MOSQUE OF FLOWERS.

335

remarkable mosques of Cairo; the interior of which few travellers have beheld, and none described. The first I entered was the celebrated mosque of El Azhar, or, “of Flowers," founded A. H. 358 (A.D. 968), during the reign of Ali, the grandson of Akhshid*, three years before the commencement of the Fatimite dynasty. On arriving at the gateway, we doffed our slippers, and entered a marble-paved court, surrounded by an elegant colonnade, the entablature of which is adorned with arabesques of a bright red colour. Numbers of poor Musulmans, maintained by the charity of the foundation, were lying asleep on mats in various parts of the area; while others, in their immediate vicinity, were engaged in prayer. To avoid attracting the attention of the fanatical worshippers, we passed on rapidly, as if brought thither by devotion, and, traversing the court, proceeded into the body of the mosque, where a numerous congregation was assembled. Contrary to the ideas commonly prevailing in Europe, a large portion of the votaries consisted of ladies, who were walking to and fro without the slightest restraint, conversing with each other, and mingling freely among the men. The pulpit, constructed entirely of

* Among the Fargani the title Akhshid, according to the Arabic writers, resembled the Cæsar of the Romans, and the Chosroes of the Persians. The founder of the Akhshid dynasty in Egypt was Aboubekr Ibn Taji; who, having, during many years, exercised the supreme power, died in A. H. 334. His successors, like the rois fainéans of France, were only so many royal shadows, the real authority being possessed by Kafoor, a black, who died in A. H. 358, the year in which El Azhar was founded. — Jemaleddin. Annal. Ægypt. note, pp. 2, 3.

336

INTERIOR OF THE MOSQUE.

stone, adorned with slender pillars, and beautifully carved, greatly resembles the suggesti of Catholic churches, and stands at the extremity of the building, directly opposite the entrance. Numerous rows of marble columns, about two feet in diameter, extend the whole length of the edifice, supporting the roof, and creating an idea of grandeur: the pavement, likewise, is of marble. But the height of the mosque corresponds not with the extent of the ground-plan; and this imperfection diminishes the effect which its forest of pillars and tasteful ornaments would otherwise produce.

DCIX. Though originally erected for purposes of devotion, the mosques are often converted into caravanserais; where persons, having no other home, may sleep and eat, listen to the relations of the story-teller, or transact business. In the time of Van Egmont, it was said, that between five and six thousand persons received their daily subsistence from the mosque of El Azhar; while two thousand slept nightly within its walls. The individuals attached to its service, and those who partook of its bounties, amounted to forty thousand, though many of them lived in distant parts of the country.* Though

"This opulent mosque is,

* Travels, vol. ii. p. 67. He adds: however, a very terrible structure to strangers not acquainted with the customs of the country; for, if any person happens to enter it, he is immediately thrown into prison, where he has no other choice than to turn Mohammedan, or suffer death." It was here that the women assembled tumultuously, in 1814, upon the promulgation of the ordonnance of Mohammed Ali, appropriating to himself the whole landed property in Egypt.

CHARITABLE FOUNDATION.

337

less rich and flourishing than formerly, this establishment is still considerable, and contains several colleges, where the ulemas lecture on the Koran and the laws. In other respects, it resembles a caravanserai, divided into several quarters, appropriated to the students of different nations, the Persians, the Turks, the Syrians, the Nubians, &c.,-who are supported by the revenues of the mosque. Each division is under the superintendence of a nazir, subordinate to the principal director. On every alternate day, three thousand eight hundred pounds of bread, and a quantity of oil for the lamps, are distributed; besides which the students receive monthly a small stipend. The whole annual expenditure is estimated at six hundred and thirty thousand piastres, partly furnished by the government, and partly arising from the rent of houses, shops, and warehouses, bequeathed to the charity by pious individuals. For the convenience of the crowds who frequent the establishment, numerous entrances have been made on all sides.†

DCX. We next proceeded to the mosque of Sultan Hassan, erected near the gate leading to the citadel. The history of the founder of this magnificent structure presents a striking example of the instability of oriental despots. Succeeding his brother Hajjî, murdered, in A. H. 748, Hassan exercised the supreme authority during three years; when he was deprived

* The rizaks, the majority of which are now government property. + Mengin, Histoire de l'Egypte, &c. tom. ii. p.327.

338

MOSQUE OF SULTAN HASSAN.

*

of the sceptre by his brother Al Salah: but this prince, ignorant of the art of reigning, being, in A.H. 755, dethroned and imprisoned, Hassan was a second time invested with the purple. Sedition, however, and dissensions between the Sultan and the chief of his Mamalooks arising, a civil war ensued, and the prince, defeated by his slave, was compelled to seek for safety in flight, and an obscurity from which he never again emerged. The mosque, built in the form of a parallelogram, is exceedingly lofty, and surrounded by a projecting cornice and frieze, ornamented with arabesques; and its minarets, surpassing all others in height, are the first which the traveller beholds on approaching the city. Ascending a long flight of steps, and passing under a magnificent doorway, we entered the vestibule, and proceeded towards the sacred portion of the edifice; where, on stepping over a small railing, it was necessary to take off our babooshes, or red Turkish shoes. Here we beheld a spacious square court, paved with marble of various colours, fancifully arranged, with a beautiful octagonal marble fountain in the centre, surmounted by a cupola of airy proportions, resting on slender pillars. On each side of this area is an extremely lofty arched recess, judiciously introduced for the purpose of breaking up the uniformity of the enormous walls.

Jemaleddin, Annales Ægyptiacæ, pp. 82. 85. The expense attending the erection of this edifice was immense; amounting, it is said, to 1000 mitkals of gold per day. As the mosque was three years in building, the whole cost would be 219,000 ounces of gold; or about 750,0001. sterling.

TOMB OF THE SULTAN.

339

DCXI. At the extremity of the court, and entirely open to it, is a large apartment, containing a small marble tabernacle, surrounded by slender tapering columns; with a tasteful and finely sculptured pulpit. Numerous Arabic sentences are written on the walls in letters of gold; and below, scratched with pen or pencil, are the names of various devotees; near which, in defiance of the prohibition of the prophet, I observed an attempt at delineating the human figure. Massive doors of bronze, elegantly ornamented, close the entrance into the sanctuary; into which, from motives of piety or prudence, my Turkish conductor was unwilling to introduce me. To behold this, however, having been my principal object, I addressed myself directly to the keeper of the mosque, at the risk of being discovered; and, somewhat to the surprise of the Turk, obtained instant permission to enter. Here, in the centre of the apartment, and surrounded by a neat railing, stands the tomb of Sultan Hassan*; though, according to Jemaleddin, he disappeared, after his defeat by Yelbog, the Mamalook, and was never afterwards heard of. The cenotaph, constructed in a simple style, with a short pillar at either end, is of pure marble, without name or monumental inscription. On the plain slab was placed an antique manuscript copy of the Koran, in

"Rebus suis denique inclinatis, ac viribus omninò fractis, salutem fugâ petiit Sultanus. At non multò post, à Yelbogâ comprehensus fuit, et sacramentum fidei quod illi (cui Deus misericordiam adhibeat!) præstiterant, abrogandum statuunt Emiri. Sultanatus Hhasani secundus, tres annos, septem menses, atque unum diem duravit. Locum verò quo se recepit nemo compertum habuit."— Ann. Egypt. p. 85.