'Amru-ibn-el-'As, son of 'Omeyyah of the tribe of Kuraish, was
one of three Mekkan poets whose satires caused so much
vexation to the Prophet that he engaged three poets of the
tribe of el-Khdzraj to answer them. One of the latter
was Hdsan son of Thibit, of whom mention is made in
the story of Jdbalah (see page 34) . 'Amru fought against
Muhammad under Abu-Sufyin at the battles of Bedr and
Ohod. He professed el-Isldm in the eighth year of el-Hijrah,
and was sent by the Prophet to destroy Siwah, the idol
worshipped by the tribe of Hudhail at Rohat, a place about
three miles from Mekkah. He was also sent on an embassy
inviting to el-Isldm two princes of the tribe of el-Azd, who
were reigning at 'Oman. In the reign of Abu-Bekr he was
sent into Lower Palestine in command of a large force, and
in that Khalifah's last year, a.h. 13, 'Amru laid siege to and
took Gaza, and Theophanes asserts that he forced the in-
habitants of the whole tract from Gaza to Mount Sinai and
the borders of the desert, to submit to the Khalifah. He
was one of the generals who this same year, under the
supreme command of Khilid son of el-Walid, sat down
before Damascus and reduced it. On Abu-Bekr's death



THE ELOQUENCE OF HASAN-IBN-'ALY. 65



and the accession of 'Omar, KhMid was deposed, and Abu-
'Obaidah appointed in his stead. Under him 'Amru held
command at the siege of Jerusalem. In a.h. 16, that city
surrendered to the Khaltfah in person (see Note ', page 11);
after which 'Omar despatched 'Amru to invade Egypt. He
was, however, delayed in Syria, in order to reduce certain
towns and fortresses which still held out ; and it was not
until A.H. 18 that he entered Egypt.* Having conquered that
country, he was made its governor, but was, in A.H. 24, dis-

* Now that the energy and indomitable perseverance of Mons.
