to Damascus without giving battle.[41] The Byzantines besieged Tripoli but failed to capture it; nevertheless, the Fatimids lost control of the city, which became independent under its qadi.[38] The Byzantine emperor then occupied and fortified Tartus.[38] Al-Aziz himself now prepared to take the field against the Byzantines himself, beginning large-scale preparations at Cairo.[42][43] Byzantine and Hamdanid embassies carrying proposals for a truce were received in September 995, but rejected.[42] Al-Aziz's preparations were set back when the fleet being prepared at Cairo was destroyed by a fire, which set off an anti-Christian pogrom in the city.[44] Manjutakin was ordered to recapture Tartus, but its Armenian garrison was able to fend off his attacks; and a Fatimid fleet sent to assist the siege was lost in a storm off the coast.[38][44] Al-Aziz died on 14 October 996, before setting out on his campaign.[45] The Byzantine–Fatimid conflict continued under his successor until the conclusion of a ten-year truce in 1000.[46] Arabia and North Africa[edit] Along with Syria, al-Aziz presided over an expansion of Fatimid influence in the Arabian peninsula. The Hajj—at least those caravans setting off from Cairo with the pilgrims of the western Islamic world—was placed under Fatimid control and protection, despite the considerable cost.[47] The emirs of Mecca, although de facto autonomous, recognized the Fatimids' suzerainty, in token of which the Fatimids enjoyed the prestigious privilege of furnishing each year the new cover of the Kaaba (the kiswa).[47] Finally, in 992 the Fatimids were acknowledged as caliphs in the Yemen,[47] and even their old enemies, the Qarmatians of Bahrayn, came around to acknowledge their claims.[47] According to Kennedy, these diplomatic victories were the result of the more energetic foreign policy pursued by al-Aziz, particularly after the death of Ibn Killis, which bolstered his credentials by demonstrating "his ability and willingness to undertake the two major public responsibilities of a caliph, to safeguard the Hajj and to lead the Muslims against the infidel Byzantines".[47] On the other hand, North Africa, including the former Fatimid heartland of Ifriqiya, was mostly neglected.[7] Effective power there had passed to the Zirid viceroy of Ifriqiya, Buluggin ibn Ziri (r. 972–984), who was confirmed in office by al-Aziz, as was his son al-Mansur (r. 984–996).[7] In 992, al-Aziz even confirmed al-Mansur's son Badis as heir-apparent, thereby strengthening the Zirids' claim to dynastic succession.[47] Indeed, as Kennedy remarks, "nothing is more striking than the speed with which [the Fatimids] were prepared to allow North Africa to go its own way";[47] apart from diplomatic exchanges of gifts,[47] the Zirids governed their domains increasingly independently from the Fatimid court, even to the point of warring with the Kutama, the erstwhile mainstay of the Fatimid regime.[7] In a similar manner, al-Aziz contended himself with recognizing the succession of the Kalbid emirs of Sicily after the event.[7] Nearer to Egypt, the governor of Barqa (Cyrenaica) is known to have brought presents to the court of Cairo, but otherwise there are no indications of the Fatimids' exercising any control over him.[47] Al-Aziz died on 13 October 996. His son Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (996-1021) succeeded him as Caliph.

Arabs, 996-1021, Fatmid Sultan, Hakim (Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah), important Shia, two views of him
Egypt, 996-1021, Fatmid Sultan, Hakim (Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah), despoiler of the Holy Places ; (13 August 985-13 February 1021), [1]), the sixth Fatimid caliph[2] and 16th Ismaili[3] imam (996-“1021). is an important figure in a number of Shia Ismaili religions, such as the world's 15 million Nizaris and 1-2 million Musta™lis, in addition to the 2 million Druze of the Levant whose eponymous founder ad-Darazi proclaimed him as the incarnation of God in 1018.[4][5] of al-Hakim can prove controversial, as diverse views of his life and legacy exist.[6][7] Paul Walker writes: "Ultimately, both views of him, mad and despotic tyrant (like Germanic and Roman despots) irrationally given to killing those around him on a whim, the ideal supreme ruler, divinely ordained and chosen, whose every action was just and righteous, were to persist, one among his enemies and those who rebelled against him, the other in the hearts of true believers, who, while perhaps perplexed by events, nonetheless remained avidly loyal to him to the end."[8] The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, Commemorated on August 15 ;

Arabs, 1037-1194, Folder, Seljuk Empire, Battle of Baghdad, 600,000 men to Georgia, Sunni

Arabs, 1037-1194, Seljuk Empire, Sunni, Turk
Messopotamia, Seljuk Empire, 1037-1194, Sunni, Turk; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26 ;

Arabs, 1037-1063, Seljuk sultan, Tughril
Messopotamia, Seljuk sultan, 1037-1063, Tughril ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali in Jerusalem, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 1063-1072, Seljuk sultan, Alp Arslan, Heroic Lion, expanded South and Northwest into Anatolia
Arabs, 1063-1072, Seljuk sultan, Alp Arslan; Arslan (20 January 1029 – 15 December 1072), real name Muhammad bin Dawud Chaghri, was the second Sultan of the Seljuk Empire and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty. Sultan, Alp Arslan greatly expanded Seljuk territory and consolidated power, defeating rivals to his south and northwest. victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 ushered in the Turkoman settlement of Anatolia.[1] his military prowess and fighting skills he obtained the name Alp Arslan, which means "Heroic Lion" in Turkish.

Arabs, 1073-1092, Seljuk sultan, Malik-Shah I, established order in the Caucasus, poisoned
Arabs, 1073-1092, Seljuk sultan, Malik-Shah I; Äl al-Dawla Muiizz al-Dunya Wal-Din Abull-Fatá¸¥ ibn Alp Arslan (8 August 1055 – 19 November 1092, better known by his regnal name of Malik-Shah I, was sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1072 to 1092. his youth, he spent his time participating in the campaigns of his father Alp Arslan, along the latter's vizier Nizam al-Mulk. one of such campaigns in 1072, Alp Arslan was fatally wounded and died only a few days later. After that, Malik-Shah was crowned as the new sultan of the empire, Malik-Shah did not access the throne peacefully, and had to fight his uncle Qavurt, who claimed the throne. Although Malik-Shah was the nominal head of the Seljuk state, Nizam al-Mulk held near absolute power during his reign.[2] spent the rest of his reign waging war against the Karakhanids on the eastern side, and establishing order in the Caucasus. death to this day remains under dispute; according to some scholars, he was poisoned by Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadi, while others say that he was poisoned by the supporters of Nizam al-Mulk. Blessed David IV, King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26;

Arabs, 1089-1125, King, David IV of Georgia, The Restorer, The Builder
Georgia, 1089-1125, King, David IV of Georgia, The Restorer, The Builder, 16 yr old King, welfare of the Church responsibility, Church over feudal lords, vital role of Faith, repatriation, began in Kakheti, traitorous feudal lords, David's army God's hands, David himself fought, Turks eliminated, Mehmed I 100,000, 1,500 G to Trialeti, same time 1115 advisor Giorgi recaptured Rustavi Ravine, David's son Demetre, permanent standing army 45,000, Kipchaks recruited, his wife's father Atrak, Mahmud II coalition Muslim countries 600,000, Soldier's of Christ we will defeat Devil himself, greatest weapon covenant w God to die for his love, block retreat w branches, tactics and miracles terrified the enemy at Didgori, recaptured Tiblisi 1122 after 400 yrs, Gelati Monastery 1106; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; the end of the 11th century the Georgian Church underwent a trial of physically and spiritually catastrophic proportions. Seljuk sultan, Jalal al-Dawlah Malik Shah (1073-1092), captured the village of Samshvilde, imprisoned its leader, Ioane Orbeliani, son of Liparit, ravaged Kvemo (Lower) Kartli, and finally captured all of Georgia, despite the isolated victories of King Giorgi II (1072-1089). The fearful Georgians fled their homes to hide in the mountains and forests. and deeply distressed by the difficult times, the nation that had once vowed its unconditional love for Christ began to fall into sin and corruption. People of all ages and temperaments sinned against God and turned to the path of perdition. God manifested His wrath toward the Georgian people by sending a terrible earthquake that devastated their Paschal celebrations. the year 1089, during this period of devastation and despair, King Giorgi II abdicated, designating his sixteen-year-old only son, David (later known as “the Restorer”), heir to the throne. It is written that the Heavenly Father said: I have found David My servant, with My holy oil have I annointed him (Ps. 88:19). newly crowned King David took upon himself enormous responsibility for the welfare of the Church. He supported the efforts of the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi to restore and reinforce the authority of the Georgian Church and suppress the conceited feudal lords and unworthy clergymen. During King David’s reign, the government’s most significant activities were carried out for the benefit of the Church. At the same time, the Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi reasserted the vital role of the Orthodox Faith in rescuing the Georgian people from the godless mire into which they had sunk. among King David’s goals at the beginning of his reign was the repatriation of those who had fled Georgia during the Turkish rule. The king summoned his noblemen and began to reunify the nation. The king’s efforts to reunify Georgia began in the eastern region of Kakheti-Hereti, but the Turks and traitorous feudal lords were unwilling to surrender the power they had gained in the area. Nevertheless, King David’s army was in God’s hands, and the Georgians fought valiantly against the massive Turkish army. King David himself fought like any other soldier: three of his horses were killed, but he mounted a fourth to finish the fight with a fantastic victory. The Turkish presence was eliminated from his country. however, the uncompromising Seljuk sultan Mehmed (Muhammad) I of Baghdad (1105-1118) ordered an army of one hundred thousand soldiers to march on Georgia. When King David heard of the enemy’s approach, he immediately assembled a force of fifteen hundred men and led them towards Trialeti. A battle began in the early morning, and with God’s help the enemy was defeated. the king’s adviser, Giorgi of Chqondidi, recaptured the town of Rustavi in 1115, as the Georgian army recovered the ravine of the Mtkvari River. of Chqondidi was King David’s teacher and closest adviser. He held the post of chancellor-procurator. At the council of Ruisi-Urbnisi, King David introduced a new law, combining the office of chancellor-procurator with the archbishopric of Chqondidi, the most influential episcopate in Georgia.) year later, the Turks, who had been encamped between the towns of Karnipori and Basiani, were banished from the country. The “Great Wars” continued, and the holy king was crowned with new victories. ’s son Demetre (later the venerable Damiane), a young man distinguished in “wisdom, holiness, appearance and courage,” was a great asset to his father. The prince led a war on Shirvan, captured Kaladzori, and returned to his father with slaves and great riches, the spoils of war in those days. One year later, the villages of Lore and Agarani were rejoined to Georgia. spite of his victories, King David knew that it would be difficult for his meager army to protect the recovered cities and fortresses, while continuing to serve as a permanent military force. Thus it became necessary to establish a separate, permanent standing army. The wise king planned to draft men from among the Qipchaks, a northern Caucasian tribe, to form this army. He was well acquainted with the character of these people, and confident that they were brave and seasoned in war. Furthermore, David’s wife, Queen Gurandukhti, was a daughter of Atrak, the Qipchaks’ ruler. Atrak joyfully agreed to the request of his son-in-law, the king. a true diplomat seeking to maintain peaceful relations with the Qipchaks, King David took his adviser, Giorgi of Chqondidi, and traveled to the region of Ossetia in the northern Caucasus. There Giorgi of Chqondidi, an “adviser to his master and participant in his great works and victories,” reposed in the Lord. Following this, the dispirited King David declared that his kingdom would grieve for forty days. But he accomplished what he had set out to do, and selected forty thousand Qipchaks to add to the five thousand Georgian soldiers he had already enlisted. From that point on King David had a standing army of forty-five thousand men. king’s enormous army finally uprooted the Turkish presence in and around Georgia permanently. The defeated Turks returned in shame to their sultan in Baghdad, draped in black as a sign of grief and defeat. Nevertheless, the unyielding sultan Mahmud II (1118-1131) rallied a coalition of Muslim countries to attack Georgia. The sultan summoned the Arab leader Durbays bin Sadaka, commanded his own son Malik (1152-1153) to serve him, gathered an army of six hundred thousand men, and marched once more towards Georgia. was August of 1121. Before heading off to battle, King David inspired his army with these words: “Soldiers of Christ! If we fight bravely for our Faith, we will defeat not only the devil’s servants, but the devil himself. will gain the greatest weapon of spiritual warfare when we make a covenant with the Almighty God and vow that we would rather die for His love than escape from the enemy. And if any one of us should wish to retreat, let us take branches and block the entrance to the gorge to prevent this. When the enemy approaches, let us attack fiercely!” of the soldiers thought of retreating. The king’s stunning battle tactics and the miracles of God terrified the enemy. As it is written, “The hand of God empowered him, and the Great-martyr George visibly led him in battle. The king annihilated the godless enemy with his powerful right hand.” battle at Didgori enfeebled the enemy for many years. The following year, in 1122, King David recaptured the capital city of Tbilisi, which had borne the yoke of slavery for four hundred years. The king returned the city to its mother country. In 1123 King David declared the village of Dmanisi a Georgian possession, and thus, at last, unification of the country was complete. victory followed another, as the Lord defended the king who glorified his Creator. 1106 King David had begun construction of Gelati Monastery in western Georgia, and throughout his life this sacred complex was the focus of his efforts on behalf of the revival of the Georgian Church. Gelati Monastery was the most glorious of all the existing temples to God. To beautify the building, King David offered many of the great treasures he had acquired as spoils of war. Then he gathered all the wise, upright, generous, and pious people from among his kinsmen and from abroad and established the Gelati Theological Academy. King David helped many people in Georgian churches both inside and outside his kingdom. The benevolent king constructed a primitive ambulance for the sick and provided everything necessary for their recovery. He visited the infirm, encouraging them and caring for them like a father. The king always took with him a small pouch in which he carried alms for the poor. intelligent and well-lettered king spent his free time reading the Holy Scriptures and studying the sciences. He even carried his books with him to war, soliciting the help of donkeys and camels to transport his library. When he tired of reading, King David had others read to him, while he listened attentively. One of the king’s biographers recalls, “Each time David finished reading the Epistles, he put a mark on the last page. At the end of one year, we counted that he had read them twenty-four times.” David was also an exemplary writer. His “Hymns of Repentance” are equal in merit to the works of the greatest writers of the Church. most valiant, powerful, and righteous Georgian king left his heirs with a brilliant confession when he died. It recalled all the sins he had committed with profound lamentation and beseeched the Almighty God for forgiveness. David completed his will in 1125, and in the same year he abdicated and designated his son Demetre to be his successor. He entrusted his son with a sword, blessed his future, and wished him many years in good health and service to the Lord. The king reposed peacefully at the age of fifty-three. David the Restorer was buried at the entrance to Gelati Monastery. His final wish was carved in the stone of his grave: This is My rest for ever and ever; here I will dwell, for I have chosen her (Ps. 131:15). St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6; St Damiane (Demetrius) the King and Hymnographer, Commemorated on May 23;

Arabs, 1092-1195, Persian-Turk Seljuk Suleiman Sultan, Barkiyaruq
Persia, 1092-1195, Persian-Turk Seljuk Suleiman Sultan, Barkiyaruq; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26; St Arsenius of Iqalto in Georgia, Commemorated on February 6;

Arabs, 1105-1118, Seljuk sultan, Mehmed I of Baghdad
Messopotamia, Seljuk sultan, 1105-1118, Mehmed I of Baghdad ; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26 ;

Arabs, 1118-1152, Seljuk sultan, Mehmed II, Great Seljuq Persia, ruled over Iraq and Persia
Messopotamia, Seljuk sultan, 1118-1153, Mehmed II, Great Seljuq Persia ; II (c. 1105 – 1131) was the Seljuk sultan of Baghdad from 1118–1131 following the death of his father Muhammad I Tapar.[1] At the time Mahmud was fourteen, and ruled over Iraq and Persia. Mahmud's early reign, his vassal king Garshasp II, who was a favorite of his father Muhammad I, fell into disgrace. Slander about him spread to the court that made him lose confidence, and made Mahmud send a military force to Yazd where Garshasp was arrested and jailed in Jibal, while Yazd was granted to the royal cupbearer. Garshasp, however, escaped and returned to Yazd, where he requested protection from Mahmud's rival Ahmad Sanjar (Garshasp's wife was the sister of Ahmad). Garshasp urged Ahmad to invade the domains of Mahmud in Central Persia, and gave him information on how to march to Central Persia, and the ways to combat Mahmud. Ahmad accepted and advanced with an army to the west in 1119, where he together with five kings defeated Mahmud at Saveh.[1] The kings who aided Ahmad during the battle were Garshasp II himself, the emirs of Sistan and of Khwarazm,[1] and two other unnamed kings. After being victorious, Ahmad then restored the domains of Garshasp II.[2] then proceeded as far as Baghdad, whereupon Mahmud was married to one of Sanjar's daughters, made his uncle's heir, and forced to give up strategic territories in northern Persia.[1] younger brother Mas'ud revolted against him in 1120, but the civil war ended the following year due to the intervention of the atabeg of Mosul, Aqsunqur al-Bursuqi, and Mas'ud was pardoned. In 1126, al-Bursuqi was murdered by Assassins, believed have been under orders from Mahmud. In 1127, he appointed Anushirvan ibn Khalid as his vizier, but had him removed from the office the following year. In 1129 Mahmud officially recognized the authority of Zengi, who had supported him against a revolt led by al-Mustarshid, caliph of Baghdad, in Syria and northern Iraq. then aged 26, died in 1131. His death was followed by a civil war between his son Dawud, and his brothers Mas'ud, Suleiman-Shah, and Toghrul II. His other son Alp Arslan ibn Mahmud was ruler of Mosul with atabeg Zengi. Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26 ;

Arabs, 1152-1153, Seljuk sultan, Malik-Shah III, 600,000 Men to Georgia
Messopotamia, Seljuk sultan, 1152-1153, Malik-Shah III; Blessed David IV the King of Georgia, Commemorated on January 26 ;

Arabs, 1250-1517, Mamluk Sultanate (Abbasid Caliphate, Cairo), joined by Crusaders, Sunni

Arabs, 1200, 13th Century Folder, Crusaders join Mmluk Baibars to Plunder Athoninte Monasteries

