History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. I.] THE BATTLE OF KADESTIA. 19

After this striking interview, our description of which is taken from the graphic pages of the great historical work of Tabari, hostilities were resumed, and at the battle of Kadesia (4.p. 636) the victory turned in favour of the Mussulmans after several days’ severe fighting. Very soon afterwards, and without any further pitched battle, Madayn, the capital, was occupied by the Arabs. Yazdezard fled from Madayn, and retired to Holwan, where another great battle was fought on the plains of Jalula (November-December, A.D. 637). When the news of this fresh defeat of his army reached Yazdezard he hurriedly quitted Holwan, and proceeded in the direction of Rae. The towns of Masebedan and Shirwan surrendered after a battle which raged fiercely for three days (January, A.D. 638), and thenceforth Islam prevailed over all Erak from the heights of Holwan to as far as Mosul and Syria. By the end of October, a.p. 641, some of the towns of the province of Ahwaz were conquered by the Arabs, who also undertook an expedition to Bahrain, and forced the Persian general, Hormazan, to capitulate after having besieged him for six months in the town of Tuster, which they only succeeded in entering by means of an underground canal.

Yazdezard, when he had been at Rae a short time, became aware that the Mussulmans would soon invade that part of the country also; so he summoned to his aid the bravest of his generals, and collected an army