This Inland
Navigation, Which Would Have Joined The Mediterranean And The Indian Ocean,
Was Soon, However, Discontinued, As Useless And Dangerous;" And About The
Year 775, A.D., It Was Stopped Up At The End Next The Red Sea.
The conquest of Africa, though not nearly so advantageous to the commerce
of the Arabians, was yet of some importance to them in this point of view:
it gradually extended from the Nile to the Atlantic Ocean.
Tripoly was the
first maritime and commercial city which their arms reduced: Bugia and
Tangier were next reduced. Cairoan was formed as a station for a caravan; a
city, which, in its present decay, still holds the second rank in the
kingdom of Tunis. Carthage was next attacked and reduced; but an attempt
was made by forces sent from Constantinople, joined by the ships and
soldiers of Sicily, and a powerful reinforcement of Goths from Spain, to
retake it. The Arabian conquerors had drawn a strong chain across the
harbour; this the confederate fleet broke: the Arabians for a time were
compelled to retreat; but they soon returned, defeated their enemies, burnt
Carthage, and soon afterwards completed the conquest of this part of
Africa.
The beginning of the eighth century is remarkable for their invasion of
Spain, and for their second fruitless attack on Constantinople; during the
latter, their fleet, which is said to have consisted of 1800 vessels, was
totally destroyed by the Greek fire. With regard to their conquest of
Spain, it was so rapid, that in a few months the whole of that great
peninsula, which for two centuries withstood the power of the Roman
republic at its greatest height, was reduced, except the mountainous
districts of Asturia and Biscay, Here also the Arabians displayed the same
attention to science by which they were distinguished in Asia:
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