Arabs, 1250-1517, Mamluk Sultanate (Abbasid Caliphate, Cairo), Sunni Islam, Owned slave, freed a training, but loyal to master
Egypt, 1250-1517, Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo), Sunni Islam; Mamluk Sultanate was a medieval realm spanning Egypt, the Levant and Hejaz that established itself as a caliphate. lasted from the overthrow of the Ayyubid dynasty until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517. have traditionally broken the era of Mamluk rule into two periods, one covering 1250–1382 and the other 1382–1517, named after the ruling dynasties of the respective eras. Modern sources also refer to the same divisions as the Turkis and Circassian periods to stress the change in the ethnic origins of most Mamluks.[5][6][7][8][9] term Mamluk Sultanat is a modern historiographical term.[10] The sultanate's ruling caste was composed of Mamluks, soldiers predominantly of Cuman-Kipchaks (from Crimea),[11] Circassian, Abkhazian,[12] Oghuz Turks[13] Albanian, Slavic, Greek, Armenian and Georgian slave origin.[14][15] Mamluks were purchased, their status was above that of ordinary slaves, who were not allowed to carry weapons or perform certain tasks. were considered to be true lords, with social status above citizens of Egypt. it declined towards the end of its existence, at its height the sultanate represented the zenith of medieval Egyptian and Levantine political, economic, and cultural glory in the Islamic Golden Age.[16] See also: Mamluk A Mamluk nobleman from Aleppo mamluk was an owned slave, distinguished from the ghulam, or household slave. After thorough training in various fields such as martial arts, court etiquette and Islamic sciences, these slaves were freed. they were still expected to remain loyal to their master and serve his household.[19] had formed a part of the state or military apparatus in Syria and Egypt since at least the 9th century, rising to become governing dynasties of Egypt and the Levant during the Tulunid and Ikhshidid periods.[20] regiments constituted the backbone of Egypt's military under Ayyubid rule in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, beginning with Sultan Saladin (r. 1174–1193) who replaced the Fatimids' black African infantry with mamluks.[21] Ayyubid sultan and high-ranking emir had a private mamluk corps.[22] of the mamluks in the Ayyubids' service were ethnic Kipchak Turks from Central Asia, who, upon entering service, were converted to Sunni Islam and taught Arabic.[21] mamluk was highly committed to his master, to whom he often referred as "father", and was in turn treated more as a kinsman than as a slave.[21] as-Salih Ayyub (r. 1240–1249), the last of the Ayyubid sultans, had acquired some 1 000 mamluks (some of them free-born) from Syria, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula by 1229, while serving as na'ib (viceroy) of Egypt during the absence of his father, Sultan al-Kamil (r. 1218–1238). These mamluks were called the "Salihiyyah" (singular "Salihi") after their master.[23] A Mamluk training with a lance, early 16th century became sultan of Egypt in 1240, and, upon his accession to the Ayyubid throne, he manumitted and promoted large numbers of his original and newly recruited Mamluks on the condition that they remain in his service.[23] provision his mamluks, as-Salih forcibly seized the iqtaʿat (fiefs; singular iqtaʿ) of his predecessors' emirs.[23] As-Salih sought to create a paramilitary apparatus in Egypt loyal to himself, and his aggressive recruitment and promotion of mamluks led contemporaries to view Egypt as "Salihi-ridden", according to historian Winslow William Clifford.[24] his close relationship with his mamluks, tensions existed between as-Salih and the Salihiyyah, and a number of Salihi mamluks were imprisoned or exiled throughout as-Salih's reign.[25] historian Stephen Humphreys asserts that the Salihiyyah's increasing dominance of the state did not personally threaten as-Salih due to their fidelity to him, Clifford believes that the Salihiyyah developed an autonomy within the state that fell short of such loyalty.[26] among the Salihiyyah to as-Salih rose when the latter ordered the assassination of his brother Abu Bakr al-Adil in 1249, a task that affronted many of the Salihiyyah and by whom was rejected; four of the Salihiyyah ultimately agreed to execute the controversial operation.[25] to power[edit] with the Ayyubids[edit] between As-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub and his mamluks came to a head later in 1249 when Louis IX of France's forces captured Damietta in their bid to conquer Egypt during the Seventh Crusade.[25] As-Salih believed Damietta should not have been evacuated and was rumored to have threatened punitive action against the Damietta garrison. The rumor, accentuated by the execution of civilian notables who evacuated Damietta, provoked a mutiny by the garrison of his camp in al-Mansurah, which included numerous Salihi mamluks.[25] The situation was calmed after the intervention of the atabeg al-askar (commander of the military), Fakhr ad-Din ibn Shaykh al-Shuyukh.[25] the Crusaders advanced, as-Salih died and was succeeded by his son al-Muazzam Turanshah,[27] who was in al-Jazira (Upper Mesopotamia) at the time. Initially, the Salihiyyah welcomed Turanshah's succession, with many greeting him and requesting confirmation of their administrative posts and iqtaʿ assignments at his arrival to the Egyptian frontier.[28] However, Turanshah sought to challenge the dominance of the Salihiyyah in the paramilitary apparatus by promoting his Kurdish retinue from Upper Mesopotamia ("al-Jazira" in Arabic) and the Levant as a counterweight to the predominantly Turkic Salihiyyah.[28] to Turanshah's arrival at the front facing the French, the Bahriyyah, a junior regiment of the Salihiyyah commanded by Baibars al-Buduqdari, defeated the Crusaders at the Battle of al-Mansurah on 11 February 1250. On 27 February, Turanshah, as new sultan, arrived in Egypt from Hasankeyf (Turkish for "rock fortress"), where he had been Emir (Arabic for "Prince") of Hisn Kayfa (Arabic for "rock fortress") since AH 636 (1238/1239 CE), and went straight to al-Mansurah to lead the Egyptian army. On 5 April 1250, covered by the darkness of night, the Crusaders evacuated their camp opposite al-Mansurah and began to flee northward towards Damietta. The Egyptians followed them into the Battle of Fariskur where the Egyptians utterly destroyed the Crusaders on 6 April. King Louis IX and a few of his surviving nobles surrendered and were taken as prisoners, effectively ending the Seventh Crusade.[29] proceeded to place his own entourage and mamluks, known as the "Mu'azzamiyah",[27] in positions of authority to the detriment of Salihi interests. On 2 May 1250,[27] a group of disgruntled Salihi officers had Turanshah assassinated at his camp in Fariskur.[30] to Humphreys, as-Salih's frequent wars against his Ayyubid relatives likely voided the Salihiyyah's loyalty to other members of the Ayyubid dynasty.[31] Nonetheless, the Salihiyyah were careful not to depict the assassination of Turanshah as an assault against Ayyubid legitimacy, but rather an act against a deviant of the Muslim polity.[32] Moreover, an electoral college dominated by the Salihiyyah convened to choose a successor to Turanshah among the Ayyubid emirs, with opinion largely split between an-Nasir Yusuf of Damascus and al-Mughith Umar of al-Karak. Ultimately, however, consensus settled on as-Salih's widow, Shajar ad-Durr.[32] ad-Durr ensured the Salihiyyah's dominance of the paramilitary elite, and ushered in a process of establishing patronage and kinship ties with the Salihiyyah. In particular, she cultivated close ties with the Jamdari (pl. Jamdariyyah) and Bahri (pl. "Bahriyyah") elements of the Salihiyyah, by distributing to them iqtaʿ and other benefits.[33] The Bahriyya were named after the Arabic word bahr, meaning "sea" or "large river", because their barracks was located on the Nile River island of Rawda. They were mostly drawn from among the Cumans-Kipchaks who controlled the steppes north of the Black Sea.[22] Shajar al-Durr's efforts and the lingering desire among the military in Egypt to maintain the Ayyubid state was made evident when the Salihi mamluk and atabeg al-askar, Aybak, attempted to claim the sultanate, but was prevented from monopolizing power by the army and the Bahriyyah and Jamdariyyah, which asserted that only an Ayyubid could exercise sultanic authority.[32][33] The Bahriyyah compelled Aybak to share power with al-Ashraf Musa, a grandson of Sultan al-Kamil.[34] power struggles[edit] was one of the oldest of the Salihi mamluks and a senior member of as-Salih's inner circle, despite only being an emir awsat (middle-ranked emir).[35] He served as the principal bulwark against the more junior Bahri and Jamdari elements of the Salihiyyah, and his promotion to atabeg al-askar was met by Bahri rioting in Cairo, the first of many examples of intra-Salihi tensions surrounding Aybak's ascendancy.[36] The Bahriyyah and Jamdariyyah were represented by their patron, Faris ad-Din Aktay, a principal organizer of Turanshah's assassination and the recipient of Fakhr ad-Din's large estate by Shajar al-Durr; the latter saw Aktay as a counterweight to Aybak.[36] Aybak moved against the Bahriyyah in 1251 by shutting down their Rawda headquarters in a bid to sap Aktay's power base. Aybak was still unable to promote his own mamluks, known as the "Mu'izziyah", to senior posts until 1252. That year, he managed to dispatch Aktay to Upper Egypt to suppress an Arab uprising.[37] Instead of isolating Aktay as was Aybak's intention, the assignment allowed Aktay to impose extortionate taxes in Upper Egypt and provide him the personal funds to finance his patronage of the Bahriyyah. In 1254, Aybak had his Mu'izzi mamluks assassinate Aktay in the Citadel of Cairo.[38] Aybak proceeded to purge those in his retinue and in the Salihiyyah whom he believed were disloyal to him, causing a temporary exodus of Bahri mamluks, most of whom settled in Gaza, but also in Upper Egypt and Syria.[34][39] The purge led to a dearth of military support for Aybak, which in turn led to Aybak's recruitment of new supporters from among the army in Egypt and the Turkic Nasiri and Azizi mamluks from Syria, who had defected from their Ayyubid masters, namely an-Nasir Yusuf, and moved to Egypt in 1250.[39] The Syrian mamluks were led by their patron Jamal ad-Din Aydughdi and were assigned most of the iqtaʿ of Aktay and his allies. However, Aydughdi's growing ambitions made Aybak view him as a threat. After Aybak learned that Aydughdi was plotting to topple him and recognize an-Nasir Yusuf as Ayyubid sultan, which would likely leave Aydughdi in virtual control of Egypt, Aybak had Aydughdi imprisoned in Alexandria in 1254 or 1255.[40] the Bahriyya faction in Gaza commanded by Baybars sought to enlist their services with an-Nasir Yusuf. In an attempt to dislodge Aybak, the Bahriyyah petitioned an-Nasir Yusuf to claim the Ayyubid throne and invade Egypt, but an-Nasir Yusuf initially refused. However, in 1256, he dispatched a Bahri-led expedition to Egypt, but no battle occurred when Aybak met an-Nasir Yusuf's army.[41] Aybak was assassinated on 10 April 1257,[41] possibly on the orders of Shajar al-Durr,[42] who was assassinated a week later.[41] Their deaths left a relative power vacuum in Egypt, with Aybak's teenage son, al-Mansur Ali, as heir to the sultanate.[41] While al-Mansur Ali was sultan, the strongman in Egypt was Aybak's former close aide, Sayf ad-Din Qutuz,[43] who also had hostile relations with the Salihiyyah, including the Bahri mamluks.[44] the time of Aybak's death, the Bahriyyah had entered the service of al-Mughith Umar of al-Karak, who agreed to invade Egypt and claim the Ayyubid sultanate, but al-Mughith's small Bahri-dominated invading force was routed at the frontier with Egypt in November.[41] The Bahriyyah and al-Mughith launched a second expedition in 1258, but were again defeated.[43] The Bahriyyah subsequently raided areas around Syria, threatening an-Nasir Yusuf's power in Damascus. After a first attempt to defeat the Bahriyyah near Gaza failed, an-Nasir Yusuf launched a second expedition against them with al-Mansur Muhammad II of Hama, resulting in a Bahriyyah defeat at Jericho.[43] An-Nasir Yusuf proceeded to besiege al-Mughith and the Bahriyyah at al-Karak, but the growing threat of a Mongol invasion of Syria ultimately led to a reconciliation between an-Nasir Yusuf and al-Mughith, and Baybars's defection to the former.[43] Qutuz deposed al-Mansur Ali in 1259. Afterward, he purged and/or arrested the Mu'izziyah and any Bahri mamluks he could locate in Egypt in a bid to eliminate dissent towards his rule.[44] The surviving Mu'izzi and Bahri mamluks made their way to Gaza, where Baybars had created a virtual shadow state in opposition to Qutuz.[44] lancers, early 16th century (etching by Daniel Hopfer) While various mamluk factions competed for control of Egypt and Syria, the Mongols under the command of Hulagu Khan had sacked Baghdad, the intellectual and spiritual center of the Islamic world, in 1258, and proceeded westward, capturing Aleppo and Damascus.[45] Qutuz sent military reinforcements to his erstwhile enemy an-Nasir Yusuf in Syria, and reconciled with the Bahriyyah, including Baybars, who was allowed to return to Egypt, to face the common Mongol threat.[46] Hulagu sent emissaries to Qutuz in Cairo, demanding submission to Mongol rule. Qutuz had the emissaries killed, an act which historian Joseph Cummins called the "worst possible insult to the Mongol throne".[45] Qutuz then prepared Cairo's defenses to ward off the Mongols' threatened invasion of Egypt, but after hearing news that Hulagu withdrew from Syria to claim the Mongol throne, Qutuz began preparations for the conquest of Syria. He mobilized a force of some 120,000 soldiers and gained the support of his main Mamluk rival, Baybars.[47] Mamluks entered Palestine to confront the Mongol army that Hulagu left behind under the command of Kitbuqa.[47] In September 1260, the two sides met in the plains south of Nazareth in a major confrontation known as the Battle of Ain Jalut.[48] Qutuz had some of his cavalry units hide in the hills around Ain Jalut (Goliath's Spring), while directing Baybars's forces to advance past Ain Jalut against Kitbuqa's Mongols. In the ensuing half-hour clash, Baybars's men feigned a retreat and were pursued by Kitbuqa. The latter's forces fell into a Mamluk trap once they reached the springs of Ain Jalut, with Baybars's men turning around to confront the Mongols and Qutuz's units ambushing the Mongols from the hills.[47] The battle ended in a Mongol rout and Kitbuqa's capture and execution. Afterward, the Mamluks proceeded to recapture Damascus and the other Syrian cities taken by the Mongols.[49] Upon Qutuz's triumphant return to Cairo, he was assassinated in a Bahri plot. Baybars subsequently assumed power in Egypt in late 1260,[46] and established the Bahri Mamluk sultanate.[50]

Arabs, 1258, Battle of Bagdad (Mongols seige Abbasid Caliphate)
Messopotamia, 1258, Battle of Bagdad (Mongols seige Abbasid Caliphate ; Further conquests: 1200-“1800 ; Timur or Tamerlan;

Arabs, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar
Egypt, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated on October 19; St. Daniel II the Archbishop of Serbia, Commemorated on December 20; Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12;

Arabs, 1270, Mamluk Sultan Baibars expels Crusaders from Palestine
Egypt, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar; St. Daniel II the Archbishop of Serbia, Commemorated on December 20;

Arabs, 1270, Crusaders and Mamluk Sultan Baibars join to Loot and Plunder Athonite Monasteries
Egypt, 1260-1277, Mamluk Sultan, Baibars, or Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar; St. Daniel II the Archbishop of Serbia, Commemorated on December 20;

Arabs, 1293-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Nasir Muhammad, Sunni, 3 Reigns
Arabs, 1293-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Nasir Muhammad, Sunni;

Arabs, 1300, 14th Century Folder, Slave SoldierMamluks and their RINO's

Arabs, 1304-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Nasir Muhammad, Sunni, 3 Reigns
Arabs, 1293-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Nasir Muhammad, Sunni;

Arabs, 1314, Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Klarjeti W, H Cross M, Forerunner, Spiritual f, MOG, Damascus, h f 500 L, head 7 times
Jerusalem, 1314, Martyr Nicholas Dvali; Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near Jerusalem; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated October 19 ; Fathers and Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem, Commemorated February 12 ; Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life. the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery. Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was determined to die a martyr’s death. Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented Saint Nikoloz for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians succeeded in rescuing him from prison. in accordance with his abbot’s counsel, Saint Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon of Saint John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, “Nikoloz! Arise and go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.” Saint Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. Most Holy Theotokos and Saint John the Baptist appeared to Saint Nikoloz’s spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and told him that it was the Lord’s will for Nikoloz to journey to Damascus. in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their folly. The angry Muslims seized Saint Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him into prison. a great struggle, the metropolitan and local Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred times, and cast him in prison for a second time. the holy martyr’s wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of Saint John the Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison. chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of Saint Nikoloz as he was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to convert him to Islam, but Saint Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution. the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, “Glory to Thee, O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy name’s sake.” The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven times, crying out, “Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!” Persians burned the saint’s body, and for three days a pillar of light shone at the place where it lay. Saint Nikoloz’s spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially brightly, and he called Saint Nikoloz, saying, “Nikoloz! Come and see the monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.” greeted his spiritual father, saying, “Behold me and the place where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.” Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that date. Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian, Commemorated on February 12 ; Martyr Nicholas Dvali, Commemorated February 12 ;

Arabs, 1341-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Abu Bakr, Sunni, deposed by his father's emir Qawsun
Arabs, 1341-1341, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Abu Bakr, Sunni, deposed by his father's emir Qawsun;

Arabs, 1341-1342, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Kujuk, Sunni, controlled by Qawsun
Arabs, 1341-1342, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Kujuk, Sunni, controlled by Qawsun ;

Arabs, 1342-1342, Abbasid Sultan, An-Nasir Ahmad, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, stayed in Karak Transjordan, killed
Arabs, 1342-1342, Abbasid Sultan, An-Nasir Ahmad, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, stayed in Karak Transjordan, killed because he did not want to go to Egypt.;

Arabs, 1342-1345, Abbasid Sultan, As-Salih Ismail, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, Killed brothers, mamluk slave soldiers, sick and died
Arabs, 1342-1342, Abbasid Sultan, An-Nasir Ahmad, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, stayed in Karak Transjordan, killed because he did not want to go to Egypt.;

Arabs, 1345-1346, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Kamil Sha'ban, Sunni, Killed in brother's revolt
Arabs, 1345-1346, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Kamil Sha'ban, Sunni, Killed in brother's revolt;

Arabs, 1346-1347, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Muzaffar Hajji, Sunni, loved sports, killed by his Mamluks
Arabs, 1346-1347, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Muzaffar Hajji, Sunni, love of sports, killed by his Mamluk slave soldiers;

Arabs, 1347-1361, Abbasid Sultan, An-Nasir Hasan, Sunni, 2 reigns by Mamluks, Killed and k by Mamluks
Arabs, 1346-1347, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Muzaffar Hajji, Sunni, love of sports, killed by his Mamluk slave soldiers; Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, Commemorated on November 14;

Arabs, 1361-1363, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Muhammad, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, Mamluk ruler in name only, adolescent
Arabs, 1346-1347, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Muzaffar Hajji, Sunni, love of sports, killed by his Mamluk slave soldiers;

Arabs, 1363-1377, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Sha'ban, Sunni, Mamluk RINO, but with partisans and commoners tried to kill Mamluks
Arabs, 1363-1377, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Ashraf Sha'ban, Sunni, Mamluk RINO, but with partisans and commoners tried to kill Mamluks emirs;

Arabs, 1377-1381, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Ali II, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, Mamluk RINO, died still and adolescent
Arabs, 1377-1381, Abbasid Sultan, Al-Mansur Ali II, Sultan of Egypt, Sunni, Mamluk RINO, died still and adolescent;

Arabs, 1382,1389, Abbasid Sultan, As-Salih Hajji, Sunni, Mamluk RINO
Arabs, 1382,1389, Abbasid Sultan, As-Salih Hajji, Sunni, Mamluk RINO;

Arabs, 1382-1399, Abbasid Sultan, Barquq, Sunni, a Mamluk Sultan, Slave Soldier
Arabs, 1382-1399, Abbasid Sultan, Barquq, Sunni, a Mamluk Sultan, Slave Soldier, Timur enemy, joined Ottoman Empire in 1393;

Arabs, 1390, Unburnt Bush Icon, Mt Horeb in Median, signifies MOG conception by Holy Spirit, to Russia 1390
Median, 1390, Unburnt Bush Icon, Mt Horeb / Sinai in Median, Land of the Arabs, Unburning Bush, signifies MOG conception by Holy Spirit and not consumed, to Russia 1390 from Palestine, 1812 riza return story, 1822 arson fires story; Mt Sinai / Horeb up from the Desert of Sin and Jethro's home in Midian (not Mt Sinai in Egypt); Mt Sinai diagram not drawn to scale; Ron Wyatt's work there; Icon of the Mother of God "the Unburnt Bush"; of the Old Testament prototypes pointing to the Mother of God is the Unburnt Bush - the Bush which Moses saw on Mount Horeb. was on fire, but was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). Bush signifies the Mother of God's sinless conception of Christ when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she was overshadowed by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35). the Angel "revealed the Holy Trinity by naming the Holy Spirit, the Power which is the Son (I Corinthians 1:24), and the Most High which is the Father" (Saint Theophylact, Commentary on the Holy Gospel According to St. Luke, chapter 1). Theotokos was born into a fallen world, yet she was absolutely pure, and did not commit any personal sin. remained a Virgin before, during, and after giving birth. the Bush burned and was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth to Thee yet remained a Virgin" (Octoechos, Dogmatikon Tone 2, "The shadow of the Law"). ancient Unburnt Bush Icon shows a bush engulfed in flames. Virgin, with her Child in her arms, is seen above the Bush. image is rare. Icons depict an octagonal star with the Mother of God in the center with a circle of Cherubim around her. She is shown holding Jacob's Ladder, for she calls us to ascend from earth to Heaven. the gate and the rod are depicted as symbols of the Savior, Who in Church hymns is called "a rod from the root of Jesse." star is made up of two quadrangles. One is painted red, like a flame; the other is green, the color of the mysterious Bush seen by Moses. the red points of the star there are four symbols of the Evangelists: a man (Matthew), a lion (Mark), an ox (Luke), and an eagle (John). the rays are eight Angels: An Angel shows burning fire, for the earth will be destroyed by fire. The Spirit of wisdom and of the knowledge of God - spring, summer, autumn, and winter. He created all things for man's benefit. The Angel of Thunder shows Christ's second coming, for He shall come in thunder and lightning. The Angel of the spirit of piety. The cutting off of those who proclaim things contrary to the Faith. He holds the cup of the bitterness of God's wrath. The Spirit of the Lord for warmth amid winter, snow, frost, and ice. The Spirit of purification which sends forth dew and mist and rain. The Angel of Thunder and of the fear of God, revealing Christ's second coming, for He shall judge His servants at the end of the world. The Angel of lightning and scorching, i.e. He shall be the righteous Judge, for the lightning shall find all. the four corners of the Icon are the Prophets who prefigure the Virgin: and the Unburnt Bush (Exodus chapter 3); with the Seraphim touching his lips with a live coal (Isaiah 6:6); vision of the gate by which no one could enter except the Lord (Ezekiel 44:1), Jacob's vision of the Ladder (Genesis 28:12-17). to popular belief, this Icon protects the homes of the faithful from fire. a man happened to witness a great fire which engulfed many buildings. Among them was a wooden house which did not burn. A woman stood there motionless, holding an icon of the Unburnt Bush in her hands. Tears ran down her cheeks, but her face expressed complete calm and unshakable faith. She did not seem to be worried about her home, but she wept for the misfortune of others. The fire was intense, but the woman would not move. The man left, marveling at her faith, but he expected her house to be reduced to ashes by the flames. The next day he returned to the spot. the devastation of the fire only the woman's house remained standing, guarded by the power of the Icon. of the oldest icons of the Unburnt Bush is located in Moscow's Annunciation Cathedral. was brought to Russia by Palestinian foreigners in 1390 and, according to tradition, it was painted on a piece of the rock where Moses beheld the mysterious Bush. the Moscow church of the Unburnt Bush at Khamovniki, there is an Icon which was once in the Palace. The ancient writing is beautiful. The size of the Icon measures 1 arshin 12 vershkov long, and 1 arshin 7 vershkov wide. Icon is commemorated twice: on September 4, the Feast Day of the Prophet Moses, and on the sixth Sunday after Pascha (the Sunday of the Blind Man), because according to tradition, the Icon was transferred from the Kremlin to the newly-consecrated Khamovniki church on that day. was a wondrous event connected with the riza of this Icon, when Russia was attacked by Napoleon in 1812. leaving Moscow, a Polish soldier came to Father Alexei Vvedensky, the priest of the Novodevichii Monastery, and gave him the riza from the Unburnt Bush Icon, begging him to return it to the church from which it was taken. soldier confessed that ever since he took the riza, he had been unable to find peace, and he was tormented by an unbearable melancholia. the same church there is an Icon of the Unburnt Bush (which was donated in 1835) and a smaller, especially revered Icon dating from 1837. depicts someone praying before the Mother of God. In the church there is a special manuscript Service to the Icon with the note: "This Service is chanted on Holy Mount Sinai, whenever someone requests it, or whenever there is terrible lightning." 1822, in the city of Slavyansk, Kharkov gubernia, fires caused by arson became more frequent. residents were at a loss about what to do. it was revealed in a dream to a pious old woman named Belnitskaya that if they painted an Icon of the Unburnt Bush, and served a Moleben before it, the fires would stop. told the Archpriest about her dream, and the Icon was painted right away. After the Liturgy, a Moleben was served before it. that very day, there was another fire, and the arsonist was caught. crafty young woman named Maura had set all the fires. the fires ceased, and the grateful residents had a kiot made for the Icon with the inscription: "In remembrance of the city's deliverance from fire in 1822." The Icon is in the church of the Holy Trinity. is also a revered icon of the Unburnt Bush in the village of Kubenskoye, Vologda Province.

Arabs, 1400. 15th Century History Folder, Abbasid, Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt

Arab Lands, Big Picture Folder, Kings Highway, Havilah Line, Ishmaelites

Arabian Penninsula
Arabian Peninsula; Arabian Plate and Cilicia; Martyr and Unmercenary Cosmas and his brother in Cilicia, Commemorated on October 17 ; Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated October 24 ; Wonderworker and Unmercenary Cosmas of Asia Minor, Commemorated on November 1 ; Venerable Theoctiste of the Isle of Lesbos, Commemorated on November 9 ; Venerable Neophytus the Co-Founder of the Dochiariou Monastery of Mt Athos, Commemorated on November 9; Venerable Theoctiste of the Isle of Lesbos, Commemorated on November 9 ; Venerable Nilus the Faster of Sinai, Commemorated on November 12; Martyr Michael (Gobron) of Georgia, Commemorated November 17 ; Righteous Philaret the Merciful of Amnia in Asia Minor, Commemorated on December 1; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Prophet Habakkuk, Commemorated on December 2 ; Martyr Eustratius at Sebaste, Commemorated December 13 ; Apostle Timon the Deacon of the Seventy, Commemorated on January 4; Martyr Theophilus the New in Cyprus, Commemorated on January 30; CYRIL AND METHODIUS, MISSIONARIES TO THE SLAVS (14 FEB 869); Venerable Thalelaeus the Hermit of Syria, Commemorated on February 27 ; Venerable Anastasius the Abbot of Sinai, Commemorated on April 20; Righteous Job the Long-Suffering, Commemorated on May 6; Venerable Priestmartyrs of St Sava Lavra, Commemorated on May 16; Apostle Jude the Brother of the Lord, Commemorated on June 19;

Arabia or Havilah - Land of the Ishmaelites - Havilah, Shur to Assur
Havilah is both a point (Habala) and this line east of the Jordan Rift from Habala to Wilderness of Shur to Assur (Mosel, Ninevah, Assyria, Persia). That line and the area it describes (between the Red Sea and the Jordan Rift) defines the Land of the Ishmaelites.; In addition to the region described in Genesis 2 in the Garden of Eden description, two individuals named Havilah are listed in the Table of Nations which lists the descendants of Noah, who are considered eponymous ancestors of nations. They are mentioned in Genesis 10:7,29, 1 Chronicles 1:9,23. One is the son of Cush, the son of Ham; the other, a son of Joktan and descendant of Shem.[2] The other sons of Cush are associated with eastern Africa, while Joktan's other sons are often associated with the Arabian desert. Such a land in the Arabian desert is mentioned in Genesis 25:18, where it defines the territory inhabited by the Ishmaelites as being "from Havilah to Shur, opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria"; and in 1 Samuel 15:7, which states that king Saul of Israel attacked the Amalekites who were living there.[3]. The Amalekites also fought Moses et all near Mt Sinai-Horeb in Median of Arabia.

Arabia, Roman Province of Arabia (Capital Petra)
Roman Province of Arabia; Arapet Icon of the Mother of God, Commemorated on September 6; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25;

Zargos Mountains - Around the Fertile Crescent
Zargos Mountains, around the Fertile Crescent;

Havilah or Arabia - Land of the Ishmaelites - Havilah, Shur to Assur
Havilah is both a point (Habala) and this line east of the Jordan Rift from Habala to Wilderness of Shur to Assur (Mosel, Ninevah, Assyria, Persia). That line and the area it describes (between the Red Sea and the Jordan Rift) defines the Land of the Ishmaelites.; In addition to the region described in Genesis 2 in the Garden of Eden description, two individuals named Havilah are listed in the Table of Nations which lists the descendants of Noah, who are considered eponymous ancestors of nations. They are mentioned in Genesis 10:7,29, 1 Chronicles 1:9,23. One is the son of Cush, the son of Ham; the other, a son of Joktan and descendant of Shem.[2] The other sons of Cush are associated with eastern Africa, while Joktan's other sons are often associated with the Arabian desert. Such a land in the Arabian desert is mentioned in Genesis 25:18, where it defines the territory inhabited by the Ishmaelites as being "from Havilah to Shur, opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria"; and in 1 Samuel 15:7, which states that king Saul of Israel attacked the Amalekites who were living there.[3]. The Amalekites also fought Moses et all near Mt Sinai-Horeb in Median of Arabia.

Havilah - Land of the Arab Muslims (Pre-Islamic Arabia, Havilah)
Havilah, Circle from Havilah to Shur to Assur ; Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated on September 6; St Leo of Cappadocia, Commemorated on February 28; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Translation of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates, Commemorated on June 8;

Tigris River 5 (Assur, Persia)

Saracen, Roman Province of Arabia
Saracen; Roman Province of Arabia;

Roman Province of Arabia (Capital Petra)
Roman Province of Arabia; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25;

Saracens (Hagarenes), Arabs, Saracen Land (the original Saracens north of the Euphrates River)
Saracens, Both Hippolytus and Uranius mention three distinct peoples in Arabia during the first half of the third century: the Saraceni, the Taeni and the Arabes.[2] The Taeni, later identified with the Arabic speaking people called Tayy, were located around the Khaybar oasis north of Medina, and also in an area stretching up to the Euphrates river, while the Saraceni were placed north of them.[2] These Saracens located in the northern Hejaz appeared as people with a certain military ability who were opponents of the Roman Empire and who were characterized by the Romans as barbarians.[2]; St John the Silent of St Sabbas Monastery, Commemorated on December 3; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St George the Bishop of Amastris on the Black Sea, Commemorated February 21 ; St Leo of Cappadocia, Commemorated on February 28; St Malchus of Chalcis in Syria, Commemorated on March 26 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Translation of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates, Commemorated on June 8;

Hagarenes (Saracens), Arabs, Saracen Land (the original Saracens north of the Euphrates River)
Saracens, Both Hippolytus and Uranius mention three distinct peoples in Arabia during the first half of the third century: the Saraceni, the Taeni and the Arabes.[2] The Taeni, later identified with the Arabic speaking people called Tayy, were located around the Khaybar oasis north of Medina, and also in an area stretching up to the Euphrates river, while the Saraceni were placed north of them.[2] These Saracens located in the northern Hejaz appeared as people with a certain military ability who were opponents of the Roman Empire and who were characterized by the Romans as barbarians.[2]; St John the Silent of St Sabbas Monastery, Commemorated on December 3; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; St George the Bishop of Amastris on the Black Sea, Commemorated February 21 ; St Leo of Cappadocia, Commemorated on February 28; St Malchus of Chalcis in Syria, Commemorated on March 26 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Translation of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates, Commemorated on June 8;

Pre-Islamic Arabia 1 (Kings Highway)
Pre-Islamic Arabia ; Icon of the Mother of God Arapet (Arabian), Commemorated September 6 ; Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated on September 6 ; Icon of the Mother of God Arapet (Arabian);;

Pre-Islamic Arabia 2 (Havilah)
Pre-Islamic Arabia ; Icon of the Mother of God Arapet (Arabian), Commemorated September 6 ; Martyr Romulus and with him many others, Commemorated on September 6 ; Icon of the Mother of God Arapet (Arabian);;

Saracens, Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Havilah)
Havilah, Havila is the curved area around the East side of the Dead Sea from Shur (North Sinai) toward Asshur the first capital of Assyria- the area of Ishmael's Twelve Tribes ; Saracens; St Fantinus of Calabria, Commemorated on August 30; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Martyr Ashot Curapalati, King of of Artanuji, Commemorated on January 29 ; St George the Bishop of Amastris on the Black Sea, Commemorated February 21 ; St Leo of Cappadocia, Commemorated on February 28; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Translation of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates, Commemorated on June 8;

Saracens, Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Syrian Desert, Pre Islamic Arabia)
Saracens; Saint Agabbas of Syria, Commemorated on November 22; 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia, Commemorated on March 6; St Malchus of Chalcis in Syria, Commemorated on March 26 ; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25;

Bedouin Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Sarah, Capital Petra)
Bedouin Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Sarah, Capital Petra); St. Jerome (Hieronymus) of Stridon, Commemorated on June 15;

Saracens, Arabs, Land of the Saracens (Sarah, Muslims, Capital Petra)
Saracens, Land of the Saracens (Sarah, Muslims, Capital Petra); St Fantinus of Calabria, Commemorated on August 30; St Antiochus, Commemorated on December 24 ; Martyr Abo the Perfumer, of Tibilisi, Georgia, Commemorated January 8 ; Fathers slain at Sinai and Raithu, Commemorated January 14 ; Venerable Theodulus, son of the Venerable Nilus of Sinai, Commemorated on January 14; St George the Bishop of Amastris on the Black Sea, Commemorated February 21 ; St Leo of Cappadocia, Commemorated on February 28; Venerable Priestmartyrs of St Sava Lavra, Commemorated on May 16; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20 ; Hieromartyr Therapon the Bishop of Cyprus, Commemorated on May 25; Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Translation of the relics of the Greatmartyr Theodore Stratelates, Commemorated on June 8;

Arab Lands, Big Picture, Kings Highway Folder

Kings Highway 1 (Heliopolis, Egypt)

Kings Highway 2 (Clysma, Egypt)

Kings Highway 3 (Mitla Pass, Egypt)

Kings Highway 4 (Nekhel Fortress, Egypt)

Kings Highway 5 (Eilat and Aquaba, Israel)

Kings Highway 6 (Arabah of the Jordan Rift)

Kings Highway 7 (Petra, Jordan)

Kings Highway 8 (Maan, Jordan)

Kings Highway 9 (Shaubak, Bozrah, Jordan)

Kings Highway 10 (Sela, Edom, Jordan)

Kings Highway 11 (Kerak, Moab, Jordan)

Kings Highway 12 (Madaba, Jordan)

Kings Highway 13 (Moab, Jordan)

Kings Highway 14 (Rabbah Ammon/Philadelphia, Jordan)

Philadelphia, Arabia (Amman, Jordan, Kings Highway 14)
Philadelphia, Arabia (Amman, Jordan); Martyr Zeno of Philadelphia, Commemorated on June 22 ;

Kings Highway 15 (Gerasa, Jordan)

Kings Highway 16 (Bosra, Syria)

Kings Highway 17 (Damascus, Syria)

Kings Highway 18 (Tadmor, Syria)

Kings Highway 19 (Resafa, Syria, (Euphrates River 5))

Kings Highway (Nile River, Egypt to Euphrates River, Syria)

Arab Lands, Big Picture, Tigris River Folder

Tigris River

Tigris River Route

Tigris River Source (Lake Hazar)

Tigris River 1

Tigris River 2 (Martyropolis, Turkey)

