404 HISTORY OF ARMEKIA.
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quite unexpectedly, put them to flight, after killing the governor, the object of their resent-* ment. When the Caliph was informed of tha d^ath of Abuseth, and the dispersion of his troops, he became enraged, and assembling an immense army, put it under the command of Bulah or Pula (the Bull,) a man devoted to his in- terests, having been born and reared in his house. He directed him to march immediately into Armenia, to take vengeance for the late defeat : Bulah also received orders to seize all the Armenian chiefs and send them in chains to Bagdad, and to kill all whom he found in condi- tion to carry arms.
Any of the people, however, who consented to forsake Christianity and embrace the religion of the Saracens, he received directions to spare, provided that they were strong and handsome ; if they were homely, notwithstanding their incli- nation to abjure their religion, they were to be delivered to the sword. The refuse of the people he was commanded not to notice, they being beneath the anger of the Caliph;
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