Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3389
The Year 251 AH
الْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ بِاللَّهِ وَاسْمُهُ: مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، وَقِيلَ اسْمُهُ: الزُّبَيْرُ وَيُكَنَّى: أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَكَانَ طَوِيلًا، أَبْيَضَ، أَسْوَدَ الشَّعَرِ كَثِيفَهُ، حَسَنَ الْوَجْهِ وَالْعَيْنَيْنِ وَالْجِسْمِ، ضَيِّقَ الْجَبْهَةِ، أَحْمَرَ الْوَجْنَتَيْنِ، وُلِدَ بِسَامُرَّاءَ وَبَقِيَ مُنْذُ بُويِعَ أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ وَبَعْضَ أُخْرَى ففِي سنة إحدى وخمسين ومائتين وَقَعَتْ فِتْنَةٌ شَنْعَاءُ بَيْنَ جُنْدِ بَغْدَادَ وَجُنْدِ سَامَرَّا، وَدَعَا أَهْلُ سَامَرَّا إِلَى بَيْعَةِ الْمُعْتَزِّ، وَاسْتَقَرَّ أَمْرُ أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَقيل كَانَ سَبَبُ الْبَيْعَةِ لَهُ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ الْمُسْتَعِينُ بِبَغْدَاذَ أَتَاهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْأَتْرَاكِ الْمِشْغَبِينَ، فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَأَلْقَوْا أَنْفُسَهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَجَعَلُوا مَنَاطِقَهُمْ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ تَذَلُّلًا وَخُضُوعًا، وَسَأَلُوهُ الصَّفْحَ عَنْهُمْ وَالرِّضَا. قَالَ لَهُمْ: أَنْتُمْ أَهْلُ بَغِيٍ وَفَسَادٍ، وَاسْتِقْلَالٍ لِلنِّعَمِ، أَلَمْ تَرْفَعُوا إِلَيَّ فِي أَوْلَادِكُمْ فَأُلْحِقَهُمْ بِكُمْ، وَهُمْ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَلْفَيْ غُلَامٍ، وَفِي بَنَاتِكُمْ، فَأَمَرْتُ بِتَصْيِيرِهِنَّ فِي عِدَادِ الْمُتَزَوِّجَاتِ، وَهُنَّ نَحْوًا مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ، وَغَيْرَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ أَجَبْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهِ، وَأَدْرَرْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ الْأَرْزَاقَ، فَعَمِلْتُمْ آنِيَةَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ، وَمَنَعْتُ نَفْسِي لَذَّتَهَا وَشَهْوَتَهَا إِرَادَةً لِصَلَاحِكُمْ وَرِضَاكُمْ، وَأَنْتُمْ تَزْدَادُونَ بَغْيًا وَفَسَادًا، فَعَادُوا وَتَضَرَّعُوا، وَسَأَلُوهُ الْعَفْوَ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ: قَدْ عَفَوْتُ عَنْكُمْ وَرَضِيتُ. فَقَالَ لَهُ أَحَدُهُمْ، وَاسْمُهُ بَابِي بِكَّ: فَإِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ رَضِيتَ فَقُمْ فَارْكَبْ مَعَنَا إِلَى سَامَرَّا، فَإِنَّ الْأَتْرَاكَ يَنْتَظِرُونَكَ، فَأَمَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بَعْضَ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ فَضَرَبَهُ، وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: هَكَذَا يُقَالُ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُمْ فَارْكَبْ مَعَنَا ! فَضَحِكَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ وَقَالَ: هَؤُلَاءِ قَوْمٌ عُجْمٌ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ حُدُودَ الْكَلَامِ. وَقَالَ لَهُمُ الْمُسْتَعِينُ: تَرْجِعُونَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، فَإِنَّ أَرْزَاقَكُمْ دَارَّةٌ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَأَنْظُرْ أَنَا فِي أَمْرِي، فَانْصَرَفُوا آيِسِينَ مِنْهُ، وَأَغْضَبَهُمْ مَا كَانَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى بَابِي بِكَّ، وَأَخْبَرُوا مَنْ وَرَاءَهُمْ خَبَرَهُمْ، وَزَادُوا، وَحَرَّفُوا تَحْرِيضًا لَهُمْ عَلَى خَلْعِهِ، فَاجْتَمَعَ رَأْيُهُمْ عَلَى إِخْرَاجِ الْمُعْتَزِّ، ( وَكَانَ هُوَ وَالْمُؤَيَّدُ فِي حَبْسِ الْجَوْسَقِ، وَعَلَيْهِمَا مَنْ يَحْفَظُهُمَا وَأُخْرِجَ الْمُعْتَزُّ وَأَخُوهُ الْمُؤَيَّدُ مِنَ السِّجْنِ فَبَايَعَ أَهْلُ سَامَرَّا الْمُعْتَزَّ، وَاسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَى حَوَاصِلَ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ بِهَا ; فَإِذَا بِهَا خَمْسُمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَفِي خِزَانَةِ أَمِّ الْمُسْتَعِينِ أَلْفُ أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ، وَفِي حَوَاصِلِ الْعَبَّاسِ ابْنِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ سِتُّمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ. وَكَانَ فِيمَنْ أُحْضِرَ لِلْبَيْعَةِ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بْنُ الرَّشِيدِ وَبِهِ نِقْرِسٌ، فِي مِحَفَّةٍ مَحْمُولًا، فَأُمِرَ بِالْبَيْعَةِ فَامْتَنَعَ، وَقَالَ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ: خَرَجْتَ إِلَيْنَا طَائِعًا، فَخَلَعْتَهَا وَزَعَمْتَ أَنَّكَ لَا تَقُومُ بِهَا، فَقَالَ الْمُعْتَزُّ: أُكْرِهْتُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَخِفْتُ السَّيْفَ. فَقَالَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ: مَا عَلِمْنَا أَنَّكَ أُكْرِهْتَ، وَقَدْ بَايَعْنَا هَذَا الرَّجُلَ، فَنُرِيدُ أَنْ تُطْلِقَ نِسَاءَنَا، وَتَخْرُجَ عَنْ أَمْوَالِنَا، وَلَا نَدْرِي مَا يَكُونُ إِنْ تَرَكْتَنِي عَلَى أَمْرِي حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ، وَإِلَّا فَهَذَا السَّيْفُ. فَتَرَكَهُ الْمُعْتَزُّ. وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ بَايَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الدَّيْرَجُ، وَعَتَّابُ بْنُ عَتَّابٍ، فَأَمَّا عَتَّابٌ فَهَرَبَ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ، وَأَمَّا الدَّيْرَجُ فَأَقَرَّ عَلَى الشُّرْطِ، وَاسْتُعْمِلَ عَلَى الدَّوَاوِينِ، وَبَيْتِ الْمَالِ، وَالْكِتَابَةِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. وَاسْتَفْحَلَ أَمْرُ الْمُعْتَزِّ بِسَامَرَّا، وَأَمَرَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ أَنْ يُحَصِّنَ بَغْدَادَ وَيَعْمَلَ فِي السُّورَيْنِ وَالْخَنْدَقِ، وَغَرِمَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثَمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَوَكَّلَ بِكُلِّ بَابٍ أَمِيرًا يَحْفَظُهُ، وَنَصَبَ عَلَى السُّورِ خَمْسَةَ مَجَانِيقَ، مِنْهَا وَاحِدٌ كَبِيرٌ جِدًّا يُقَالُ لَهُ: الْغَضْبَانُ. وَسِتَّ عَرَّادَاتٍ، وَأَعَدُّوا آلَاتِ الْحَرْبِ وَالْحِصَارِ وَالْعُدَدَ وَقُطِعَتِ الْقَنَاطِرُ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ ; لِئَلَّا يَصِلَ الْجَيْشُ إِلَيْهِمْ. وَكَتَبَ الْمُعْتَزُّ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى الدُّخُولِ مَعَهُ فِي أَمْرِهِ، وَيُذَكِّرُهُ مَا كَانَ أَخَذَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبُوهُ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ مِنَ الْعُهُودِ وَالْمَوَاثِيقِ أَنْ تَكُونَ الْخِلَافَةُ بَعْدَ الْمُنْتَصِرِ لَهُ، فَلَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ إِلَيْهِ بَلْ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ، وَاحْتَجَّ بِحُجَجٍ يَطُولُ ذِكْرُهَا. وَكَتَبَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الْمُسْتَعِينِ وَالْمُعْتَزِّ إِلَى مُوسَى بْنِ بُغَا الْكَبِيرِ وَهُوَ مُقِيمٌ بِأَطْرَافِ الشَّامِ لِحَرْبِ أَهْلِ حِمْصَ يَدْعُوهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بِأَلْوِيَةٍ يَعْقِدُهَا لِمَنِ اخْتَارَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسْتَعِينُ يَأْمُرُهُ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَيْهِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ وَيَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يَسْتَنِيبَ فِي عَمَلِهِ، فَرَكِبَ مُسْرِعًا فَسَارَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا فَكَانَ مَعَ الْمُعْتَزِّ عَلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَكَذَلِكَ هَرَبَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُغَا الصَّغِيرِ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَبِيهِ، مِنْ بَغْدَادَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَكَذَلِكَ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْأُمَرَاءِ وَالْأَتْرَاكِ. حِصَارِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ بِبَغْدَاذَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُعْتَزَّ عَقَدَ لِأَخِيهِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، وَهُوَ الْمُوَفَّقُ، لِسَبْعٍ بَقِينَ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ، عَلَى حَرْبِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَوَلَّاهُ ذَلِكَ، وَضَمَّ إِلَيْهِ الْجَيْشَ، وَجَعَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْأُمُورَ كُلَّهَا، وَجَعَلَ التَّدْبِيرَ إِلَى كَلْبَاتِكِينَ التُّرْكِيِّ، فَسَارَ فِي خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ وَالْفَرَاغِنَةِ، وَأَلْفَيْنِ مِنَ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ عُكْبَرَا صَلَّى بِهَا، وَخُطِبَ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ، وَكَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ، فَذَكَرَ أَهْلُ عُكْبَرَا أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عَلَى خَوْفٍ شَدِيدٍ مِنْ مَسِيرِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَمُحَارَبَتِهِمْ، فَانْتَهَبُوا الْقُرَى مَا بَيْنَ عُكْبَرَا وبَغْدَادَ، فَخَرِبَتِ الضِّيَاعُ، وَأَخَذَ النَّاسُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ. وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ إِلَى عُكْبَرَا هَرَبَ إِلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةٌ كَبِيرَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ بُغَا الصَّغِيرِ، وَوَصَلَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ وَعَسْكَرُهُ بَابَ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ لِسَبْعٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ صَفَرَ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْبَصْرِيِّينَ، يُعْرَفُ بِبَاذِنْجَانَةَ: يَا بَنِي طَاهِرٍ أَتَتْكُمْ جُنُودُ اللَّهِ وَالْمَوْتُ بَيْنَهَا مَشْهُورُ وَجُيُوشُ إِمَامِهِمْ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ نِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنَعِمَ النَّصِيرُ وَلَمَّا نَزَلَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بِبَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ وَلَّى الْمُسْتَعِينُ بَابَ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَجَعَلَ مَنْ هُنَاكَ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ تَحْتَ يَدِهِ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ هُنَاكَ مُدَّةَ الْحَرْبِ إِلَى أَنْ سَارُوا إِلَى الْأَنْبَارِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ عَاشِرُ صَفَرَ وَافَتْ طَلَائِعُ الْأَتْرَاكِ إِلَى بَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَوَقَفُوا بِالْقُرْبِ مِنْهُ، فَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَالشَّاهَ بْنَ مِيكَالَ، وَبُنْدَارَ الطَّبَرِيَّ، فِيمَنْ مَعَهُمْ، وَعَزَمَ عَلَى الرُّكُوبِ لِقِتَالِهِمْ، فَأَتَاهُ الشَّاهُ فَأَعْلَمَهُ أَنَّ الْأَتْرَاكَ لَمَّا عَايَنُوا الْأَعْلَامَ وَالرَّايَاتِ قَدْ أَقْبَلَتْ نَحْوَهُمْ رَجَعُوا إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِمْ، فَتَرَكَ مُحَمَّدٌ الرُّكُوبَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ عَزَمَ مُحَمَّدٌ عَلَى تَوْجِيهِ الْجُيُوشِ إِلَى الْقَفَصِ لِيَعْرِضَهُمْ هُنَاكَ، وَلِيُرْهِبَ الْأَتْرَاكَ، وَرَكِبَ وَمَعَهُ وَصِيفٌ وَبُغَا فِي الدُّرُوعِ، وَمَضَى مَعَهُ الْفُقَهَاءُ وَالْقُضَاةُ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الرُّجُوعِ عَمَّا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الطُّغْيَانِ وَالْعِصْيَانِ، وَيَبْذُلُ لَهُمُ الْأَمَانَ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمُعْتَزُّ وَلِيَّ الْعَهْدِ بَعْدَ الْمُسْتَعِينِ، فَلَمْ يُجِيبُوا، وَمَضَى نَحْوَ بَابِ قُطْرَبُّلَ، فَنَزَلَ عَلَى شَاطِئِ دِجْلَةَ هُوَ وَوَصِيفٌ وَبُغَا، وَلَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ التَّقَدُّمُ لِكَثْرَةِ النَّاسِ فَانْصَرَفَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ أَتَاهُ رُسُلُ وَجْهِ الْفُلْسِ، وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، يُعْلِمُونَهُ أَنَّ التُّرْكَ قَدْ دَنَوْا، وَضَرَبُوا مَضَارِبَهُمْ بِرِقَّةِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ: لَا تَبْدَأُوهُمْ بِقِتَالٍ، وَإِنْ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فَلَا