Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3313
The Year 223 AH
ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ ذِكْرُ قُدُومِ الْأَفْشِينِ بِبَابَكَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ قَدِمَ الْأَفْشِينُ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَمَعَهُ بَابَكُ الْخُرَّمِيُّ وَأَخُوهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، فِي صَفَرَ سَنَةَ ثَلَاثٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَكَانَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ يُوَجِّهُ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ، مِنْ حِينِ سَارَ مِنْ بَرْزَنْدَ إِلَى أَنْ وَافَى سَامَرَّا، خِلْعَةً وَفَرَسًا فَلَمَّا صَارَ الْأَفْشِينُ بِقَنَاطِرِ حُذَيْفَةَ تَلَقَّاهُ هَارُونُ الْوَاثِقُ بْنُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَأَنْزَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ بَابَكَ عِنْدَهُ فِي قَصْرِهِ بِالْمَطِيرَةِ، فَأَتَاهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي دُؤَادَ مُتَنَكِّرًا، فَنَظَرَ إِلَى بَابَكَ وَكَلَّمَهُ، وَرَجَعَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ فَوَصَفَهُ لَهُ، فَأَتَاهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَيْضًا مُتَنَكِّرًا فَرَآهُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ قَعَدَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَاصْطَفَّ النَّاسُ مِنْ بَابِ الْعَامَّةِ إِلَى الْمَطِيرَةِ، فَشَهَّرَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يَرْكَبَ عَلَى الْفِيلِ، فَرَكِبَ عَلَيْهِ، وَاسْتَشْرَفَهُ النَّاسُ إِلَى بَابِ الْعَامَّةِ، فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الزَّيَّاتِ: قَدْ خُضِّبَ الْفِيلُ كَعَادَتِهِ يَحْمِلُ شَيْطَانَ خُرَاسَانَ وَالْفِيلُ لَا تُخْصَبُ أَعْضَاؤُهُ إِلَّا لِذِي شَأْنٍ مِنَ الشَّانِ ثُمَّ أُدْخِلَ دَارَ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَأُمِرَ بِإِحْضَارِ سَيَّافِ بَابَكَ، فَحَضَرَ، فَأَمَرَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَنْ يَقْطَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ، فَقَطَعَهَا، فَسَقَطَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِذَبْحِهِ، فَفَعَلَ، ( وَشَقَّ بَطْنَهُ )، وَأَنْفَذَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ، وَصُلِبَ بَدَنُهُ بِسَامَرَّا، وَأَمَرَ بِحَمْلِ أَخِيهِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِبَغْدَاذَ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ بِهِ مَا فَعَلَ بِأَخِيهِ بَابَكَ، فَعَمِلَ بِهِ ذَلِكَ، وَضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ، وَصَلَبَهُ فِي الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ بَيْنَ الْجِسْرَيْنِ. قِيلَ: فَكَانَ الَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْأَفْشِينُ مِنَ الْمَالِ مُدَّةَ مُقَامِهِ بِإِزَاءِ بَابَكَ، سِوَى الْأَرْزَاقِ وَالْأَنْزَالِ وَالْمَعَارِفِ، فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ يَرْكَبُ فِيهِ عَشَرَةُ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ وَفِي [ كُلِّ ] يَوْمٍ لَا يَرْكَبُ فِيهِ خَمْسَةُ آلَافٍ، فَكَانَ جَمِيعُ مَنْ قَتَلَ بَابَكُ فِي عِشْرِينَ سَنَةٍ مِائَتَيْ أَلْفٍ وَخَمْسَةً وَخَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا وَخَمْسَ مِائَةِ إِنْسَانٍ، وَغَلَبَ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ يَحْيَى بْنَ مُعَاذٍ، وَعِيسَى بْنَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، وَأَحْمَدَ بْنَ الْجُنَيْدِ فَأَسَرَهُ، وَزُرَيْقَ بْنَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ حُمَيْدٍ الطُّوسِيَّ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنَ اللَّيْثِ. وَكَانَ الَّذِينَ أُسِرُوا مَعَ بَابَكَ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافٍ وَثَلَاثَمِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةَ أَنَاسِيٍّ، وَاسْتَنْقَذَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَأَوْلَادِهِنَّ سَبْعَةَ آلَافٍ وَسِتَّمِائَةِ إِنْسَانٍ، وَصَارَ فِي يَدِ الْأَفْشِينِ مِنْ بَنِي بَابَكَ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ رَجُلًا، وَمِنَ الْبَنَاتِ وَالنِّسَاءِ ثَلَاثٌ وَعِشْرُونَ امْرَأَةً. وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ تَوَّجَهَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ وَأَلْبَسَهُ بِالْجَوْهَرِ، وَوَصَلَهُ بِعِشْرِينَ أَلْفِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَعَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ يُفَرِّقُهَا فِي عَسْكَرِهِ، وَعَقَدَ لَهُ عَلَى السِّنْدِ، وَأَدْخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الشُّعَرَاءَ يَمْدَحُونَهُ. ذِكْرُ خُرُوجِ الرُّومِ إِلَى زِبَطْرَةَ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ خَرَجَ تَوْفِيلُ بْنُ مِيخَائِيلَ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ إِلَى بِلَادِ الْإِسْلَامِ، وَأَوْقَعَ بِأَهْلِ زِبَطْرَةَ وَغَيْرِهَا. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ بَابَكَ لَمَّا ضَيَّقَ الْأَفْشِينُ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَشْرَفَ عَلَى الْهَلَاكِ، كَتَبَ إِلَى مَلِكِ الرُّومِ تَوْفِيلَ يُعْلِمُهُ أَنَّ الْمُعْتَصِمَ قَدْ وَجَّهَ عَسَاكِرَهُ وَمُقَاتِلَتَهُ إِلَيْهِ، حَتَّى وَجَّهَ خَيَّاطَهُ، يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ دِينَارٍ الْخَيَّاطَ، وَطَبَّاخَهُ، يَعْنِي إِيتَاخَ، وَلَمْ يُبْقِ عَلَى بَابِهِ أَحَدًا ! فَإِنْ أَرَدْتَ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَيْسَ فِي وَجْهِكَ أَحَدٌ يَمْنَعُكَ. وَظَنَّ بَابَكُ أَنَّ مَلِكَ الرُّومِ إِنْ تَحَرَّكَ سَيَكْشِفُ عَنْهُ بَعْضَ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ بِإِنْفَاذِ الْعَسَاكِرِ إِلَى مُقَاتَلَةِ الرُّومِ، فَخَرَجَ تَوْفِيلُ فِي مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ، وَقِيلَ: أَكْثَرُهُمْ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ نَيِّفٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَلْفًا، وَبَقِيَّتُهُمْ أَتْبَاعٌ، ( وَمَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْمُحَمِّرَةِ ) الَّذِينَ كَانُوا خَرَجُوا بِالْجِبَالِ فَلَحِقُوا بِالرُّومِ حِينَ قَاتَلَهُمْ إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ جَمَاعَةً، فَبَلَغَ زِبَطْرَةَ، فَقَتَلَ مَنْ بِهَا مِنَ الرِّجَالِ، وَسَبَى الذُّرِّيَّةَ وَالنِّسَاءَ، وَأَغَارَ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَلَطْيَةَ وَغَيْرِهَا مِنْ حُصُونِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَسَبَى الْمُسْلِمَاتِ، وَمَثَّلَ بِمَنْ صَارَ فِي يَدِهِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَسَمَّلَ أَعْيُنَهُمْ، وَقَطَّعَ أُنُوفَهُمْ وَآذَانَهُمْ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَهْلُ الثُّغُورِ مِنَ الشَّامِ وَالْجَزِيرَةِ، إِلَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ دَابَّةٌ وَلَا سِلَاحٌ. ذِكْرُ فَتْحِ عَمُّورِيَّةَ لَمَّا خَرَجَ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ، وَفَعَلَ فِي بِلَادِ الْإِسْلَامِ مَا فَعَلَ، بَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ اسْتَعْظَمَهُ، وَكَبُرَ لَدَيْهِ، وَبَلَغَهُ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً هَاشِمِيَّةً صَاحَتْ، وَهِيَ أَسِيرَةٌ فِي أَيْدِي الرُّومِ: وَامُعْتَصِمَاهُ ! فَأَجَابَهَا وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ: لَبَّيْكِ لَبَّيْكِ ! وَنَهَضَ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ، وَصَاحَ فِي قَصْرِهِ: النَّفِيرَ النَّفِيرَ، ثُمَّ رَكِبَ دَابَّتَهُ، وَسَمَّطَ خَلْفَهُ شِكَالًا، وَسِكَّةَ حَدِيدٍ، وَحَقِيبَةً فِيهَا زَادُهُ، فَلَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ الْمَسِيرُ إِلَّا بَعْدَ التَّعْبِئَةِ وَجَمْعِ الْعَسَاكِرِ، فَجَلَسَ فِي دَارِ الْعَامَّةِ، وَأَحْضَرَ قَاضِيَ بَغْدَادَ، وَهُوَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، وَشُعْبَةُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، وَمَعَهُمَا ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ وَثَمَانِيَةٌ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعَدَالَةِ، فَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى مَا وَقَفَ مِنَ الضِّيَاعِ، فَجَعَلَ ثُلُثًا لِوَلَدِهِ، وَثُلُثًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَثُلُثًا لِمَوَالِيهِ. ثُمَّ سَارَ فَعَسْكَرَ بِغَرْبِيِّ دِجْلَةَ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ خَلَتَا مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، وَوَجَّهَ عُجَيْفَ بْنَ عَنْبَسَةَ، وَعُمَرَ الْفَرْغَانِيَّ، وَمُحَمَّدَ كُوتَاهْ، وَجَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ إِلَى زِبَطْرَةَ مَعُونَةً لِأَهْلِهَا، فَوَجَدُوا مَلِكَ الرُّومِ قَدِ انْصَرَفَ عَنْهَا إِلَى بِلَادِهِ، بَعْدَمَا فَعَلَ مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ، فَوَقَفُوا حَتَّى تَرَاجَعَ النَّاسُ إِلَى قُرَاهُمْ ( وَاطْمَأَنُّوا. فَلَمَّا ظَفِرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِبَابَكَ قَالَ: أَيُّ بِلَادِ الرُّومِ أَمْنَعُ وَأَحْصَنُ ؟ فَقِيلَ: عَمُّورِيَّةَ لَمْ يَعْرِضْ لَهَا أَحَدٌ مُنْذُ كَانَ الْإِسْلَامُ، وَهِيَ عَيْنُ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ، وَهِيَ أَشْرَفُ عِنْدَهُمْ ) مِنَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ. فَسَارَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِسُرَّ مَنْ رَأَى. وَقِيلَ كَانَ مَسِيرُهُ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ. وَقِيلَ سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ. وَتَجَهَّزَ جِهَازًا لَمْ يَتَجَهَّزْهُ خَلِيفَةٌ قَبْلَهُ قَطُّ مِنَ السِّلَاحِ، وَالْعَدَدِ، وَالْآلَةِ، وَحِيَاضِ الْأَدَمِ، وَالرَّوَايَا، وَالْقِرَبِ، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، وَجَعَلَ عَلَى مُقَدَّمَتِهِ أَشْنَاسَ، وَيَتْلُوهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ، وَعَلَى مَيْمَنَتِهِ إِيتَاخَ، وَعَلَى مَيْسَرَتِهِ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ دِينَارِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْخَيَّاطَ، وَعَلَى الْقَلْبِ عُجَيْفَ بْنَ عَنْبَسَةَ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ بِلَادَ الرُّومِ نَزَلَ عَلَى نَهْرِ السِّنِّ، وَهُوَ عَلَى سَلُوقِيَّةَ، قَرِيبًا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ، بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ طَرَسُوسَ مَسِيرَةُ يَوْمٍ، وَعَلَيْهِ يَكُونُ الْفِدَاءُ. وَأَمْضَى الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْأَفْشِينَ إِلَى سَرُوجَ، وَأَمَرَهُ بِالدُّخُولِ مِنْ دَرْبِ الْحَدَثِ، وَسَمَّى لَهُ يَوْمًا يَكُونُ دُخُولُهُ فِيهِ، وَيَوْمًا يَكُونُ اجْتِمَاعُهُمْ فِيهِ، وَسَيَّرَ أَشْنَاسَ مِنْ دَرْبِ طَرَسُوسَ، وَأَمَرَهُ بِانْتِظَارِهِ بِالصَّفْصَافِ، فَكَانَ مَسِيرُ أَشْنَاسَ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، وَقَدَّمَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ وَصِيفًا فِي أَثَرِ أَشْنَاسَ، ( وَرَحَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ لِسِتٍّ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ. فَلَمَّا صَارَ " أَشْنَاسُ " ) بِمَرْجِ أَسْقُفَّ، وَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، ( مِنَ الْمَطَامِيرِ يُعْلِمُهُ أَنَّ مَلِكَ الرُّومِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَأَنَّهُ يُرِيدُ [ أَنْ ] يَكْسِبَهُمْ، وَيَأْمُرُ بِالْمَقَامِ إِلَى أَنْ يَصِلَ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَقَامَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ فَوَرَدَ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ ) يَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يُوَجِّهَ قَائِدًا مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ [ فِي ] سَرِيَّةٍ يَلْتَمِسُونَ رَجُلًا مِنَ الرُّومِ يَسْأَلُونَهُ عَنْ خَبَرِ الْمَلِكِ، فَوَجَّهَ أَشْنَاسُ عُمَرَ الْفَرْغَانِيَّ فِي مِائَتَيْ فَارِسٍ، فَدَخَلَ حَتَّى بَلَغَ أَنْقَرَةَ، وَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابَهُ فِي طَلَبِ رَجُلٍ رُومِيٍّ، فَأَتَوْهُ بِجَمَاعَةٍ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ ( عَسْكَرِ الْمَلِكِ، وَبَعْضُهُمْ مِنَ ) السَّوَادِ، فَأَحْضَرَهُمْ عِنْدَ أَشْنَاسَ، فَسَأَلَهُمْ عَنِ الْخَبَرِ، فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ الْمَلِكَ مُقِيمٌ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا يَنْتَظِرُ مُقَدَّمَةَ الْمُعْتَصِمِ لِيُوَاقِعَهُمْ فَأَتَاهُ الْخَبَرُ بِأَنَّ عَسْكَرًا عَظِيمًا قَدْ دَخَلَ بِلَادَهُمْ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْأَرْمَنْيَاقِ، يَعْنِي عَسْكَرَ الْأَفْشِينِ، قَالُوا: فَلَمَّا أُخْبِرَ اسْتَخْلَفَ ابْنَ خَالِهِ عَلَى عَسْكَرِهِ، وَسَارَ يُرِيدُ نَاحِيَةَ الْأَفْشِينِ، فَوَجَّهَ أَشْنَاسُ بِهِمْ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَأَخْبَرُوهُ الْخَبَرَ، فَكَتَبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ كِتَابًا إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ يُعْلِمُهُ أَنَّ مَلِكَ الرُّومِ قَدْ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ، وَيَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يُقِيمَ مَكَانَهُ، خَوْفًا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الرُّومِ، إِلَى أَنْ يَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابَهُ، وَضَمِنَ لِمَنْ يُوصِّلُ كِتَابَهُ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ. فَسَارَتِ الرُّسُلُ بِالْكِتَابِ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ، فَلَمْ يَرَوْهُ لِأَنَّهُ أَوْغَلَ فِي بِلَادِ الرُّومِ وَكَتَبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى أَشْنَاسَ يَأْمُرُهُ بِالتَّقَدُّمِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ وَالْمُعْتَصِمُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَحَلَ أَشْنَاسُ نَزَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ مَكَانَهُ، حَتَّى صَارَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ أَنْقَرَةَ ثَلَاثُ مَرَاحِلَ، فَضَاقَ عَسْكَرُ الْمُعْتَصِمِ ضِيقًا شَدِيدًا مِنَ الْمَاءِ وَالْعَلَفِ. وَكَانَ أَشْنَاسُ قَدْ أَسَرَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ عِدَّةَ أَسْرَى، فَضَرَبَ أَعْنَاقَهُمْ حَتَّى بَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا تَنْتَفِعُ بِقَتْلِي، وَأَنْتَ وَعَسْكَرُكَ فِي ضِيقٍ، وَهَاهُنَا قَوْمٌ قَدْ هَرَبُوا مِنْ أَنْقَرَةَ خَوْفًا مِنْكُمْ، وَهُمْ بِالْقُرْبِ مِنَّا، مَعَهُمُ الطَّعَامُ وَالشَّعِيرُ وَغَيْرُهُمَا، فَوَجِّهْ مَعِي قَوْمًا لِأُسَلِّمَهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَخَلِّ سَبِيلِي ! فَسَيَّرَ مَعَهُ خَمْسَمِائَةِ فَارِسٍ، وَدَفَعَ الشَّيْخَ إِلَى مَالِكِ بْنِ كَيْدَرَ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: مَتَى أَرَاكَ هَذَا الشَّيْخُ سَبْيًا كَثِيرًا، أَوْ غَنِيمَةً كَبِيرَةً، فَخَلِّ سَبِيلَهُ. فَسَارَ بِهِمُ الشَّيْخُ، فَأَوْرَدَهُمْ عَلَى وَادٍ وَحَشِيشٍ، فَأَمْرَجُوا دَوَابَّهُمْ، وَشَرِبُوا وَأَكَلُوا، وَسَارُوا حَتَّى خَرَجُوا مِنَ الْغَيْضَةِ، وَسَارَ بِهِمُ الشَّيْخُ حَتَّى أَتَى جَبَلًا، فَنَزَلَهُ لَيْلًا، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا قَالَ الشَّيْخُ: وَجِّهُوا رَجُلَيْنِ يَصْعَدَانِ هَذَا الْجَبَلَ، فَيَنْظُرَا مَا فَوْقَ، فَيَأْخُذَانِ مَنْ أَدْرَكَا ! فَصَعِدَ أَرْبَعَةٌ، فَأَخَذُوا رَجُلًا وَامْرَأَةً، فَسَأَلَهُمَا الشَّيْخُ عَنْ أَهْلِ أَنْقَرَةَ، فَدَلَّاهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَسَارَ بِالنَّاسِ حَتَّى أَشْرَفَ عَلَى أَهْلِ أَنْقَرَةَ، وَهُمْ فِي طَرَفِ مَلَّاحَةٍ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَسْكَرَ أَدْخَلُوا النِّسَاءَ وَالصِّبْيَانَ الْمَلَّاحَةَ، وَقَاتَلُوهُمْ عَلَى طَرَفِهَا، وَغَنِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْهُمْ وَأَخَذُوا مِنَ الرُّومِ عِدَّةَ أَسْرَى، وَفِيهِمْ مَنْ فِيهِ جِرَاحَاتٌ عُتْقٌ ( مُتَقَدِّمَةٌ ) فَسَأَلُوهُمْ عَنْ تِلْكَ الْجِرَاحَاتِ، فَقَالُوا: كُنَّا فِي وَقْعَةِ الْمَلِكِ مَعَ الْأَفْشِينِ، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَلِكَ لَمَّا كَانَ مُعَسْكِرًا أَتَاهُ الْخَبَرُ بِوُصُولِ الْأَفْشِينِ فِي عَسْكَرٍ ضَخْمٍ نَاحِيَةَ الْأَرْمِنْيَاقِ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَى عَسْكَرِهِ بَعْضَ أَقْرِبَائِهِ، وَسَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَوَاقَعْنَاهُمْ صَلَاةَ الْغَدَاةِ، فَهَزَمْنَاهُمْ، وَقَتَلْنَا رَجَّالَتَهُمْ كُلَّهُمْ، وَتَقَطَّعَتْ عَسَاكِرُنَا فِي طَلَبِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الظُّهْرُ رَجَعَ فُرْسَانُهُمْ، فَقَاتَلُونَا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى خَرَقُوا عَسْكَرَنَا، وَاخْتَلَطُوا بِنَا، فَلَمْ نَدْرِ أَيْنَ الْمَلِكُ، وَانْهَزَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ، وَرَجَعْنَا إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِ الْمَلِكِ الَّذِي خَلْفَهُ، فَوَجَدْنَا الْعَسْكَرَ قَدِ انْتَقَضَ، وَانْصَرَفُوا عَنْ قَرَابَةِ الْمَلِكِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ جَاءَ الْمَلِكُ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ يَسِيرَةٍ، فَرَأَى عَسْكَرَهُ قَدِ اخْتَلَّ، وَأَخَذَ الَّذِي كَانَ اسْتَخْلَفَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمُدُنِ وَالْحُصُونِ أَنْ لَا يَأْخُذُوا أَحَدًا انْصَرَفَ مِنَ الْعَسْكَرِ إِلَّا ضَرَبُوهُ بِالسِّيَاطِ، وَرَدُّوهُ إِلَى مَكَانٍ سَمَّاهُ لَهُمُ الْمَلِكُ، لِيَجْتَمِعَ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ، وَيَلْقَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَنَّ الْمَلِكَ وَجَّهَ خَصِيًّا لَهُ إِلَى أَنْقَرَةَ ; لِيَحْفَظَ أَهْلَهَا، فَرَآهُمْ قَدْ أُجْلُوا عَنْهَا، فَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى عَمُّورِيَّةَ، فَرَجَعَ مَالِكُ بْنُ كَيْدَرَ بِمَا مَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْغَنِيمَةِ وَالْأَسْرَى إِلَى عَسْكَرِ أَشْنَاسَ، وَغَنِمُوا فِي طَرِيقِهِمْ، بَقَرًا، وَغَنَمًا كَثِيرًا، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ مَالِكُ بْنُ كَيْدَرَ عَسْكَرَ أَشْنَاسَ أَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا سَمِعَ، فَأَعْلَمَ الْمُعْتَصِمَ بِذَلِكَ، فَسُرَّ بِهِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ جَاءَ الْبَشِيرُ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْأَفْشِينِ بِخَبَرِ السَّلَامَةِ، وَكَانَتِ الْوَقْعَةُ لِخَمْسٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ قَدِمَ الْأَفْشِينُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ وَهُوَ بِأَنْقَرَةَ، فَأَقَامُوا ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْعَسْكَرَ ثَلَاثَةَ عَسَاكِرَ: عَسْكَرٌ فِيهِ أَشْنَاسُ فِي الْمَيْسَرَةِ، وَالْمُعْتَصِمُ فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَعَسْكَرُ الْأَفْشِينِ فِي الْمَيْمَنَةِ، وَبَيْنَ كُلِّ عَسْكَرٍ وَعَسْكَرٍ فَرْسَخَانِ، وَأَمَرَ كُلَّ عَسْكَرٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ مَيْمَنَةٌ وَمَيْسَرَةٌ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَحْرِقُوا الْقُرَى، وَيُخَرِّبُوهَا، وَيَأْخُذُوا مَنْ لَحِقُوا فِيهَا، ثُمَّ تَرْجِعُ كُلُّ طَائِفَةٍ إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا، يَفْعَلُونَ ذَلِكَ فِي مَا بَيْنَ أَنْقَرَةَ وَعَمُّورِيَّةَ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا سَبْعُ مَرَاحِلَ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ حَتَّى وَافَوْا عَمُّورِيَّةَ. وَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ وَرَدَهَا أَشْنَاسُ، ثُمَّ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، ثُمَّ الْأَفْشِينُ، فَدَارُوا حَوْلَهَا، وَقَسَمَهَا بَيْنَ الْقُوَّادِ، وَجَعَلَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ أَبْرَاجًا مِنْهَا عَلَى قَدْرِ أَصْحَابِهِ. وَكَانَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَدْ أَسَرَهُ الرُّومُ بِعَمُّورِيَّةَ، فَتَنَصَّرَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَأَخْبَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمَ أَنَّ مَوْضِعًا مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَقَعَ سُورُهُ مِنْ سَيْلٍ أَتَاهُ، فَكَتَبَ الْمَلِكُ إِلَى عَامِلِ عَمُّورِيَّةَ لِيُعَمِّرَهُ، فَتَوَانَى، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَ الْمَلِكُ مِنَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ خَافَ الْعَامِلُ أَنْ يَرَى السُّورَ خَرَابًا، فَبَنَى وَجْهَهُ حَجَرًا حَجَرًا، وَعَمِلَ الشُّرَفَ عَلَى ( جِسْرٍ ) خَشَبٍ، فَرَأَى الْمُعْتَصِمُ ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانَ، فَأَمَرَ بِضَرْبِ خَيْمَتِهِ هُنَاكَ، وَنَصْبِ الْمَجَانِيقِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ، فَانْفَرَجَ السُّورُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الرُّومُ ذَلِكَ جَعَلُوا عَلَيْهِ خَشَبًا كِبَارًا كُلُّ عُودٍ يَلْزَقُ الْآخَرَ، وَكَانَ الْمَنْجَنِيقُ يَكْسِرُ الْخَشَبَ، فَجَعَلُوا عَلَيْهِ بَرَاذِعَ، فَلَمَّا أَلَحَّتِ الْمَجَانِيقُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ تَصَدَّعَ السُّورُ، وَكَتَبَ الْخَصِيُّ، وَبِطْرِيقُ عَمُّورِيَّةَ - وَاسْمُهُ نَاطِسُ - كِتَابًا إِلَى مَلِكِ الرُّومِ يُعْلِمُهُ أَمْرَ السُّورِ، وَسَيَّرَهُ مَعَ رَجُلَيْنِ، فَأَخَذَهُمَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ، وَسَأَلَهُمَا الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَفَتَّشَهُمَا، فَرَأَى الْكِتَابَ، وَفِيهِ أَنَّ الْعَسْكَرَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَقَدْ كَانَ دُخُولُهُ إِلَيْهَا خَطَأً، وَأَنَّ نَاطِسَ عَازِمٌ عَلَى أَنْ يَرْكَبَ فِي خَاصَّتِهِ لَيْلًا، وَيَحْمِلَ عَلَى الْعَسْكَرِ كَائِنًا مَا كَانَ، حَتَّى يَخْلُصَ وَيَسِيرَ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ، فَلَمَّا قَرَأَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْكِتَابَ أَمَرَ لَهُمَا بِبَدْرَةٍ، وَهِيَ عَشَرَةُ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ، وَخِلَعٍ، فَأَسْلَمَا، فَأَمَرَ بِهِمَا، فَطَافَا حَوْلَ عَمُّورِيَّةَ، وَأَنْ يَقِفَا مُقَابِلَ الْبُرْجِ الَّذِي فِيهِ نَاطِسُ، ( فَوَقَفَا وَعَلَيْهِمَا الْخِلَعُ، وَالْأَمْوَالُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمَا، فَعَرَفَهُمَا نَاطِسُ ) وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الرُّومِ، فَشَتَمُوهُمَا. وَأَمَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِالِاحْتِيَاطِ فِي الْحِرَاسَةِ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا، فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى انْهَدَمَ السُّورُ مَا بَيْنَ بُرْجَيْنِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ، وَكَانَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَمَرَ أَنْ يُطَمَّ خَنْدَقُ عَمُّورِيَّةَ بِجُلُودِ الْغَنَمِ الْمَمْلُوءَةِ تُرَابًا، فَطَمُّوهُ، وَعَمِلَ دَبَّابَاتٍ كِبَارًا تَسَعُ كُلُّ دَبَّابَةٍ عَشَرَةَ رِجَالٍ لِيُدَحْرِجُوهَا عَلَى الْجُلُودِ إِلَى السُّورِ، فَدَحْرَجُوا وَاحِدَةً مِنْهَا، فَلَمَّا صَارَتْ فِي نِصْفِ الْخَنْدَقِ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِتِلْكَ الْجُلُودِ، فَمَا تَخَلَّصَ مَنْ فِيهَا إِلَّا بَعْدَ شِدَّةٍ وَجَهْدٍ، وَعَمِلَ سَلَالِيمَ وَمَنْجَنِيقَاتٍ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ مِنْ يَوْمِ انْهَدَمَ السُّورُ قَاتَلَهُمْ عَلَى الثُّلْمَةِ، فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالْحَرْبِ أَشْنَاسَ وَأَصْحَابَهُ، وَكَانَ الْمَوْضِعُ ضَيِّقًا، فَلَمْ يُمْكِنْهُمُ الْحَرْبُ فِيهِ، فَأَمَدَّهُمُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِالْمَنْجَنِيقَاتِ الَّتِي حَوْلَ السُّورِ، فَجَمَعَ بَعْضَهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ حَوْلَ الثُّلْمَةِ وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُرْمَى ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعُ. وَكَانَتِ الْحَرْبُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّانِيَ عَشَرَ عَلَى الْأَفْشِينِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ، وَأَجَادُوا الْحَرْبَ، وَتَقَدَّمُوا، وَالْمُعْتَصِمُ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ بِإِزَاءِ الثُّلْمَةِ، وَأَشْنَاسُ وَالْأَفْشِينُ وَخَوَاصُّ الْقُوَّادِ مَعَهُ، فَقَالَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ: مَا أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانَ الْحَرْبُ الْيَوْمَ ! وَقَالَ عُمَرُ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ: الْحَرْبُ الْيَوْمَ أَجْوَدُ مِنْهَا الْأَمْسَ، فَأَمْسَكَ أَشْنَاسُ. فَلَمَّا انْتَصَفَ النَّهَارُ، وَانْصَرَفَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ وَالنَّاسُ، وَقَرُبَ أَشْنَاسُ مِنْ مِضْرَبِهِ، تَرَجَّلَ لَهُ الْقُوَّادُ، كَمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ، وَفِيهِمُ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْخَلِيلِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَشْنَاسُ: يَا أَوْلَادَ الزِّنَا ! إِيشِ تَمْشُونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ، كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُقَاتِلُوا أَمْسِ؛ حَيْثُ تَقِفُونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَتَقُولُونَ الْحَرْبُ الْيَوْمَ أَجْوَدُ مِنْهَا أَمْسِ، كَانَ يُقَاتِلُ أَمْسِ غَيْرُكُمْ، انْصَرِفُوا إِلَى مَضَارِبِكُمْ، فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْخَلِيلِ، قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِلْآخَرِ: أَلَا تَرَى إِلَى هَذَا الْعَبْدِ ابْنِ الْفَاعِلَةِ، يَعْنِي أَشْنَاسَ، مَا صَنَعَ الْيَوْمَ ؟ أَلَيْسَ الدُّخُولُ إِلَى الرُّومِ أَهْوَنَ مِنْ هَذَا ؟ فَقَالَ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ لِأَحْمَدَ، وَكَانَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْمَأْمُونِ: سَيَكْفِيكَ اللَّهُ أَمْرَهُ عَنْ قَرِيبٍ، فَأَلَحَّ أَحْمَدُ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ، فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ الْعَبَّاسَ فَيَكُونَ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ أَحْمَدُ: هَذَا أَمْرٌ أَظُنُّهُ لَا يَتِمُّ، قَالَ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ: قَدْ تَمَّ، وَأَرْشَدَهُ إِلَى الْحَارِثِ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيِّ فَأَتَاهُ، فَرَفَعَ الْحَارِثُ خَبَرَهُ إِلَى الْعَبَّاسِ، فَكَرِهَ الْعَبَّاسُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ، فَأَمْسَكُوا عَنْهُ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الثَّالِثُ كَانَتِ الْحَرْبُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَمَعَهُمُ الْمَغَارِبَةُ وَالْأَتْرَاكُ، وَكَانَ الْقَيِّمُ بِذَلِكَ إِيتَاخَ، فَقَاتَلُوا، وَأَحْسَنُوا، وَاتَّسَعَ لَهُمْ هَدْمُ السُّورِ، فَلَمْ تَزَلِ الْحَرْبُ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى كَثُرَتِ الْجِرَاحَاتُ فِي الرُّومِ. وَكَانَ بَطَارِقَةُ الرُّومِ قَدِ اقْتَسَمُوا أَبْرَاجَ السُّورِ، وَكَانَ الْبِطْرِيقُ الْمُوَكَّلُ بِهَذِهِ النَّاحِيَةِ " وَنْدُوا " وَتَفْسِيرُهُ: ثَوْرٌ، فَقَاتَلَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، وَفِي الْأَيَّامِ قَبْلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَمُدُّهُ نَاطِسُ، وَلَا غَيْرُهُ بِأَحَدٍ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ اللَّيْلُ مَشَى " وَنْدُوا " إِلَى الرُّومِ فَقَالَ: إِنَّ الْحَرْبَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى أَصْحَابِي، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعِي أَحَدٌ إِلَّا جُرِحَ، فَصَيِّرُوا أَصْحَابَكُمْ عَلَى الثُّلْمَةِ يَرْمُونَ قَلِيلًا، وَإِلَّا ذَهَبَتِ الْمَدِينَةُ، فَلَمْ يَمُدُّوهُ بِأَحَدٍ، وَقَالُوا: لَا نَمُدُّكَ وَلَا تَمُدُّنَا، فَعَزَمَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ عَلَى الْخُرُوجِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ يَسْأَلُونَهُ الْأَمَانَ عَلَى الذُّرِّيَّةِ، وَيُسَلِّمُونَ إِلَيْهِ الْحِصْنَ بِمَا فِيهِ. فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ وَكَّلَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِجَانِبَيِ الثُّلْمَةِ وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ لَا يُحَارِبُوا، وَقَالَ: أُرِيدُ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ فَصَارَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَالنَّاسُ يَتَقَدَّمُونَ إِلَى الثُّلْمَةِ، وَقَدْ أَمْسَكَ الرُّومُ عَنِ الْقِتَالِ، حَتَّى وَصَلُوا إِلَى السُّورِ، وَالرُّومُ يَقُولُونَ: لَا تَخْشَوْا، وَهُمْ يَتَقَدَّمُونَ، وَ " وَنْدُوا " جَالِسٌ عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَأَرْكَبَهُ فَرَسًا، وَتَقَدَّمَ النَّاسُ حَتَّى صَارُوا فِي الثُّلْمَةِ، وَعَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ يُومِئُ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِالدُّخُولِ، فَدَخَلَ النَّاسُ الْمَدِينَةَ، فَالْتَفَتَ " وَنْدُوا " وَضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ: مَا لَكَ ؟ قَالَ: جِئْتُ أَسْمَعُ كَلَامَكَ، فَغَدَرْتَ بِي، قَالَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ: كُلُّ شَيْءٍ تُرِيدُهُ فَهُوَ لَكَ، وَلَسْتُ أُخَالِفُكَ، قَالَ: إِيشِ تُخَالِفُنِي، وَقَدْ دَخَلَ النَّاسُ الْمَدِينَةَ. وَصَارَ طَائِفَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ مِنَ الرُّومِ إِلَى كَنِيسَةٍ كَبِيرَةٍ لَهُمْ، فَأَحْرَقَهَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَهَلَكُوا كُلُّهُمْ، وَكَانَ نَاطِسُ فِي بُرْجِهِ، حَوْلَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَرَكِبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَوَقَفَ مُقَابِلَ نَاطِسَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: يَا نَاطِسُ ! هَذَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَظَهَرَ مِنَ الْبُرْجِ وَعَلَيْهِ سَيْفٌ، فَنَحَّاهُ عَنْهُ، وَنَزَلَ حَتَّى وَقَفَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَضَرَبَهُ سَوْطًا، وَسَارَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى مَضْرِبِهِ، وَقَالَ: هَاتُوه ! فَمَشَى قَلِيلًا، فَأَمَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بِحَمْلِهِ، وَأَخَذَ السَّيْفَ الرُّومُ، وَأَقْبَلَ النَّاسُ بِالْأَسْرَى وَالسَّبْيِ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَنْ يُعْزَلَ مِنْهُمْ أَهْلُ الشَّرَفِ، وَنَقَلَ مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِبَيْعِ الْمَغَانِمِ فِي عِدَّةِ مَوَاضِعَ، فَبِيعَ مِنْهَا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ خَمْسَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَأَمَرَ بِالْبَاقِي فَأُحْرِقَ. وَكَانَ لَا يُنَادِي عَلَى شَيْءٍ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَصْوَاتٍ، ثُمَّ يُوجِبُ بَيْعَهُ، طَلَبًا لِلسُّرْعَةِ، وَكَانَ يُنَادِي عَلَى الرَّقِيقِ خَمْسَةً خَمْسَةً [ وَ ] عَشَرَةً عَشَرَةً، طَلَبًا لِلسُّرْعَةِ. وَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي بَعْضِ الْأَيَّامِ بَيْعُ الْمَغَانِمِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي كَانَ عُجَيْفٌ وَعَدَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يَثُورَ فِيهِ بِالْمُعْتَصِمِ عَلَى مَا نَذْكُرُهُ، وَثَبَ النَّاسُ عَلَى الْمَغَانِمِ، فَرَكِبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَالسَّيْفُ فِي يَدِهِ، وَسَارَ رَكْضًا نَحْوَهُمْ، فَتَنَحَّوْا عَنْهَا، وَكَفُّوا عَنِ النَّهْبِ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مَضْرِبِهِ، وَأَمَرَ بِعَمُّورِيَّةَ فَهُدِمَتْ وَأُحْرِقَتْ، وَكَانَ نُزُولُهُ عَلَيْهَا لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ، وَأَقَامَ عَلَيْهَا خَمْسَةً وَخَمْسِينَ يَوْمًا، وَفَرَّقَ الْأَسْرَى عَلَى الْقُوَّادِ، وَسَارَ نَحْوَ طَرَسُوسَ. ذِكْرُ حَبْسِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْمَأْمُونِ وَمَقْتَلِه فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ حَبَسَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ الْمَأْمُونِ، وَأَمَرَ بِلَعْنِهِ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ عُجَيْفَ بْنَ عَنْبَسَةَ لَمَّا وَجَّهَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى بِلَادِ الرُّومِ لَمَّا كَانَ مَلِكُ الرُّومِ بِزِبَطْرَةَ، مَعَ عُمَرَ الْفَرْغَانِيِّ وَمُحَمَّدْ كُوتَاهْ، لَمْ يُطْلِقْ يَدَ عُجَيْفٍ فِي النَّفَقَاتِ، كَمَا أُطْلِقَتْ يَدُ الْأَفْشِينِ، وَاسْتَقْصَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَمْرَ عُجَيْفٍ وَأَفْعَالَهُ، وَظَهَرَ ذَلِكَ لِعُجَيْفٍ، فَوَبَّخَ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ الْمَأْمُونِ عَلَى مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ عِنْدَ وَفَاةِ الْمَأْمُونِ، حَتَّى بَايَعَ الْمُعْتَصِمَ، وَشَجَّعَهُ عَلَى أَنْ يَتَلَافَى مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ. فَقَبِلَ الْعَبَّاسُ قَوْلَهُ، وَدَسَّ رَجُلًا يُقَالُ لَهُ الْحَارِثُ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيُّ، قُرَابَةَ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْوَضَّاحِ، ( وَكَانَ الْعَبَّاسُ يَأْنَسُ بِهِ )، وَكَانَ الْحَارِثُ أَدِيبًا لَهُ عَقْلٌ وَمُدَارَاةٌ، فَجَعَلَهُ الْعَبَّاسُ رَسُولَهُ، وَسَفِيرَهُ إِلَى الْقُوَّادِ، وَكَانَ يَدُورُ فِي الْعَسْكَرِ، حَتَّى اسْتَمَالَ لَهُ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، وَبَايَعُوهُ وَجَمَاعَةً مِنْ خَوَاصِّ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَقَالَ لِكُلِّ مَنْ بَايَعَهُ: إِذَا أَظْهَرْنَا أَمْرَنَا فَلْيَثِبْ كُلٌّ مِنْكُمْ بِالْقَائِدِ الَّذِي هُوَ مَعَهُ، فَوَكَّلَ مَنْ بَايَعَهُ مِنْ خَوَاصِّ الْمُعْتَصِمِ بِقَتْلِهِ، وَمَنْ بَايَعَهُ مِنْ خَاصَّةِ الْأَفْشِينِ بِقَتْلِهِ، وَمَنْ بَايَعَهُ مِنْ خَاصَّةِ أَشْنَاسَ بِقَتْلِهِ، وَكَذَلِكَ غَيَرُهُمْ فَضَمِنُوا لَهُ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ الدَّرْبَ، وَهُمْ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْقَرَةَ وعَمُّورِيَّةَ، دَخَلَ الْأَفْشِينُ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ مَلَطْيَةَ، فَأَشَارَ عُجَيْفٌ عَلَى الْعَبَّاسِ أَنْ يَثِبَ بِالْمُعْتَصِمِ فِي الدَّرْبِ، وَهُوَ فِي قِلَّةٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَيَقْتُلَهُ وَيَرْجِعَ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، ( فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِانْصِرَافِهِمْ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ ) مِنَ الْغَزْوِ، فَأَبَى الْعَبَّاسُ ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: لَا أُفْسِدُ هَذِهِ الْغَزْوَةَ، حَتَّى دَخَلُوا بِلَادَ الرُّومِ، وَافْتَتَحُوا عَمُّورِيَّةَ، فَقَالَ عُجَيْفٌ لِلْعَبَّاسِ: يَا نَائِمُ ! قَدْ فُتِحَتْ عَمُّورِيَّةُ، وَالرَّجُلُ مُمَكَّنٌ، تَضَعُ قَوْمًا يَنْهَبُونَ بَعْضَ الْغَنَائِمِ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ رَكِبَ فِي سُرْعَةٍ، فَتَأْمُرُ بِقَتْلِهِ هُنَاكَ، فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: انْتَظِرْ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ إِلَى الدُّرُوبِ، وَيَخْلُوَ كَمَا كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ، وَهُوَ أَمْكَنُ مِنْهُ هَاهُنَا. وَكَانَ عُجَيْفٌ قَدْ أَمَرَ مَنْ يَنْهَبُ الْمَتَاعَ، فَفَعَلُوا، وَرَكِبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَجَاءَ رَكْضًا، وَسَكَنَ النَّاسُ، وَلَمْ يُطْلِقِ الْعَبَّاسُ أَحَدًا مِنْ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ وَاعَدَهُمْ وَكَرِهُوا قَتْلَهُ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرِ الْعَبَّاسِ. وَكَانَ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ قَدْ بَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ، وَلَهُ قَرَابَةُ غُلَامٍ أَمَرَدَ فِي خَاصَّةِ الْمُعْتَصِمَ، فَجَاءَ الْغُلَامُ إِلَى وَلَدِ عُمَرَ الْفَرْغَانِيِّ، وَشَرِبَ عِنْدَهُمْ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فَأَخْبَرَهُمْ خَبَرَ رُكُوبِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَهُ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَسُلَّ سَيْفَهُ وَيَضْرِبَ كُلَّ مَنْ لَقِيَهُ، فَسَمِعَ عُمَرُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْغُلَامِ، فَأَشْفَقَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يُصَابَ فَقَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ ! أَقْلِلْ مِنَ الْمُقَامِ عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَالْزَمْ خَيْمَتَكَ، وَإِنْ سَمِعْتَ صَيْحَةً وَشَغَبًا فَلَا تَبْرَحْ، فَإِنَّكَ غُلَامٌ غَرٌّ، وَلَا تَعْرِفُ الْعَسَاكِرَ، فَعَرِفَ مَقَالَةَ عُمَرَ. وَارْتَحَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى الثُّغُورِ، وَوَجَّهَ الْأَفْشِينُ ابْنَ الْأَقْطَعِ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُغِيرَ عَلَى بَعْضِ الْمَوَاضِعِ، وَيُوَافِيَهُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، فَمَضَى وَأَغَارَ، وَعَادَ إِلَى الْعَسْكَرِ فِي بَعْضِ الْمَنَازِلِ وَمَعَهُ الْغَنَائِمُ، فَنَزَلَ بِعَسْكَرِ الْأَفْشِينِ، وَكَانَ كُلُّ عَسْكَرٍ عَلَى حِدَةٍ، فَتَوَجَّهَ عُمَرُ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ، وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْخَلِيلِ مِنْ عَسْكَرِ أَشْنَاسَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ الْأَفْشِينِ لِيَشْتَرِيَا مِنَ السَّبْيِ شَيْئًا، فَلَقِيَهُمَا الْأَفْشِينُ فَتَرَجَّلَا، وَسَلَّمَا عَلَيْهِ، وَتَوَجَّهَا إِلَى الْغَنِيمَةِ، فَرَآهُمَا صَاحِبُ أَشْنَاسَ، فَأَعْلَمَهُ بِهِمَا، فَأَرْسَلَ أَشْنَاسُ إِلَيْهِمَا بَعْضَ أَصْحَابِهِ; لِيَنْظُرَ مَا يَصْنَعَانِ، فَجَاءَ فَرَآهُمَا وَهُمَا يَنْتَظِرَانِ بَيْعَ السَّبْيِ، فَرَجَعَ، فَأَخْبَرَ أَشْنَاسَ الْخَبَرَ، فَقَالَ أَشْنَاسُ لِحَاجِبِهِ: قُلْ لَهُمَا يَلْزَمَا الْعَسْكَرَ، وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُمَا، فَقَالَ لَهُمَا، فَاغْتَمَّا لِذَلِكَ، وَاتَّفَقَا عَلَى أَنْ يَذْهَبَا إِلَى صَاحِبِ خَبَرِ الْعَسْكَرِ، فَيَسْتَعْفِيَاهُ مِنْ أَشْنَاسَ، فَأَتَيَاهُ وَقَالَا: نَحْنُ عَبِيدُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَضُمَّنَا إِلَى مَنْ تَشَاءُ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ يَسْتَخِفُّ بِنَا، قَدْ شَتَمَنَا، وَتَوَعَّدَنَا، وَنَحْنُ نَخَافُ أَنْ يُقْدِمَ عَلَيْنَا، فَلْيَضُمَّنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى مَنْ أَرَادَ. فَأَنْهَى ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَاتَّفَقَ عَلَى الرَّحِيلِ، وَسَارَ أَشْنَاسُ وَالْأَفْشِينُ مَعَ الْمُعْتَصِمِ، فَقَالَ لِأَشْنَاسَ: أَحْسِنْ أَدَبَ عُمَرَ وَأَحْمَدَ، فَإِنَّهُمَا قَدْ حَمَّقَا أَنْفُسَهُمَا ! فَجَاءَ أَشْنَاسُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ، فَأَخَذَهُمَا، وَحَبَسَهُمَا، وَحَمَلَهُمَا عَلَى بَغْلٍ، حَتَّى صَارَ بِالصَّفْصَافِ، فَجَاءَ ذَلِكَ الْغُلَامُ، وَحَكَى لِلْمُعْتَصِمِ مَا سَمِعَ مِنْ عُمَرَ الْفَرَغَانِيِّ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ، فَأَنْفَذَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ بُغَا، وَأَخَذَ عُمَرَ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَشْنَاسَ، وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الَّذِي قَالَهُ لِلْغُلَامِ، فَأَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ، وَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ كَانَ سَكْرَانَ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ مَا قُلْتُ، فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَى إِيتَاخَ، وَسَارَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، فَأَنْفَذَ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ الْخَلِيلِ إِلَى أَشْنَاسَ يَقُولُ لَهُ: إِنَّ عِنْدِي نَصِيحَةً لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْهَا، فَقَالَ: لَا أُخْبِرُ بِهَا إِلَّا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَحَلَفَ أَشْنَاسُ: إِنْ هُوَ لَمْ يُخْبِرْنِي بِهَذِهِ النَّصِيحَةِ لَأَضْرِبَنَّهُ بِالسِّيَاطِ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ. فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ أَحْمَدُ حَضَرَ عِنْدَ أَشْنَاسَ، وَأَخْبَرَهُ خَبَرَ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْمَأْمُونِ، وَالْقُوَّادِ، وَالْحَارِثِ السَّمَرْقَنْدِيِّ، فَأَنْفَذَ أَشْنَاسَ، وَأَخَذَ الْحَارِثَ وَقَيَّدَهُ وَسَيَّرَهُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَ عَلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ أَخْبَرَهُ بِالْحَالِ جَمِيعِهِ، وَبِجَمِيعِ مَنْ بَايَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، فَأَطْلَقَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلَمْ يُصَدِّقْ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ الْقُوَّادِ لِكَثْرَتِهِمْ. وَأَحْضَرَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ الْعَبَّاسَ بْنَ الْمَأْمُونِ وَسَقَاهُ حَتَّى سَكِرَ، وَحَلَّفَهُ أَنْ لَا يَكْتُمَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ شَيْئًا، فَشَرَحَ لَهُ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ مِثْلَ مَا شَرَحَ الْحَارِثُ، فَأَخَذَهُ وَقَيَّدَهُ وَسَلَّمَهُ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ، فَحَبَسَهُ عِنْدَهُ. وَتَتَبَّعَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أُولَئِكَ الْقُوَّادَ، وَكَانُوا يُحْمَلُونَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ عَلَى بِغَالٍ بِأَكُفٍّ بِلَا وِطَاءٍ، وَأَخَذَ أَيْضًا الشَّاهَ بْنَ سَهْلٍ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ خُرَاسَانَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ: يَا ابْنَ الزَّانِيَةِ ! أَحْسَنْتُ إِلَيْكَ فَلَمْ تَشْكُرْ، فَقَالَ: ابْنُ الزَّانِيَةِ هَذَا، وَأَوْمَأَ إِلَى الْعَبَّاسِ، وَكَانَ حَاضِرًا، لَوْ تَرَكَنِي مَا كُنْتُ السَّاعَةَ تَقْدِرُ أَنْ تَجْلِسَ هَذَا الْمَجْلِسَ، وَتَقُولَ هَذَا الْكَلَامَ ! فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَضُرِبَتْ عُنُقُهُ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ قُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ، وَدُفِعَ الْعَبَّاسُ إِلَى الْأَفْشِينِ. فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ مَنْبِجَ طَلَبَ الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْمَأْمُونِ الطَّعَامَ، فَقُدِّمَ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَأَكَلَ، وَمُنِعَ الْمَاءَ، وَأُدْرِجَ فِي مَسْحٍ، فَمَاتَ بِمَنْبِجَ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ بَعْضُ إِخْوَتِهِ. وَأَمَّا عُمَرُ الْفَرْغَانِيُّ فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى نَصِيبِينَ حَفَرَ لَهُ بِئْرًا، وَأَلْقَاهُ فِيهَا وَطَمَّهَا عَلَيْهِ. وَأَمَا عُجَيْفٌ فَمَاتَ بِبَاعَيْنَاثَا مِنْ بَلَدِ الْمَوْصِلِ، وَقِيلَ بَلْ أُطْعِمَ طَعَامًا كَثِيرًا، وَمُنِعَ الْمَاءَ، حَتَّى مَاتَ بِبَاعَيْنَاثَا. وَتَتَبَّعَ جَمِيعَهُمْ، فَلَمْ يَمْضِ عَلَيْهِمْ إِلَّا أَيَّامٌ قَلَائِلُ حَتَّى مَاتُوا جَمِيعًا. وَوَصَلَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ إِلَى سَامَرَّا سَالِمًا، فَسَمَّى الْعَبَّاسَ يَوْمئِذٍ اللَّعِينَ، وَأَخَذَ أَوْلَادَ الْمَأْمُونِ مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ، فَحَبَسَهُمْ فِي دَارِهِ حَتَّى مَاتُوا بَعْدُ. وَمِنْ أَحْسَنِ مَا يُذْكَرُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْإِسْكَافِيَّ كَانَ يَتَوَلَّى إِقْطَاعَ عُجَيْفٍ، فَرَفَعَ أَهْلَهُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَى عُجَيْفٍ، فَأَخَذَهُ، وَأَرَادَ قَتْلَهُ، فَبَالَ فِي ثِيَابِهِ خَوْفًا مِنْ عُجَيْفٍ، ثُمَّ شُفِّعَ فِيهِ، فَقَيَّدَهُ وَحَبَسَهُ، ثُمَّ سَارَ إِلَى الرُّومِ، وَأَخَذَهُ الْمُعْتَصِمُ، كَمَا ذَكَرْنَا، وَأَطْلَقَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي حَبْسِهِ، ( وَكَانُوا جَمَاعَةً ) مِنْهُمُ الْإِسْكَافِيُّ، ثُمَّ اسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَى نَوَاحٍ بِالْجَزِيرَةِ، وَمِنْ جُمْلَتِهَا بَاعِينَاثَا، قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ يَوْمًا إِلَى تَلِّ بَاعِينَاثَا، فَاحْتَجْتُ إِلَى الْوُضُوءِ، فَجِئْتُ إِلَى تَلٍّ فَبُلْتُ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ تَوَضَّأْتُ وَنَزَلْتُ، وَشَيْخُ بَاعِينَاثَا يَنْتَظِرُنِي، فَقَالَ لِي: فِي هَذَا التَّلِّ قَبْرُ عُجَيْفٍ، وَأَرَانِيهِ، فَإِذَا [ أَنَا ] قَدْ بُلْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَكَانَ بَيْنَ الْأَمْرَيْنِ سَنَةً لَا تَزِيدُ يَوْمًا وَلَا تَنْقُصُ يَوْمًا. ذِكْرُ وَفَاةِ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْأَغْلَبِ وَابْتِدَاءِ وِلَايَةِ أَخِيهِ الْأَغْلَبِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ فِي الرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ تُوُفِّيَ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْأَغْلَبِ، أَمِيرُ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَكَانَ عُمْرُهُ إِحْدَى وَخَمْسِينَ سَنَةً وَتِسْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ، وَكَانَتْ إِمَارَتُهُ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَسَبْعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ، وَوَلِيَ بَعْدَهُ أَخُوهُ أَبُو عَفَّانَ الْأَغْلَبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْأَغْلَبِ، فَأَحْسَنَ إِلَى الْجُنْدِ، وَأَزَالَ مَظَالِمَ كَثِيرَةً، وَزَادَ الْعُمَّالَ فِي أَرْزَاقِهِمْ، وَكَفَّ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَقَطَعَ النَّبِيذَ وَالْخَمْرَ عَنِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، وَسَيَّرَ سَرِيَّةً سَنَةَ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ إِلَى صِقِلِّيَّةَ فَغَنِمَتْ وَسَلِمَتْ. وَفِي سَنَةِ خَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ اسْتَأْمَنَ عِدَّةَ حُصُونٍ مِنْ جَزِيرَةِ صِقِلِّيَّةَ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، مِنْهَا: حِصْنُ الْبَلُّوطِ، وَابْلَاطْنُو، وَقَرَلُونَ، وَمَرْيَا. وَسَارَ أُسْطُولُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى قِلَّوْرِيَّةَ، فَفَتَحَهَا، وَلَقُوا أُسْطُولَ صَاحِبِ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ، فَهَزَمُوهُ بَعْدَ قِتَالٍ، فَعَادَ الْأُسْطُولُ إِلَى الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ مَهْزُومًا، فَكَانَ فَتْحًا عَظِيمًا. وَفِي سَنَةِ سِتٍّ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ سَارَتْ سَرِيَّةٌ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ بِصِقِلِّيَّةَ إِلَى قَصْرُيَانَةَ، فَغَنِمَتْ، وَأَحْرَقَتْ، وَسَبَتْ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهَا أَحَدٌ، فَسَارَتْ إِلَى حِصْنِ الْغِيرَانِ، وَهُوَ أَرْبَعُونَ غَارًا، فَغُنِمَتْ جَمِيعُهَا. وَتُوُفِّيَ الْأَمِيرُ أَبُو عَفَّانَ فِيهَا عَلَى مَا نَذْكُرُهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. ذِكْرُ عِدَّةِ حَوَادِثَ ( وَجُرِحَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، فِي شَوَّالَ، إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، جَرَحَهُ خَادِمٌ لَهُ. وَحَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ. ( وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ [ سَيَّرَ ] عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ صَاحِبُ الْأَنْدَلُسِ جَيْشًا إِلَى أَلْبَةَ ، وَالْقِلَاعِ، فَنَزَلُوا حِصْنَ الْغُرَاتِ، وَحَصَرُوهُ، وَغَنِمُوا مَا فِيهِ، وَقَتَلُوا أَهْلَهُ، وَسَبَوُا النِّسَاءَ وَالذُّرِّيَّةَ وَعَادُوا ). [حُصُولُ جَارِيَةِ مَحْمُودٍ الْوَرَّاقِ فِي يَدِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ بَعْدَ مَوْتِ سَيِّدِهَا] وَمِنَ الْحَوَادِثِ: حُصُولُ جَارِيَةِ مَحْمُودٍ الْوَرَّاقِ فِي يَدِ الْمُعْتَصِمِ بَعْدَ مَوْتِ سَيِّدِهَا مَحْمُودٍ الْوَرَّاقِ. عَنِ الْجَاحِظِ قَالَ: طَلَبَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ جَارِيَةً كَانَتْ لِمَحْمُودٍ الْوَرَّاقِ، وَكَانَ نَخَّاسًا، بِسَبْعَةِ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ [فَامْتَنَعَ مَحْمُودٌ مِنْ بَيْعِهَا، فَلَمَّا مَاتَ مَحْمُودٌ اشْتَرَيْتُ لِلْمُعْتَصِمِ مِنْ مِيرَاثِهِ بِسَبْعِمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ]، فَلَمَّا دَخَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ، قَالَ [لَهَا]: كَيْفَ رَأَيْتِ تَرِكَتَكِ [حَتَّى اشْتَرَيْتُكِ] مِنْ سَبْعَةِ آلَافِ دِينَارٍ بِسَبْعِمِائَةٍ؟ قَالَتْ: أَجَلْ، إِذَا كَانَ الْخَلِيفَةُ يَنْتَظِرُ بِشَهَوَاتِهِ الْمَوَارِيثَ، فَإِنَّ سَبْعِينَ دِينَارًا كَثِيرَةٌ فِي ثَمَنِي فَضْلًا عَنْ سَبْعِمِائَةٍ. فَأَخْجَلَتْهُ.
Translation
✧ Then the year 223 AH commenced. Mention of al-Afshīn's arrival with Bābak In this year, al-Afshīn arrived at Sāmarrā, bringing with him Bābak al-Khurramī and his brother ʿAbd Allāh, in Ṣafar of the year 223 AH. Al-Muʿtaṣim used to send to al-Afshīn every day, from the time he set out from Barzand until he reached Sāmarrā, a robe of honor and a horse. When al-Afshīn reached the Qanāṭir of Ḥudhayfa, Hārūn al-Wāthiq b. al-Muʿtaṣim and the family of al-Muʿtaṣim met him. Al-Afshīn lodged Bābak in his palace at al-Maṭīra. Aḥmad b. Abī Duʾād came to him in disguise, looked at Bābak, spoke with him, and returned to al-Muʿtaṣim and described him to him. Then al-Muʿtaṣim also came in disguise and saw him. The next day, al-Muʿtaṣim sat, and the people lined up from the Public Gate to al-Maṭīra. He paraded Bābak and ordered that he ride on an elephant. So he rode it, and the people looked up at him at the Public Gate. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd al-Malik al-Zayyāt said: The elephant has been dyed as is its custom, carrying the devil of Khurāsān. The limbs of the elephant are not adorned except for one of great affairs. Then he was brought into the palace of al-Muʿtaṣim, and the executioner of Bābak was ordered to be brought. He came, and al-Muʿtaṣim ordered him to cut off his hands and feet. He cut them, and Bābak fell. Then he ordered him to slaughter him, and he did so, (and split open his belly), and sent his head to Khurāsān, and his body was crucified at Sāmarrā. He ordered his brother ʿAbd Allāh to be taken to Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm in Baghdād, and ordered him to do to him what he had done to his brother Bābak. So he did that to him, struck his neck, and crucified him on the eastern side between the two bridges. It is said: The amount of money that al-Afshīn spent during his stay facing Bābak, apart from provisions, billeting, and gifts, was ten thousand dirhams on each day he rode, and five thousand on each day he did not ride. The total number of those whom Bābak killed in twenty years was two hundred and fifty-five thousand five hundred persons. He prevailed over the commanders Yaḥyā b. Muʿādh, ʿĪsā b. Muḥammad b. Abī Khālid, and Aḥmad b. al-Junayd, whom he captured, and Zurayq b. ʿAlī b. Ṣadaqa, Muḥammad b. Ḥumayd al-Ṭūsī, and Ibrāhīm b. al-Layth. The number of those captured with Bābak was three thousand three hundred and nine persons. He rescued from those in his hands of Muslim women and their children seven thousand six hundred persons. There came into the hands of al-Afshīn seventeen men of the sons of Bābak, and twenty-three women of the girls and women. When al-Afshīn arrived, al-Muʿtaṣim crowned him, clothed him with jewels, and gave him twenty million dirhams and ten thousand to distribute among his army, and appointed him over al-Sind, and admitted the poets to him to praise him. Mention of the Byzantines' march to Zibaṭra In this year, Tawfīl b. Mīkhāʾīl, king of the Byzantines, marched into the lands of Islam and attacked the people of Zibaṭra and elsewhere. The reason for that was that when al-Afshīn pressed Bābak and he was on the verge of destruction, he wrote to the Byzantine king Tawfīl informing him that al-Muʿtaṣim had sent his armies and his fighting men against him, until he had sent his tailor, meaning Jaʿfar b. Dīnār al-Khayyāṭ, and his cook, meaning Ītākh, and had left no one at his gate! If you wish to march against him, there is