Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3367
The Year 247 AH
ذِكْرُ بَيْعَةِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ قَدْ ذَكَرْنَا قَتْلَ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، وَمَنْ بَايَعَ الْمُنْتَصِرَ ( أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ الْمُتَوَكِّلَ ) تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ يَوْمُ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ حَضَرَ النَّاسُ الْجَعْفَرِيَّةُ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، وَالْكُتَّابِ، وَالْوُجُوهِ، وَالشَّاكِرِيَّةِ، وَالْجُنْدِ، وَغَيْرِهِمْ، فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْخَصِيبِ كِتَابًا يُخْبِرُ فِيهِ عَنِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ أَنَّ الْفَتْحَ بْنَ خَاقَانَ قَتَلَ الْمُتَوَكِّلَ، فَقَتَلَهُ بِهِ، فَبَايَعَ النَّاسُ، وَحَضَرَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَاقَانَ، فَبَايَعَ وَانْصَرَفَ. قِيلَ: وَذُكِرَ عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ سَعِيدٍ الصَّغِيرِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَمَّا كَانَتِ اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي قُتِلَ فِيهَا الْمُتَوَكِّلُ، كُنَّا فِي الدَّارِ مَعَ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، فَكَانَ كُلَّمَا خَرَجَ الْفَتْحُ خَرَجَ مَعَهُ، وَإِذَا رَجَعَ قَامَ لِقِيَامِهِ، وَإِذَا رَكِبَ أَخَذَ بِرِكَابِهِ، وَسَوَّى عَلَيْهِ ثِيَابَهُ فِي سَرْجِهِ. وَكَانَ اتَّصَلَ بِنَا الْخَبَرُ أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ يَحْيَى قَدْ أَعَدَّ قَوْمًا فِي طَرِيقِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، لِيَغْتَالُوهُ عِنْدَ انْصِرَافِهِ، وَكَانَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ قَدْ أَسْمَعَهُ، وَأَحْفَظَهُ، وَوَثَبَ عَلَيْهِ، وَانْصَرَفَ غَضْبَانَ، وَانْصَرَفْنَا مَعَهُ إِلَى دَارِهِ، وَكَانَ وَاعَدَ الْأَتْرَاكَ عَلَى قَتْلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ إِذَا ثَمِلَ مِنَ النَّبِيذِ، قَالَ: فَلَمْ أَلْبَثْ أَنْ جَاءَنِي رَسُولُهُ أَنِ احْضُرْ، فَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى الْأَمِيرِ لِيَرْكَبَ. قَالَ: فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي مَا كُنَّا سَمِعْنَا مِنِ اغْتِيَالِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، فَرَكِبْتُ فِي سِلَاحٍ وَعِدَّةٍ، وَجِئْتُ بَابَ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، فَإِذَا هُمْ يَمُوجُونَ، وَإِذَا وَاجِنٌ قَدْ جَاءَهُ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ فَرَغُوا مِنَ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، فَرَكِبَ، فَلَحِقْتُهُ فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ وَأَنَا مَرْعُوبٌ، فَرَأَى مَا بِي، فَقَالَ: لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ بَأْسٌ، أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ شَرِقَ بِقَدَحٍ شَرِبَهُ فَمَاتَ، رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى. فَشَقَّ عَلَيَّ، وَمَضَيْنَا وَمَعَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْخَصِيبِ وَجَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا الْقَصْرَ، وَوَكَّلَ بِالْأَبْوَابِ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ! لَا يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُفَارِقَكَ مَوَالِيكَ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ، قَالَ: أَجَلْ، وَكُنْ أَنْتَ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِي، فَأَحَطْنَا بِهِ، وَبَايَعَهُ مَنْ حَضَرَ، وَكُلُّ مَنْ جَاءَ يُوقَفُ، ( حَتَّى جَاءَ سَعِيدٌ الْكَبِيرُ، فَأَرْسَلَهُ خَلْفَ الْمُؤَيَّدِ، وَقَالَ لِي: امْضِ أَنْتَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ ) حَتَّى يَحْضُرَ، فَأَرْسَلَنِي، فَمَضَيْتُ وَأَنَا آيِسٌ مِنْ نَفْسِي، وَمَعِي غُلَامَانِ لِي، فَلَمَّا صِرْتُ إِلَى بَابِ الْمُعْتَزِّ لَمْ أَجِدْ بِهِ أَحَدًا مِنَ الْحَرَسِ وَالْبَوَّابِينَ، فَصِرْتُ إِلَى