With the assistance of his pious counsellor, he framed a code of laws for the government of Hamyar, which is still extant, and is divided into three-and-twenty titles.[1]
The last event of the reign of Abrahah was his disastrous expedition against the tribe of Koreish. The city of Mecca, which was in the possession of
- ↑ A work bearing the title of Νομοθεσιοι του ἁγιου Γρηγεντιου ὡς εκ προσωπου του ευσεβεστατου βασιλεως Αβραμιου, is contained in a MS. of the dispute with Herban in the Bibl. Cæs. Lambecius, lib. v. p. 182-3.
by the Arabian writers as "a man small of body, fleshy, intelligent, and zealous in his Christianity"—وكان رجلل قصيرا لحيما حارا في دين النصرانية Abu Gjafar Muhammed Ibn Jezyd, Taberita, p. 108. This historian has preserved an incident which will illustrate the character of the king, and the ideas of honour that were entertained among the Arabians of the time. In the conflict which placed Abrahah on the throne, his servant Abûda saved his life, and slew his enemy Aryat. The king in gratitude promised to grant him his desire, whatever it might be. Abûda demanded that no bride in Yaman should be conducted to her bridegroom until he had first enjoyed her. The king considered himself bound by the sanctity of his word, and the request was granted. Abûda was at length killed by an Arabian bridegroom whom he had insulted. "When the account of his death was carried to Abrahah, who was kind, generous, and pious in his Christianity, he said, I see, men of Yaman, that there are still some of you whose hearts are brave enough to disdain to suffer an indignity. I take God to witness, that had I known when I promised him his desire, what he intended to ask, I would never have promised it him, nor did I grant willingly his request; but I have no desire of revenging him, for by his death I am not displeased." p. 110, 112.