تُقَاتِلُوهُمْ، وَادْفَعُوا الْيَوْمَ، فَوَافَى بَابَ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ مِنْهُمُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ فَارِسًا فَرَمَوْا بِالسِّهَامِ، وَلَمْ يُقَاتِلْهُمْ أَحَدٌ، فَلَمَّا طَالَ مُقَامُهُمْ رَمَاهُمُ الْمَنْجَنِيقِيُّ بِحَجَرٍ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلًا، فَأَخَذُوهُ، وَرَجَعُوا. وَقَدِمَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ خَلِيفَةُ وَصِيفٍ التُّرْكِيِّ مِنْ مَكَّةَ فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَوَافَى الْأَتْرَاكُ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ بَابَ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَخَرَجَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ لِمُحَارَبَتِهِمْ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا وَقُتِلَ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ، وَجُرِحَ، وَكَانُوا فِي الْقَتْلَى وَالْجَرْحَى عَلَى السَّوَاءِ، وَانْهَزَمَ أَهْلُ بَغْدَادَ، وَثَبَتَ أَصْحَابُ الْبَوَارِي ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا، وَأَحْضَرَ الْأَتْرَاكُ مَنْجَنِيقًا، فَغَلَبَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ الْعَامَّةُ، فَأَخَذُوهُ. ثُمَّ سَارَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ النَّهْرَوَانِ، فَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَائِدَيْنِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ، وَأَمَرَهُمَا بِالْمُقَامِ بِتِلْكَ النَّاحِيَةِ، وَحِفْظِهَا مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ، وَأُخِذَتْ دَوَابُّهُمْ، فَدَخَلُوا بَغْدَادَ مُنْهَزِمِينَ، وَوَجَّهَ الْأَتْرَاكُ بِرُؤُوسِ الْقَتْلَى إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَاسْتَوْلَوْا عَلَى طَرِيقِ خُرَاسَانَ، وَانْقَطَعَ الطَّرِيقُ عَنْ بَغْدَادَ. وَوَجَّهَ الْمُعْتَزُّ عَسْكَرًا فِي الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ فَسَارُوا إِلَى بَغْدَادَ، وَجَاوَزُوا قُطْرَبُّلَ، فَضَرَبُوا عَسْكَرَهُمْ هُنَاكَ، وَذَلِكَ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ صَفَرَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ وَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَسْكَرًا إِلَيْهِمْ، فَلَقِيَهُمُ الشَّاهُ بْنُ مِيكَالَ، فَتَحَارَبُوا، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُعْتَزِّ، وَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ كَمِينٌ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَانْهَزَمُوا وَوَضَعَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ فِيهِمُ السَّيْفَ، فَقَتَلُوهُمْ أَكْثَرَ قَتْلٍ، وَلَمْ يَفْلِتْ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا الْقَلِيلُ، وَنَهَبَ عَسْكَرَهُمْ جَمِيعَهُ، وَمَنْ سَلِمَ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ أَلْقَى نَفْسَهُ فِي دِجْلَةَ لِيَعْبُرَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ، فَأَخَذَهُ أَصْحَابُ السُّفُنِ، وَحَمَلُوا الْأَسْرَى وَالرُّؤُوسَ فِي الزَّوَارِيقِ، فَنَصَبَ بَعْضَهَا بِبَغْدَاذَ. وَأَمَرَ مُحَمَّدٌ لِمَنْ أَبْلَى فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ بِالْأَسْوِرَةِ، وَالْخِلَعِ، وَالْأَمْوَالِ، وَطُلِبَتِ الْمُنْهَزِمَةُ، فَبَلَغَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوَانًا، وَبَعْضُهُمْ بَلَغَ سَامَرَّا، وَكَانَ عَسْكَرُ الْمُعْتَزِّ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ فَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ أَلْفَانِ، وَغَرِقَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَأُسِرَ جَمَاعَةٌ، فَخَلَعَ مُحَمَّدٌ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْقُوَّادِ، عَلَى كُلِّ قَائِدٍ أَرْبَعَ خِلَعٍ، وَطَوْقًا وَسُوَارًا، مِنْ ذَهَبٍ. وَكَانَ عَوْدُ أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ عَنْهُمْ مَعَ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَكَانَ أَكْثَرُ الْعَمَلِ فِي هَذَا الْيَوْمِ لِلْعَيَّارِينَ. وَرَكِبَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ صَفَرَ إِلَى الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَأَمَرَ بِهَدْمِ مَا وَرَاءِ سُورِهَا مِنَ الدُّورِ، وَالْحَوَانِيتِ، وَالْبَسَاتِينِ، مِنْ بَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَبْوَابٍ، لِيَتَّسِعَ عَلَى مَنْ يُحَارِبُ. وَقَدِمَ مَالٌ مِنْ فَارِسٍ وَالْأَهْوَازِ مَعَ منكجورَ الْأَشْرُوسَنِيِّ، فَوَجَّهَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْأَتْرَاكَ لِأَخْذِهِ، فَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَمَاعَةً لِحِفْظِ الْمَالِ، فَعَدَلُوا بِهِ عَنِ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَقَدِمُوا بِهِ بَغْدَادَ، فَلَمَّا عَلِمَ الْأَتْرَاكُ بِذَلِكَ عَدَلُوا نَحْوَ النَّهْرَوَانِ، فَقَتَلُوا وَأَحْرَقُوا سُفُنَ الْجِسْرِ، وَهِيَ عِشْرُونَ سَفِينَةً، وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى سَامَرَّا. وَقَدِمَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ مَزِيدٍ، وَكَانَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ قَلَّدَهُ إِمْرَةَ الثُّغُورِ الْجَزَرِيَّةِ، كَانَ بِمَدِينَةِ بَلَدَ يَنْتَظِرُ الْجُنُودَ وَالْمَالَ لِيَسِيرَ إِلَى الثُّغُورِ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ وَالْأَتْرَاكِ مَا ذَكَرْنَا، سَارَ مِنْ بَلَدَ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ عَلَى طَرِيقِ الرِّقَّةِ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ وَخَاصَّتِهِ، وَهُمْ زُهَاءَ أَرْبَعِ مِائَةٍ، فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ خَمْسَ خِلَعٍ، ثُمَّ وَجَّهَهُ فِي جَيْشٍ كَثِيفٍ لِمُحَارَبَةِ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ، فَأُخِذَ عَلَى طَرِيقِ الْفُرَاتِ، فَحَارَبَهُ فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ، فَهَزَمَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَصَارَ إِلَى ضَيْعَتِهِ بِالسَّوَادِ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ مُحَمَّدٌ بِهَزِيمَتِهِ قَالَ: لَا يُفْلِحُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَبِيٌّ يَنْصُرُهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ. وَكَانَتْ لِلْأَتْرَاكِ وَقْعَةٌ بِبَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَقَاتَلُوا عَلَيْهِ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، حَتَّى كَشَفُوا مَنْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَمَوْا ( بِهِ ) الْمَنْجَنِيقَ بِالنَّارِ وَالنِّفْطِ، فَلَمْ يَحْرِقْهُ، ثُمَّ كَثُرَ الْجُنْدُ عَلَى الْبَابِ، فَأَزَالَهُمْ عَنْ مَوْقِفِهِمْ بَعْدَ قَتْلَى وَجَرْحَى، وَوَجَّهَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْعَرَّادَاتِ فِي السُّفُنِ فَرَمَوْهُمْ بِهَا رَمْيًا شَدِيدًا، فَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ نَحْوَ مِائَةٍ، وَكَانَ بَعْضُ الْمَغَارِبَةِ قَدْ صَارَ إِلَى السُّورِ، فَرَمَى بِكَلَّابٍ، فَتَعَلَّقَ بِهِ، فَأَخَذَهُ الْمُوَكَّلُونَ بِالسُّورِ وَرَفَعُوهُ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَأَلْقَوْا رَأْسَهُ إِلَى الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى مُعَسْكَرِهِمْ. وَأَرَادَ بَعْضُ الْمُوَكَّلِينَ بِالسُّورِ أَنْ يَصِيحَ: يَا مُسْتَعِينُ، يَا مَنْصُورُ، فَصَاحَ: يَا مُعْتَزُّ، يَا مَنْصُورُ، فَظَنُّوهُ مِنَ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، فَقَتَلُوهُ. وَتَقَدَّمَ الْأَتْرَاكُ، فِي بَعْضِ الْأَيَّامِ، إِلَى بَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَرُمِيَ الدَّرْغَمَانُ، مُقَدِّمُ الْمَغَارِبَةِ، بِحَجَرِ مَنْجَنِيقٍ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَكَانَ شُجَاعًا، وَكَانَ بَعْضُ الْمَغَارِبَةِ يَجِيءُ فَيَكْشِفُ إِسْتَهُ، وَيَصِيحُ، وَيَضْرِطُ، ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ، فَرَمَاهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ بِسَهْمٍ فِي دُبُرِهِ، فَجُرِحَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ، فَخَرَّ مَيِّتًا. وَاجْتَمَعَتِ الْعَامَّةُ بِسَامَرَّا وَنَهَبُوا سُوقَيِ الْجَوْهَرِيِّينَ وَالصَّيَارِفَةِ وَغَيْرَهُمَا، فَشَكَا التُّجَّارُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُؤَيَّدِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ تُحَوِّلُوا مَتَاعَكُمْ إِلَى مَنَازِلِكُمْ، وَلَمْ يَصْنَعْ شَيْئًا، وَلَا أُنْكِرُ ذَلِكَ. وَقَدِمَ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ صَفَرَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الثُّغُورِ يَشْكُونَ بَلْكَاجُورَ، وَيَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ بَيْعَةَ الْمُعْتَزِّ وَرَدَتْ عَلَيْهِ، فَدَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى بَيْعَتِهِ، وَأَخَذَ النَّاسُ بِذَلِكَ، فَمَنِ امْتَنَعَ ضَرَبَهُ وَحَبَسَهُ، وَأَنَّهُمُ امْتَنَعُوا وَهَرَبُوا، فَقَالَ وَصِيفٌ: مَا أَظُنُّهُ إِلَّا ظَنَّ أَنَّ الْمُسْتَعِينَ مَاتَ، وَقَامَ الْمُعْتَزُّ، فَقَالُوا: مَا فَعَلَهُ إِلَّا عَنْ عَمْدٍ، فَوَرَدَ كِتَابُ بَلْكَاجُورَ لِأَرْبَعٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ صَفَرَ، يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بَايَعَ الْمُعْتَزَّ، فَلَمَّا وَرَدَ كِتَابُ الْمُسْتَعِينِ بِصِحَّةِ الْأَمْرِ جَدَّدَ لَهُ الْبَيْعَةَ، وَأَنَّهُ عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ، فَأَرَادَ مُوسَى بْنُ بُغَا أَنْ يَسِيرَ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، فَامْتَنَعَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْأَتْرَاكُ مِنْ مُوَافَقَتِهِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ، وَحَارَبُوهُ، فَقَتَلَ بَيْنَهُمْ قَتْلَى. وَقَدِمَ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ عَشْرُ سَفَائِنَ بَحَرِيَّةٍ، فِي كُلِّ سَفِينَةٍ خَمْسَةٌ وَأَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا مَا بَيْنَ نَفَّاطٍ وَغَيْرِهِ، فَمَرَّتْ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَرَمَى مَنْ فِيهَا بِالنِّيرَانِ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ، فَانْتَقَلُوا إِلَى مَوْضِعٍ لَا يَنَالُهُمْ شَيْءٌ مِنَ النَّارِ. وَلِلَيْلَةٍ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ صَفَرَ تَقَدَّمَ الْأَتْرَاكُ إِلَى أَبْوَابِ بَغْدَادَ، فَقَاتَلُوا عَلَيْهَا، فَقُتِلَ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، وَدَامَ الْقِتَالُ إِلَى الْعَصْرِ. وَفِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ عَمِلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ كَافَرَكُونَاتٍ وَفَرَّقَهَا عَلَى الْعَيَّارِينَ، فَخَرَجُوا بِهَا إِلَى أَبْوَابِ بَغْدَادَ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ نَحْوًا مِنْ خَمْسِينَ رَجُلًا. وَلِأَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ قَدِمَ مُزَاحِمُ بْنُ خَاقَانَ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الرَّقَّةِ، فَتَلَقَّاهُ النَّاسُ وَمَعَهُ زُهَاءَ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ خَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ سَبْعَ خِلَعٍ، وَقَلَّدَهُ سَيْفًا. وَوَجَّهَ الْمُعْتَزُّ عَسْكَرًا يَبْلُغُونَ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافٍ، فَعَسْكَرُوا بِإِزَاءِ عَسْكَرِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ بِبَابِ قُطْرَبُّلَ، وَرَكِبَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي عَسْكَرِهِ، وَخَرَجَ مِنَ النَّظَّارَةِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَحَاذَى عَسْكَرَ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ، فَكَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الْمَاءِ جَوْلَةٌ، وَقُتِلَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ خَمْسِينَ رَجُلًا، وَمَضَى النَّظَّارَةُ فَجَازُوا الْعَسْكَرَ بِنِصْفِ فَرْسَخٍ، فَعَبَرَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ سُفُنٌ لِأَبِي أَحْمَدَ، فَنَالَتْ مِنْهُمْ، وَرَجَعَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَأَمَرَ ابْنَ أَبِي عَوْنٍ بِرَدِّ النَّاسِ، فَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْعَوْدِ، فَأَغْلَظُوا لَهُ، فَشَتَمَهُمْ وَشَتَمُوهُ، وَضَرَبَ رَجُلًا مِنْهُمْ فَقَتَلَهُ، فَحَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْعَامَّةُ، فَانْكَشَفَ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ، فَأَخَذَ أَصْحَابُ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ أَرْبَعَ سَفَائِنَ، وَأَحْرَقُوا سَفِينَةً فِيهَا عَرَّادَةٌ لِأَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ. وَسَارَ الْعَامَّةُ إِلَى دَارِ ابْنِ أَبِي عَوْنٍ لِيَنْهَبُوهَا، وَقَالُوا مَايَلَ الْأَتْرَاكَ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَكَلَّمُوا مُحَمَّدًا فِي صَرْفِهِ، فَصَرَفَهُ، وَمَنَعَهُمْ مِنْ أَخْذِ مَالِهِ. وَلِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ وَصَلَ عَسْكَرُ الْمُعْتَزِّ الَّذِي سَيَّرَهُ إِلَى مُقَابِلِ عَسْكَرِ أَخِيهِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ عِنْدَ عُكْبَرَا، فَأَخْرَجَ إِلَيْهِمُ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ عَسْكَرًا، فَمَضَوْا حَتَّى بَلَغُوا قُطْرَبُّلَ وَبِهَا كَمِينُ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَأَوْقَعَ بِهِمْ، وَنَشِبَتِ الْحَرْبُ بَيْنَهُمْ، وَقُتِلَ بَيْنَهُمْ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَانْدَفَعَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَلِيلًا إِلَى بَابِ قُطْرَبُّلَ، وَالْأَتْرَاكُ مَعَهُمْ، فَخَرَجَ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَدَفَعُوا الْأَتْرَاكَ حَتَّى نَحُّوهُمْ، ثُمَّ رَجَعُوا إِلَى أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ فَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَقُتِلَ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ أَيْضًا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ الْأَتْرَاكُ إِلَى بَابِ الْقَطِيعَةِ، فَنَقَبُوا السُّورَ، فَقَتَلَ أَهْلُ بَغْدَادَ ( أَوَّلَ خَارِجٍ مِنْهُ )، وَكَانَ الْقَتْلُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ أَكْثَرُهُ فِي الْأَتْرَاكِ، وَالْجِرَاحُ بِالسِّهَامِ فِي أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ. وَنَدَبَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ النَّاسَ، فَخَرَجُوا مَعَهُ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُوَكَّلَ بِبَابِ قُطْرَبُّلَ أَلَّا يَدَعَ مُنْهَزِمًا يَدْخُلُهُ، وَنَشِبَتِ الْحَرْبُ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَثَبَتَ أَسَدُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ حَتَّى قُتِلَ، وَكَانَ إِغْلَاقُ الْبَابِ عَلَى الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَأَخَذُوا مِنْهُمُ الْأَسْرَى، وَقَتَلُوا فَأَكْثَرُوا، وَحَمَلُوا الْأَسْرَى وَالرُّؤُوسَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، فَلَمَّا قَارَبُوا مِنْهَا غَطَّوْا رُؤُوسَ الْأَسْرَى، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ أَهْلُ سَامَرَّا بَكَوْا وَضَجُّوا، وَارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ، وَأَصْوَاتُ نِسَائِهِمْ، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْمُعْتَزَّ فَكَرِهَ أَنْ تَغْلُظَ قُلُوبُ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَمَرَ لِكُلِّ أَسِيرٍ بِدِينَارٍ، وَأَمَرَ بِالرُؤُوسِ فَدُفِنَتْ. وَقَدِمَ أَبُو السَّاجِ مِنْ طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ لِأَرْبَعٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ، فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ. وَفِي سَلْخِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ جَاءَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ إِلَى بَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، وَمَعَهُمْ كِتَابٌ مِنَ الْمُعْتَزِّ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَاسْتَأْذَنَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي أَخْذِهِ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَإِذَا فِيهِ ( تَذْكِيرُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِمَا ) يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ حِفْظِ الْعَهْدِ الْقَدِيمِ ( وَأَنَّ الْوَاجِبَ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ ) أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَسْعَى فِي أَمْرِهِ وَيُؤَكِّدَ خِلَافَتَهُ. ( فَمَا رَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدٌ جَوَابَ الْكِتَابِ )، وَكَانَتْ وَقْعَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ لِسَبْعٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْآخِرَ، قُتِلَ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ سَبْعُ مِائَةٍ وَمِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُحَمَّدٍ ثَلَاثُمِائَةٍ. وَفِي مُنْتَصَفِ رَبِيعٍ الْآخِرِ أُمِرَ أَبُو السَّاجِ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ فَرَاشَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو السَّاجِ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: إِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ الْجِدَّ مَعَ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ فَلَا تُفَرِّقْ قُوَّادَكَ، وَاجْمَعْهُمْ، حَتَّى تَهْزِمَ هَذَا الْعَسْكَرَ الْمُقِيمَ بِإِزَائِكَ، فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ مِنْهُمْ فَمَا أَقْدَرَكَ عَلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ ! فَقَالَ: إِنَّ لِي تَدْبِيرًا، وَيَكْفِي اللَّهُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ، فَقَالَ أَبُو السَّاجِ: السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ ! وَسَارَ إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ وَحَفَرَ خَنْدَقَهَا، وَأَمَدَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ بِثَلَاثَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ وَأَلْفَيْ رَاجِلٍ. وَكَتَبَ الْمُعْتَزُّ إِلَى أَخِيهِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ يَلُومُهُ لِلتَّقْصِيرِ فِي قِتَالِ أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْجَوَابِ: لِأَمْرِ الْمَنَايَا عَلَيْنَا طَرِيقُ وَلِلدَّهْرِ فِينَا اتِّسَاعٌ وَضِيقُ وَأَيَّامُنَا عِبْرَةٌ لِلْأَنَامِ فَمِنْهَا الْبُكُورُ وَمِنْهَا الطُّرُوقُ وَمِنْهَا هَنَاتٌ تُشِيبُ الْوَلِيدَ وَيَخْذُلُ فِيهَا الصَّدِيقَ الصَّدُوقُ وَفِتْنَةُ دِينٍ لَهَا ذُرْوَةٌ تَفُوقُ الْعُيُونَ، وَبَحْرٌ عَمِيقُ قَتَّالٌ مَتِينٌ ، وَسَيْفٌ عَتِيدٌ وَخَوْفٌ شَدِيدٌ، وَحِصْنٌ وَثِيقُ وَطُولُ صِيَاحٍ لِدَاعِي الصَّبَاحِ السِّلَاحَ السِّلَاحَ فَمَا يَسْتَفِيقُ فَهَذَا طَرِيحٌ وَهَذَا جَرِيحٌ وَهَذَا حَرِيقٌ وَهَذَا غَرِيقُ وَهَذَا قَتِيلٌ وَهَذَا تَلِيلٌ وَآخَرُ يَشْدَخُهُ الْمَنْجَنِيقُ هُنَاكَ اغْتِصَابٌ وَثُمَّ انْتِهَابٌ وَدُورٌ خَرَابٌ وَكَانَتْ تَرُوقُ إِذَا مَا شَرَعْنَا إِلَى مَسْلَكٍ وَجَدْنَاهُ قَدْ سُدَّ عَنَّا الطَّرِيقُ فَبِاللَّهِ نَبْلُغُ مَا نَرْتَجِي وَبِاللَّهِ نَدْفَعُ مَا لَا نُطِيقُ وَهَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتُ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ فِي فِتْنَةِ الْأَمِينِ وَالْمَأْمُونِ. حَالِ الْأَنْبَارِ وَسَيَّرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْأَنْبَارِ نَجُوبَةَ بْنَ قَيْسٍ، فَأَقَامَ بِهَا، وَجَمَعَ بِهَا نَحْوًا مِنْ أَلْفَيْ رَجُلٍ، وَأَمَدَّهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِأَلْفٍ وَخَمْسِ مِائَةٍ، وَشَقَّ الْمَاءَ مِنَ الْفُرَاتِ إِلَى خَنْدَقِهَا، فَفَاضَ عَلَى الصَّحَارِي، فَصَارَ بَطِيحَةً وَاحِدَةً، وَقَطَعَ الْقَنَاطِرِ. وَسَيَّرَ الْمُعْتَزُّ جُنْدًا مَعَ عَلِيٍّ الْإِسْحَاقِيِّ نَحْوَ الْأَنْبَارِ، فَوَصَلُوا سَاعَةَ وُصُولِ مَدَدِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَقَدْ نَزَلُوا ظَاهِرَهَا، فَاقْتَتَلُوا أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ، فَانْهَزَمَ مَدَدُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَرَجَعُوا فِي الطَّرِيقِ الَّذِي جَاؤُوا فِيهِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ. وَكَانَ نَجُوبَةُ بِالْأَنْبَارِ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْهَا، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ هَزِيمَةُ مَدَدِهِ، وَمَسِيرُ الْأَتْرَاكِ إِلَيْهِ، عَبَرَ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، وَقَطَعَ الْجِسْرَ وَسَارَ نَحْوَ بَغْدَادَ، فَاخْتَارَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( إِنْفَاذَ ) الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَى الْأَنْبَارِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ وَالْجُنْدِ، فَجَهَّزَهُمْ، وَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ رِزْقَ أَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ. وَخَرَجَ الْجُنْدُ وَعَرَضَهُمُ الْحُسَيْنُ، وَسَارَ عَنْ بَغْدَادَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ لِسَبْعٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، وَتَبِعَهُ النَّاسُ، وَالْقُوَّادُ، وَبَنُو هَاشِمٍ إِلَى الْيَاسِرِيَّةِ. وَكَانَ أَهْلُ الْأَنْبَارِ لَمَّا دَخَلَهَا الْأَتْرَاكُ قَدْ أَمِنُوهُمْ، فَفَتَحُوا دَكَاكِينَهُمْ، وَأَسْوَاقَهُمْ، وَوَافَاهُمْ سُفُنٌ مِنَ الرِّقَّةِ تَحْمِلُ الدَّقِيقَ وَالزَّيْتَ وَغَيْرَ ذَلِكَ، فَانْتَهَبَهَا الْأَتْرَاكُ وَحَمَلُوهَا إِلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ بِسَامَرَّا، وَوَجَّهُوا بِالْأَسْرَى وَبِالرُّؤُوسِ مَعَهَا. وَسَارَ الْحُسَيْنُ حَتَّى نَزَلَ دِمِمَّا، وَوَافَتْهُ طَلَائِعُ الْأَتْرَاكِ فَوْقَ دِمِمَّا، فَصَفَّ أَصْحَابَهُ مُقَابِلَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، بَيْنَهُمَا نَهْرٌ، وَكَانَ عَسْكَرُهُ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ، ( وَكَانَ الْأَتْرَاكُ فَوْقَ دِمِمَّا، فَصَفَّ أَصْحَابَهُ )، وَكَانَ الْأَتْرَاكُ زُهَاءَ أَلْفِ رَجُلٍ، فَتَرَامَوْا بِالسِّهَامِ، فَجُرِحَ بَيْنَهُمْ عَدَدٌ، وَعَادَ الْأَتْرَاكُ إِلَى الْأَنْبَارِ، وَتَقَدَّمَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَنَزَلَ بِمَكَانٍ يُعْرَفُ بِالْقَطِيعَةِ، وَاسِعٍ يَحْمِلُ الْعَسْكَرَ، فَأَقَامَ فِيهِ يَوْمَهُ، ثُمَّ عَزَمَ عَلَى الرَّحِيلِ إِلَى قُرْبِ الْأَنْبَارِ، فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُوَّادُ أَنْ يُنْزِلَ عَسْكَرَهُ بِهَذَا الْمَكَانِ بِالْقَطِيعَةِ لِسِعَتِهِ وَحَصَانَتِهِ، وَيَسِيرَ هُوَ وَجُنْدُهُ جَرِيدَةً، فَإِنْ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ لَهُ كَانَ قَادِرًا عَلَى نَقْلِ عَسْكَرِهِ، ( وَإِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ رَجَعَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ ) وَعَاوَدَ عَدُّوَهُ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ وَسَارَ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ. فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ النُّزُولَ بِهِ أَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالنُّزُولِ، فَأَتَتِ الْأَتْرَاكُ جَوَاسِيسَهُمْ، وَأَعْلَمُوهُمْ بِمَسِيرِهِ وَضِيقِ مَكَانِهِ، فَأَتَاهُمُ الْأَتْرَاكُ وَالنَّاسُ يَحُطُّونَ أَثْقَالَهُمْ، فَثَارَ أَهْلُ الْعَسْكَرِ وَقَاتَلُوهُمْ فَقُتِلَ بَيْنَهُمْ قَتْلَى مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ، وَحَمَلَ أَصْحَابُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَكَشَفُوهُمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ مَقْتَلَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَغَرِقَ مِنْهُ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ. وَكَانَ الْأَتْرَاكُ قَدْ كَمَّنُوا لَهُمْ كَمِينًا، فَخَرَجَ الْكَمِينُ عَلَى بَقِيَّةِ الْعَسْكَرِ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ مَلْجَأٌ إِلَّا الْفُرَاتُ، وَغَرِقَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَقُتِلَ جَمَاعَةٌ وَأُسِرَ جَمَاعَةٌ. وَأَمَّا الْفُرْسَانُ فَهَرَبُوا لَا يَلْوُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ، وَالْقُوَّادُ يُنَادُونَهُمْ: الرَّجْعَةَ، فَلَمْ يَرْجِعْ أَحَدٌ، فَخَافُوا عَلَى نُفُوسِهِمْ، فَرَجَعُوا يَحْمُونَ أَصْحَابَهُمْ، وَأَخَذَ الْأَتْرَاكُ عَسْكَرَ الْحُسَيْنِ بِمَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْخِلَعِ الَّتِي كَانَتْ مَعَهُ، وَسَلَّمَ مَا كَانَ مَعَهُ مِنْ سِلَاحٍ فِي السُّفُنِ، لِأَنَّ الْمَلَّاحِينَ حَذَرُوا السُّفُنَ، فَسَلَّمَ مَا مَعَهُمْ مِنْ سِلَاحٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. وَوَصَلَ الْمُنْهَزِمُونَ إِلَى الْيَاسِرِيَّةِ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ، وَلَقِيَ الْحُسَيْنَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ التُّجَّارِ مِمَّنْ ذَهَبَتْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ، فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بَيَّضَ وَجْهَكَ، أُصْعِدْتَ فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا، وَانْصَرَفْتَ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ ! فَتَغَافَلَ عَنْهُ. وَلَمَّا اتَّصَلَ خَبَرُ الْهَزِيمَةِ بِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ مَنَعَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ مِنْ دُخُولِ بَغْدَادَ، وَنَادَى: مَنْ وَجَدْنَاهُ بِبَغْدَاذَ مِنْ عَسْكَرِ الْحُسَيْنِ، بَعْدَ ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، ضُرِبَ ثَلَاثَمِائَةَ سَوْطٍ، وَأُسْقِطَ مِنَ الدِّيوَانِ، فَخَرَجَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بِالْيَاسِرِيَّةِ، وَأَخْرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ [ ابْنُ ] عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جُنْدًا آخَرَ، وَأَعْطَاهُمُ الْأَرْزَاقَ، وَأَمَرَ بَعْضَ النَّاسِ لِيَعْلَمَ مَنْ قُتِلَ، وَمَنْ غَرِقَ، وَمَنْ سَلِمَ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ. وَأَتَاهُمْ كِتَابُ بَعْضِ عُيُونِهِمْ مِنَ الْأَنْبَارِ يُخْبِرُهُمْ أَنَّ الْقَتْلَى كَانَتْ مِنَ التُّرْكِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِائَتَيْنِ، وَالْجَرْحَى نَحْوَ أَرْبَعِ مِائَةٍ، وَأَنَّ جَمِيعَ مَنْ أَسَرَهُ الْأَتْرَاكُ مِائَتَانِ وَعِشْرُونَ رَجُلًا، وَأَنَّهُ عَدَّ رُؤُوسَ الْقَتْلَى فَكَانَتْ سَبْعِينَ رَأْسًا، وَكَانُوا أَخَذُوا جَمَاعَةً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَسْوَاقِ فَأَطْلَقُوهُمْ، فَرَحَلَ الْحُسَيْنُ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ، وَسَارَ حَتَّى عَبَرَ نَهَرَ أَرْبَقَ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ السَّبْتُ لِثَمَانٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ أَتَاهُ إِنْسَانٌ فَأَعْلَمَهُ أَنَّ الْأَتْرَاكَ يُرِيدُونَ الْعُبُورَ إِلَيْهِ فِي عِدَّةِ مَخَاضَاتٍ، فَضَرَبَهُ، وَوَكَّلَ بِمَوَاضِعِ الْمَخَاضِ رَجُلًا مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْأَرْمَنِيُّ فِي مِائَتَيْ رَجُلٍ، فَأَتَى الْأَتْرَاكُ الْمَخَاضَةَ، فَرَأَوُا الْمُوكَلَ بِهَا، فَتَرَكُوهَا إِلَى مَخَاضَةٍ أُخْرَى، فَقَاتَلُوهُمْ، وَصَبَرَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ أَنَّ الْأَتْرَاكَ قَدْ وَافَوُا الْمَخَاضَةَ، فَقِيلَ لِلرَّسُولِ: الْأَمِيرُ نَائِمٌ، فَأَرْسَلَ آخَرَ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: الْأَمِيرُ فِي الْمَخْرَجِ، فَأَرْسَلَ آخَرَ، فَقِيلَ [ لَهُ ]: الْأَمِيرُ قَدْ عَادَ فَنَامَ، فَعَبَرَ الْأَتْرَاكُ، فَقَعَدَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فِي زَوْرَقٍ وَانْحَدَرَ، وَهَرَبَ أَصْحَابُهُ مُنْهَزِمِينَ، وَقَتَلَ الْأَتْرَاكُ مِنْهُمْ وَأَسَرُوا نَحْوَ مِائَتَيْنِ، وَانْحَدَرَتْ عَامَّةُ السُّفُنِ فَسُلِّمَتْ، وَوَضَعَ الْأَتْرَاكُ السَّيْفَ، وَغَرِقَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَوَصَلَ الْمُنْهَزِمُونَ بَغْدَادَ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ، وَوَافَى بَقِيَّتُهُمْ فِي النَّهَارِ، وَاسْتَوْلَى الْأَتْرَاكُ عَلَى أَثْقَالِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَقُتِلَ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْحُسَيْنِ، فَقَالَ الْهِنْدُوَانِيُّ فِي الْحُسَيْنِ: يَا أَحْزَمَ النَّاسِ رَأَيًا فِي تَخَلُّفِهِ عَنِ الْقِتَالِ خَلَطْتَ الصَّفْوَ بِالْكَدَرِ لَمَّا رَأَيْتَ سُيُوفَ التُّرْكِ مُصْلَتَةً عَلِمْتَ مَا فِي سُيُوفِ التُّرْكِ مِنْ قَدَرِ فَصِرْتَ مُضَجِّرًا ذُلًّا وَمَنْقَصَةً وَالنُّجْحُ يَذْهَبُ بَيْنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالضَّجَرِ وَلَحِقَ فِيهَا جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْكُتَّابِ وَبَنِي هَاشِمٍ بِالْمُعْتَزِّ، فَمِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ عَلِيُّ وَمُحَمَّدٌ ابْنَا الْوَاثِقِ وَغَيْرُهُمَا. ثُمَّ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ عِدَّةُ وَقَعَاتٍ، وَقُتِلَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَدَخَلَ الْأَتْرَاكُ فِي بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الْحُرُوبِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ، ثُمَّ تَكَاثَرَ النَّاسُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَخْرَجُوهُمْ مِنْهَا. وَجَرَى بَيْنَ أَبِي السَّاجِ وَجَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ ( وَقْعَةٌ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ أَبُو السَّاجِ، ثُمَّ وَاقَعُوهُ أُخْرَى، فَتَخَلَّى عَنْهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ فَانْهَزَمَ، وَدَخَلَ الْأَتْرَاكُ الْمَدَائِنَ، وَخَرَجَتِ الْأَتْرَاكُ ) الَّذِينَ بِالْأَنْبَارِ فِي سَوَادِ بَغْدَادَ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، حَتَّى بَلَغُوا صَرْصَرَ وَقَصْرَ ابْنِ هُبَيْرَةَ. وَفِي ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ كَانَتْ وَقْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، خَرَجَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ فِي جَمِيعِ الْقُوَّادِ وَالْعَسْكَرِ، وَنُصِبَ لَهُ قُبَّةٌ وَجَلَسَ فِيهَا، وَاقْتَتَلَ النَّاسُ قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، فَانْهَزَمَتِ الْأَتْرَاكُ وَدَخَلَ أَهْلُ بَغْدَادَ عَسْكَرَهُمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَهَرَبُوا عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ لَا يَلْوُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ، فَكُلَّمَا جِيءَ بِرَأْسٍ يَقُولُ بُغَا: ذَهَبَتِ الْمَوَالِي، وَسَاءَ ذَلِكَ مَنْ مَعَ بُغَا وَوَصِيفٍ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ. وَوَقَفَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ بْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ يَرُدُّ الْأَتْرَاكَ، وَيُخْبِرُهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَرْجِعُوا لَمْ يُبْقِ لَهُمْ بَقِيَّةً، وَتَبِعَهُمْ أَهْلُ بَغْدَادَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، فَتَرَاجَعُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَإِنَّ بَعْضَ أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ رَجَعُوا عَنِ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ، فَرَأَى أَصْحَابُهُمْ أَعْلَامَهُمْ، فَظَنُّوهَا أَعْلَامَ الْأَتْرَاكِ قَدْ عَادَتْ، فَانْهَزَمُوا نَحْوَ بَغْدَادَ مُزْدَحِمِينَ، وَتَرَاجَعَ الْأَتْرَاكُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِمْ، وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا بِهَزِيمَةِ أَهْلِ بَغْدَادَ، فَتَحَمَّلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ. وَفِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ وَجَّهَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ خَمْسَ سَفَائِنَ مَمْلُوءَةٍ طَعَامًا وَدَقِيقًا إِلَى ابْنِ طَاهِرٍ. عزم ابن طاهر خلع المستعين والبيعة للمعتز وَفِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ عَلِمَ النَّاسُ بِمَا عَلَيْهِ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ مِنْ خَلْعِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ وَالْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ، وَوَجَّهَ قُوَّادَهُ إِلَى أَبِي أَحْمَدَ، فَبَايَعُوهُ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ، وَكَانَتِ الْعَامَّةُ تَظُنُّ أَنَّ الصُّلْحَ جَرَى عَلَى أَنَّ الْخَلِيفَةَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ وَالْمُعْتَزَّ وَلِيُّ عَهْدِهِ. وَفِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ أَيْضًا خَرَجَ رَشِيدُ بْنُ كَاوُسَ أَخُو الْأَفْشِينِ، وَكَانَ مُوكَلًا بِبَابِ السَّلَامَةِ، إِلَى الْأَتْرَاكِ، وَسَارَ مَعَهُمْ إِلَى أَبِي أَحْمَدَ، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى أَبْوَابِ بَغْدَادَ يَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ: إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْمُعْتَزَّ، وَأَبَا أَحْمَدَ يَقْرَآنِ عَلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ، وَيَقُولَانِ: مَنْ أَطَاعَنَا وَصَلْنَاهُ، وَمَنْ أَبَى فَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ. فَشَتَمَهُ النَّاسُ، وَعَلِمُوا بِمَا عَلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ طَاهِرٍ، فَعَبَرَتِ الْعَامَّةُ إِلَى الْجَزِيرَةِ الَّتِي حِذَاءَ دَارِهِ، فَشَتَمُوهُ أَقْبَحَ شَتْمٍ، ثُمَّ سَارُوا إِلَى بَابِ دَارِهِ فَفَعَلُوا بِهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، وَقَاتَلُوا مَنْ عَلَى بَابِهِ حَتَّى كَشَفُوهُمْ، وَدَخَلُوا دِهْلِيزَ دَارِهِ، وَأَرَادُوا إِحْرَاقَ دَارِهِ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا نَارًا، وَبَاتَ مِنْهُمْ بِالْجَزِيرَةِ جَمَاعَةٌ يَشْتُمُونَهُ وَهُوَ يَسْمَعُ، فَلَمَّا ذَكَرُوا اسْمَ أُمِّهِ ضَحِكَ، وَقَالَ: مَا أَدْرِي كَيْفَ عَرَفُوهُ، وَقَدْ كَانَ أَكْثَرُ جَوَارِي أَبِي لَا يَعْرِفُونَ اسْمَهَا. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ فَعَلُوا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَسَارَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَطْلُعَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَيُسْكِتَهُمْ، فَفَعَلَ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا لَمْ يُخْلَعْ، وَلَمْ أَتَّهِمْهُ، وَوَعَدَهُمْ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِهِمُ الْجُمْعَةَ، فَانْصَرَفُوا. ثُمَّ تَرَدَّدَتِ الرُّسُلُ بَيْنَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَبَيْنَ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ مَعَ حَمَّادِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ ( بْنِ حَمَّادِ ) بْنِ يَزِيدَ، وَثَارَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ رَجَّالَةِ الْجُنْدِ، وَكَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ، فَطَلَبَ الْجُنْدُ أَرْزَاقَهُمْ، وَشَكَتِ الْعَامَّةُ سُوءَ الْحَالِ، وَغَلَاءَ السِّعْرِ، وَقَالُوا: إِمَّا خَرَجْتَ، فَقَابَلْتَ، وَإِمَّا تَرَكْتَنَا، فَوَعَدَهُمُ الْخُرُوجَ، أَوْ فَتْحَ بَابِ الصُّلْحِ، ثُمَّ جَعَلَ عَلَى الْجُسُورِ وَبِالْجَزِيرَةِ وَبِبَابِ دَارِهِ الرِّجَالَ وَالْخَيْلَ، فَحَضَرَ الْجَزِيرَةَ بَشَرٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَطَرَدُوا مَنْ كَانَ بِهَا، وَقَاتَلُوا النَّاسَ. وَأَرْسَلَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى الْجُنْدِ يَعِدُهُمْ رِزْقَ شَهْرَيْنِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالنُّزُولِ، فَأَبَوْا وَقَالُوا: لَا نَفْعَلُ حَتَّى نَعْلَمَ نَحْنُ وَالْعَامَّةُ عَلَى أَيِّ شَيْءٍ نَحْنُ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَقَالُوا لَهُ: إِنَّ الْعَامَّةَ قَدِ اتَّهَمُوكَ بِخَلْعِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَالْبَيْعَةِ لِلْمُعْتَزِّ، وَتَوْجِيهِكِ الْقُوَّادَ بَعْدَ الْقُوَّادِ، وَيَخَافُونَ دُخُولَ الْأَتْرَاكِ وَالْمَغَارِبَةِ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَإِنْ يَفْعَلُوا بِهِمْ كَمَا عَمِلُوا فِي الْمَدَائِنِ وَالْأَنْبَارِ، فَهُمْ يَخَافُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَأَوْلَادِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَسَأَلُوا إِخْرَاجَ الْخَلِيفَةِ إِلَيْهِمْ لِيَرَوْهُ وَيُكَذِّبُوا مَا بَلَغَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى مُحَمَّدٌ ذَلِكَ سَأَلَ الْمُسْتَعِينَ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَى دَارِ الْعَامَّةِ، وَدَخَلَ إِلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَنَظَرُوا إِلَيْهِ، وَخَرَجُوا، فَأَعْلَمُوا النَّاسَ الْخَبَرَ، فَلَمْ يَنْتَفِعُوا بِذَلِكَ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ بِإِغْلَاقِ الْأَبْوَابِ، وَصَعِدَ سَطْحَ دَارِ الْعَامَّةِ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَعَهُ، فَرَآهُ النَّاسُ وَعَلَيْهِ الْبُرْدَةُ وَبِيَدِهِ الْقَضِيبُ، فَكَلَّمَ النَّاسَ، وَأَقْسَمَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِحَقِّ صَاحِبِ الْبُرْدَةِ إِلَّا انْصَرَفُوا ( فَإِنَّهُ آمِنٌ ) لَا بَأْسَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، فَسَأَلُوهُ الرُّكُوبَ مَعَهُمْ وَالْخُرُوجَ مِنْ دَارِ مُحَمَّدٍ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَأْمَنُونَهُ عَلَيْهِ، فَوَعَدَهُمْ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ فِعْلَهُمْ عَزَمَ عَلَى النَّقْلَةِ عَنْ بَغْدَادَ إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ، فَأَتَاهُ وُجُوهُ النَّاسِ، وَسَأَلُوهُ الصَّفْحَ، وَاعْتَذَرُوا بِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ فِعْلُ الْغَوْغَاءِ وَالسُّفَهَاءِ، فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَدًّا جَمِيلًا. وَانْتَقَلَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ عَنْ دَارِهِ فِي ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَأَقَامَ بِدَارِ رِزْقٍ الْخَادِمِ بِالرُّصَافَةِ، وَسَارَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( بِالْحَرْبَةِ )، فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنَ الْغَدِ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ بِالرُّصَافَةِ، فَأَمَرُوا الْقُوَّادَ وَبَنِي هَاشِمٍ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى دَارِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَالْعَوْدِ مَعَهُ إِذَا رَكِبَ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ، فَرَكِبَ مُحَمَّدٌ فِي جَمْعٍ وَتَعْبِئَةٍ، وَوَقَفَ لِلنَّاسِ وَعَاتَبَهُمْ، وَحَلَفَ أَنَّهُ مَا يُرِيدُ لِلْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَلَا لِوَلِيٍّ لَهُ، وَلَا لِأَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ سُوءًا، وَأَنَّهُ مَا يُرِيدُ إِلَّا إِصْلَاحَ أَحْوَالِهِمْ، حَتَّى بَكَى ( النَّاسُ ) وَدَعَوْا لَهُ، ( وَسَارَ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ ). وَكَانَ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ مُجِدًّا فِي أَمْرِ الْمُسْتَعِينِ، حَتَّى غَيَّرَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ خَاقَانَ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ هَذَا الَّذِي تَنْصُرُهُ، وَتَجِدُّ فِي أَمْرِهِ، مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ نِفَاقًا، وَأَخْبَثِهِمْ دِينًا، وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَمَرَ وَصِيفًا وَبُغَا بِقَتْلِكَ، فَاسْتَعْظَمَا ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يَفْعَلَاهُ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ شَاكًّا فِي قَوْلِي فَسَلْ تُخْبَرْهُ، وَإِنَّ مِنْ ظَاهِرِ نِفَاقِهِ أَنَّهُ كَانَ بِسَامَرَّا لَا يَجْهَرُ بِبَسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فِي صَلَاتِهِ، فَلَمَّا صَارَ إِلَيْكَ جَهَرَ بِهَا مُرَاءَاةً لَكَ، وَتَرَكَ نُصْرَةَ وَلِيِّكَ، وَصِهْرِكَ، وَتَرْبِيَتِكَ، وَنَحْوَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَلَامٍ كَلَّمَهُ بِهِ، فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: أَخْزَى اللَّهُ هَذَا، مَا يَصْلُحُ لِدِينٍ وَلَا لِدُنْيَا ! ثُمَّ ظَاهَرَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَحْيَى بِأَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَخْلَدٍ. خلع المستعين فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْأَضْحَى صَلَّى الْمُسْتَعِينُ بِالنَّاسِ، ثُمَّ حَضَرَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ الْمُسْتَعِينِ وَعِنْدَ الْفُقَهَاءِ وَالْقُضَاةِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: قَدْ كُنْتَ فَارَقْتَنِي عَلَى أَنْ تُنَفِّذَ أَمْرِي فِي كُلِّ مَا أَعْزِمُ عَلَيْهِ، وَخَطُّكَ عِنْدِي بِذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ: أَحْضِرِ الرُّقْعَةَ، فَأَحْضَرَهَا، فَإِذَا فِيهَا ذِكْرُ الصُّلْحِ، وَلَيْسَ فِيهَا ذِكْرُ الْخَلْعِ، فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ أُمْضِ الصُّلْحَ، فَخَرَجَ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى ظَاهِرِ بَابِ الشَّمَّاسِيَّةِ، فَضُرِبَ لَهُ مَضْرِبٌ، فَنَزَلَ إِلَيْهِ وَمَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَجَاءَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ فِي سَمِيرِيَّةَ، فَصَعِدَ إِلَيْهِ، فَتَنَاظَرَا طَوِيلًا، ثُمَّ خَرَجَا، فَجَاءَ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ بَذَلَ لَهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَيَقْطَعُ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَعَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ مُقَامَهُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، يَتَرَدَّدُ مِنْهَا إِلَى مَكَّةَ، وَيَخْلَعُ نَفْسَهُ مِنِ الْخِلَافَةِ، وَأَنْ يُعْطَى بُغَا وِلَايَةَ الْحِجَازِ جَمِيعِهِ، وَيُوَلَّى وَصِيفٌ الْجَبَلَ وَمَا وَالَاهُ، وَيَكُونُ ثُلْثُ مَا يُجْبَى مِنَ الْمَالِ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَجُنْدِ بَغْدَادَ، وَالثُّلْثَانِ لِلْمَوَالِي وَالْأَتْرَاكِ، فَامْتَنَعَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ مِنِ الْإِجَابَةِ إِلَى الْخَلْعِ، وَظَنَّ أَنَّ وَصِيفًا وَبُغَا مَعَهُ يُكَاشِفَانِ، فَقَالَ: النَّطْعُ وَالسَّيْفُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَقْعُدُ، وَلَا بُدَّ لَكَ مِنْ خَلْعِهَا طَائِعًا أَوْ مُكْرَهًا ! فَأَجَابَ إِلَى الْخَلْعِ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ إِجَابَتِهِ إِلَى الْخَلْعِ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا وَبُغًا وَوَصِيفًا لَمَّا نَاظَرُوهُ فِي الْخَلْعِ أَغْلَظَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ وَصِيفٌ: أَنْتَ أَمَرْتَنَا بِقَتْلِ بَاغَرَ، فَصِرْنَا إِلَى مَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ، وَأَنْتَ أَمَرْتَنَا بِقَتْلِ أُتَامِشَ، وَقُلْتَ إِنَّ مُحَمَّدًا لَيْسَ بِنَاصِحٍ، وَمَا زَالُوا يُفْزِعُونَهُ، وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: وَقَدْ قُلْتَ لِي إِنَّ أَمْرَنَا لَا يَصْلُحُ إِلَّا بِاسْتِرَاحَتِنَا مِنْ هَذَيْنِ الِاثْنَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ أَذْعَنَ بِالْخَلْعِ، وَكَتَبَ بِمَا أَرَادَ لِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الشُّرُوطِ، وَذَلِكَ لِإِحْدَى عَشْرَةَ خَلَتْ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ. وَجَمَعَ مُحَمَّدٌ الْفُقَهَاءَ وَالْقُضَاةَ، وَأَدْخَلَهُمْ عَلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ صَيَّرَ أَمْرَهُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ثُمَّ أُخِذَ مِنْهُ جَوْهَرُ الْخِلَافَةِ. وَبَعَثَ ابْنُ طَاهِرٍ إِلَى قُوَّادِهِ لِيُوَافُوهُ، وَمَعَ كُلِّ قَائِدٍ عَشَرَةُ نَفَرٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَأَتَوْهُ فَمَنَّاهُمْ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: مَا أَرَدْتُ بِمَا فَعَلْتُ إِلَّا صَلَاحَكُمْ وَحَقْنَ الدِّمَاءِ. وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْخُرُوجِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ فِي الشُّرُوطِ الَّتِي شَرَطَهَا الْمُسْتَعِينُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِقُوَّادِهِ، لِيُوَقِّعَ الْمُعْتَزُّ عَلَيْهَا بِخَطِّهِ، ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَهُمْ إِلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ، فَمَضَوْا إِلَيْهِ، فَأَجَابَ إِلَى مَا طَلَبُوا، وَوَقَّعَ عَلَيْهِ بِخَطِّهِ، وَشَهِدُوا عَلَى إِقْرَارِهِ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَوَجَّهَ مَعَهُمْ مَنْ يَأْخُذُ الْبَيْعَةَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ، وَحُمِلَ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ أُمُّهُ وَعِيَالُهُ، بَعْدَمَا فَتَّشُوا، وَأَخَذُوا مَا مَعَهُمْ، وَكَانَ دُخُولُ الرُّسُلِ بَغْدَادَ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْمُعْتَزِّ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمِ سَنَةَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ.
Translation
✧ The pledge of allegiance to al-Muʿtazz billāh — his name was Muḥammad b. al-Mutawakkil, and it is said his name was al-Zubayr, and he was called Abū ʿAbd Allāh. He was tall, fair, with thick black hair, handsome of face, eyes, and body, narrow of forehead, and rosy-cheeked. He was born in Sāmarrāʾ and remained after being given allegiance for four years and part of another. In the year 251, a foul fitnah occurred between the troops of Baghdad and the troops of Sāmarrāʾ. The people of Sāmarrāʾ called for allegiance to al-Muʿtazz, while the affair of the people of Baghdad settled on al-Mustaʿīn. It is said the reason for the pledge to him was that when al-Mustaʿīn settled in Baghdad, a group of the mutinous Turkish commanders came to him, entered upon him, cast themselves before him, placed their belts on their necks in humility and submission, and asked him to pardon them and be pleased. He said to them: 'You are people of rebellion and corruption, and you take blessings lightly. Did you not petition me concerning your sons, and I attached them to you, about two thousand young men, and concerning your daughters, I ordered them to be counted among the married women, about four thousand, and other than that I granted you all, and I supplied you with continuous stipends. Yet you made vessels of gold and silver. I deprived myself of its pleasures and its desires, seeking your welfare and satisfaction, while you increase in rebellion and corruption.' They returned and humbled themselves, asking his pardon. Al-Mustaʿīn said: 'I have pardoned you and am pleased.' One of them, named Bābī Bikka, said to him: 'If you are pleased, then rise and mount with us to Sāmarrāʾ, for the Turks await you.' Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh ordered one of his companions, who went to him and struck him. Muḥammad said: 'Is it thus said to the Commander of the Faithful: rise and mount with us?' Al-Mustaʿīn laughed and said: 'These are non-Arabs who do not know the limits of speech.' Al-Mustaʿīn said to them: 'Return to Sāmarrāʾ, for your stipends are continuous upon you, and I shall consider my affair.' They departed in despair of him, angered by what Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh had done to Bābī Bikka. They reported their news to those behind them, adding and distorting it to incite them against deposing him. Their opinion united on bringing out al-Muʿtazz. He and al-Muʾayyad were in confinement at al-Jawsaq, with someone guarding them. Al-Muʿtazz and his brother al-Muʾayyad were brought out of prison, and the people of Sāmarrāʾ gave allegiance to al-Muʿtazz. He seized the treasuries of the bayt al-māl there; therein were five hundred thousand dinars, and in the storehouse of Umm al-Mustaʿīn a thousand thousand dinars, and in the treasuries of al-ʿAbbās b. al-Mustaʿīn six hundred thousand dinars. Among those brought for the pledge was Abū Aḥmad b. al-Rashīd, who suffered from gout, carried in a litter. He was ordered to give allegiance but refused, saying to al-Muʿtazz: 'You came out to us willingly, then you renounced it and claimed you could not undertake it.' Al-Muʿtazz said: 'I was compelled to that and feared the sword.' Abū Aḥmad said: 'We did not know you were compelled. We have given allegiance to this man, and we want you to release our women and leave our properties. We do not know what will happen. Leave me to my affair until the people gather; otherwise, here is the sword.' So al-Muʿtazz left him. Among those who gave allegiance were Ibrāhīm al-Dayraj and ʿAttāb b. ʿAttāb. As for ʿAttāb, he fled to Baghdad. As for al-Dayraj, he was confirmed over the police, and was appointed over the dīwāns, the bayt al-māl, the chancery, and other matters. Al-Muʿtazz's authority grew strong in Sāmarrāʾ. Al-Mustaʿīn ordered Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir to fortify Baghdad and work on the two walls and the trench. He spent on that three hundred thousand dinars and thirty thousand dinars. He appointed an amīr to guard each gate and set up on the wall five mangonels, one of them very large called al-Ghaḍbān, and six ʿarrādas. They