Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3062
The year 191 AH
الْفِتْنَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ وَهُوَ وَقْعَةُ الْحُفْرَةِ فِي سَنَةُ إِحْدَى وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ أَوْقَعَ الْأَمِيرُ الْحَكَمُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ الْأُمَوِيُّ، صَاحِبُ الْأَنْدَلُسِ، بِأَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ مَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى خَمْسَةِ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَعْيَانِ أَهْلِهَا. وَسَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ طُلَيْطِلَةَ كَانُوا قَدْ طَمِعُوا فِي الْأُمَرَاءِ، وَخَلَعُوهُمْ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ أُخْرَى، وَقَوِيَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ بِحَصَانَةِ بَلَدِهِمْ وَكَثْرَةِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَكُونُوا يُطِيعُونَ أُمَرَاءَهُمْ طَاعَةً مُرْضِيَةً، فَلَمَّا أَعْيَا الْحَكَمَ شَأْنُهُمْ أَعْمَلَ الْحِيلَةَ فِي الظَّفَرِ بِهِمْ، فَاسْتَعَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ بِعَمْرُوسَ بْنِ يُوسُفَ الْمَعْرُوفِ بِالْمُوَلِّدِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ ظَهَرَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ بِالثَّغْرِ الْأَعْلَى، فَأَظْهَرَ طَاعَةَ الْحَكَمِ، وَدَعَا إِلَيْهِ، فَاطْمَأَنَّ إِلَيْهِ بِهَذَا السَّبَبِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَدِينَةِ وَشْقَةَ، فَاسْتَحْضَرَهُ فَحَضَرَ عِنْدَهُ، فَأَكْرَمَهُ الْحَكَمُ، وَبَالَغَ فِي إِكْرَامِهِ، وَأَطْلَعَهُ عَلَى عَزْمِهِ فِي أَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، وَوَاطَأَهُ عَلَى التَّدْبِيرِ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَوَلَّاهُ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا يَقُولُ: إِنِّي قَدِ اخْتَرْتُ لَكُمْ فُلَانًا، وَهُوَ مِنْكُمْ، لِتَطْمَئِنَّ قُلُوبُكُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَعْفَيْتُكُمْ مِمَّنْ تَكْرَهُونَ مِنْ عُمَّالِنَا وَمَوَالِينَا، وَلِتَعْرِفُوا جَمِيلَ رَأَيْنَا فِيكُمْ. فَمَضَى عَمْرُوسٌ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَدَخَلَ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، فَأَنِسَ بِهِ أَهْلُهَا، وَاطْمَأَنُّوا إِلَيْهِ، وَأَحْسَنَ عِشْرَتَهُمْ، وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا عَمِلَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْحِيلَةِ أَنْ أَظْهَرَ لَهُمْ مُوَافَقَتَهُمْ عَلَى بُغْضِ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ، وَخَلْعِ طَاعَتِهِمْ، فَمَالُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَوَثِقُوا بِمَا يَفْعَلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ سَبَبَ الشَّرِّ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَ أَصْحَابِ الْأَمِيرِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اخْتِلَاطُهُمْ بِكُمْ، وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أَبْنِيَ بِنَاءً أَعْتَزِلُ فِيهِ أَنَا وَأَصْحَابُ السُّلْطَانِ رِفْقًا بِكُمْ. فَأَجَابُوهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ، فَبَنَى فِي وَسَطِ الْبَلَدِ مَا أَرَادَ. فَلَمَّا مَضَى لِذَلِكَ مُدَّةٌ كَتَبَ الْأَمِيرُ الْحَكَمُ إِلَى عَامِلٍ لَهُ عَلَى الثَّغْرِ الْأَعْلَى سِرًّا، يَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ إِلَيْهِ يَسْتَغِيثُ مِنْ جُيُوشِ الْكَفَرَةِ، وَطَلَبَ النَّجْدَةَ وَالْعَسَاكِرَ، فَفَعَلَ الْعَامِلُ ذَلِكَ، فَحَشَدَ الْحَكَمُ الْجُيُوشَ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَهُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَحَشَدَ مَعَهُ قُوَّادَهُ وَوُزَرَاءَهُ، فَسَارَ الْجَيْشُ وَاجْتَازَ بِمَدِينَةِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، وَلَمْ يَعْرِضْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ لِدُخُولِهَا، فَأَتَاهُ وَهُوَ عِنْدَهَا الْخَبَرُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْعَامِلِ أَنَّ عَسَاكِرَ الْكَفَرَةِ قَدْ تَفَرَّقَتْ، وَكَفَى اللَّهُ شَرَّهَا، فَتَفَرَّقَ الْعَسْكَرُ، وَعَزَمَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ عَلَى الْعَوْدِ إِلَى قُرْطُبَةَ، فَقَالَ عَمْرُوسٌ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ لِأَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ: قَدْ تَرَوْنَ نُزُولَ وَلَدِ الْحَكَمِ إِلَى جَانِبِي، وَإِنَّهُ يَلْزَمُنِي الْخُرُوجُ إِلَيْهِ وَقَضَاءُ حَقِّهِ، فَإِنْ نَشِطْتُمْ لِذَلِكَ وَإِلَّا سِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَحْدِي. فَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ وُجُوهُ أَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، فَأَكْرَمَهُمْ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَكَانَ الْحَكَمُ قَدْ أَرْسَلَ مَعَ وَلَدِهِ خَادِمًا لَهُ، وَمَعَهُ كِتَابٌ لَطِيفٌ إِلَى عَمْرُوسٍ، فَأَتَاهُ الْخَادِمُ وَصَافَحَهُ، وَسَلَّمَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُحَادِثَهُ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ عَمْرُوسٌ الْكِتَابَ رَأَى فِيهِ كَيْفَ تَكُونُ الْحِيلَةُ عَلَى أَهْلِ طُلَيْطِلَةَ، فَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَعْيَانِ أَهْلِهَا بِأَنْ يَسْأَلُوا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ الدُّخُولَ إِلَيْهِمْ لِيَرَى هُوَ وَأَهْلُ عَسْكَرِهِ كَثْرَتَهُمْ، وَمَنَعَتَهُمْ، وَقُوَّتَهُمْ، فَظَنَّوْهُ يَنْصَحُهُمْ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ، وَأَدْخَلُوا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ الْبَلَدَ، وَنَزَلَ مَعَ عَمْرُوسٍ فِي دَارِهِ، وَأَتَاهُ أَهْلُ طُلَيْطِلَةَ أَرْسَالًا يُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهِ. وَأَشَاعَ عَمْرُوسٌ أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ لَهُمْ وَلِيمَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَشَرَعَ فِي الِاسْتِعْدَادِ لِذَلِكَ، وَوَاعَدَهُمْ يَوْمًا ذَكَرَهُ، وَقَرَّرَ مَعَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ يَدْخُلُونَ مِنْ بَابٍ، وَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنْ آخَرَ لِيَقِلَّ الزِّحَامُ،، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الْمَذْكُورُ أَتَاهُ النَّاسُ أَفْوَاجًا، فَكَانَ كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ فَوْجٌ أُخِذُوا وَحُمِلُوا إِلَى جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ عَلَى حُفْرَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ فِي ذَلِكَ الْقَصْرِ، فَضُرِبَتْ رِقَابُهُمْ عَلَيْهَا، فَلَمَّا تَعَالَى النَّهَارُ أَتَى بَعْضُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَرَ أَحَدًا، فَقَالَ: أَيْنَ النَّاسُ ؟ فَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُمْ يَدْخُلُونَ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَابِ، وَيَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ الْبَابِ الْآخَرِ، فَقَالَ: مَا لَقِيَنِي مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ. وَعَلِمَ الْحَالَ، وَصَاحَ، وَأَعْلَمَ النَّاسَ هَلَاكَ أَصْحَابِهِمْ، فَكَانَ سَبَبَ نَجَاةِ مَنْ بَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ، فَذَلَّتْ رِقَابُهُمْ بَعْدَهَا، وَحَسُنَتْ طَاعَتُهُمْ بَقِيَّةَ أَيَّامِ الْحَكَمِ وَأَيَّامِ وَلَدِهِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، ثُمَّ انْجَبَرَتْ مُصِيبَتُهُمْ، وَكَثُرُوا، فَلَمَّا هَلَكَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ وَوَلِيَ ابْنُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ عَاجَلُوهُ بِالْخَلْعِ.
