See Tahiti.

OTHMAN IBN AFFAN, the third of the Moslem caliphs, was a descendant of Abd-al-Menaf, one of Mohammed's ancestors. He first appears prominently in history as one of the secretaries, and the son-in-law of the prophet. The next important event in his life, his appointment to be one of the six commissioners for the election of a successor to the Caliph Omar, was the immediate cause of his elevation to power. The six agreed to choose one out of their own number; their choice fell upon him; and he began his reign in 643. It soon became evident that Othman's vice of favouritism, and his inattention to the wishes of his subjects, were checking the growing prosperity of Mohammedanism. By means of his lieutenants, indeed, he completed the subjugation of Persia, rendered the island of Cyprus tributary, and successfully maintained the Moslem cause against the Greeks. But his civil administration meanwhile was by no means successful. Efficient governors of provinces were recalled in order to give place to his worthless friends; the contents of the public treasury were lavished upon his minions; he had the misfortune to lose the prophet's silver signet-ring, which was considered the palladium of the empire; and he had the indiscretion to beat almost to death Ammar Ibn Jasir, a zealous Moslem, who had denounced his injudicious government. The consequence was, that there was excited in the hearts of his subjects a settled enmity which ultimately led to his ruin. At the end of about twelve years, Medina was invested by a strong force of rebels; delegates with lists of grievances from the misgoverned provinces fanned the flame of insurrection; and the deposition of the caliph was pertinaciously demanded. The suppression of this rebellion by means of concessions only made Othman's inveterate enemies take more insidious and more deadly measures. His treacherous secretary, at the instance of Ayesha, the prophet's wife, despatched to Egypt false letters of state commanding the death of Mohammed, the son of Abubeker. Mohammed, intercepting these letters, vowed vengeance against the caliph, and forthwith repaired to Medina at the head of a determined band of followers. The city was entered without opposition; the palace was taken by storm; and Othman, with the Koran in his bosom, fell beneath the blows of several assassins in 656.