Tigris River 3 (Mosul Dam Lake)

Tigris River 4 (Nineveh, Mosul, Arabela, Persia)

Tigris River 6 (Samarra, Persia)

Tigris River 7 (Bagdad, Babylon, Persia)

Tirgis River 8

Tigris River 9

Tigris River 10 (Elymais, Persia)

Tigris River 11

Tigris River Mouth (Kwait, Euphrates River 13)

Arab Lands, Big Picture, Euphrates River Folder

Euphrates River Route

Euphrates River - Western Euphrates

Euphrates River

Euphrates River Source (Murat River)

Euphrates River Source

Aninas Monastery (where the Euphrates separates Syria from Persia)
Aninas Monastery (where the Euphrates separates Syria from Persia) Venerable Aninas of the Euphrates, Commemorated on March 18;

Euphrates River 1

Euphrates River 2 (Melitene)

Euphrates River 3 (Samosata and Edessa)

Euphrates River 4 (Hieropolis, Syria)

Euphrates River 5 (Kings Highway)

Euphrates River 6 (Chebar River Mouth)

Euphrates River 7 (Bagdagi)
Euphrates River;

Euphrates River 8 (Faluja)

Euphrates River 9 (Babylon)

Euphrates River 10

Euphrates River 11 (Samara)

Euphrates River 12

Euphrates River 13 (Tigris River)

Euphrates River Mouth (Persian Gulf)

Arab Lands, Bashan Folder, and its vicinity

Bashan 1500BC-636, Bashan History Folder

Bashan, 1500 BC, Edrei, Bashan (King Og Defeated)
Edrei, Bashan; Numbers 21:4-9, 21-35, King Og Defeated; 33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan; and King Og of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34But the Lord said to Moses, ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â˜Do not be afraid of him; for I have given him into your hand, with all his people, and all his land. You shall do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â™ 35So they killed him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left; and they took possession of his land. Numbers 21:4-9, 21-35

Bashan, 636, Battle of Yarmouk (Yarmouk River)
Bashan, 636, Battle of Yarmouk (Yarmouk River);

Bashan, 33-117, Holy Apostles ot70&first Deacons: Prochorus,Nicanor,Timon,& Parmenas, full HS&Wiscom, various times&places
Bithynia, 33-117, Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas, first Deacons otChurch, full Holy Spirit & Wiscom, various times&places, Prochorus wPeter&Bishop Nicomedia, after Dormition wJohn tPatmos, wrote down Book Revelation, returned Nicomedia, then Antioch pagans conversion & martyrdom, Nicanor martyred same day wStephen, Timon tBostra Arabia, into furnace bJews&pagans unharmed, crucified, Parmenas iMacedonia to 117 ; Busra, Hauran ; Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas, Commemorated on July 28; Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas, Apostles of the Seventy were among the first deacons in the Church of Christ. the Acts of the Holy Apostles (6:1-6) it is said that the twelve Apostles chose seven men: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and appointed them to serve as deacons. are commemorated together on July 28, although they died at various times and in various places. first, Saint Prochorus accompanied the holy Apostle Peter, who made him bishop in the city of Nicomedia. After the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, Prochorus was a companion and coworker of the holy Apostle John the Theologian and was banished with him to the island of Patmos. There he wrote down the Book of Revelation concerning the final fate of the world. Upon returning to Nicomedia, Saint Prochorus converted pagans to Christ in the city of Antioch, where he suffered martyrdom. Saint Nicanor suffered on the same day that the holy Protomartyr Stephen (December 27) and many other Christians were killed by stoning, he is also commemorated on December 28. Timon was later appointed by the Apostles as bishop of the city of Bostra in Arabia and suffered from the Jews and pagans for preaching the Gospel. He was thrown into a furnace, but by the power of God he came out of it unharmed. The tradition of the Roman Church says that Saint Timon died by crucifixion. Saint Timon is also commemorated on December 30. Parmenas zealously preached Christ in Macedonia. He died after being afflicted with an illness. Some say that Saint Parmenas suffered martyrdom under Trajan (98-117) in the final year of his reign.

Arab Lands, Bashan, Hauran Plateau Yarmouk River Folder

Yarmouk River

Yarmouk River Source (Hauran Plateau)

Edrei, Bashan (King Og Defeated)
Edrei, Bashan; Numbers 21:4-9, 21-35, King Og Defeated; 33 Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan; and King Og of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 34But the Lord said to Moses, ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â˜Do not be afraid of him; for I have given him into your hand, with all his people, and all his land. You shall do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.ÃƒÂƒÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â€ÃƒÂ‚Ã‚Â™ 35So they killed him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left; and they took possession of his land. Numbers 21:4-9, 21-35

Busra, Bashan (Kings Highway 16, Hauran Plateau, Decapolis)
Busra, Hauran ; Holy Apostles of the Seventy and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas, Commemorated on July 28; Martyr Peter of Capetolis. Commemorated October 4 Busra, Hauran; Apostle Timon the Deacon of the Seventy, Commemorated December 30 ;

Carnaim, Bashan
Carnaim, Bashan, 1 Maccabees ch 5;

Yarmouk River Mouth (Jordan River 2)

Gadara, Bashan (up from Yarmouk River Mouth)
Gadara; Martyr Zacchaeus the Deacon of Caesarea in Palestine, Commemorated on November 18 ;

Capitolias, Bashan, Decapolis
Capitolias, Palestine; Martyr Peter of Capetolis, Commemorated on October 4;

Arab Lands, Median Folder, Moses, Horeb, Desert of Sin, Mt Sinai, 12 Wells

Midian (Northwest Arabian Penninsula, and Western Havilah)
Midian; is a geographical place mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and Quran. William G. Dever states that biblical Midian was in the "northwest Arabian Peninsula, on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea", an area which he notes was "never extensively settled until the 8th–7th century B.C."[1] to the Book of Genesis, the Midianites were the descendants of Midian, who was a son of Abraham and his wife Keturah: "Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah" (Genesis 25:1–2, King James Version).[2] Median and Mt Sinai; map of Median and Mt. Sinai Egyptian Patriarch, 1689BC-1569BC, Moses 1] was the most important prophet in Judaism,[4][5] and an important prophet in Christianity, Islam, the Baháʼí Faith, and a number of other Abrahamic religions. In the biblical and quranic[6] narrative, he was the leader of the Israelites and lawgiver to whom the authorship, or "acquisition from heaven", of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) is attributed. to the Book of Exodus, Moses was born in a time when his people, the Israelites, an enslaved minority, were increasing in population and, as a result, the Egyptian Pharaoh worried that they might ally themselves with Egypt's enemies.[7] Hebrew mother, Jochebed, secretly hid him when the Pharaoh ordered all newborn Hebrew boys to be killed in order to reduce the population of the Israelites. the Pharaoh's daughter (identified as Queen Bithia in the Midrash), the child was adopted as a foundling from the Nile river and grew up with the Egyptian royal family. killing an Egyptian slave-master who was beating a Hebrew, Moses fled across the Red Sea to Midian, where he encountered the Angel of the Lord,[8] speaking to him from within a burning bush on Mount Horeb, which he regarded as the Mountain of God. sent Moses back to Egypt to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. said that he could not speak eloquently,[9] so God allowed Aaron, his elder brother,[10] to become his spokesperson. the Ten Plagues, Moses led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, after which they based themselves at biblical Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses died within sight of the Promised Land on Mount Nebo. Moses is seen as a legendary figure, whilst retaining the possibility that Moses or a Moses-like figure existed in the 13th century BCE.[11][12][13][14][15] Rabbinical Judaism calculated a lifespan of Moses corresponding to 1391–1271 BCE;[16] Jerome suggested 1592 BCE,[17] and James Ussher suggested 1571 BCE as his birth year.[18][note 2] Egyptian Patriarch, 1654BC-1544BC, Joshua, 4000-1654=2,346. So Joshua and Moses lived around the 2,500th year. We live around the 6,000th year and Jesus first lived around the 2,000th year; Righteous Joshua the son of Nun (Navi), Commemorated on September 1; Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses, Commemorated on September 4 ; Holy Prophet and God-Seer Moses was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Abram and Jochabed (Exodus 6:20). His life is described in the Bible (Exodus 2 through Deuteronomy 34:12). was born in Egypt around 1689 B.C. When Pharaoh ordered all male children of the Hebrew slaves to be killed (Exodus 1:22), Moses’ mother placed him in a basket of papyrus coated with pitch, and set him adrift on the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and raised him as her own son. the age of eighty, Moses fled to Midian, where he spoke to God in the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb (Exodus 3:2). God chose Moses to lead His people from the slavery of Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, and for forty years they wandered in the desert. in the land of Moab, Moses went to the top of Mt. Nabau, or Nebo (Deuteronomy 32:49), which is called Phasga (Deut. 34:1). There, according to the will of God, he died in 1569 B.C. at the age of 120 without entering the Promised Land. first two Biblical Odes are attributed to Moses: “Let us sing to the Lord...” (Exodus 15:1-9), which was sung on the shores of the Red Sea after the Hebrews had crossed it. “Attend, O heaven...” (Deut. 32:1-43) was sung in the land of Moab, a few days before Moses’ death. He is also regarded as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). holy Prophet Moses performed many miracles during his lifetime, and also after his death. He appeared on Tabor with the Prophet Elias at the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6). the day that Saint John of the Ladder (March 30) was installed as abbot of Mt. Sinai, the Prophet Moses was seen going around and giving orders to the cooks, stewards, and servants. When the guests had gone and the monks were sitting at table, they wondered what had become of the stranger who had been giving orders. Saint John said, “Our Lord Moses does nothing strange by serving in the place which belongs to him.” Righteous Phineas the grandson of Aaron, Commemorated on March 12;

Land of the Kenites (Midian), Jethro and Heber
Land of the Kenites (Midian) ; to the Hebrew Bible, the Kenites were a nomadic tribe in the ancient Levant. Kenites were coppersmiths and metalworkers.[1] They played an important role in the history of ancient Israel. of the most recognized Kenites is Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, who was a shepherd and a priest in the land of Midian. Judges 1:16 says that Moses had a father-in-law who was a Kenite, but it is not clear from the passage if this refers to Jethro. Certain groups of Kenites settled among the Israelite population, including the descendants of Moses' brother-in-law,[2] although the Kenites descended from Rechab maintained a distinct, nomadic lifestyle for some time. is a rendition of Hebrew Cain. According to Gesenius, the name is kabbalistically derived from the name Cain.[3] According to A. H. Sayce, the name Kenite or Qeni, is identical to an Aramaic word meaning a smith, which in its turn is a cognate of Hebrew Qayin, with the meaning ‘a lance’.[4] to the Kenite hypothesis, Yahweh was historically a Midian deity, and the association of Moses' father-in-law with Midian reflects the historical adoption of the Midianite cult by the Hebrews.[1][5][6] Moses apparently identified Jethro's concept of God, Yahweh, with the Israelites' God El Shaddai.[1] Midian, land of Jethro and Heber, Moses' father in law and brother in law.; Judges 4, Deborah and Barak;

Moses' Father In-Law's Home - Jeptha
Median and Mt Sinai; map of Median and Mt. Sinai and Jethro's home

Paran, Western Arabia, Hejaz
Paran, Western Arabia; Desert of Paran or Wilderness of Paran (also sometimes spelled Pharan or Faran; Hebrew: מִדְבַּר פָּארָן, Midbar Pa'ran), is a location mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It is one of the places where the Israelites spent part of their 40 years of wandering after the Exodus, and was also a home to Ishmael, and a place of refuge for David. Islamic tradition, it has often been equated with an area of the Hejaz. Western Arabia Hejaz is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu and Taif. It is also known as the "Western Province" in Saudi Arabia.[1] is bordered in the west by the Red Sea, in the north by Jordan, in the east by the Najd, and in the south by the 'Asir Region.[2] largest city is Jeddah (the second largest city in Saudi Arabia), with Makkah and Madinah being the fourth and fifth largest cities respectively in the country. Hejaz is the most cosmopolitan region in the Arabian Peninsula.[3] Hejaz is significant for being the location of the Islamic holy cities of Makkah[4] and Madinah,[5][6][7] the first and second holiest sites in Islam, respectively. the site of the two holiest sites in Islam, the Hejaz has significance in the Arab and Islamic historical and political landscape. The region of Hejaz is the most populated region in Saudi Arabia,[8] Arabic is the predominant language as in the rest of Saudi Arabia, with Hejazi Arabic being the most widely spoken dialect in the region. Hejazis are of ethnically diverse origins.[3] region, according to Islamic tradition, is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who was born in Makkah, which is locally considered to have been founded by the Islamic prophets Abraham and Ishmael, and matriarch Hagar.[9][10] The area became part of his empire through the early Muslim conquests, and it formed part of successive caliphates, first the Rashidun Caliphate, followed by the Umayyad Caliphate, and finally the Abbasid Caliphate. The Ottoman Empire held partial control over the area; after its dissolution, an independent Kingdom of Hejaz existed briefly in 1925 before being conquered by the neighbouring Sultanate of Nejd, creating the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd.[11] In September 1932, the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd joined the Saudi dominions of Al-Hasa and Qatif, creating the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[12][13]

Highway 5 ( and 394), Moses potentian route from Kings Highway to home of Jeptha, 137k or 85m

high point Highway 5 (and 394)

Desert of Sin
Desert of Sin; Ron Wyatt's work there, Mt Horeb is up from the Desert of Sin, on the backside of the Desert of Sin; Venerable Acacius of Sinai, who is mentioned in the Ladder;

Sinai Desert, Median, Arabia, Desert of Sin
Desert of Sin; Ron Wyatt's work there, Mt Horeb is up from the Desert of Sin, on the backside of the Desert of Sin; Venerable Acacius of Sinai, who is mentioned in the Ladder; Martyr Gordius at Caesarea, in Cappadocia, Commemorated on January 3;

Watercourse route to Mount Horeb, Median (up from the Desert of Sin) 119m or 192k
Watercourse Route;

Red Sea Crossing Path (8 mile gulf, 2 mile wide ADA compliant path under the water, 5,000 ft deep on either side)

King Solomon's crossing monument still there in the 1980's but since removed

Watercourse Route from Kings Highway to Neviot and Moses' Red Sea Crossing

Goshen to Red Sea Crossing at Nevitot 531K
Distance: 531 km (about 8 hours 16 mins)
Map data 011 ORION-ME

Mara in the Wilderness of Shur, against Egypt in Median
Mara in the Wilderness of Shur, against Egypt in Median;

Wilderness of Paran (Hejaz, along the Red Sea)
Wilderness of Paran (Hejaz, along the Red Sea); Wilderness of Paran; Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness of Paran;

Horeb, Mt Horeb / Sinai in Median, Land of the Arabs, Burning Bush
Mt Sinai / Horeb up from the Desert of Sin and Jethro's home in Midian (not Mt Sinai in Egypt); Mt Sinai diagram not drawn to scale; Ron Wyatt's work there; Icon of the Mother of God "the Unburnt Bush"; St Simeon "the Ancient" of Mt. Sinai; St Simeon œthe AncientÂ of Mt. Sinai, Commemorated on January 26 ; St John the Solitary of Jerusalem, Commemorated on June 19;

Elijah's Cave, Median, Arabia (Near Mt Horeb)
Elijah's Cave is on Mount Horeb in Median.; Mt Sinai diagram not drawn to scale; Ron Wyatt's work there; Venerable Hilarion the Monk and Wonderworker of Thessalonica, Georgian, Commemorated November 19 ;

Split Rock oHoreb, w Word of God (Jesus) commanded Moses to hit rock for water
Split Rock of Horeb;

Mt Sinai, Mt Horeb in Median, Land of the Arabs
Mt Sinai / Horeb up from the Desert of Sin and Jethro's home in Midian (not Mt Sinai in Egypt); Mt Sinai diagram not drawn to scale; Ron Wyatt's work there; Icon of the Mother of God "the Unburnt Bush"; St Simeon "the Ancient" of Mt. Sinai; St Simeon œthe AncientÂ of Mt. Sinai, Commemorated on January 26 ; St John the Solitary of Jerusalem, Commemorated on June 19;

Sinai / Mt Horeb in Median, Land of the Arabs
Mt Sinai / Horeb up from the Desert of Sin and Jethro's home in Midian (not Mt Sinai in Egypt); Mt Sinai diagram not drawn to scale; Ron Wyatt's work there; Icon of the Mother of God "the Unburnt Bush"; St Simeon "the Ancient" of Mt. Sinai; St Simeon œthe Ancientof Mt. Sinai, Commemorated on January 26 ; St John the Solitary of Jerusalem, Commemorated on June 19;

Mt Sinai (Horeb) in Median 12 Pillars, 12 Wells, Gold Calf, Altar Folder

Gold Calf
Holy Precinct of Mt Sinai; Ron Wyatt's work there;

12 Pillars (Wells)
Holy Precinct of Mt Sinai; 12 Pillars (Wells) ;

Altar
Holy Precinct of Mt Sinai; Ron Wyatt's work there;

Arab Lands, Medina Folder

Medina, Yathrib (City and Land of the Hagarenes)
Medina (City and Land of the Hagarenes); New Martyr Auxentius of Constantinople, Commemorated January 25 ; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20;

Yathrib Region (Medina, Land of the Hagarenes)
Yathrib Region (Land of the Hagarenes); New Martyr Auxentius of Constantinople, Commemorated January 25 ;

Arab Lands, Mecca Folder

Mecca, Arab Lands
Mecca; St John the Russian and Confessor, whose relics are on the island of Euboia, Commemorated on May 27 ;

Wilderness of Paran
Wilderness of Paran, Mentioned in Numbers 12 Venerable Macarius the Great of Egypt, Commemorated on January 19 ;

Paran Desert, Wilderness of Paran, Mecca
Wilderness of Paran, Mentioned in Numbers 12 Venerable Macarius the Great of Egypt, Commemorated on January 19 ;

Asir Mountains
Asir Mountains;

Arab Lands, Havilah and Najran River Folder

Habala, Land of the Arabs
Habala; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Venerable Thalelaeus the Hermit of Syria, Commemorated on February 27 ; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Havilah (Habala)
Havilah is both this point (Habala) and a line east of the Jordan Rift from Habala to Wilderness of Shur to Assur (Mosel, Ninevah, Assyria, Persia). That line and the area it describes defines the Land of the Ishmaelites.; In addition to the region described in Genesis 2 (the Garden of Eden description), two individuals named Havilah are listed in the Table of Nations which lists the descendants of Noah, who are considered eponymous ancestors of nations. They are mentioned in Genesis 10:7,29, 1 Chronicles 1:9,23. One is the son of Cush, the son of Ham; the other, a son of Joktan and descendant of Shem.[2] The other sons of Cush are associated with eastern Africa, while Joktan's other sons are often associated with the Arabian desert. Such a land in the Arabian desert is mentioned in Genesis 25:18, where it defines the territory inhabited by the Ishmaelites as being "from Havilah to Shur, opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria"; and in 1 Samuel 15:7, which states that king Saul of Israel attacked the Amalekites who were living there.[3]. The Amalekites also fought Moses et all near Mt Sinai-Horeb in Median of Arabia. Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, Commemorated on May 25; Habala; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; Venerable Thalelaeus the Hermit of Syria, Commemorated on February 27 ; Martyred Holy Fathers who were slain at the Monastery of St Sava, Commemorated on March 20 ;

Najran River Lower

Najran River Upper

Najran River Source (Asir Mountains)

Najran River Sink (Najran Desert)

Wadi Najran (Valley of Najran River)
Wadi Najran;

Omirits (Wadi Nejran, Nejran River 1)
Nejran or Negran; Wadi Najran; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Negran (Najran), Arabia (Najran River 1)
Negran (Najran); Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all followers of Christ were to be put to death. the inhabitants of Negran remained faithful to the Lord, Dunaan came with a large army to destroy the city. At the city walls of Negran the king’s heralds announced that Dunaan would only spare those who renounced Christ and referred to His Cross as a “sign of malediction.” daring to assault the Christian city by force, Dunaan resorted to a ruse. Dunaan swore an oath that he would not force the Christians into Judaism, but would merely collect a tribute from Negran. The inhabitants of the city would not heed the advice of Saint Arethas, and putting their trust in Dunaan, they opened the city gates. very next day Dunaan gave orders to light an immense fire and throw all the clergy of the city into it in order to frighten the rest of the Christians. 427 men were burned. He also threw the prefect Arethas and the other chief men into prison. Then the oppressor sent his messengers through the city to convert the Christians to Judaism. Dunaan himself conversed with those inhabitants brought from the prisons, saying, “I do not demand that you should renounce the God of heaven and earth, nor do I want you to worship idols, I want merely that you do not believe in Jesus Christ, since the Crucified One was a man, and not God.” holy martyrs replied that Jesus is God the Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who for the salvation of mankind was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Those suffering said, “We shall not abjure Christ, since He is Life for us. To die for Him is to find Life.” than four thousand Christians, men, women, both the aged and children, from the city of Negran and surrounding villages suffered martyrdom for Christ. Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters, Commemorated on October 24 ; Dunaan; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated December 19 ;

Homer, Land of Homer, Omirits (Najran River, Wadi Nejran)
Nejran or Negran; Wadi Najran; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Arab Lands, Yeman Folder

Southern Arabia
Southern Arabia; St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated December 19 ;