no one in your way to stop you. Bābak thought that if the Byzantine king moved, some of what he was suffering would be relieved by sending armies to fight the Byzantines. So Tawfīl marched with one hundred thousand, and it is said: more than seventy thousand of them were soldiers, and the rest were followers, (and with them were some of the Muḥammira) who had rebelled in the mountains and joined the Byzantines when Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm b. Muṣʿab fought them. He reached Zibaṭra, killed the men there, took the children and women captive, raided the people of Malaṭya and other Muslim fortresses, captured Muslim women, mutilated the Muslims who fell into his hands, gouged out their eyes, and cut off their noses and ears. The people of the frontiers from Syria and the Jazīra went out against them, except those who had no mount or weapon. Mention of the conquest of ʿAmmūriyya When the Byzantine king marched and did what he did in the lands of Islam, the news reached al-Muʿtaṣim. When it reached him, he considered it a grave matter, and it weighed heavily upon him. He heard that a Hāshimī woman cried out, while a captive in the hands of the Byzantines: "O Muʿtaṣim!" He answered her while seated on his throne: "At your service, at your service!" He rose immediately, called out in his palace: "To arms! To arms!" Then he mounted his beast, tied behind him a hobble, an iron plowshare, and a saddlebag with his provisions. He could not set out until after preparation and gathering the armies. He sat in the public hall, summoned the qāḍī of Baghdād, who was ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Isḥāq, and Shuʿba b. Sahl, and with them three hundred and twenty-eight men of probity, and made them witness what he endowed of estates. He made one third for his sons, one third for God Almighty, and one third for his clients. Then he marched and encamped west of the Tigris on the second night of Jumādā al-Ūlā. He dispatched ʿUjayf b. ʿAnbasa, ʿUmar al-Farghānī, Muḥammad Kūtāh, and a group of commanders to Zibaṭra as reinforcement for its people. They found that the Byzantine king had withdrawn from it to his own country, after doing what we have mentioned. So they stopped until the people returned to their villages and were at ease. When al-Muʿtaṣim captured Bābak, he said: "Which of the Byzantine lands is most impregnable and fortified?" It was said: "ʿAmmūriyya. No one has attacked it since Islam began, and it is the eye of Christianity, and it is more esteemed by them than Constantinople." So al-Muʿtaṣim marched from Surra man raʾā. It is said his march was in the year 222. And it is said in the year 224. He equipped himself with such equipment as no caliph before him had ever equipped: weapons, matériel, tools, leather troughs, water skins, leather bags, and other things. He placed Ashnās over his vanguard, followed by Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm b. Muṣʿab, Ītākh on his right wing, Jaʿfar b. Dīnār b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Khayyāṭ on his left wing, and ʿUjayf b. ʿAnbasa in the center. When he entered Byzantine territory, he camped on the river al-Sinn, near Salūqiyya, close to the sea, between it and Ṭarsūs a day's journey, where the ransom exchange takes place. Al-Muʿtaṣim sent al-Afshīn to Sarūj, ordered him to enter through the pass of al-Ḥadath, and specified for him a day on which he should enter and a day on which they should meet. He sent Ashnās through the pass of Ṭarsūs and ordered him to wait for him at al-Ṣafṣāf. Ashnās's march was on the eighth remaining day of Rajab. Al-Muʿtaṣim sent Waṣīf after Ashnās, (and al-Muʿtaṣim departed on the sixth remaining day of Rajab. When "Ashnās" reached Marj Asquf, a letter from al-Muʿtaṣim reached him, (from al-Maṭāmīr, informing him that the Byzantine king was before him, and that he wanted to outflank them, and ordering him to stay until he joined him. He stayed three days, then a letter from al-Muʿtaṣim reached him,) ordering him to send one of his commanders with a raiding party to seek a Byzantine man to question about the king's news. Ashnās sent ʿUmar al-Farghānī with two hundred horsemen. He advanced until he reached Anqira, dispersed his companions in search of a Byzantine man. They brought him a group, some from (the king's army and some from) the peasantry. He brought them before Ashnās, and he asked them about the news. They informed him that the king had been encamped for more than thirty days waiting for al-Muʿtaṣim's vanguard to engage them. Then news came to him that a great army had entered their land from the direction of Armeniakon, meaning al-Afshīn's army. They said: When he was told, he left his cousin in charge of his army and marched toward al-Afshīn's direction. Ashnās sent them to al-Muʿtaṣim, and they told him the news. So al-Muʿtaṣim wrote a letter to al-Afshīn informing him that the Byzantine king had headed toward him, and ordering him to stay in his place, out of fear for him from the Byzantines, until his letter returned to him. He guaranteed ten thousand dirhams to whoever delivered his letter to al-Afshīn. The messengers traveled with the letter to al-Afshīn, but did not see him because he had penetrated deep into Byzantine territory. Al-Muʿtaṣim wrote to Ashnās ordering him to advance. He advanced with al-Muʿtaṣim behind him. When Ashnās moved on, al-Muʿtaṣim encamped in his place, until he was three stages from Anqira. Al-Muʿtaṣim's army suffered severe hardship from lack of water and fodder. Ashnās had captured several prisoners on his way and had struck their necks. One old man remained among them. He said to him: "You gain nothing by killing me, while you and your army are in hardship. Here are people who fled from Anqira out of fear of you, and they are near us, with food, barley, and other things. Send people with me, and I will deliver them to them, and set me free!" So he sent five hundred horsemen with him, and entrusted the old man to Mālik b. Kaydar, saying to him: "If this old man shows you much booty or great spoil, set him free." The old man led them until he brought them to a valley with vegetation. They let their mounts graze, drank, and ate, and traveled until they came out of the thicket. The old man led them until he came to a mountain, and descended it at night. When morning came, the old man said: "Send two men to climb this mountain and see what is beyond, and seize anyone they find!" Four climbed up and captured a man and a woman. The old man asked them about the people of Anqira, and they directed him to them. He led the people until he overlooked the people of Anqira, who were at the edge of a salt marsh. When they saw the army, they brought the women and children into the salt marsh and fought them at its edge. The Muslims captured booty from them and took several Byzantine prisoners, among them those with old (previous) wounds. They asked them about those wounds. They said: "We were in the king's battle with al-Afshīn. When the king was encamped, news came to him of al-Afshīn's arrival with a huge army from the direction of Armeniakon. He left one of his relatives in charge of his army and marched against them. We fought them at the morning prayer, and we defeated them, killing all their infantry. Our troops scattered in pursuit of them. At noon, their cavalry returned and fought us fiercely until they broke through our army and mingled with us. We did not know where the king was, and we fled from them. We returned to the king's camp behind him, and found the army had dispersed and they had turned away from the king's relative." The next day the king came with a small group, saw his army in disorder, seized the one he had left in charge over them, and struck his neck. He wrote to the cities and fortresses that no one who withdrew from the army should be accepted except that they should be flogged and sent back to a place the king named for them, so that the people would gather to him and meet the Muslims. The king sent a eunuch of his to Anqira to protect its people. He saw them had been evacuated from it, so he wrote to the king about that. He ordered him to march to ʿAmmūriyya. Mālik b. Kaydar returned with the booty and prisoners they had to Ashnās's camp. They captured many cattle and sheep on their way. When Mālik b. Kaydar reached Ashnās's camp, he told him what he had heard. He informed al-Muʿtaṣim of that, and he was pleased by it. Three days later, a bringer of good tidings came from al-Afshīn's direction with news of safety. The battle had been on the fifth remaining day of Shaʿbān. The next day al-Afshīn arrived at al-Muʿtaṣim's camp at Anqira, and they stayed three days. Then al-Muʿtaṣim divided the army into three armies: an army with Ashnās on the left wing, al-Muʿtaṣim in the center, and al-Afshīn's army on the right wing, with two parasangs between each army. He ordered each army to have its own right and left wings, and ordered them to burn the villages, destroy them, and seize anyone they found in them. Then each party would return to its commander. They did this between Anqira and ʿAmmūriyya, which is seven stages apart, until they reached ʿAmmūriyya. The first to arrive there was Ashnās, then al-Muʿtaṣim, then al-Afshīn. They surrounded it, and he divided it among the commanders, assigning to each of them towers according to the number of his men. There was a Muslim man whom the Byzantines had captured at ʿAmmūriyya and who had converted to Christianity. When he saw the Muslims, he went out to them and informed al-Muʿtaṣim that a place in the city wall had