الْبَابِ الْكَبِيرِ، فَدَقَقْتُهُ دَقًّا عَنِيفًا، فَأُجِبْتُ بَعْدَ مُدَّةٍ: مَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: رَسُولُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( الْمُنْتَصِرِ )، فَمَضَى الرَّسُولُ، وَأَبْطَأَ، وَخِفْتُ، وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيَّ الْأَرْضُ، ثُمَّ فُتِحَ الْبَابُ، وَخَرَجَ ( بَيْدُونُ ) الْخَادِمُ، وَأَغْلَقَ الْبَابَ، ثُمَّ سَأَلَنِي عَنِ الْخَبَرِ، فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّ الْمُتَوَكِّلَ شَرِقَ بِكَأْسٍ شَرِبَهُ، فَمَاتَ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ، وَأَنَّ النَّاسَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا، وَبَايَعُوا الْمُنْتَصِرَ، وَقَدْ أَرْسَلَنِي لِأُحْضِرَ الْأَمِيرَ الْمُعْتَزَّ لِيُبَايِعَ. فَدَخَلَ، ثُمَّ خَرَجَ، فَأَدْخَلَنِي عَلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ، فَقَالَ لِي: وَيْلَكَ مَا الْخَبَرُ ؟ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ، وَعَزَّيْتُهُ، وَبَكَيْتُ، وَقُلْتُ: تَحْضُرُ، وَتَكُونُ فِي أَوَّلِ مَنْ يُبَايِعُ، وَتَأْخُذُ بِقَلْبِ أَخِيكَ، فَقَالَ: حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ، فَمَا زِلْتُ بِهِ أَنَا وَبَيْدُونُ حَتَّى رَكِبَ، وَسِرْنَا وَأَنَا أُحَدِّثُهُ، فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، فَقُلْتُ: هُوَ يَأْخُذُ الْبَيْعَةَ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَالْفَتْحُ قَدْ بَايَعَ، فَأَيِسَ، وَأَتَيْنَا بَابَ الْخَيْرِ، فَفُتِحَ لَنَا، وَصِرْنَا إِلَى الْمُنْتَصِرِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ قَرَّبَهُ، وَعَانَقَهُ، وَعَزَّاهُ، وَأَخَذَ الْبَيْعَةَ عَلَيْهِ. ثُمَّ وَافَى سَعِيدٌ الْكَبِيرُ بِالْمُؤَيَّدِ، فَفَعَلَ بِهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُنْتَصِرُ بِدَفْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ وَالْفَتْحِ. وَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ شَاعَ الْخَبَرُ فِي الْمَاخُوزَةِ، وَهِيَ الْمَدِينَةُ الَّتِي كَانَ بَنَاهَا الْمُتَوَكِّلُ، وَفِي أَهْلِ سَامَرَّا، بِقَتْلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، فَتَوَافَى الْجُنْدُ وَالشَّاكِرِيَّةُ بِبَابِ الْعَامَّةِ وَبِالْجَعْفَرِيَّةِ، وَغَيْرِهِمْ مِنَ الْغَوْغَاءِ وَالْعَامَّةِ، وَكَثُرَ النَّاسُ، وَتَسَامَعُوا، وَرَكِبَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا، وَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي أَمْرِ الْبَيْعَةِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَتَّابُ بْنُ عَتَّابٍ، وَقِيلَ: زَرَافَةُ، فَوَعَدَهُمْ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْمُنْتَصِرِ، فَاسْمَعُوهُ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَعْلَمَهُ، فَخَرَجَ الْمُنْتَصِرُ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، فَصَاحَ بِهِمْ، وَقَالَ: خُذُوهُمْ ! فَدَفَعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْأَبْوَابِ، فَازْدَحَمَ النَّاسُ وَرَكِبَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا، فَتَفَرَّقُوا وَقَدْ مَاتَ مِنْهُمْ سِتَّةُ أَنْفُسٍ. مولد المنتصر ونسبه وصفته اسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، وَقِيلَ: اسْمُهُ الزُّبَيْرُ، وَفِي كُنْيَتِهِ ثَلَاثَةُ أَقْوَالٍ: أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ، وَأَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَأَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ. وُلِدَ بِسَامُرَّاءَ فِي رَبِيعٍ الْآخَرِ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَكَانَ أَعْيَنَ، قَصِيرًا، أَقْنَى، أَسْمَرَ، ضَخْمَ الْهَامَةِ، عَظِيمَ الْبَطْنِ، جَسِيمًا، مَلِيحَ الْوَجْهِ، مَهِيبًا، عَلَى عَيْنِهِ الْيُمْنَى أَثَرُ وَقْعٍ أَصَابَهُ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ، وَأُمُّهُ أُمُّ وَلَدٍ، رُومِيَّةٌ، يُقَالُ لَهَا: حَبَشِيَّةٌ. وَمِنْ كَلَامِهِ : (لَذَّةُ الْعَفْوِ أَعْذَبُ مِنْ لَذَّةِ التَّشَفِّي، وَأَقْبَحُ أَفْعَالِ الْمُقْتَدِرِ الِانْتِقَامُ ).