Yemen (Southern Arabia)
Yemen; Dunaan; Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all followers of Christ were to be put to death. the inhabitants of Negran remained faithful to the Lord, Dunaan came with a large army to destroy the city. At the city walls of Negran the king’s heralds announced that Dunaan would only spare those who renounced Christ and referred to His Cross as a “sign of malediction.” daring to assault the Christian city by force, Dunaan resorted to a ruse. Dunaan swore an oath that he would not force the Christians into Judaism, but would merely collect a tribute from Negran. The inhabitants of the city would not heed the advice of Saint Arethas, and putting their trust in Dunaan, they opened the city gates. very next day Dunaan gave orders to light an immense fire and throw all the clergy of the city into it in order to frighten the rest of the Christians. 427 men were burned. He also threw the prefect Arethas and the other chief men into prison. Then the oppressor sent his messengers through the city to convert the Christians to Judaism. Dunaan himself conversed with those inhabitants brought from the prisons, saying, “I do not demand that you should renounce the God of heaven and earth, nor do I want you to worship idols, I want merely that you do not believe in Jesus Christ, since the Crucified One was a man, and not God.” holy martyrs replied that Jesus is God the Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who for the salvation of mankind was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Those suffering said, “We shall not abjure Christ, since He is Life for us. To die for Him is to find Life.” than four thousand Christians, men, women, both the aged and children, from the city of Negran and surrounding villages suffered martyrdom for Christ. St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

British Empire - Aden, port city and capital of Yemen, Southern Arabia
British Empire - Aden, port city and capital of Yemen; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

British Empire - Socotra - Island at the mouth of Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea
British Empire - Socotra - Island at the mouth of Gulf of Aden; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

Zafar, Yemen
Zafar, Yemen; Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all followers of Christ were to be put to death. the inhabitants of Negran remained faithful to the Lord, Dunaan came with a large army to destroy the city. At the city walls of Negran the king’s heralds announced that Dunaan would only spare those who renounced Christ and referred to His Cross as a “sign of malediction.” daring to assault the Christian city by force, Dunaan resorted to a ruse. Dunaan swore an oath that he would not force the Christians into Judaism, but would merely collect a tribute from Negran. The inhabitants of the city would not heed the advice of Saint Arethas, and putting their trust in Dunaan, they opened the city gates. very next day Dunaan gave orders to light an immense fire and throw all the clergy of the city into it in order to frighten the rest of the Christians. 427 men were burned. He also threw the prefect Arethas and the other chief men into prison. Then the oppressor sent his messengers through the city to convert the Christians to Judaism. Dunaan himself conversed with those inhabitants brought from the prisons, saying, “I do not demand that you should renounce the God of heaven and earth, nor do I want you to worship idols, I want merely that you do not believe in Jesus Christ, since the Crucified One was a man, and not God.” holy martyrs replied that Jesus is God the Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who for the salvation of mankind was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Those suffering said, “We shall not abjure Christ, since He is Life for us. To die for Him is to find Life.” than four thousand Christians, men, women, both the aged and children, from the city of Negran and surrounding villages suffered martyrdom for Christ. St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Mocha, Yemen
Mocha, Yemen; Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him, Commemorated on October 24; Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all followers of Christ were to be put to death. the inhabitants of Negran remained faithful to the Lord, Dunaan came with a large army to destroy the city. At the city walls of Negran the king’s heralds announced that Dunaan would only spare those who renounced Christ and referred to His Cross as a “sign of malediction.” daring to assault the Christian city by force, Dunaan resorted to a ruse. Dunaan swore an oath that he would not force the Christians into Judaism, but would merely collect a tribute from Negran. The inhabitants of the city would not heed the advice of Saint Arethas, and putting their trust in Dunaan, they opened the city gates. very next day Dunaan gave orders to light an immense fire and throw all the clergy of the city into it in order to frighten the rest of the Christians. 427 men were burned. He also threw the prefect Arethas and the other chief men into prison. Then the oppressor sent his messengers through the city to convert the Christians to Judaism. Dunaan himself conversed with those inhabitants brought from the prisons, saying, “I do not demand that you should renounce the God of heaven and earth, nor do I want you to worship idols, I want merely that you do not believe in Jesus Christ, since the Crucified One was a man, and not God.” holy martyrs replied that Jesus is God the Word, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who for the salvation of mankind was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. Those suffering said, “We shall not abjure Christ, since He is Life for us. To die for Him is to find Life.” than four thousand Christians, men, women, both the aged and children, from the city of Negran and surrounding villages suffered martyrdom for Christ. St Gregory the Archbishop of Omirits, Commemorated on December 19 ; this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar. Gregory, Bishop of Homer (Omirits), the son of Agapius and Theodota, was filled with the grace of God and possessed gifts of healing and wonderworking even in his youth. Providence of God led him to hierarchical service. While still a deacon at Mediolanum (Milan) he heard the foretelling of his destiny from a hermit, and then he received confirmation of these words from another spirit-bearing Elder who lived an ascetic life in the mountains. Gregory went to this holy schemamonk for guidance, a miracle occurred. As he approached the mountain, he saw a fiery column in the air. He soon realized that the fiery column was actually the man of God coming toward him. That night he saw the Elder standing in the air above the ground. Elder revealed to Saint Gregory that he must go to Rome to pray in the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida. he would go to Alexandria and to become a bishop. he would arrive in the city of Negran in the land of Homer (in southern Arabia) to proclaim the Gospel. Gregory felt himself unworthy of this, and wished to remain with the ascetic as his disciple. that Gregory should have no doubts of the veracity of his words, the Elder revealed that he knew a secret about him. In a vision, Gregory had seen the First-Ranked Apostles Peter and Paul, and they had placed a bishop’s omophorion upon him. Gregory stayed a short time in Carthage (North Africa) serving as a deacon, then arrived in Rome. He went to the church of Saints Boniface and Aglaida, then to the tomb of Saint Peter. There he was granted a vision of the holy Apostle, who told him to walk the path of virtue and to live according to God’s will. That night he saw the Apostle Paul in a dream bringing to him a cup filled with oil, foretelling that he should receive the grace of the priesthood and the episcopacy. this time the armies of the Ethiopian emperor Elesbaan (October 24) vanquished the Himyarite king Dunaan, who was of Jewish background. city of Negran was liberated, and Christianity restored in the land of Homer. But all the clergy had been cruelly exterminated by Dunaan, and therefore Elesbaan sent emissaries to the Patriarch of Alexandria asking him to send a bishop to Negran, and clergy for the churches. he was praying, the holy Apostle Mark appeared to the patriarch, bidding him to find a deacon named Gregory, who was to be ordained to the priesthood, consecrated as a bishop, and then to be sent to Elesbaan. patriarch did this. During the service a miracle took place. Saint Gregory’s face shone with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and from his vestments came a sweet fragrance like myrrh or incense, filling the whole church with the scent. in Homer, Saint Gregory began to set the Church in order, preaching to both pagans and Jews. After three years Elesbaan returned to Ethiopia, leaving the noble Abramius behind as King of Homer. Gregory crowned and anointed Abramius as king. he issued a decree that all his subjects be baptized. certain prominent Jews turned to the emperor saying that it was better for people to believe willingly rather than under compulsion. requested that he should permit a debate on faith to be held between them and the Christians, vowing that if the Christians proved victorious in this debate, the Jews would then accept Baptism. Jews were given forty days to prepare for the debate, which lasted for several days. Gregory refuted all the arguments of the head of the Hebrew elder, Rabbi Ervan, using only texts from the Old Testament. a vision Ervan beheld the holy Prophet Moses, who worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet told Ervan that Ervan was in opposition to the truth and would be defeated. the grace of God Christian truth prevailed in the debate, but Ervan would not acknowledge his defeat. made a last desperate attempt. He said, “If you want me to believe in your Christ, and to acknowledge that yours is the true God, then show Him to me, bishop!” saint replied: “Your request is impertinent. It is not with man that you contend now, but with God. However, the Lord can do what you have asked in order to convince you. waited to see what would happen. Saint Gregory, having steadfast faith in God and trusting in Him, began to pray aloud. He recalled the mystery of the Incarnation of God the Word, the miracles of His earthly life, the Three-day Resurrection and the Ascension into Heaven, and he invoked the power of the Life-Creating Cross. “Show Thyself to these people, O Lord,” he prayed, “and glorify Thy holy Name!” he finished the prayer, the earth quaked, and in the east the heavens were opened, and in a radiant cloud of light the Lord Jesus Christ came down on earth, and the Voice of the Lord was heard: “Through the prayers of Bishop Gregory, He Whom your fathers put to death will heal you.” Saul, who was struck blind by the Heavenly light on the road to Damascus, the Jews were struck blind. Then they believed in Christ and they implored the holy bishop to heal them. Upon receiving holy Baptism, all of them were healed. Rabbi Ervan received the Christian name Leo (meaning “lion”). this most extraordinary miracle, Saint Gregory guided the flock of Homer for another thirty years. He reposed in the year 552 and was buried in a crypt in the cathedral of Afar.

Land of the Sabeans (Yemen)
Land of the Sabeans (Yemen) ; Job 1:1-22, Job, Job and His Family, Attack on Job'™s Character, Job Loses Property and Children;

Arab Lands, Qatar. Bahrain, Al-Hasa Oasis Folder

Bahrain, Island of Arad, Arab Lands
Bahrain, Island of Arad, Arab Lands ; St Barses the Confessor, Commemorated August 25 ; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

British Empire - Bahrain, Island of Arad, Arab Lands, Persian Gulf
Bahrain, Island of Arad, Arab Lands ; St Barses the Confessor, Commemorated August 25 ; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

British Empire - Kewait, North end of the Persian Gulf, Arabia
British Empire - Kewait, North end of the Persian Gulf, Arabia; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

British Empire - Qatar, large penninsula in Persian Gulf, Arabia
British Empire - Qatar, large penninsula in Persian Gulf, Arabia; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

Oasim, Al-Hasa Oasis, Arabia
Al-Hasa the largest oasis in Arabia ; St Eugene the Presbyter and Confessor at Antioch, Commemorated February 19 ;

Al-Hasa Oasis, Arabia
Al-Hasa the largest oasis in Arabia ; St Eugene the Presbyter and Confessor at Antioch, Commemorated February 19 ;

Arad Island, Bahrain, Arab Lands
Arad Island, Bahrain, Arab Lands; St. Barses the Confessor, Commemorated on August 25;

Arab Lands, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abu Dhabi, Liwa Oasis Folder

British Empire - Trucical States, 7, became UAE, Southern Persian Gulf, Arabia
British Empire - Trucical States, 6, UAE, Southern Persian Gulf, Arabia; 1 December 1971. The following day six of the sheikhdoms (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah) formed the United Arab Emirates; the seventh ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚Â€Ã‚Â“ Ras Al Khaimah ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚Â€Ã‚Â“ joined the Federation on 10 February 1972. CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

Western Liwa Oasis Area, Arabia
Liwa Oasis ; St Eugene the Presbyter and Confessor at Antioch, Commemorated February 19 ;

Eastern Liwa Oasis Area, Arabia
Liwa Oasis ; St Eugene the Presbyter and Confessor at Antioch, Commemorated February 19 ;

British Empire - Oman, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean, Arabia
British Empire - Oman, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean; CHARLES SIMEON, TEACHER, PROMOTOR OF MISSIONARY WORK (12 NOV 1836);

Arab Lands, Rouba Desert

Rouba desert, huge desert middle Arabia
Rouba desert, middle Arabia; Venerable Euthymius the Great, Commemorated on January 20;