Translation
✧ The sedition of the people of Toledo, which is the Battle of the Pit In the year one hundred ninety-one, the amir al-Hakam b. Hisham al-Umawi, ruler of al-Andalus, struck the people of Toledo and killed among them more than five thousand men from the notables of its inhabitants. The reason for that was that the people of Toledo had become covetous toward the amirs and had deposed them time after time, and their spirits had grown strong because of the fortification of their town and the abundance of their wealth. They did not obey their amirs with a satisfactory obedience. When the affair of them wore out al-Hakam, he employed a stratagem to gain victory over them. He sought help in that from ʿAmrus b. Yusuf, known as al-Muwallad, who had appeared at that time in the Upper March and had shown obedience to al-Hakam and called to him, and so al-Hakam had trusted him for that reason. He was from the city of Huesca, and al-Hakam summoned him, and he came to him. Al-Hakam honored him and went to great lengths in honoring him, and acquainted him with his resolve concerning the people of Toledo and made an agreement with him about the plan against them. He appointed him governor of Toledo and wrote to its people, saying: "I have chosen for you so-and-so, and he is one of you, so that your hearts may be at ease with him, and I have exempted you from those of our agents and clients whom you dislike, and so that you may know the excellence of our opinion concerning you." ʿAmrus went to them and entered Toledo. Its people became friendly with him and felt at ease with him, and he treated them well. The first stratagem he employed against them was to show them that he agreed with them in hatred of the Umayyads and in deposing their obedience, and so they inclined to him and trusted what he did. Then he said to them: "The cause of the evil between you and the companions of the amir is only their mixing with you, and I have decided to build a structure in which I and the companions of the sultan may withdraw, out of consideration for you." They agreed to that, and he built in the center of the town what he wanted. After some time had passed, the amir al-Hakam wrote secretly to an agent of his on the Upper March, commanding him to send to him seeking aid against the armies of the infidels and requesting reinforcements and troops. The agent did that, and al-Hakam gathered troops from every direction and appointed his son ʿAbd al-Rahman over them, and gathered with him his commanders and viziers. The army marched and passed by the city of Toledo, but ʿAbd al-Rahman did not intend to enter it. While he was near it, news came to him from that agent that the armies of the infidels had dispersed and God had sufficed against their evil. So the army dispersed, and ʿAbd al-Rahman resolved to return to Cordoba. Then ʿAmrus said to the people of Toledo: "You see the son of al-Hakam encamped beside me, and it behooves me to go out to him and fulfill his due. If you are willing to do so, then do it; otherwise, I will go to him alone." So the notables of the people of Toledo went out with him, and ʿAbd al-Rahman honored them and treated them well. Al-Hakam had sent with his son a servant of his, and with him a small letter to ʿAmrus. The servant came to him, shook his hand, and handed him the letter without speaking to him. When ʿAmrus read the letter, he saw how the stratagem against the people of Toledo should proceed. He suggested to the notables of its people that they ask ʿAbd al-Rahman to enter their town so that he and the people of his army might see their numbers, their defenses, and their strength. They thought he was advising them sincerely, so they did that and brought ʿAbd al-Rahman into the town. He alighted with ʿAmrus in his house, and the people of Toledo came to him in groups to greet him. ʿAmrus spread word that ʿAbd al-Rahman wanted to prepare a great banquet for them, and he began to prepare for that. He appointed a day for them, and arranged with them that they should enter through one gate and leave through another to reduce crowding. They did that. On the appointed day, the people came in waves, and whenever a group entered, they were seized and taken to a body of soldiers at a large pit in that palace, and their necks were struck over it. As the day grew late, one of them came and saw no one, and said: "Where are the people?" It was said to him: "They enter through this gate and leave through the other gate." He said: "None of them met me." Then he realized the situation and cried out and informed the people of the destruction of their companions, and that was the cause of the escape of those of them who remained. After that their necks were humbled, and their obedience was good for the rest of the days of al-Hakam and the days of his son ʿAbd al-Rahman. Then their calamity was mended and they multiplied. When ʿAbd al-Rahman died and his son Muhammad succeeded, they hastened to depose him.
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