Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3121
The year 198 AH
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ ثَمَانٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ ذِكْرُ اسْتِيلَاءِ طَاهِرٍ عَلَى بَغْدَاذَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ لَحِقَ خُزَيْمَةُ بْنُ خَازِمٍ بِطَاهِرٍ، وَفَارَقَ الْأَمِينَ، وَدَخَلَ هَرْثَمَةُ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ. وَكَانَ سَبَبَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ طَاهِرًا أَرْسَلَ إِلَى خُزَيْمَةَ أَنِ انْفَصَلَ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَكَ [ أَثَرٌ ] فِي نُصْرَتِي، أَلَا أَقْصِرْ فِي أَمْرِكَ ! فَأَجَابَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَقَالَ لَهُ: لَوْ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ النَّازِلَ الْجَانِبَ الشَّرْقِيَّ فِي مَكَانِ هَرْثَمَةَ لَحَمَلَ نَفْسَهُ إِلَيْهِ. وَأَخْبَرَهُ قِلَّةَ ثِقَتِهِ بِهَرْثَمَةَ، إِلَّا أَنْ يَضْمَنَ لَهُ الْقِيَامَ دُونَهُ لِخَوْفِهِ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ. فَكَتَبَ طَاهِرٌ إِلَى هَرْثَمَةَ يُعَجِّزُهُ وَيَلُومُهُ، وَيَقُولُ: جَمَعْتَ الْأَجْنَادَ، وَأَتْلَفْتَ الْأَمْوَالَ، وَقَدْ وَقَفْتَ وُقُوفَ الْمُحْجِمِ عَمَّنْ بِإِزَائِكَ، فَاسْتَعِدَّ لِلدُّخُولِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَدْ أَحْكَمْتُ الْأَمْرَ عَلَى دَفْعِ الْعَسْكَرِ، وَقَطْعِ الْجُسُورِ، وَأَرْجُو أَنْ لَا يَخْتَلِفَ عَلَيْكَ اثْنَانِ. فَأَجَابَهُ هَرْثَمَةُ بِالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ، فَكَتَبَ طَاهِرٌ إِلَى خُزَيْمَةَ بِذَلِكَ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ مَاهَانَ بِمِثْلِ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ لَيْلَةُ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ، وَثَبَ خُزَيْمَةُ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عِيسَى عَلَى جِسْرِ دِجْلَةَ فَقَطَعَاهُ، وَخَلَعَا مُحَمَّدًا الْأَمِينَ، وَسَكَنَ أَهْلُ عَسْكَرِ الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ هَرْثَمَةُ حَتَّى مَضَى إِلَيْهِ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ وَحَلَفُوا لَهُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَرَى مِنْهُمْ مَكْرُوهًا، فَدَخَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ الْحُسَيْنُ الْخَلِيعُ فِي ذَلِكَ: عَلَيْنَا جَمِيعًا مِنْ خُزَيْمَةَ مِنَّةٌ بِهَا أَخْمَدَ الرَّحْمَنُ نَائِرَةَ الْحَرْبِ تَوَلَّى أُمُورَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِنَفْسِهِ فَذَبَّ وَحَامَى عَنْهُمُ أَشْرَفَ الذَّبِّ وَلَوْلَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مَا انْفَكَّ دَهْرُنَا يَبِيتُ عَلَى عَتْبٍ وَيَغْدُو عَلَى عَتْبِ خُزَيْمَةُ لَمْ يُذْكَرْ لَهُ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ إِذِ اضْطَرَبَتْ شَرْقُ الْبِلَادِ مَعَ الْغَرْبِ أَنَاخَ بِجِسْرَيْ دِجْلَةَ الْقَطْعَ وَالْقَنَا شَوَارِعُ وَالْأَرْوَاحُ فِي رَاحَةِ الْعَضْبِ وَهِيَ عِدَّةُ أَبْيَاتٍ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ تَقَدَّمَ طَاهِرٌ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَالْكَرْخِ، فَقَاتَلَ هُنَاكَ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، فَهَزَمَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى أَلْحَقَهُمْ بِالْكَرْخِ، وَقَاتَلَهُمْ فِيهِ فَهَزَمَهُمْ، فَمَرُّوا لَا يَلْوُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ، فَدَخَلَهَا طَاهِرٌ بِالسَّيْفِ، وَأَمَرَ مُنَادِيَهُ فَنَادَى: مَنْ لَزِمَ بَيْتَهُ فَهُوَ آمِنٌ، وَوَضَعَ بِسُوقِ الْكَرْخِ وَقَصْرِ الْوَضَّاحِ جُنْدًا عَلَى قَدْرِ حَاجَتِهِ، وَقَصَدَ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ وَأَحَاطَ بِهَا، وَبِقَصْرِ زُبَيْدَةَ، وَقَصْرِ الْخُلْدِ مِنْ بَابِ الْجِسْرِ إِلَى بَابِ خُرَاسَانَ، وَبَابِ الشَّامِ، وَبَابِ الْكُوفَةِ، وَبَابِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَشَاطِئِ الصَّرَاةِ إِلَى مَصَبِّهَا فِي دِجْلَةَ. وَثَبَتَ عَلَى قِتَالِ طَاهِرٍ حَاتِمُ بْنُ الصَّقْرِ وَالْهَرْشُ، وَالْأَفَارِقَةُ، فَنَصَبَ الْمَجَانِيقَ بِإِزَاءِ قَصْرِ زُبَيْدَةَ، وَقَصْرِ الْخُلْدِ، وَأَخَذَ الْأَمِينُ أُمَّهُ وَأَوْلَادَهُ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ، وَتَفَرَّقَ عَنْهُ عَامَّةُ جُنْدِهِ وَخِصْيَانِهِ وَجَوَارِيهِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، لَا يَلْوِي أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ، وَتَفَرَّقَ السِّفْلَةُ وَالْغَوْغَاءُ، وَتَحَصَّنَ مُحَمَّدٌ بِمَدِينَةِ الْمَنْصُورِ، وَحَصَرَهُ طَاهِرٌ وَأَخَذَ عَلَيْهِ الْأَبْوَابَ. وَبَلَغَ خَبَرُ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ عُمَرَ الْوَرَّاقَ، فَقَالَ لِمُخْبِرِهِ: نَاوِلْنِي قَدَحًا. ثُمَّ تَمَثَّلَ: خُذْهَا فَلِلْخَمْرَةِ أَسْمَاءٌ لَهَا دَوَاءٌ وَلَهَا دَاءُ يُصْلِحُهَا الْمَاءُ إِذَا أُصْفِقَتْ يَوْمًا وَقَدْ يُفْسِدُهَا الْمَاءُ وَقَائِلٍ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ وَقْعَةٌ فِي يَوْمِنَا هَذَا وَأَشْيَاءُ قَلْتُ لَهُ: أَنْتَ امْرُؤٌ جَاهِلٌ فِيكَ عَنِ الْخَيْرَاتِ إِبْطَاءُ اشْرَبْ وَدَعْنَا مِنْ أَحَادِيثِهِمْ يَصْطَلِحُ النَّاسُ إِذَا شَاءُوا وَحَكَى إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمَهْدِيِّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَ الْأَمِينِ لَمَّا حَصَرَهُ طَاهِرٌ، قَالَ: فَخَرَجَ الْأَمِينُ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَفَرَّجَ مِنَ الضِّيقِ الَّذِي هُوَ فِيهِ، فَصَارَ إِلَى قَصْرٍ لَهُ بِنَاحِيَةِ الْخُلْدِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيَّ فَحَضَرْتُ عِنْدَهُ، فَقَالَ: تَرَى طِيبَ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ، وَحُسْنَ الْقَمَرِ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَضَوْءَهُ فِي الْمَاءِ عَلَى شَاطِئِ دِجْلَةَ، فَهَلْ لَكَ فِي الشُّرْبِ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: شَأْنَكَ. فَشَرِبَ رِطْلًا، وَسَقَانِي آخَرَ، ثُمَّ غَنَّيْتُهُ مَا كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ يُحِبُّهُ، فَقَالَ لِي: مَا تَقُولُ فِيمَنْ يَضْرِبُ عَلَيْكَ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: مَا أَحْوَجَنِي إِلَيْهِ ! فَدَعَا بِجَارِيَةٍ مُتَقَدِّمَةٍ عِنْدَهُ، اسْمُهَا ضَعْفُ، فَتَطَيَّرْتُ مِنِ اسْمِهَا وَنَحْنُ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ، فَقَالَ لَهَا: غَنِّي. فَغَنَّتْ بِشِعْرِ الْجَعْدِيِّ: كُلَيْبٌ لَعَمْرِي كَانَ أَكْثَرَ نَاصِرًا وَأَيْسَرَ جُرْمًا مِنْكَ ضُرِّجَ بِالدَّمِ فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ وَتَطَيَّرَ مِنْهُ، وَقَالَ: غَنِّي غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ. فَغَنَّتْ: أَبْكَى فِرَاقُهُمْ عَيْنِي فَأَرَّقَهَا إِنَّ التَّفَرُّقَ لِلْأَحْبَابِ بَكَّاءُ مَا زَالَ يَعْدُو عَلَيْهِمْ رَيْبُ دَهْرِهِمُ حَتَّى تَفَانَوْا وَرَيْبُ الدَّهْرِ عَدَّاءُ فَقَالَ لَهَا: لَعَنَكِ اللَّهُ ! أَمَا تَعْرِفِينَ مِنَ الْغِنَاءِ غَيْرَ هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَتْ: مَا تَغَنَّيْتُ إِلَّا بِمَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّكَ تُحِبُّهُ ! ثُمَّ غَنَّتْ آخَرَ: أَمَا وَرَبِّ السُّكُونِ وَالْحَرَكِ إِنَّ الْمَنَايَا كَثِيرَةُ الشَّرَكِ مَا اخْتَلَفَ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَلَا دَارَتْ نُجُومُ السَّمَاءِ فِي الْفَلَكِ إِلَّا لِنَقْلِ النَّعِيمِ مِنْ مَلِكٍ قَدْ زَالَ سُلْطَانُهُ إِلَى مَلِكِ وَمُلْكُ ذِي الْعَرْشِ دَائِمٌ أَبَدًا لَيْسَ بِفَانٍ وَلَا بِمُشْتَرِكِ فَقَالَ لَهَا: قُومِي، غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكِ وَلَعَنَكِ ! [ قَالَ ]: فَقَامَتْ، وَكَانَ لَهُ قَدَحٌ مِنْ بَلُّورٍ، حَسَنُ الصَّنْعَةِ، كَانَ يُسَمِّيهِ " زَبَّ رُيَاحَ "، وَكَانَ مَوْضُوعًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَعَثَرَتِ الْجَارِيَةُ بِهِ فَكَسَرَتْهُ، فَقَالَ: وَيْحَكَ يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ! مَا تَرَى مَا جَاءَتْ بِهِ هَذِهِ الْجَارِيَةُ، ثُمَّ مَا كَانَ مِنْ كَسْرِ الْقَدَحِ ؟ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَظُنُّ أَمْرِي إِلَّا وَقَدْ قَرُبَ ! فَقُلْتُ: يُدِيمُ اللَّهُ مُلْكَكَ، وَيُعِزُّ سُلْطَانَكَ، وَيَكْبِتُ عَدُوَّكَ ! فَمَا اسْتَتَمَّ الْكَلَامَ حَتَّى سَمِعْنَا صَوْتًا: قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ الَّذِي فِيهِ تَسْتَفْتِيَانِ. فَقَالَ: يَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ ! أَمَا سَمِعْتَ مَا سَمِعْتُ ؟ قُلْتُ: مَا سَمِعْتُ شَيْئًا - وَكُنْتُ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ -. قَالَ: تَسْمَعُ حِسًّا. فَدَنَوْتُ مِنَ الشَّطِّ، فَلَمْ أَرَ شَيْئًا، ثُمَّ عَاوَدْنَا الْحَدِيثَ، فَعَادَ الصَّوْتُ بِمِثْلِهِ، فَقَامَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ مُغْتَمًّا إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَمَا مَضَى إِلَّا لَيْلَةٌ أَوْ لَيْلَتَانِ حَتَّى قُتِلَ. وَقَدْ جَهِدَ فِي حَصْرِهِ ذَلِكَ، بِحَيْثُ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ عِنْدَهُ طَعَامٌ وَلَا شَرَابٌ؛ فَجَاعَ لَيْلَةً فَمَا أُتِيَ بِرَغِيفٍ وَدَجَاجَةٍ إِلَّا بَعْدَ كُلْفَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ، ثُمَّ طَلَبَ مَاءً فَلَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ، فَبَاتَ عَطْشَانًا، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قُتِلَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَشْرَبَ الْمَاءَ.