fallen due to a flood that had come to it. The king had written to the governor of ʿAmmūriyya to repair it, but he had been negligent. When the king left Constantinople, the governor feared that he would see the wall in ruins, so he built its face stone by stone and made the battlements on a wooden (bridge). Al-Muʿtaṣim saw that place and ordered his tent to be pitched there and the mangonels to be set up at that spot. The wall gaped open from that place. When the Byzantines saw that, they placed large timbers over it, each beam adjoining the next. The mangonel would break the wood, so they placed padded cloths over it. When the mangonels persisted at that spot, the wall cracked. The eunuch and the patrician of ʿAmmūriyya—whose name was Nāṭis—wrote a letter to the Byzantine king informing him of the matter of the wall, and sent it with two men. The Muslims captured them, and al-Muʿtaṣim questioned them and searched them. He found the letter, in which it said that the army had surrounded the city, and that his entry into it had been a mistake, and that Nāṭis was determined to ride out at night with his close companions and charge the army, whatever the cost, until he broke through and went to the king. When al-Muʿtaṣim read the letter, he ordered for them a purse of ten thousand dirhams and robes of honor. They converted to Islam. He ordered them to go around ʿAmmūriyya and stand opposite the tower in which Nāṭis was. (They stood there wearing the robes of honor, with the money before them. Nāṭis and the Byzantines with him recognized them) and cursed them. And al-Muʿtaṣim ordered that the guard be tightly maintained night and day. They remained in that state until the wall collapsed between two towers at that spot. Al-Muʿtaṣim had ordered that the moat of ʿAmmūriyyah be filled with sheepskins filled with earth, so they filled it. He constructed large siege towers, each tower holding ten men, to be rolled over the skins to the wall. They rolled one of them forward, but when it reached the middle of the moat it became stuck on those skins, and those inside could only free themselves with great difficulty and effort. He also made ladders and mangonels. On the morrow of the day the wall collapsed, they fought at the breach. The first to begin the fighting was Ashnās and his companions. The place was narrow, so fighting there was not possible for them. Al-Muʿtaṣim reinforced them with mangonels that were around the wall; he gathered some of them together around the breach, and ordered that the area be bombarded. The fighting on the twelfth day fell to al-Afshīn and his companions. They fought excellently and advanced, while al-Muʿtaṣim was on his mount opposite the breach, with Ashnās, al-Afshīn, and elite commanders beside him. Al-Muʿtaṣim said: "How excellent the fighting was today!" ʿUmar al-Farghānī said: "The fighting today is better than yesterday's." Ashnās remained silent. When midday came and al-Muʿtaṣim and the people withdrew, and Ashnās approached his tent, the commanders dismounted for him as they used to do, among them al-Farghānī and Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl b. Hishām. Ashnās said to them: "Sons of whores! Why do you walk before me? You should have fought yesterday, when you stood before the Commander of the Faithful and said, 'The fighting today is better than yesterday's.' Others fought yesterday, not you. Go back to your own tents." When al-Farghānī and Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl departed, one of them said to the other: "Do you not see what this slave, son of a whore—meaning Ashnās—has done today? Is not deserting to the Byzantines easier than this?" Al-Farghānī, who had knowledge of al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn, said to Aḥmad: "God will soon suffice you against him." Aḥmad persisted with him, and he told him, advising him to go to al-ʿAbbās and be among his companions. Aḥmad said: "This is a matter I think will not succeed." Al-Farghānī said: "It is already accomplished." He directed him to al-Ḥārith al-Samarqandī, so he went to him. Al-Ḥārith conveyed his news to al-ʿAbbās, but al-ʿAbbās disliked that anything of his affair become known, so they withheld from him. On the third day, the fighting fell to al-Muʿtaṣim's own troops, accompanied by the Maghāribah and the Turks. The commander in charge of that was Ītākh. They fought well, and the breach in the wall widened for them. The fighting continued in this manner until wounds among the Byzantines became numerous. The Byzantine patricians had divided the towers of the wall among themselves. The patrician assigned to this sector was "Wandū"—meaning "bull." He fought fiercely that day and in the preceding days, but neither Nāṭis nor anyone else sent him any reinforcement. At night, Wandū went to the Byzantines and said: "The fighting falls on me and my men; no one remains with me except the wounded. Station your men at the breach to shoot for a little while, otherwise the city is lost." But they did not reinforce him and said: "We will not reinforce you, and you will not reinforce us." So he and his men resolved to go out to al-Muʿtaṣim to seek safe-conduct for their families and surrender the fortress with all it contained. When morning came, he stationed his men on both sides of the breach and ordered them not to fight, saying: "I intend to go out to al-Muʿtaṣim." He went out and stood before him while the people were advancing toward the breach. The Byzantines held back from fighting until they reached the wall, saying: "Do not be afraid," as they advanced. Wandū sat with al-Muʿtaṣim, who mounted him on a horse. The people advanced until they entered the breach, and ʿAbd al-Wahhāb b. ʿAlī, before al-Muʿtaṣim, signaled to the Muslims to enter. The people entered the city. Wandū turned and struck his beard with his hand. Al-Muʿtaṣim asked: "What is the matter with you?" He said: "I came to hear your word, and you betrayed me." Al-Muʿtaṣim said: "Whatever you wish is yours; I will not oppose you." He replied: "How can you not oppose me when the people have already entered the city?" A large group of Byzantines fled to a large church of theirs, and the Muslims burned it down upon them, and they all perished. Nāṭis was in his tower with his companions around him. Al-Muʿtaṣim rode up and stood opposite Nāṭis. Someone called: "O Nāṭis! This is the Commander of the Faithful." Nāṭis appeared from the tower wearing a sword, but he put it aside, descended, and stood before al-Muʿtaṣim, who struck him with a whip. Al-Muʿtaṣim rode to his tent and said: "Bring him!" Nāṭis walked a little, then al-Muʿtaṣim ordered him to be carried. The Byzantines took the sword, and the people came from every direction with captives and spoils. Al-Muʿtaṣim ordered that the nobles among them be set apart, and the rest transported away. He ordered the booty to be sold in several places; it was sold for more than five days, and he ordered the remainder to be burned. Nothing was auctioned for more than three calls, after which its sale became binding, for the sake of speed. Slaves were auctioned in groups of five and ten, again for the sake of speed. On one of the days when the booty was being sold—the day on which ʿUjayf had promised the people to rise against al-Muʿtaṣim, as we shall mention—the people fell upon the spoils. Al-Muʿtaṣim mounted with sword in hand and rode quickly toward them; they drew back from the booty and refrained from plundering. He returned to his tent. He ordered ʿAmmūriyyah to be demolished and burned. His encampment at the city had begun on the sixth of Ramaḍān, and he stayed there for fifty-five days. He distributed the captives among the commanders and marched toward Ṭarsūs. THE IMPRISONMENT OF AL-ʿABBĀS B. AL-MAʾMŪN AND HIS DEATH In this year, al-Muʿtaṣim imprisoned al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn and ordered that he be cursed. The reason for that was that when al-Muʿtaṣim dispatched ʿUjayf b. ʿAnbasah to Byzantine territory—when the Byzantine emperor was at Zibaṭrah—together with ʿUmar al-Farghānī and Muḥammad Kūtāh, he did not give ʿUjayf as free a hand in expenditures as he had given al-Afshīn. Al-Muʿtaṣim found ʿUjayf's conduct and actions deficient, and this became apparent to ʿUjayf. So ʿUjayf reproached al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn for what he had previously done at the death of al-Maʾmūn, when he had given allegiance to al-Muʿtaṣim, and he encouraged him to make amends for what had occurred. Al-ʿAbbās accepted his words. He secretly employed a man named al-Ḥārith al-Samarqandī, a relative of ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Waḍḍāḥ, in whose company al-ʿAbbās found ease. Al-Ḥārith was a cultivated man of intelligence and tact. Al-ʿAbbās made him his messenger and envoy to the commanders. He moved around the army until he won over a group of commanders—including a group from al-Muʿtaṣim's own inner circle—who pledged allegiance to him. He told each of those who pledged: "When we make our move, let each of you fall upon the commander who is with him." He assigned those of al-Muʿtaṣim's inner circle who had pledged to kill him, those of al-Afshīn's inner circle to kill him, those of Ashnās's inner circle to kill him, and likewise others; they guaranteed him that. When they entered the pass, heading for Anqirah and ʿAmmūriyyah, al-Afshīn entered from the direction of Malaṭyah. ʿUjayf advised al-ʿAbbās to rise against al-Muʿtaṣim in the pass, while he was with only a small number of men, kill him, and return to Baghdād—for the people would rejoice at their