prepared weapons of war, siege equipment, and supplies. The bridges were cut from every direction so that the army could not reach them. Al-Muʿtazz wrote to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir calling him to join him in his affair, reminding him of the covenants and pacts his father al-Mutawakkil had taken from them, that the caliphate after al-Muntaṣir was for him. But he paid no attention; rather, he replied against him, arguing with lengthy proofs. Each of al-Mustaʿīn and al-Muʿtazz wrote to Mūsā b. Bughā the Elder, who was encamped on the borders of Syria fighting the people of Ḥimṣ, calling him to his side, and sent him banners to bestow on whomever of his companions he chose. Al-Mustaʿīn wrote commanding him to travel to him at Baghdad and to appoint a deputy in his province. He mounted quickly and traveled to Sāmarrāʾ, siding with al-Muʿtazz against al-Mustaʿīn. Likewise ʿAbd Allāh b. Bughā the Younger fled from his father's side, from Baghdad to Sāmarrāʾ, and likewise other amīrs and Turks. The Siege of al-Mustaʿīn in Baghdad Then al-Muʿtazz appointed his brother Abū Aḥmad b. al-Mutawakkil, who is al-Muwaffaq, on the twenty-third of Muḥarram, to wage war against al-Mustaʿīn and Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh. He entrusted him with that, attached the army to him, and delegated all affairs to him. He placed the management under Kalbātikīn the Turk. He marched with fifty thousand Turks and Farāghina and two thousand Maghāriba. When he reached ʿUkbarā, he prayed there, and the khuṭba was delivered for al-Muʿtazz. He wrote of that to al-Muʿtazz. The people of ʿUkbarā related that they had been in severe fear that Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh would march against them and fight them. They plundered the villages between ʿUkbarā and Baghdad. The estates were ruined and people were seized on the road. When Abū Aḥmad reached ʿUkbarā, a large group of the companions of Bughā the Younger fled to him. Abū Aḥmad and his army arrived at Bāb al-Shammāsiyya on the seventh of Ṣafar. A man of Baṣra known as Bādhinjāna said: O Banū Ṭāhir, the armies of God have come to you, and death among them is renowned. The armies of their imam Abū Aḥmad, what an excellent master, and what an excellent helper. When Abū Aḥmad encamped at Bāb al-Shammāsiyya, al-Mustaʿīn appointed al-Ḥusayn b. Ismāʿīl over Bāb al-Shammāsiyya and placed the commanders there under his command. He remained there for the duration of the war until they marched to al-Anbār. On the tenth of Ṣafar, the vanguard of the Turks reached Bāb al-Shammāsiyya and halted near it. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh dispatched al-Ḥusayn b. Ismāʿīl, al-Shāh b. Mīkāl, and Bundār al-Ṭabarī with their men, and resolved to ride out to fight them. Al-Shāh came to him and informed him that when the Turks saw the banners and standards advancing toward them, they returned to their camp. So Muḥammad abandoned the ride. The next day, Muḥammad resolved to send the armies to al-Qafaṣ to review them there and to intimidate the Turks. He rode with Waṣīf and Bughā in armor. The jurists and judges went with him. He sent to them calling them to desist from their tyranny and disobedience, offering them amān on condition that al-Muʿtazz be heir apparent after al-Mustaʿīn. They did not respond. He proceeded toward Bāb Quṭrabbul and dismounted on the bank of the Tigris with Waṣīf and Bughā. He could not advance because of the crowd, so he withdrew. The next day, messengers from Wajh al-Fuls and others among the commanders came to him informing him that the Turks had approached and pitched their tents at Riqqat al-Shammāsiyya. He sent to them: 'Do not initiate fighting with them. If they fight you, do not fight them; hold off today.' Twelve horsemen of them reached Bāb al-Shammāsiyya and shot arrows, and no one fought them. When they lingered long, the mangonel operator hurled a stone at them and killed one man; they took him and withdrew. ʿUbayd Allāh b. Sulaymān, the lieutenant of Waṣīf the Turk, arrived from Makkah with three hundred men. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh bestowed a robe of honor upon him. That day the Turks reached Bāb al-Shammāsiyya. Al-Ḥusayn b. Ismāʿīl and the commanders with him went out to fight them. They fought, and men from both sides were killed and wounded; they were equal in killed and wounded. The people of Baghdad were routed, but the men of the mats held firm, then withdrew. The Turks brought a mangonel, but the common people overpowered them and seized it. Then a group of Turks marched toward the Nahrawān district. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh sent two of his commanders with a force, ordering them to remain in that area and guard it from the Turks. They fought them, and Muḥammad's men were routed to Baghdad; their mounts were taken. They entered Baghdad defeated. The Turks sent the heads of the slain to Sāmarrāʾ, gained control of the Khurāsān road, and the road from Baghdad was cut off. Al-Muʿtazz sent an army to the western side; they marched to Baghdad and passed Quṭrabbul, pitching their camp there on the twelfth of Ṣafar. The next day Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh sent an army against them. Al-Shāh b. Mīkāl met them, and they fought. Al-Muʿtazz's men were routed, and an ambush of Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh came out upon them. They fled, and Muḥammad's men put the sword to them, killing them in great numbers. Only a few escaped. Their entire camp was plundered. Those who escaped death threw themselves into the Tigris to cross to Abū Aḥmad's camp. The boatmen seized them and carried the prisoners and heads in the boats, some of which were set up in Baghdad. Muḥammad ordered bracelets, robes of honor, and money for those who distinguished themselves that day. The fugitives were pursued. Some reached Awānā; some reached Sāmarrāʾ. Al-Muʿtazz's army numbered four thousand; two thousand were killed, a group drowned, and a group was captured. Muḥammad bestowed robes on all the commanders, each commander receiving four robes, a collar, and a bracelet of gold. The return of the people of Baghdad from them was at sunset. Most of the action that day was by the ʿayyārūn. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir rode on the eighteenth of Ṣafar to al-Shammāsiyya and ordered the demolition of the houses, shops, and orchards behind its wall, from Bāb al-Shammāsiyya to three gates, to give room to the fighters. Money arrived from Fārs and al-Ahwāz with Mankajūr al-Ushrūsanī. Abū Aḥmad sent the Turks to seize it. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh sent a group to guard the money. They diverted it away from the Turks and brought it into Baghdad. When the Turks learned of that, they turned toward al-Nahrawān, killing and burning the bridge's boats, twenty boats, and returned to Sāmarrāʾ. Muḥammad b. Khālid b. Yazīd b. Mazyad arrived. Al-Mustaʿīn had appointed him to command the Jazīran frontiers. He was at the city of Balad awaiting troops and money to march to the frontiers. When the affair of al-Mustaʿīn and the Turks occurred as we have mentioned, he marched from Balad to Baghdad by way of al-Raqqa with his companions and close retinue, about four hundred men. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh bestowed five robes upon him, then sent him with a dense army to fight Ayyūb b. Aḥmad. He took the Euphrates road. Ayyūb fought him with a small band and routed Muḥammad, who went to his estate in al-Sawād. When Muḥammad heard of his defeat, he said: 'No one of the Arabs succeeds unless a prophet is with him, whom God supports.' The Turks had a battle at Bāb al-Shammāsiyya, and they fought fiercely over it until they drove off those who held it. They shot the mangonel with fire and naphtha, but it did not burn. Then the troops increased against the gate and removed them from their position after many killed and wounded. Muḥammad sent ʿarrādas in boats, and they shot them heavily, killing about a hundred. One of the Maghāriba reached the wall and threw a grappling hook; it caught, and those stationed on the wall seized him, raised him up, killed him, and threw his head to the Turks. They returned to their camp. One of those stationed on the wall wanted to shout: 'O Mustaʿīn, O victorious one,' but he shouted: 'O Muʿtazz, O victorious one.' They thought he was one of the Maghāriba and killed him. One day the Turks advanced to Bāb al-Shammāsiyya. Al-Darghamān, commander of the Maghāriba, was struck by a mangonel stone and killed. He was brave. One of the Maghāriba would come, bare his buttocks, shout, and fart, then return. One of Muḥammad's men shot him with an arrow in his backside; he was wounded from behind and fell dead. The common people gathered in Sāmarrāʾ and plundered the markets of the jewelers and money-changers and others. The merchants complained of that to Ibrāhīm al-Muʾayyad. He said to them: 'You should have moved your goods to your houses,' and did nothing, nor did he condemn it. On the twenty-second of Ṣafar a group from the frontier districts arrived complaining about Balkājūr, claiming that the pledge to al-Muʿtazz had reached him, so he called the people to pledge to him and seized the people for that. Whoever refused he beat and imprisoned. They refused and fled. Waṣīf said: 'I think he only assumed al-Mustaʿīn had died and al-Muʿtazz had risen.' They said: 'He did it only deliberately.' A letter from Balkājūr arrived on the twenty-sixth of Ṣafar, mentioning that he had given allegiance to al-Muʿtazz, but when al-Mustaʿīn's letter confirming the affair arrived, he renewed allegiance to him and declared obedience. Mūsā b. Bughā wanted to march to al-Mustaʿīn, but his Turkish companions refused to agree with him on that and fought him; he killed some among them. Ten seagoing ships arrived from al-Baṣra, each ship carrying forty-five men, including naphtha throwers and others. They proceeded toward the area of al-Shammāsiyya, and those in them shot fire at Abū Aḥmad's camp. They moved to a place out of reach of the fire. On the last night of Ṣafar the Turks advanced to the gates of Baghdad and fought over them. Many from both sides were killed, and the fighting lasted until the afternoon. In Rabīʿ al-Awwal, Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh made kāfirkūnāt and distributed them to the ʿayyārūn. They went out with them to the gates of Baghdad and killed about fifty Turks. On the fourteenth of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, Muzāḥim b. Khāqān arrived from the vicinity of al-Raqqah, and the people met him, and with him were about a thousand men. When he arrived, he was given seven robes of honor and girded with a sword. Al-Muʿtazz dispatched an army of about three thousand men, and they encamped facing the army of Abū Aḥmad at Bāb Quṭrabbul. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh rode out with his army, and a great crowd of onlookers came out, and he faced the army of Abū Aḥmad. There was a skirmish between them on the water, and more than fifty men of Abū Aḥmad's companions were killed. The onlookers advanced and passed the army by half a parasang, and ships belonging to Abū Aḥmad crossed over to them and inflicted losses on them. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh returned and ordered Ibn Abī ʿAwn to turn the people back, so he ordered them to return, but they spoke harshly to him, and he reviled them and they reviled him. He struck one of them and killed him, so the common people attacked him, and he slipped away from before them. Abū Aḥmad's companions captured four ships and burned a ship containing a ballista belonging to the people of Baghdad. The common people went to the house of Ibn Abī ʿAwn to plunder it, saying, "He sided with the Turks." His companions fled, and they spoke to Muḥammad about dismissing him, so he dismissed him and prevented them from taking his property. On the eleventh of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, the army of al-Muʿtazz, which he had sent to face the army of his brother Abū Aḥmad, arrived near ʿUkbarā. Ibn Ṭāhir sent out an army against them, and they advanced until they reached Quṭrabbul, where the Turks had an ambush. They fell upon them, and battle was joined between them. A group was killed on both sides. Muḥammad's companions pushed forward a little to Bāb Quṭrabbul, with the Turks among them, and the people came out against them and drove back the Turks until they displaced them. Then they turned against the people of Baghdad and killed a great many of them, and a great many of the Turks were also killed. Then the Turks advanced to Bāb al-Qaṭīʿah and breached the wall, and the people of Baghdad killed the first one to emerge from it. Most of the killing that day was among the Turks, and the wounds from arrows were among the people of Baghdad. ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir called upon the people, and they went out with him. He ordered the guard at Bāb Quṭrabbul not to let any fugitive enter. Battle was joined, and ʿAbd Allāh's companions fled. Asad b. Dāwūd stood firm until he was killed. The closing of the gate against the fugitives was harsher than the Turks, so they took prisoners from them and killed in great numbers. They carried the prisoners and heads to Sāmarrā. When they approached it, they covered the heads of the prisoners, and when the people of Sāmarrā saw them, they wept and wailed, and their voices rose, and the voices of their women rose. That reached al-Muʿtazz, and he disliked that the people's hearts should harden against him, so he ordered a dinar for each prisoner and ordered the heads to be buried. Abū al-Sāj arrived from the road to Makkah on the twenty-sixth of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, and he was given a robe of honor. At the end of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, a group of Turks came to Bāb al-Shammāsiyyah with a letter from al-Muʿtazz to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh. His companions asked his permission to take it, and he permitted them. In it was a reminder to Muḥammad of the old covenant that he was bound to keep, and that it was incumbent upon him to be the first to strive for his cause and confirm his caliphate. Muḥammad did not reply to the letter. There was a battle between them on the seventh of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir in which seven hundred Turks and three hundred of Muḥammad's companions were killed. In the middle of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir, Abū al-Sāj, ʿAlī b. Farāshah, and ʿAlī b. Ḥafṣ were ordered to march to al-Madāʾin. Abū al-Sāj said to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh, "If you want to be serious with these people, do not disperse your commanders, but gather them until you defeat this army stationed opposite you. If you finish with them, how capable you will be against those after them!" He replied, "I have a plan, and God will suffice, if God wills." Abū al-Sāj said, "Hearing and obedience!" He marched to al-Madāʾin and dug its trench, and Muḥammad reinforced him with three thousand cavalry and two thousand infantry. Al-Muʿtazz wrote to his brother Abū Aḥmad reproaching him for negligence in fighting the people of Baghdad. He wrote back in reply: For the affairs of death there is a path upon us, And for time there is in us breadth and narrowness. Our days are a lesson to mankind; some are early mornings, some are night visits, And some are calamities that turn the child's hair gray, where the true friend deserts the true friend. A trial of religion with a summit that surpasses the eyes, And a deep sea, deadly and firm. A ready sword, and intense fear, And a strong fortress, and long shouting. The caller of the morning cries: 'To arms, to arms!' So no one comes to his senses. This one is cast down, that one is wounded, This one is burned, that one is drowned, This one is slain, that one is prostrate, and another is crushed by the mangonel. There is seizure, and there is plunder, and houses in ruins That once were pleasing. When we set out on a path, we find That the road has been blocked before us. So by God we attain what we hope, And by God we repel what we cannot bear. These verses are by ʿAlī b. Umayyah concerning the fitnah of al-Amīn and al-Maʾmūn. The situation of al-Anbār Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh sent Najūbah b. Qays to al-Anbār, and he stayed there, gathering about two thousand men. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh reinforced him with fifteen hundred. He diverted water from the Euphrates to its trench, and it flooded over the deserts, becoming a single marsh, and he cut the bridges. Al-Muʿtazz sent troops with ʿAlī al-Isḥāqī toward al-Anbār. They arrived at the same time as Muḥammad's reinforcement, and they camped outside it. They fought a fierce battle, and Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh's reinforcement was defeated and returned along the road they had come by to Baghdad. Najūbah was in al-Anbār and did not leave it. When news of the defeat of his reinforcement and the march of the Turks against him reached him, he crossed to the west bank, cut the bridge, and marched toward Baghdad. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh chose to send al-Ḥusayn b. Ismāʿīl b. Ibrāhīm to al-Anbār with a group of commanders and troops. He equipped them and gave them four months' pay. The troops went out, and al-Ḥusayn reviewed them. He marched from Baghdad on Thursday, the twenty-third of Jumādā al-Ūlā, and the people, commanders, and Banū Hāshim followed him to al-Yāsiriyyah. When the Turks entered al-Anbār, its people had felt safe from them, so they opened their shops and markets. Ships from al-Raqqah arrived carrying flour, oil, and other goods, and the Turks plundered them and carried them to their dwellings in Sāmarrā, sending the prisoners and heads with them. Al-Ḥusayn marched until he encamped at Dimimmā. The Turkish vanguard met him above Dimimmā. He drew up his companions facing the Turks, with a river between them. His army was ten thousand men, and the Turks above Dimimmā, about a thousand men. They exchanged arrows, and a number were wounded on both sides. The Turks withdrew to al-Anbār, and al-Ḥusayn advanced and encamped at a place known as al-Qaṭīʿah, spacious enough to hold the army. He stayed there that day, then resolved to move closer to al-Anbār. The commanders advised him to keep his army in that place at al-Qaṭīʿah because of its spaciousness and strength, and to advance with his troops as a raiding party. If the affair went in his favor, he could move his army; if it went against him, he could return to his army and renew the fight. He did not accept their advice and marched from his place. When he reached the place where he intended to camp, he ordered the people to dismount. The Turks' spies came and informed them of his march and the narrowness of his position. The Turks came upon them while the people were unloading their baggage. The men of the army rose and fought them, and men were killed on both sides. Al-Ḥusayn's companions charged and drove them back, killing a great many of them, and many were drowned. The Turks had prepared an ambush, and the ambush came out upon the rest of the army. They had no refuge but the Euphrates, and many of his companions were drowned, a group was killed, and a group was captured. As for the horsemen, they fled without turning to anything, while the commanders called to them, "Return!" but no one returned. They feared for themselves, so they went back to protect their companions. The Turks seized al-Ḥusayn's camp with all the money and robes of honor that were with him, and he surrendered the weapons that were with him in the ships, because the sailors feared for the ships, so they surrendered the weapons and other things they had. The fugitives reached al-Yāsiriyyah on the twenty-fourth of Jumādā al-Ākhirah. A merchant whose property had been lost met al-Ḥusayn and said, "Praise be to God who has whitened your face! You went up in twelve days and returned in one!" He pretended not to hear him. When news of the defeat reached Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir, he forbade the fugitives from entering Baghdad and proclaimed: "Whoever we find in Baghdad from al-Ḥusayn's army after three days will be given three hundred lashes and struck from the register." The people went out to al-Ḥusayn at al-Yāsiriyyah, and Ibn ʿAbd Allāh sent out another army to them, gave them provisions, and ordered some people to ascertain who was killed, who was drowned, and who was safe. They did so. A letter came from one of their spies in al-Anbār informing them that the dead among the Turks were more than two hundred, the wounded about four hundred, that all the prisoners taken by the Turks were two hundred and twenty men, and that he had counted the heads of the slain at seventy. They had seized a group of market people and released them. Al-Ḥusayn departed on the eighteenth of Jumādā al-Ākhirah and marched until he crossed the Nahr Arbaq. On Saturday, the eighth of Rajab, a man came to him and informed him that the Turks intended to cross over to him at several fords. He struck him, and he appointed one of his commanders named al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī b. Yaḥyā al-Armanī with two hundred men to guard the fords. The Turks came to the ford and saw the guard, so they left it for another ford and fought them. Al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī stood firm and sent word to al-Ḥusayn b. Ismāʿīl that the Turks had reached the ford. The messenger was told, "The amir is sleeping." He sent another, and was told, "The amir is in the privy." He sent another, and was told, "The amir has returned and fallen asleep." The Turks crossed over. Al-Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī boarded a skiff and went downstream, and his companions fled in defeat. The Turks killed and captured about two hundred of them. Most of the ships went downstream and were surrendered. The Turks put to the sword, and many people were drowned. The fugitives reached Baghdad at midnight, and the rest arrived during the day. The Turks seized their baggage and property, and several of al-Ḥusayn's commanders were killed. Al-Hindūwānī said about al-Ḥusayn: O most resolute of men in judgment when he holds back From battle, you have mixed the clear with the muddy. When you saw the swords of the Turks unsheathed, You knew what was in the swords of the Turks of fate. So you became vexed with humiliation and disgrace, And success departs between incapacity and vexation. In this, a group of secretaries and Banū Hāshim joined al-Muʿtazz. Among Banū Hāshim were ʿAlī and Muḥammad, the two sons of al-Wāthiq, and others. Then there were several battles between them, in which a group from both sides was killed. In some of those battles, the Turks entered Baghdad, but then the people gathered against them and drove them out. There was a battle between Abū al-Sāj and a group of Turks, and Abū al-Sāj defeated them. Then they fought him again, and some of his companions abandoned him, so he fled. The Turks entered al-Madāʾin, and the Turks who were at al-Anbār came out into the environs of Baghdad on the west bank, reaching as far as Ṣarṣar and Qaṣr Ibn Hubayrah. In Dhū al-Qaʿdah there was a great battle. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir went out with all the commanders and the army. A dome was set up for him, and he sat in it. The people fought a fierce battle, and the Turks were defeated. The people of Baghdad entered their camp and killed a great many of them. They fled on their faces without turning to anything. Whenever a head was brought, Bughā said, "The clients are gone," and that displeased the Turks who were with Bughā and Waṣīf. Abū Aḥmad b. al-Mutawakkil stood turning back the Turks, telling them that if they did not return, there would be no remnant left of them. The people of Baghdad pursued them to Sāmarrā, so they returned to him. Some of the people of Baghdad turned back from the fugitives, and their companions saw their banners and thought they were the banners of the Turks returning, so they fled toward Baghdad in a crowd. The Turks returned to their camp, not knowing of the defeat of the people of Baghdad, and they bore down upon them. In Dhū al-Ḥijjah, Abū Aḥmad sent five ships full of food and flour to Ibn Ṭāhir. Ibn Ṭāhir resolved to depose al-Mustaʿīn and give allegiance to al-Muʿtazz. In Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the people learned of Ibn Ṭāhir's intention to depose al-Mustaʿīn and give allegiance to al-Muʿtazz. He sent his commanders to Abū Aḥmad, and they gave allegiance to al-Muʿtazz. The common people thought that peace had been made on the condition that al-Mustaʿīn was caliph and al-Muʿtazz his heir apparent. Also in Dhū al-Ḥijjah, Rashīd b. Kāwūs, the brother of al-Afshīn, who was in charge of Bāb al-Salāmah, went out to the Turks and marched with them to Abū Aḥmad. Then he returned to the gates of Baghdad saying to the people, "The Commander of the Faithful al-Muʿtazz and Abū Aḥmad greet you and say: 'Whoever obeys us, we will reward him, and whoever refuses, he knows best.'" The people reviled him, and they learned of Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh b. Ṭāhir's intention. The common people crossed to the island opposite his house and reviled him with the foulest abuse. Then they went to the gate of his house and did the same, fighting those at his gate until they drove them away. They entered the vestibule of his house and wanted to burn it but found no fire. A group of them spent the night on the island reviling him while he listened. When they mentioned his mother's name, he laughed and said, "I do not know how they knew it. Most of my father's slave girls did not know her name." The next day they did the same. Muḥammad went to al-Mustaʿīn and asked him to appear to them and silence them. He did so and said to them, "Muḥammad has not been deposed, and I do not accuse him." He promised to lead them in Friday prayer, and they departed. Then messengers went back and forth between Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh and Abū Aḥmad, accompanied by Ḥammād b. Isḥāq b. Ḥammād b. Yazīd. A group of the infantry soldiers and many of the common people rose up; the soldiers demanded their stipends, and the common people complained about the bad situation and the high prices. They said: "Either you go out and confront [them], or you abandon us." He promised them he would go out or open the door of reconciliation. Then he stationed men and horses at the bridges, on the island, and at the gate of his palace. A great crowd gathered at the island, and they drove out those who were there and fought the people. Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh sent to the soldiers promising them two months' pay and ordered them to stand down, but they refused and said: "We will not do so until we and the common people know on what basis we stand." He went out to them in person. They said to him: "The common people suspect you of deposing al-Mustaʿīn and pledging allegiance to al-Muʿtazz, and of sending commander after commander. They fear the Turks and the Maghribīs entering upon them, lest they do to them what they did in al-Madāʾin and al-Anbār. They fear for their lives, their children, and their property." They asked that the caliph be brought out to them so they could see him and belie what they had heard. When Muḥammad saw that, he asked al-Mustaʿīn to go out to them. He went out to the Dār al-ʿĀmma, and a group of people entered to him, looked at him, and went out. They informed the people of the news, but it did not help. Al-Mustaʿīn ordered the gates to be closed and went up to the roof of the Dār al-ʿĀmma, with Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh beside him. The people saw him wearing the Burdah and holding the staff. He addressed the people and adjured them by the right of the owner of the Burdah to disperse, saying that he was safe and had nothing to fear from Muḥammad. They asked him to ride out with them and leave Muḥammad's palace, because they did not trust him with his safety, and he promised them that. When Ibn Ṭāhir saw their behavior, he resolved to move from Baghdād to al-Madāʾin. The leading people came to him and asked his pardon, apologizing that this was the doing of the rabble and the foolish. He replied to them graciously. Al-Mustaʿīn moved from his palace in Dhū al-Ḥijjah and stayed in the palace of Rizq the eunuch in al-Ruṣāfah, with Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh walking before him with the spear. The next day, the people gathered in al-Ruṣāfah and ordered the commanders and the Banū Hāshim to go to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh's palace and return with him when he rode. They did so. Muḥammad rode in a large, well-arrayed force and stood before the people, reproaching them and swearing that he intended no harm to al-Mustaʿīn, nor to any of his kin, nor to anyone among the people, and that he only desired to set their affairs aright. The people wept and prayed for him, and he went to al-Mustaʿīn. Ibn Ṭāhir had been diligent in al-Mustaʿīn's cause, until ʿUbayd Allāh b. Yaḥyā b. Khāqān changed his mind. He said to him: "This one whom you support and for whose cause you are diligent is among the most hypocritical of people and the wickedest in religion. By God, he ordered Waṣīf and Bughā to kill you, but they deemed it too grave and did not do it. If you doubt my words, ask him and he will inform you. Among the outward signs of his hypocrisy is that while he was in Sāmarrā he did not say the basmalah aloud in his prayer, but when he came to you he said it aloud to show off before you. He abandoned supporting your client, your son-in-law, and your protégé," and other similar words he spoke to him. Muḥammad said: "May God disgrace this man! He is fit neither for religion nor for this world!" Then ʿUbayd Allāh b. Yaḥyā joined forces with Aḥmad b. Isrāʾīl and al-Ḥasan b. Makhlad. The Deposition of al-Mustaʿīn On the Day of Sacrifice, al-Mustaʿīn led the people in prayer. Then Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh came to al-Mustaʿīn in the presence of the jurists and judges, and said to him: "You had parted from me with the understanding that you would carry out my command in everything I resolve, and your handwriting to that effect is with me." Al-Mustaʿīn said: "Bring the document." He brought it, and it mentioned reconciliation, but not deposition. He said: "Yes, I will carry out the reconciliation." Muḥammad went out to the outer gate of al-Shammāsiyyah, where a tent was pitched for him. He went to it with a group of his companions. Abū Aḥmad came in a samīriyyah boat and went up to him. They debated for a long time, then came out. Ibn Ṭāhir then came to al-Mustaʿīn and informed him that he had offered him fifty thousand dinars, would pay him thirty thousand dinars as an annual stipend, on condition that he reside in al-Madīnah, traveling from there to Makkah, and that he abdicate the caliphate; that Bughā be given the governorship of all the Ḥijāz; that Waṣīf be given the Jabal and its dependencies; and that one-third of the revenue be for Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh and the army of Baghdād, and two-thirds for the mawālī and the Turks. Al-Mustaʿīn refused to agree to the abdication, thinking that Waṣīf and Bughā were with him and would confront them, and said: "The leather mat and the sword!" Ibn Ṭāhir said to him: "As for me, I will sit down, but you must abdicate willingly or by force!" So he agreed to the abdication. The reason for his agreement to the abdication was that when Muḥammad, Bughā, and Waṣīf argued with him about it, he spoke harshly to them. Waṣīf said: "You ordered us to kill Bāghar, and we ended up in this situation. You ordered us to kill Utāmish, and you said that Muḥammad was not sincere." They kept frightening him, and Muḥammad said: "You told me that our affair would not be set right except by ridding ourselves of these two." When he saw that, he submitted to the abdication and wrote down the conditions he desired for himself. That was on the eleventh of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, eleven days having passed. Muḥammad gathered the jurists and judges and brought them in to al-Mustaʿīn, making them witnesses that he had delegated his affair to Muḥammad b. ʿAbd Allāh. Then the jewels of the caliphate were taken from him. Ibn Ṭāhir sent to his commanders to come to him, each commander accompanied by ten of his leading men. They came, and he gave them hope, saying: "I only intended your welfare and the sparing of blood by what I did." He ordered them to go to al-Muʿtazz with the conditions that al-Mustaʿīn had stipulated for himself and his commanders, so that al-Muʿtazz might sign them in his own hand. He sent them to al-Muʿtazz. They went to him, and he agreed to what they requested, signed it in his own hand, and they witnessed his acknowledgment. He bestowed robes of honor upon them and sent with them someone to take the oath of allegiance from al-Mustaʿīn. Al-Mustaʿīn's mother and family were brought to him, after being searched and having what they carried taken. The envoys from al-Muʿtazz entered Baghdād six days having passed of Muḥarram in the year two hundred and fifty-two.
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