Translation
✧ Then the year 198 AH began. Mention of Ṭāhir's seizure of Baghdādh In this year Khuzaymah b. Khāzim joined Ṭāhir, abandoned al-Amīn, and Harthamah entered the eastern side. The reason for that was that Ṭāhir sent to Khuzaymah, saying: "The matter between me and Muḥammad has become severed, and you have had no effect in aiding me. Will you not curtail your affair!" He answered him with obedience and said to him: "Had you been the one encamping on the eastern side in Harthamah's place, he would have brought himself to you." He informed him of his little trust in Harthamah, unless he guaranteed him to stand in his stead due to his fear of the common people. So Ṭāhir wrote to Harthamah reproaching and blaming him, saying: "You gathered the troops and squandered the wealth, yet you have stood like one who holds back from those facing you. Prepare to enter upon them, for I have made the matter firm to drive back the army and cut the bridges, and I hope that not two will oppose you." Harthamah answered him with hearing and obedience. So Ṭāhir wrote to Khuzaymah about that, and he wrote the like of it to Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿĪsā b. Māhān. When it was the night of Wednesday, eight nights remaining of al-Muḥarram, Khuzaymah and Muḥammad b. ʿAlī b. ʿĪsā fell upon the bridge of the Tigris and cut it, and they deposed Muḥammad al-Amīn. The people of the camp of al-Mahdī became still, and Harthamah did not enter until a group of the commanders went to him and swore to him that he would see nothing hateful from them. So he entered upon them. Al-Ḥusayn al-Khalīʿ said about that: Upon us all from Khuzaymah is a favor by which the Merciful extinguished the blaze of war. He undertook the affairs of the Muslims by himself, and defended and protected them with the noblest defense. Were it not for Abū al-ʿAbbās, our time would not cease to pass the night in blame and go forth in blame. Khuzaymah, none like this is mentioned for him when the east of the lands and the west were thrown into confusion. He made the camels kneel at the two bridges of the Tigris, the cutting and the spears open roads, and the souls in the rest of the sword's edge. These are several verses. On the morrow, Ṭāhir advanced toward the city and al-Karkh, and fought there a fierce battle. He routed the people until he drove them into al-Karkh, fought them there, and routed them, so they passed not turning aside for anything. Ṭāhir entered it with the sword, ordered his crier, and he called out: "Whoever stays in his house is safe." He stationed in the market of al-Karkh and the palace of al-Waḍḍāḥ troops according to his need, and made for the city of al-Manṣūr and surrounded it, along with the palace of Zubaydah and the palace of al-Khuld, from the Bridge Gate to the Khurāsān Gate, the Syria Gate, the Kūfah Gate, the Baṣrah Gate, and the bank of al-Ṣarāh to its outlet into the Tigris. Ḥātim b. al-Ṣaqr, al-Harsh, and the Africans stood firm fighting Ṭāhir. He set up mangonels opposite the palace of Zubaydah and the palace of al-Khuld. Al-Amīn took his mother and his children to the city of al-Manṣūr, and the generality of his troops, eunuchs, and slave women dispersed from him on the road, no one turning aside for another. The rabble and mob dispersed, and Muḥammad fortified himself in the city of al-Manṣūr. Ṭāhir besieged him and seized the gates against him. The news of this battle reached ʿUmar al-Warrāq, and he said to his informant: "Hand me a cup." Then he recited: Take it, for wine has names, for it there is remedy and for it there is disease, and water sets it right when it is mixed one day, though water may spoil it. And one says: "They had a battle on this day of ours," and other things. I said to him: "You are an ignorant man; in you there is slowness toward good things. Drink and leave us from their tales; people make peace when they will. Ibrāhīm b. al-Mahdī related that he was with al-Amīn when Ṭāhir besieged him. He said: Al-Amīn went out one night wanting to divert himself from the distress he was in. He went to a palace of his in the area of al-Khuld, then sent for me, and I came to him. He said: "Do you see the pleasantness of this night, the beauty of the moon in the sky, and its light upon the water on the bank of the Tigris? Would you like to drink?" I said: "As you wish." He drank a raṭl and gave me another to drink. Then I sang to him what I knew he loved. He said to me: "What do you say about someone who strikes upon you?" I said: "How much I need him!" He called for a slave woman of high standing with him, whose name was Ḍaʿf. I took a bad omen from her name while we were in that state. He said to her: "Sing." She sang the poetry of al-Jaʿdī: Kulayb, by my life, had more helpers and a lesser crime than you, and was dyed with blood. That weighed heavily on him, and he took a bad omen from it. He said: "Sing something else." She sang: Their separation made my eye weep and robbed it of sleep; separation of loved ones makes one weep. The vicissitudes of their time kept running upon them until they perished, and the vicissitudes of time are a runner. He said to her: "May God curse you! Do you know no singing but this?" She said: "I sang only what I thought you loved." Then she sang another: Indeed, by the Lord of stillness and motion, the fates are many-trapped. Night and day did not alternate, nor did the stars of heaven turn in the celestial sphere, except to transfer bliss from a king whose dominion has vanished to another king. And the dominion of the Lord of the Throne endures forever, not perishable nor shared. He said to her: "Arise, may God be angry with you and curse you!" He said: She arose. He had a cup of crystal, of fine workmanship, which he called "Zabb Ruyāḥ," and it was placed before him. The slave woman stumbled upon it and broke it. He said: "Woe to you, Ibrāhīm! Do you not see what this slave woman has brought, and then what happened with the breaking of the cup? By God, I think my affair has drawn near!" I said: "May God make your dominion endure, strengthen your authority, and cast down your enemy!" Hardly had I finished speaking when we heard a voice: "The matter about which you two inquire has been decided." He said: "Ibrāhīm, did you not hear what I heard?" I said: "I heard nothing" — though I had heard. He said: "You hear a sound." I drew near the bank and saw nothing. Then we resumed talking, and the voice returned with the like of it. He rose from his seat, grieved, to his seat in the city. No more than a night or two passed before he was killed. He suffered in that siege to the point that no food or drink remained with him. One night he became hungry, and a loaf and a chicken were brought only after great trouble. Then he asked for water but none was found for him, so he passed the night thirsty. When morning came, he was killed before he could drink water.
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