Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-05-17

: A0u@O6~CAOlk
lagos. As q result few Of the ancient
buildings remain, and those are only
the ones which have been in constant
use and under frequent repair. Nor
has the city ever had the towering
temples or magnificent cOlonnadeS
which mark the sites of so many for
gotten capitals. Its ruins are mounds
of dust.
But that is today.
For a thousand years after Mansur
pitched his tent beside the river and
traced the lines for the great walls,
Bagdad remained the wonder city of
the East. Its glories spread through
out Islam and were embalmed In the
literature of Persia and Arabia. Its
only rival through much of the time
was Cordova, the Moorish capital In
Spain. Both, at time when Europe
was barely emerging from complete
barbarism, were famous seats Of art,
science and learning; but In COM
merce and wealth the Caliph's capital
far surpassed Cordova.
The best pictures which have come
to US Of life under the olives and
palms of the Caliph's capital are the
stories Of the arabian Nights" 1t
was through the streets where the Brit.
ish cavalry rode on a recent Sunday
morning as conquerors that HarOun al
Raschid played the beggar to learn the
truth about his subjects, and 1t was
from them that he sent the armies that
held the whole East In awe.
Haroun was the last of the great
Caliphs. The race degenerated. and
the wild Turkish adventures from
the North who had been gathered into
the Caliph's bodyguard took the rule
Of the palace and finally Of the realm.
Their natures, like those of their de-
scendants today, cared nothing for art
and beauty. and the science and lit
erature which had been patronized by
the sons of Mansur, languished and
died. The Caliph remained the spir.
itual head Of Islam, but first the Turk
adventures and then the Buyids and
later the Seljuks-the present rulers
Of Turkey-held the temporal power.
MonooIs Wiped Out cal'phate.
The Caliphate finally was wiped out
In 1858, when q Mongol horde swept
down from the North. It was headed
by Hulagu, grandson Of Jenghiz
Khan, and the Turks and the Callph
fed to the west. For about $50 years
these particular Mongols ruled here.
Then came the Tartar invasion under
Timurlane the Great, and the city
again changed hands.
From then on the city was shuttled
back and forth, as one conqueror or
another rose out Of the maelstrom In
to which Asia was turned by the sue
cessive invasions from the northern
plains. Ismail swept together the
broken provinces south Of the eau
casus and founded the dynasty which
still sits on the throne Of Persia. He
reached out to the west and took
Bagdad.
Suleiman the Magnihcent-known to
every boy az the friend, rival and foe
Of Richard of the Lion Heart-f0und
time from his wars with the Crusaders
to win It back again. Within the next
score Of years 1t was thrice captured.
and finally. In 1888, was won back BY
the Turks.
From that day till the British took
It, 1t has been, at least nominally, sub
ject to Constantinople. though the
pashas have made trouble now and
then. It has fallen. with oil the other
cities which the Seljuks ruled.
But It Is q city which may again be
made the center Of an empire, and with
British engineers and British money
the plain could again be turned into
the richest granary Of the world. So
the hoofbeats Of the British squad.
rons may be the reveille which Will
call the ancient capital once more to
greatness.