Translation
✧ Mention of the allegiance to al-Muntaṣir We have already mentioned the killing of al-Mutawakkil, and those who pledged allegiance to al-Muntaṣir (Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. Jaʿfar al-Mutawakkil) that night. When Wednesday morning came, the people were present in al-Jaʿfariyya, from among the commanders, secretaries, notables, the Shākiriyya, the army, and others. Aḥmad b. al-Khaṣīb read to them a letter informing them on behalf of al-Muntaṣir that al-Fatḥ b. Khāqān had killed al-Mutawakkil, so he killed him in retaliation. The people pledged allegiance. ʿUbayd Allāh b. Yaḥyā b. Khāqān was present and pledged allegiance, then departed. It is said: It was mentioned on the authority of Abū ʿUthmān Saʿīd al-Ṣaghīr that he said: On the night in which al-Mutawakkil was killed, we were in the residence with al-Muntaṣir. Whenever al-Fatḥ went out, he went out with him; when he returned, he rose when he rose; and when he mounted, he held his stirrup and straightened his clothes in his saddle. The report had reached us that ʿUbayd Allāh b. Yaḥyā had prepared people on al-Muntaṣir's route to assassinate him upon his departure. Al-Mutawakkil had made him hear harsh words and angered him, so he sprang upon him and departed angry. We departed with him to his residence. He had arranged with the Turks to kill al-Mutawakkil when he became intoxicated from wine. He said: I had not waited long before his messenger came to me saying, 'Attend, for the messengers of the Commander of the Believers have come to the prince so that he may ride.' He said: There fell into my soul what we had heard about the assassination of al-Muntaṣir. So I rode in full arms and equipment and came to al-Muntaṣir's gate. There they were in turmoil, and a certain Wājin had come to him and informed him that they had finished with al-Mutawakkil. He mounted, and I caught up with him partway, terrified. He saw what was in me and said, 'No harm upon you. The Commander of the Believers choked on a cup he drank and died, may God Almighty have mercy on him.' That distressed me, and we went on, accompanied by Aḥmad b. al-Khaṣīb and a group of commanders, until we entered the palace. He posted guards at the gates. I said to him, 'O Commander of the Believers, your clients should not leave you at this time.' He said, 'Indeed, and you be behind my back.' So we surrounded him, and those present pledged allegiance to him. Everyone who came was stopped, until Saʿīd al-Kabīr came; he sent him after al-Muʾayyad, and said to me, 'Go yourself to al-Muʿtazz, so that he may attend.' So he sent me, and I went, despairing of my life, with two of my servants. When I reached the gate of al-Muʿtazz, I found no one there from the guards or gatekeepers. I went to the great gate and knocked violently. After a while, someone answered, 'Who are you?' I said, 'A messenger of the Commander of the Believers (al-Muntaṣir).' The messenger went away and was slow, and I became afraid, and the earth became narrow for me. Then the gate was opened, and the servant Baydūn came out and locked the gate. Then he asked me about the news. I informed him that al-Mutawakkil had choked on a cup he drank and died immediately, that the people had gathered and pledged allegiance to al-Muntaṣir, and that he had sent me to bring the prince al-Muʿtazz to pledge allegiance. He entered, then came out and admitted me to al-Muʿtazz. He said to me, 'Woe to you! What is the news?' I informed him, offered condolences, wept, and said, 'Attend and be among the first to pledge allegiance, and you will win your brother's heart.' He said, 'Until morning.' I and Baydūn kept urging him until he mounted. We set out while I talked with him. He asked me about ʿUbayd Allāh b. Yaḥyā. I said, 'He is taking the allegiance from the people, and al-Fatḥ has already pledged allegiance.' So he despaired. We came to the Gate of Goodness, and it was opened for us, and we went to al-Muntaṣir. When he saw him, he drew him near, embraced him, offered condolences, and took the allegiance from him. Then Saʿīd al-Kabīr arrived with al-Muʾayyad, and he did the same with him. Morning came, and al-Muntaṣir ordered the burial of al-Mutawakkil and al-Fatḥ. When morning came, the news spread in al-Mākhūẓa—the city that al-Mutawakkil had built—and among the people of Sāmarrāʾ of the killing of al-Mutawakkil. The army and the Shākiriyya gathered at the Public Gate and at al-Jaʿfariyya, along with others from the mob and common people. The people became many, and word spread, and they pressed upon one another. They spoke about the matter of allegiance. ʿAttāb b. ʿAttāb, or it is said Zarāfa, went out to them and promised them on behalf of the Commander of the Believers al-Muntaṣir, and they listened to him. He entered and informed him. Al-Muntaṣir came out with a group of Maghāriba before him and shouted at them, saying, 'Seize them!' So they pushed them to the gates. The people crowded and pressed upon one another, and they dispersed after six of them had died. The birth of al-Muntaṣir, his lineage, and his description His name was Muḥammad b. al-Mutawakkil, and it is said his name was al-Zubayr. Regarding his kunya there are three opinions: Abū Jaʿfar, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, and Abū al-ʿAbbās. He was born in Sāmarrāʾ in Rabīʿ al-Ākhir in the year 222 AH. He was wide-eyed, short, with a prominent nose, brown-skinned, with a large head, huge belly, corpulent, handsome-faced, and awe-inspiring. On his right eye there was a scar from a blow he received as a child. His mother was an umm walad, a Byzantine woman called Ḥabashiyya. Among his sayings: (The pleasure of pardon is sweeter than the pleasure of revenge, and the ugliest act of the powerful is vengeance).
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