Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3360
The Year 244 AH
دخول المتوكل دمشق ثُمَّ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ دَخَلَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ مَدِينَةَ دِمَشْقَ فِي صَفَرَ، وَعَزَمَ عَلَى الْمَقَامِ بِهَا، وَنَقَلَ دَوَاوِينَ الْمُلْكِ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَمَرَ بِالْبِنَاءِ بِهَا، ثُمَّ اسْتَوْبَأَ الْبَلَدَ، وَذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ هَوَاءَهُ بَارِدٌ نَدِيٌّ، وَالْمَاءُ ثَقِيلٌ، وَالرِّيحُ تَهُبُّ فِيهَا مَعَ الْعَصْرِ فَلَا تَزَالُ تَشْتَدُّ حَتَّى يَمْضِيَ عَامَّةُ اللَّيْلِ، وَهِيَ كَثِيرَةُ الْبَرَاغِيثِ، وَغَلَتِ الْأَسْعَارُ، وَحَالَ الثَّلْجُ بَيْنَ السَّابِلَةِ وَالْمِيرَةِ، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا. وَكَانَ مُقَامُهُ بِدِمَشْقَ شَهْرَيْنِ وَأَيَّامًا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ بِهَا وَجَّهَ بُغَا الْكَبِيرَ لِغَزْوِ الرُّومِ، فَغَزَا الصَّائِفَةَ فَافْتَتَحَ صِمْلَةَ. وَفِيهَا عَقَدَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ لِأَبِي السَّاجِ عَلَى طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ مَكَانَ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ. وَقِيلَ: عَقَدَ لَهُ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَأَرْبَعِينَ، وَهُوَ الصَّوَابُ. حربة النبي ﷺ تسمى العنزة وَفِيهَا أُتِيَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ بِحَرْبَةٍ كَانَتْ لِلنَّبِيِّ ﷺ، تُسَمَّى الْعَنَزَةَ، فَكَانَتْ لِلنَّجَاشِيِّ، فَأَهْدَاهَا لِلزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ الْعَوَّامِ، وَأَهْدَاهَا الزُّبَيْرُ لِلنَّبِيِّ، ﷺ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُرَكَّزُ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ النَّبِيِّ، ﷺ، فِي الْعِيدَيْنِ، فَكَانَ يَحْمِلُهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ صَاحِبُ الشُّرْطَةِ. غَضِبَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ عَلَى بَخْتِيشُوعَ الطَّبِيبِ وَفِيهَا غَضِبَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ عَلَى بَخْتِيشُوعَ الطَّبِيبِ، وَقَبَضَ مَالَهُ، وَنَفَاهُ إِلَى الْبَحْرِينِ. اتفاق عيد الأضحى مع عيد لليهود وللنصارى وَفِيهَا اتَّفَقَ عِيدُ الْأَضْحَى وَالشَّعَانِينُ لِلنَّصَارَى، وَعِيدُ الْفِطْرِ لِلْيَهُودِ، فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ. من حج بالناس هذه السنة وَحَجَّ بِالنَّاسِ فِيهَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ بْنُ مُوسَى. ذِكْرُ فَتْحِ قَصْرُيَانَه فِي سَنَةِ أَرْبَعٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ فَتَحَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مَدِينَةَ قَصْرُيَانَه، وَهِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ الَّتِي بِهَا دَارُ الْمَلِكِ بِصِقِلِّيَّةَ، وَكَانَ الْمَلِكُ قَبْلَهَا يَسْكُنُ سَرْقُوسَةَ، فَلَمَّا مَلَكَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ بَعْضَ الْجَزِيرَةِ تَمَّ نَقْلُ دَارِ الْمَلِكِ إِلَى قَصْرُيَانَه ; لِحَصَانَتِهَا. وَسَبَبُ فَتْحِهَا أَنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ سَارَ فِي جُيُوشِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ قَصْرُيَانَه، وَسَرْقُوسَةَ، وَسَيَّرَ جَيْشًا فِي الْبَحْرِ، فَلَقِيَهُمْ أَرْبَعُونَ شَلَنْدِيًّا لِلرُّومِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ، فَانْهَزَمَ الرُّومُ، وَأَخَذَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُسْلِمُونَ عَشْرَ شَلَنْدِيَّاتٍ بِرِجَالِهَا، وَعَادَ الْعَبَّاسُ إِلَى مَدِينَتِهِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الشِّتَاءُ سَيَّرَ سَرِيَّةً، فَبَلَغَتْ قَصْرُيَانَه، فَنَهَبُوا، وَخَرَّبُوا، وَعَادُوا وَمَعَهُمْ رَجُلٌ كَانَ لَهُ عِنْدَ الرُّومِ قَدَرٌ وَمَنْزِلَةٌ، فَأَمَرَ الْعَبَّاسُ بِقَتْلِهِ، فَقَالَ: اسْتَبْقِنِي، وَلَكَ عِنْدِي نَصِيحَةٌ ! قَالَ: وَمَا هِيَ ؟ قَالَ: أُمَلِّكُكَ قَصْرُيَانَه، وَالطَّرِيقُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْقَوْمَ فِي هَذَا الشِّتَاءِ وَهَذِهِ الثُّلُوجِ آمِنُونَ مِنْ قَصْدِكُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَهُمْ غَيْرُ مُحْتَرِسِينَ، تُرْسِلُ مَعِي طَائِفَةً مِنْ عَسْكَرِكُمْ حَتَّى أُدْخِلَكُمُ الْمَدِينَةَ. فَانْتَخَبَ الْعَبَّاسُ أَلْفَيْ فَارِسٍ أَنْجَادٍ، أَبْطَالٍ، وَسَارَ إِلَى أَنْ قَارَبَهَا، وَكَمَنَ هُنَاكَ مُسْتَتِرًا، وَسَيَّرَ عَمَّهُ رَبَاحًا فِي شُجْعَانِهِمْ، فَسَارُوا مُسْتَخْفِينَ فِي اللَّيْلِ، وَالرُّومِيُّ مَعَهُمْ مُقَيَّدٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَبَاحٍ، فَأَرَاهُمُ الْمَوْضِعَ الَّذِي يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَمْلِكَ مِنْهُ، فَنَصَبُوا السَّلَالِيمَ، وَصَعِدُوا الْجَبَلَ، ثُمَّ وَصَلُوا إِلَى سُورِ الْمَدِينَةِ، قَرِيبًا مِنَ الصُّبْحِ، وَالْحَرَسُ نِيَامٌ، فَدَخَلُوا مِنْ نَحْوِ بَابٍ صَغِيرٍ فِيهِ، يَدْخُلُ مِنْهُ الْمَاءُ وَتُلْقَى فِيهِ الْأَقْذَارُ، فَدَخَلَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ كُلُّهُمْ، فَوَضَعُوا السَّيْفَ فِي الرُّومِ، وَفَتَحُوا الْأَبْوَابَ. وَجَاءَ الْعَبَّاسُ فِي بَاقِي الْعَسْكَرِ، فَدَخَلُوا الْمَدِينَةَ وَصَلَّوُا الصُّبْحَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ مُنْتَصَفَ شَوَّالَ، وَبَنَى فِيهَا فِي الْحَالِ مَسْجِدًا، وَنَصَبَ فِيهِ مِنْبَرًا، وَخَطَبَ فِيهِ يَوْمَ الْجُمْعَةِ، وَقَتَلَ مَنْ وَجَدَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ، وَأَخَذُوا مَا فِيهَا مِنْ بَنَاتِ الْبَطَارِقَةِ بِحُلِيِّهِنَّ، وَأَبْنَاءِ الْمُلُوكِ، وَأَصَابُوا فِيهَا مَا يَعْجِزُ الْوَصْفُ عَنْهُ، وَذَلَّ الشِّرْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِصِقِلِّيَّةَ ذُلًّا عَظِيمًا. وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الرُّومُ بِذَلِكَ أَرْسَلَ مَلِكُهُمْ بِطْرِيقًا مِنَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةِ فِي ثَلَاثمِائَةِ شَلَنْدِيٍّ وَعَسْكَرٍ كَثِيرٍ، فَوَصَلُوا إِلَى سَرْقُوسَةَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ الْعَبَّاسُ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَلَقِيَ الرُّومَ وَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ، فَرَكِبُوا فِي مَرَاكِبِهِمْ هَارِبِينَ، وَغَنِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْهُمْ مِائَةَ شَلَنْدِيٍّ، وَكَثُرَ الْقَتْلُ فِيهِمْ، وَلَمْ يُصَبْ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ غَيْرُ ثَلَاثَةِ نَفَرٍ بِالنَّشَّابِ.
