the shrine of Mecca. But on approaching the sacred territory, they were debarred from entering it by a formidable Meccan army. The only concession they could obtain was a long armistice, and the promise that next year they might attend the festival for three days, but unarmed. It was to compensate his followers for this disappointment, that the Prophet promised them the conquest and spoils of Khaibar. They slaughtered their sacrifices at Hodeibia, outside the sacred confines, and returned to Medina to prepare for the promised expedition the spoils of which should only be shared by those who had taken part in the disappointed pilgrimage.

To take the Jews by surprise, the Moslem army managed to arrive near Khaibar during the night. Early in the morning, when the people went forth to their field-work, they met the enemy and hasted back with the cry of alarm, 'Mohammed and his army are upon us.' The Jews hastily withdrew into their fortified houses or towers, and defended themselves, as well as they could, against an over-matching enemy. They had made an alliance with the Ghatafan Bedouins, to secure their help in such an emergency; but the selfish Bedouins did not wish to run any serious risk for the sake of the Jews, and contented themselves with a harmless demonstration. Ibn Ishak thus narrates their movements: 'When the Ghatafan heard that Mohammed was encamped before Khaibar, they gathered together, in order to assist the Jews against him. But when they passed through the narrow valley where their families and goods were collected, they heard a noise behind them, and, thinking the enemy was about to attack them in the rear, they turned back to remain with their families and substance, and did not molest Mohammed in his war against Khaibar.'

Thus coolly deserted by their Arab confederates, the Jews were doomed. All their strongholds, one after another, were besieged and taken. To strike terror into them and lame their resistance, Mohammed mercilessly put to the sword all armed Jews who fell into his hands. Nine hundred Jews were thus killed, whilst on the Moslem side scarcely a score were slain. The actual fighting, therefore, does not appear to have been of a very sanguinary character, and the resistance of the Jews, who soon saw the hopelessness of

their cause, was easily overcome. In the usual single combats, which were not wanting, some of the Jews fought valiantly, but still were overpowered by their antagonists. Ali had his shield struck from his hand, and then seized a house-door with which to defend himself. The last two strongholds, in which many of the escaped defenders of towers already surrendered, had sought refuge, resisted the besiegers for ten days, and at last capitulated to save their lives and some of their substance, whilst all their arms, treasures, and landed possessions, fell into the hands of the conquerors.

When this news reached the Jews of Fadak, some distance to the north of Khaibar, they sent a deputation to Mohammed, begging him similarly to spare their blood and allow them to depart unmolested, in return for which favour they would leave in his hands all their possessions. Also the Jewish colony of Taima, still further to the north in the direction of Syria, were induced to despatch a deputation and sue for peace, offering to accept the same conditions. Mohammed granted their request and also admitted the Jews of Wadi el Kora, a short distance south-west of Khaibar, to the like favours.

Thus Mohammed put an end to the independence of all the Jewish communities in Arabia and substituted his own authority over the extensive districts formerly owned by them. He had at first used every effort to gain them over to his cause. They would have been a most important accession to his fighting strength; and their acceptance of him as a prophet would, he believed, have had a great effect upon the Arabs, in leading them to regard him in the same light. But when he found they would not voluntarily own his claim, he determined that they should be made to serve his cause against their will. They were now separately attacked and conquered, tribe by tribe, till they were either swept away or reduced to a state of bondage and disposed of at the will and for the benefit of the conquerors. Refusing to become the willing abettors of the Prophet, they were used as stepping-stones in the onward march of the Potentate. Not by the spiritual weapon of truth, but by the carnal means of violence, and intrigue, not by seeking to follow the example