12:29 Sun, 5 Oct [) 7 78 SABIS Digital Platform X SABIS@ E-Books X 5 2526 Level K English Exc X | 5 2526 Level K (UAE) More X | Summarize content requ x | + D C 9% master-cms.sabis.net/ebook/ebook-player 5 . .. I SABIS@ E-books The Hawk and the Prophecy "How can a poor slave teach the grandson of a Caliph?" After the defeat of his forces, Youssef Al-Fihri had fled to "In my estimation, you're more remarkable than all the Toledo, a Qaysite stronghold, with his two surviving sons, Abdur princesses I've been acquainted with. Will you be my history Rahman and Muhammad, his son-in-law, Abdur Rahman Ibn tutor?' Habib, and his cousin, Hisham Ibn Uzra. The wily Qaysite As- "I'll be whatever you wish," she replied, and he saw her Sumail had found refuge in the province of Jaen. smile for the first time. Her beauty was stunning. With the remnants of his defeated army, the fresh troops After supper she sat next to him on the carpet and talked for recruited in Toledo and thousands more brought by his two sons hours about the history of the Pharaoh's reign, the Persian from Saragossa, Youssef Al-Fihri marched south at the beginning conquest, Greek civilization, and the Roman Empire. Her eye for of the summer. Near Granada, he joined with As-Sumail, who had detail was amazing, her memory prodigious, and her narration raised a formidable force of his own. gripping. Abdur Rahman was amazed by her intelligence: she saw As-Sumail proposed a devious plan. They would lure every event in its proper perspective, analyzing its remote root and Abdur Rahman and his army out of Cordoba, then send a small long-time repercussions, establishing links, and drawing parallels force to capture it. If they could trick the Ummayad into thinking between totally different periods of time and place. that the force that had captured Cordoba was a large one, he would It was late in the night when the Ummayad prince rose to split his army and be defeated on both fronts. his feet, saying, "We both need rest. I would like to see you again The first part of the plan succeeded. Youssef's oldest son soon." took control of Cordoba with a small force just after the Ummayad "Your company is my delight." prince set out on campaign with the bulk of his army. Then false The following days witnessed the blossoming of the spies reported to the Ummayad camp, claiming that Cordoba had romance between the emir and Hulal. No sooner had he emerged been stormed by a massive force. The emir's advisors suggested from a meeting than he hastened to his beloved; occasionally, they splitting his army at once, sending half of it to recapture the capital. went for a picnic on the Guadalquivir bank with an escort of a But Abdur Rahman was not taken in by the ruse. Even though he hundred soldiers. feared for the life of Ubaid Allah, who was in charge of Cordoba's defense, and Hulal, now captive in the palace, he knew that he could not risk dividing his forces. Therefore, he continued to WB D WB D 118 119 X O lt