Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3114
The year 197 AH
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ سَبْعٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ اسْتَهَلَّتْ وَقَدْ أَلَحَّ طَاهِرُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ وَهَرْثَمَةُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ، وَمَنْ مَعَهُمَا مِنَ الْجُنُودِ فِي حِصَارِ بَغْدَادَ وَالتَّضْيِيقِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَمِينِ وَهَرَبَ الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ الرَّشِيدِ، وَعَمُّهُ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ الْمَهْدِيِّ إِلَى الْمَأْمُونِ فَأَكْرَمَهُمَا، وَوَلَّى أَخَاهُ الْقَاسِمَ جُرْجَانَ وَاشْتَدَّ الْحِصَارُ بِبَغْدَادَ وَنُصِبَتْ عَلَيْهَا الْمَجَانِيقُ وَالْعَرَّادَاتُ وَضَاقَ الْأَمِينُ بِهِمْ ذَرْعًا، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَهُ مَا يُنْفِقُ فِي الْجُنْدِ، فَاضْطَرَّ إِلَى ضَرْبِ آنِيَةِ الْفِضَّةِ وَالذَّهَبِ دَرَاهِمَ وَدَنَانِيرَ، وَهَرَبَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ جُنْدِهِ إِلَى طَاهِرٍ، وَقُتِلَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبَلَدِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَأُخِذَتْ أَمْوَالٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ، وَبَعَثَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْأَمِينُ إِلَى قُصُورٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَدُورٍ شَهِيرَةٍ، وَأَمَاكِنَ وَمَحَالَّ كَثِيرَةٍ فَحَرَّقَهَا لِمَا رَأَى فِي ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَصْلَحَةِ فَعَلَ كُلَّ هَذَا فِرَارًا مِنَ الْمَوْتِ، وَلِتَدُومَ الْخِلَافَةُ لَهُ فَلَمْ تَدُمْ، وَقُتِلَ، وَخُرِّبَتْ دِيَارُهُ كَمَا سَيَأْتِي قَرِيبًا وَفَعَلَ طَاهِرٌ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ الْأَمِينُ، حَتَّى كَادَتْ بَغْدَادُ تَخْرَبُ بِكَمَالِهَا، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الشُّعَرَاءِ فِي ذَلِكَ: مَنْ ذَا أَصَابَكِ يَا بَغْدَادُ بِالْعَيْنِ أَلَمْ تَكُونِي زَمَاناً قُرَّةَ الْعَيْنِ أَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيكِ قَوْمٌ كَانَ مَسْكَنُهُمْ وَكَانَ قُرْبُهُمْ زَيْنًا مِنَ الزَّيْنِ صَاحَ الْغُرَابُ بِهِمْ بِالْبَيْنِ فَافْتَرَقُوا مَاذَا لَقِيتِ بِهِمْ مِنْ لَوْعَةِ الْبَيْنِ أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ قَوْماً مَا ذَكَرْتُهُمْ إِلَّا تَحَدَّرَ مَاءُ الْعَيْنِ مِنْ عَيْنِي كَانُوا فَمَزَّقَهُمْ دَهْرٌ وَصَدَّعَهُمْ وَالدَّهْرُ يَصْدَعُ مَا بَيْنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ وَقَدْ أَكْثَرَ الشُّعَرَاءُ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَقَدْ أَوْرَدَ الْإِمَامُ أَبُو جَعْفَرِ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ طَرَفًا صَالِحًا، وَأَوْرَدَ فِي ذَلِكَ قَصِيدَةً طَوِيلَةً جِدًّا لِبَعْضِ أَهْلِ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ، فِيهَا بَسْطُ مَا وَقَعَ، وَهِيَ هَوْلٌ مِنَ الْأَهْوَالِ اخْتَصَرْنَاهَا بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ. وَاسْتَحْوَذَ طَاهِرٌ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فِي الضِّيَاعِ مِنَ الْغَلَّاتِ وَالْحَوَاصِلِ لِلْأُمَرَاءِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، وَدَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْأَمَانِ، وَخَلْعِ الْأَمِينِ، وَالْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمَأْمُونِ، فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ؛ مِنْهُمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ حُمَيْدِ بْنِ قَحْطَبَةَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَاهَانَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ الطُّوسِيُّ، وَكَاتَبَهُ خَلْقٌ مِنَ الْهَاشِمِيِّينَ وَالْأُمَرَاءِ، وَصَارَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ مَعَهُ. وَاتَّفَقَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَيَّامِ أَنْ ظَفِرَ أَصْحَابُ الْأَمِينِ بِبَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ طَاهِرٍ، فَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةً عِنْدَ قَصْرِ صَالِحٍ، فَلَمَّا جَرَى ذَلِكَ بَطَرَ الْأَمِينُ، وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى اللَّهْوِ وَالشُّرْبِ وَاللَّعِبِ، وَوَكَّلَ الْأُمُورَ، وَتَدْبِيرَهَا إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ نَهِيكٍ، ثُمَّ قَوِيَتْ شَوْكَةُ أَصْحَابِ طَاهِرٍ وَضَعُفَ جَانِبُ الْأَمِينِ جِدًّا، وَانْحَازَ النَّاسُ إِلَى جَيْشِ طَاهِرٍ، وَكَانَ جَانِبُهُ آمِنًا جِدًّا، لَا يَخَافُ أَحَدٌ فِيهِ مِنْ سَرِقَةٍ وَلَا نَهْبٍ، وَلَا غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، وَقَدِ احْتَازَ طَاهِرٌ أَكْثَرَ مَحَالِّ بَغْدَادَ وَأَرْبَاضِهَا، وَمَنَعَ الْمَلَّاحِينَ أَنْ يَحْمِلُوا طَعَامًا إِلَى مَنْ خَالَفَهُ، لِيُضَيِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَغَلَتِ الْأَسْعَارُ عِنْدَهُمْ جِدًّا، وَنَدِمَ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَغْدَادَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ، وَمُنِعَتِ التُّجَّارُ مِنَ الْقُدُومِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْبَضَائِعِ أَوِ الدَّقِيقِ، وَصُرِفَتِ السُّفُنُ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ وَغَيْرِهَا، وَقَدْ جَرَتْ بَيْنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ حُرُوبٌ كَثِيرَةٌ؛ فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ وَقْعَةُ دَرْبِ الْحِجَارَةِ، كَانَتْ لِأَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَمِينِ قُتِلَ فِيهَا خَلْقٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ طَاهِرٍ، كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الْعَيَّارِينَ وَالْحَرَافِشَةُ مِنَ الْبَغَادِدَةِ يَأْتِي عُرْيَانًا، وَمَعَهُ بَارِيَّةٌ مُقَيَّرَةٌ، وَتَحْتَ كَتِفِهِ مِخْلَاةٌ فِيهَا حِجَارَةٌ، فَإِذَا ضَرَبَهُ الْفَارِسُ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ بِالسَّهْمِ اتَّقَاهُ بِبَارِيَّتِهِ فَلَا يُؤْذِيهِ، وَإِذَا اقْتَرَبَ مِنْهُ رَمَاهُ بِحَجَرٍ فِي الْمِقْلَاعِ فَأَصَابَهُ، فَهَزَمُوهُمْ بِذَلِكَ. وَوَقْعَةُ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ أُسِرَ فِيهَا هَرْثَمَةُ بْنُ أَعْيَنَ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى طَاهِرٍ، وَأَمَرَ بِعَقْدِ جِسْرٍ عَلَى دِجْلَةَ فَوْقَ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، وَعَبَرَ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَمَنْ مَعَهُ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الْآخَرِ فَقَاتَلَهُمْ بِنَفْسِهِ أَشَدَّ الْقِتَالِ حَتَّى أَزَالَهُمْ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِمْ، وَاسْتَرَدَّ مِنْهُمْ هَرْثَمَةَ، وَجَمَاعَةً مِمَّنْ كَانُوا أَسَرُوهُمْ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَمِينِ وَقَالَ فِي ذَلِكَ: مُنِيتُ بِأَشْجَعِ الثَّقَلَيْنِ قَلْبًا إِذَا مَا طَالَ لَيْسَ كَمَا يَطُولُ لَهُ مَعَ كُلِّ ذِي بَدَنٍ رَقِيبٌ يُشَاهِدُهُ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا يَقُولُ فَلَيْسَ بِمُغْفِلٍ أَمْرًا عِنَادًا إِذَا مَا الْأَمْرُ ضَيَّعَهُ الْغُفُولُ وَضَعُفَ أَمْرُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَمِينِ ابْنِ زُبَيْدَةَ جِدًّا، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ عِنْدَهُ مَالٌ يُنْفِقُهُ عَلَى جُنْدِهِ، وَلَا عَلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَتَفَرَّقَ أَكْثَرُ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْهُ، وَبَقِيَ مُضْطَهَدًا ذَلِيلًا. وَانْقَضَتْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةُ بِكَمَالِهَا وَالنَّاسُ فِي بَغْدَادَ فِي قَلَاقِلَ وَزَلَازِلَ وَهَيْشَاتٍ وَقِتَالٍ وَحِصَارٍ وَحَرْقٍ وَغَرَقٍ وَسَرَقٍ، فَإِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ.