return to Baghdād from the campaign. Al-ʿAbbās refused, saying: "I will not spoil this expedition," until they entered Byzantine territory and conquered ʿAmmūriyyah. Then ʿUjayf said to al-ʿAbbās: "You sleepy one! ʿAmmūriyyah has been conquered, and the man is within reach. Station some men to plunder part of the spoils; when he hears of it he will ride out quickly, and you can order him killed there." But al-ʿAbbās refused and said: "Wait until we reach the passes and he is as isolated as he was the first time; he will be more vulnerable there than here." ʿUjayf had ordered men to plunder the goods, and they did so. Al-Muʿtaṣim mounted and came at a gallop; the people calmed down. Al-ʿAbbās did not unleash any of those he had arranged with, and they disliked killing him without al-ʿAbbās's order. Al-Farghānī had received news that day; he had a young beardless relative among al-Muʿtaṣim's inner circle. The young man came to ʿUmar al-Farghānī's son and drank with them that night. He told them of al-Muʿtaṣim's ride, saying that he had been with him, and that al-Muʿtaṣim had ordered him to draw his sword and strike anyone he met. ʿUmar heard this from the youth and, fearing for his safety, said: "My son, reduce your time in the Commander of the Faithful's presence; stay in your tent. If you hear a shout or disturbance, do not leave, for you are an inexperienced lad and do not know the armies." Thus ʿUmar's words became known. Al-Muʿtaṣim departed for the frontier. Al-Afshīn dispatched Ibn al-Aqṭaʿ and ordered him to raid some places and rejoin him on the road. He went, raided, and returned to the army at one of the waystations with spoils. He camped in al-Afshīn's section, each section being separate. ʿUmar al-Farghānī and Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl went from Ashnās's section to al-Afshīn's section to buy some of the captives. Al-Afshīn met them; they dismounted and greeted him, then went toward the spoils. Ashnās's agent saw them and informed him. Ashnās sent some of his men to see what they were doing. He came and saw them waiting for the sale of captives, then returned and reported to Ashnās. Ashnās said to his chamberlain: "Tell them to stay in their camp; that is better for them." He told them, and they were distressed at that. They agreed to go to the officer in charge of the army's intelligence and ask to be excused from Ashnās. They went to him and said: "We are servants of the Commander of the Faithful; attach us to whomever you wish. This man belittles us, has insulted us, and threatened us, and we fear he may act against us. Let the Commander of the Faithful attach us to someone else." That was conveyed to al-Muʿtaṣim. They agreed on departure, and Ashnās and al-Afshīn marched with al-Muʿtaṣim. He said to Ashnās: "Discipline ʿUmar and Aḥmad well, for they have made fools of themselves." Ashnās went to his camp, seized them, imprisoned them, and placed them on a mule until he reached al-Ṣafṣāf. Then that young man came and told al-Muʿtaṣim what he had heard from ʿUmar al-Farghānī that night. Al-Muʿtaṣim sent Bughā, who took ʿUmar from Ashnās and asked him about what he had said to the youth. He denied it, saying: "He was drunk and did not know what I said." Al-Muʿtaṣim handed him over to Ītākh. Then al-Muʿtaṣim sent Aḥmad b. al-Khalīl to Ashnās with the message: "I have a piece of sincere advice for the Commander of the Faithful." Ashnās sent to ask him about it, but he said: "I will not reveal it except to the Commander of the Faithful." Ashnās swore: "If he does not tell me this secret, I will beat him with whips until he dies." When Aḥmad heard that, he came before Ashnās and told him the affair of al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn, the commanders, and al-Ḥārith al-Samarqandī. Ashnās sent men who seized al-Ḥārith, shackled him, and sent him to al-Muʿtaṣim, who had gone ahead. When al-Ḥārith came before al-Muʿtaṣim, he informed him of the entire situation and of all those who had pledged allegiance, among commanders and others. Al-Muʿtaṣim released him, bestowed a robe of honor upon him, and did not believe the accusations against those commanders because they were too numerous. Al-Muʿtaṣim summoned al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn and gave him drink until he was drunk. He made him swear not to conceal anything of his affair, and he laid out his entire matter just as al-Ḥārith had. Al-Muʿtaṣim seized him, shackled him, and handed him to al-Afshīn, who imprisoned him in his custody. Al-Muʿtaṣim then pursued those commanders. They were carried along the road on mules, in fetters and without saddles. He also seized al-Shāh b. Sahl, a man from Khurāsān. Al-Muʿtaṣim said to him: "Son of an adulteress! I was good to you and you were not grateful." He replied: "The son of an adulteress is this one," pointing to al-ʿAbbās, who was present. "Had he left me alone, you would not at this hour be able to sit in this assembly and say these words!" Al-Muʿtaṣim ordered him beheaded; he was the first of them to be killed. Al-ʿAbbās was handed over to al-Afshīn. When they encamped at Manbij, al-ʿAbbās b. al-Maʾmūn asked for food. Much food was brought to him; he ate, was denied water, and was wrapped in a haircloth, and he died at Manbij. One of his brothers prayed over him. As for ʿUmar al-Farghānī, when al-Muʿtaṣim reached Naṣībīn, a well was dug for him; he was cast into it and it was filled in over him. As for ʿUjayf, he died at Bāʿaynāthā in the region of Mosul. It is said that he was given much food and denied water until he died at Bāʿaynāthā. Al-Muʿtaṣim pursued all of them, and only a few days passed before they all died. Al-Muʿtaṣim reached Sāmarrāʾ safely. That day he called al-ʿAbbās "the accursed." He seized al-Maʾmūn's children from Sundus and imprisoned them in his palace until they later died. One of the finest things related is that Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Iskāfī was in charge of ʿUjayf's land grants. His family complained about him to ʿUjayf, who seized him and wanted to kill him. He urinated in his clothes out of fear of ʿUjayf. Then intercession was made for him, so ʿUjayf shackled and imprisoned him. Then ʿUjayf departed for Byzantine territory, and al-Muʿtaṣim seized him as we have mentioned, and he released those in his prison—and they were a group—among them al-Iskāfī. Later al-Iskāfī was appointed over districts in the Jazīrah, among them Bāʿaynāthā. He said: "One day I went out to the mound of Bāʿaynāthā. I needed to perform ablution, so I went to a mound and urinated on it, then performed ablution and descended. The elder of Bāʿaynāthā was waiting for me and said: 'In this mound is the grave of ʿUjayf,' and he showed it to me. And there I had urinated on it. Between the two events was exactly one year, not a day more or less." THE DEATH OF ZIYĀDAT ALLĀH B. AL-AGHLAB AND THE BEGINNING OF HIS BROTHER AL-AGHLAB'S RULE In this year, on the fourteenth of Rajab, Ziyādat Allāh b. Ibrāhīm b. al-Aghlab, the amir of Ifrīqiyah, died, and his age was fifty-one years, nine months, and eight days, and his emirate lasted twenty-one years and seven months. His brother Abū ʿAffān al-Aghlab b. Ibrāhīm b. al-Aghlab succeeded him. He treated the troops well, removed many injustices, increased the allowances of the officials, restrained their hands from the subjects, cut off nabīdh and wine from al-Qayrawān, and dispatched a raiding party in the year 224 to Sicily, which gained booty and returned safely. In the year 225, several fortresses of the island of Sicily sought amān from the Muslims, among them: the fortress of al-Ballūṭ, Iblāṭanū, Qaralūn, and Maryā. The Muslim fleet sailed to Qillawriyah and conquered it. They met the fleet of the Lord of Constantinople and defeated it after fighting, so the fleet returned to Constantinople defeated. It was a great conquest. In the year 226, a Muslim raiding party in Sicily marched to Qaṣryānah, gained booty, burned, and took captives. No one came out against them. Then they marched to the fortress of al-Ghīrān, which is forty caves, and plundered all of them. The amir Abū ʿAffān died in that year, as we shall mention, God Almighty willing. Mention of several events (And in this year, in Shawwāl, Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm was wounded; a servant of his wounded him. Muḥammad b. Dāwūd led the people in the pilgrimage this year. (And in this year, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. al-Ḥakam, the ruler of al-Andalus, dispatched an army to Alba and al-Qilāʿ. They encamped at the fortress of al-Ghurāt, besieged it, plundered what was in it, killed its people, took the women and children captive, and returned.) [The acquisition of the slave girl of Maḥmūd al-Warrāq by al-Muʿtaṣim after the death of her master] Among the events: the acquisition of the slave girl of Maḥmūd al-Warrāq by al-Muʿtaṣim after the death of her master Maḥmūd al-Warrāq. From al-Jāḥiẓ who said: Al-Muʿtaṣim sought a slave girl who belonged to Maḥmūd al-Warrāq, and he was a slave dealer, for seven thousand dinars [but Maḥmūd refused to sell her. When Maḥmūd died, I bought her for al-Muʿtaṣim from his inheritance for seven hundred dinars]. When she entered upon him, he said [to her]: How do you regard your being left as an inheritance [so that I bought you] from seven thousand dinars for seven hundred? She said: Yes, if the caliph waits for inheritances to satisfy his desires, then seventy dinars would be a lot for my price, let alone seven hundred. And she shamed him.
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