Translation
✧ Al-Mutawakkil’s entry into Damascus Then the year two hundred and forty-four began. In this year al-Mutawakkil entered the city of Damascus in Safar, and resolved to reside there. He transferred the administrative bureaus of the realm to it, and ordered construction there. Then he found the place unhealthy, because its air is cold and damp, the water is heavy, and the wind blows there in the late afternoon and does not cease intensifying until most of the night has passed. It also has many fleas, prices rose, and snow cut off travelers and provisions, so he returned to Samarra. His stay in Damascus lasted two months and some days. While he was there, he dispatched Bugha the Elder to raid the Byzantines. He raided in the summer campaign and conquered Simla. In this year al-Mutawakkil appointed Abu al-Saj over the Makkah road in place of Jaʿfar b. Dinar. It is said: he was appointed in the year two hundred and forty-two, and that is the correct account. The spear of the Prophet ﷺ called al-ʿAnaza In this year al-Mutawakkil was brought a spear that had belonged to the Prophet ﷺ, called al-ʿAnaza. It had belonged to the Negus, who gave it as a gift to al-Zubayr b. al-ʿAwwam, and al-Zubayr gave it as a gift to the Prophet ﷺ. It is the one that used to be planted in front of the Prophet ﷺ on the two festivals, and the chief of police used to carry it before him. Al-Mutawakkil became angry with Bukhtishuʿ the physician In this year al-Mutawakkil became angry with Bukhtishuʿ the physician, confiscated his wealth, and exiled him to al-Bahrayn. The coincidence of Eid al-Adha with holidays of the Jews and Christians In this year Eid al-Adha coincided with Palm Sunday for the Christians and the Feast of Breaking the Fast for the Jews on a single day. Who led the pilgrimage this year ʿAbd al-Samad b. Musa led the people in pilgrimage this year. Account of the conquest of Qasryana In the year two hundred and forty-four the Muslims conquered the city of Qasryana, which is the city containing the royal residence in Sicily. Before that the king used to live in Syracuse, but when the Muslims took possession of part of the island, the royal residence was transferred to Qasryana because of its fortification. The reason for its conquest was that al-ʿAbbas marched with the Muslim armies to the city of Qasryana and Syracuse, and sent an army by sea. Forty Byzantine chelandia met them, and they fought a fierce battle. The Byzantines were routed, and the Muslims captured ten chelandia from them with their crews, and al-ʿAbbas returned to his city. When winter came, he dispatched a raiding party, which reached Qasryana, plundered, destroyed, and returned with a man who had standing and rank among the Byzantines. Al-ʿAbbas ordered him killed, but he said: Spare me, and you will have from me good counsel! He said: And what is it? He said: I will make you master of Qasryana. The way to that is that the people, in this winter and these snows, are secure from your attacking them, so they are unguarded. Send with me a detachment of your troops so that I may bring you into the city. Al-ʿAbbas selected two thousand brave, heroic horsemen, and marched until he drew near it, and lay in ambush there, concealed. He sent his paternal uncle Rabah with their boldest warriors, and they marched stealthily by night, with the Byzantine with them in fetters before Rabah. He showed them the place from which it should be taken. They set up ladders, climbed the mountain, then reached the wall of the city near dawn, while the guards were asleep. They entered by way of a small gate in it, through which water enters and refuse is thrown out. All the Muslims entered, put the Byzantines to the sword, and opened the gates. Al-ʿAbbas came with the rest of the army, and they entered the city and prayed the dawn prayer on Thursday, the middle of Shawwal. He immediately built a mosque in it, erected a pulpit in it, and delivered the sermon there on Friday. He killed the fighting men he found in it, and they seized the daughters of the patricians with their jewelry and the sons of kings, and captured what description cannot encompass. Polytheism was humiliated that day in Sicily with a great humiliation. When the Byzantines heard of that, their king sent a patrician from Constantinople with three hundred chelandia and a large army. They reached Syracuse, and al-ʿAbbas went out from the city to meet the Byzantines and fought them and routed them. They boarded their ships fleeing, and the Muslims captured one hundred chelandia from them. Slaughter among them was great, and only three of the Muslims were hit that day by arrows.
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