Translation
✧ Then the year 197 AH commenced. It began while Ṭāhir b. al-Ḥusayn b. Muṣʿab and Harthamah b. Aʿyan, along with the troops with them, were pressing the siege of Baghdad and tightening the noose on Muḥammad al-Amīn. Al-Qāsim b. al-Rashīd and his uncle Manṣūr b. al-Mahdī fled to al-Maʾmūn, who honored them and appointed his brother al-Qāsim over Jurjān. The siege of Baghdad intensified, mangonels and ʿarrādāt were set up against it, and al-Amīn was hard-pressed by them. He had nothing left to spend on the troops, so he was forced to strike silver and gold vessels into dirhams and dinars. Many of his soldiers fled to Ṭāhir, many inhabitants of the city were killed, and much property was taken from the merchants. Muḥammad al-Amīn sent to many palaces, famous houses, and numerous places and burned them, seeing some advantage in that. He did all this to flee death and so that the caliphate would remain his, but it did not last; he was killed and his abodes were ruined, as will come shortly. Ṭāhir did the like of what al-Amīn did, until Baghdad was almost completely destroyed. One of the poets said about that: Who has afflicted you, O Baghdad, with the evil eye? Were you not once the delight of the eye? Were there not in you a people whose dwelling it was, And whose nearness was an adornment above adornment? The crow croaked at them with separation, So they parted. What did you meet through them of the anguish of separation? I entrust to God a people whom I do not mention But the water of the eye streams from my eye. They were, then time tore them apart and split them, And time splits between the two parties. The poets spoke much about this, and the Imam Abū Jaʿfar b. Jarīr cited a good portion of it. He cited a very long qaṣīdah by one of the people of that time, in which there is an exposition of what occurred; it is a terror among terrors which we have omitted entirely. Ṭāhir took control of the produce and storehouses in the estates belonging to the commanders and others, summoned them to safety, to the deposition of al-Amīn, and to the oath of allegiance to al-Maʾmūn. A group responded to him, among them ʿAbd Allāh b. Ḥumayd b. Qaḥṭabah, Yaḥyā b. ʿAlī b. Māhān, and Muḥammad b. Abī al-ʿAbbās al-Ṭūsī. Many of the Hāshimites and commanders corresponded with him, and their hearts went over to him. It happened on one of the days that the companions of al-Amīn seized some of the companions of Ṭāhir and killed a group of them near the palace of Ṣāliḥ. When that occurred, al-Amīn exulted and turned to diversion, drinking, and play. He entrusted affairs and their management to Muḥammad b. ʿĪsā b. Nahīk. Then the power of Ṭāhir's companions grew and al-Amīn's side weakened greatly. The people went over to Ṭāhir's army, for his side was very secure: no one there feared theft or plunder or anything else. Ṭāhir took possession of most of the quarters of Baghdad and its suburbs, and he prevented the boatmen from carrying food to those who opposed him, to straiten them. Prices rose greatly among them, and those who had not left Baghdad before that regretted it. The merchants were prevented from bringing any goods or flour to Baghdad, and the ships were diverted to al-Baṣrah and elsewhere. Many battles took place between the two parties. Among them was the Battle of Darb al-Ḥijārah, which went to the companions of Muḥammad al-Amīn; many of Ṭāhir's companions were killed in it. A man of the ʿayyārūn and the ḥarāfishah of the Baghdādīs would come naked, with a tarred reed mat and a bag containing stones under his shoulder. When a horseman shot at him from afar with an arrow, he shielded himself with his mat and it did not harm him; when he came near, he threw a stone at him with a sling and struck him. Thus they routed them. And the Battle of al-Shammāsiyyah, in which Harthamah b. Aʿyan was captured. That distressed Ṭāhir, and he ordered a bridge to be built over the Tigris above al-Shammāsiyyah. He crossed over himself with those with him to the other side and fought them in person with the fiercest fighting until he dislodged them from their positions and recovered Harthamah and a group of his companions whom they had captured. That distressed Muḥammad al-Amīn, and he said about it: I have been afflicted with one whose heart is the bravest of the two weighty ones; When it lasts long, it is not as it lasts. He has with every possessor of a body a watcher Who observes him and knows what he says. He is not one to neglect a matter out of stubbornness When neglect has lost the matter. The affair of Muḥammad al-Amīn ibn Zubaydah weakened greatly. He had no money left to spend on his troops or on himself, most of his companions scattered from him, and he remained oppressed and abased. This year came to an end in its entirety while the people in Baghdad were in tumults, convulsions, disturbances, fighting, siege, burning, drowning, and theft. To God we belong and to Him we return.
Grades by grader
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