Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3418
The Year 255 AH
خَلْعِ الْمُعْتَزِّ وَمَوْتِهِ وَلِثَلَاثٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ مِنْ سنة خمس وخمسين ومائتين خُلِعَ الْخَلِيفَةُ الْمُعْتَزُّ بِاللَّهِ وَلِلَيْلَتَيْنِ مَضَتَا مِنْ شَعْبَانَ أُظْهِرَ مَوْتُهُ. وَكَانَ سَبَبَ خَلْعِهِ أَنَّ الْجُنْدَ اجْتَمَعُوا فَطَلَبُوا مِنْهُ أَرْزَاقَهُمْ، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُ مَا يُعْطِيهِمْ فَسَأَلَ مِنْ أُمِّهِ أَنْ تُقْرِضَهُ مَالًا يَدْفَعُهُمْ عَنْهُ بِهِ فَلَمْ تُعْطِهِ وَأَظْهَرَتْ أَنَّهُ لَا شَيْءَ عِنْدَهَا فَاجْتَمَعَ الْأَتْرَاكُ عَلَى خَلْعِهِ فَأَرْسَلُوا إِلَيْهِ ; لِيَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَاعْتَذَرَ بِأَنَّهُ قَدْ شَرِبَ دَوَاءً وَأَنَّ عِنْدَهُ ضَعْفًا، وَلَكِنْ لِيَدْخُلْ إِلَيَّ بَعْضُكُمْ. فَدَخَلَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْضُ الْأُمَرَاءِ فَتَنَاوَلُوهُ بِالدَّبَابِيسِ يَضْرِبُونَهُ وَجَرُّوا بِرِجْلِهِ وَأَخْرَجُوهُ وَعَلَيْهِ قَمِيصٌ مُخَرَّقٌ مُلَطَّخٌ بِالدَّمِ فَأَقَامُوهُ فِي وَسَطِ دَارِ الْخِلَافَةِ فِي حَرٍّ شَدِيدٍ حَتَّى جَعَلَ يُرَاوِحُ بَيْنَ قَدَمَيْهِ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْحَرِّ، وَجَعَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَلْطِمُهُ وَهُوَ يَبْكِي، وَيَقُولُ لَهُ الضَّارِبُ: اخْلَعْهَا وَالنَّاسُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ. ثُمَّ أَدْخَلُوهُ حُجْرَةً مُضَيَّقًا عَلَيْهِ فِيهَا. وَمَا زَالُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْعَذَابِ حَتَّى خَلَعَ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الْخِلَافَةِ وَوَلِيَ بَعْدَهُ الْمُهْتَدِي بِاللَّهِ،، ثُمَّ سَلَّمُوهُ إِلَى مَنْ يَسُومُهُ سُوءَ الْعَذَابِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْمَثُلَاتِ وَمُنِعَ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَالشَّرَابِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ حَتَّى جَعَلَ يَطْلَبُ شَرْبَةً مِنْ مَاءِ الْبِئْرِ فَلَمْ يُسْقَ ثُمَّ أَدْخَلُوهُ سِرْبًا فِيهِ جَصُّ جِيرٍ فَدَسُّوهُ فِيهِ فَأَصْبَحَ مَيِّتًا فَاسْتَلُّوهُ مِنَ الْجَصِّ سَلِيمَ الْجَسَدِ فَأَشْهَدُوا عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْأَعْيَانِ أَنَّهُ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ بِهِ أَثَرٌ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّانِي مِنْ شَعْبَانَ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ وَكَانَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْمُهْتَدِي بِاللَّهِ وَدُفِنَ مَعَ أَخِيهِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ إِلَى جَانِبِ قَصْرِ الصَّوَامِعِ، عَنْ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ سَنَةً. وَكَانَتْ خِلَافَتُهُ أَرْبَعَ سِ?ِينَ وَسِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَثَلَاثَةً وَعِشْرِينَ يَوْمًا وَكَانَ طَوِيلًا جَسِيمًا وَسِيمًا أَقْنَى الْأَنْفِ مُدَوَّرَ الْوَجْهِ حَسَنَ الضَّحِكِ أَبْيَضَ، أَسْوَدَ الشَّعْرِ جَعْدَهُ كَثِيفَهُ كَثِيفَ اللِّحْيَةِ حَسَنَ الْعَيْنَيْنِ وَالْوَجْهِ ضَيِّقَ الْجَبِينِ أَحْمَرَ الْوَجْنَتَيْنِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ. كَانَ فَصِيحًا، فَمِنْ كَلَامِهِ لَمَّا سَارَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، وَقَدْ أَحْضَرَ جَمَاعَةً لِلرَّأْيِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: أَمَا تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةِ الَّتِي ذَاعَ نِفَاقُهَا ؟ الْهَمَجِ، الْعُصَاةِ، الْأَوْغَادِ الَّذِينَ لَا مِسْكَةَ بِهِمْ، وَلَا اخْتِيَارَ لَهُمْ، وَلَا تَمْيِيزَ مَعَهُمْ، قَدْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمْ تَقَحُّمَ الْخَطَأِ سُوءُ أَعْمَالِهِمْ، فَهُمُ الْأَقَلُّونَ وَإِنْ كَثُرُوا، وَالْمُذَمُّونَ إِذَا ذُكِرُوا، وَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِقُوَّادِ الْجُيُوشِ، وَسَدِّ الثُّغُورِ، وَإِبْرَامِ الْأُمُورِ، وَتَدْبِيرِ الْأَقَالِيمِ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ قَدْ تَكَامَلَتْ فِيهِ خِصَالٌ أَرْبَعٌ: حَزْمٌ يَتَّقِي بِهِ عِنْدَ مَوَارِدِ الْأُمُورِ حَقَائِقَ مَصَادِرِهَا، وَعِلْمٌ يَحْجِزُهُ عَنِ التَّهَوُّرِ، وَالتَّغْرِيرِ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَّا مَعَ إِمْكَانِ فُرْصَتِهَا، وَشَجَاعَةٌ لَا تَفُضُّهَا الْمُلِمَّاتُ مَعَ تَوَاتُرِ حَوَائِجِهَا، وُجُودٌ يُهَوِّنُ تَبْذِيرَ الْأَمْوَالِ عِنْدَ سُؤَالِهَا، وَسُرْعَةُ مُكَافَأَةِ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَى صَالِحِ الْأَعْوَانِ، وَثِقَلُ الْوَطْأَةِ عَلَى أَهْلِ الزَّيْغِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ، وَالِاسْتِعْدَادُ لِلْحَوَادِثِ إِذْ لَا تُؤْمَنُ حَوَادِثُ الزَّمَانِ. وَأَمَّا الِاثْنَتَانِ فَإِسْقَاطُ الْحِجَابِ عَنِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَالْحُكْمُ بَيْنَ الْقَوِيِّ وَالضَّعِيفِ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ. وَأَمَّا الْوَاحِدَةُ فَالتَّيَقُّظُ لِلْأُمُورِ، وَقَدِ اخْتَرْتُ لَهُمْ رَجُلًا مِنْ مَوَالِي أَحَدِهِمْ شَدِيدَ الشَّكِيمَةِ، مَاضِيَ الْعَزِيمَةِ، لَا تُبْطِرُهُ السَّرَّاءُ، وَلَا تُدْهِشُهُ الضَّرَّاءُ، وَلَا يَهَابُ مَا وَرَاءَهُ، وَلَا يَهُولُهُ مَا يَلْقَاهُ، فَهُوَ كَالْحَرِيشِ فِي أَصْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ إِنْ حُرِّكَ حَمَلَ، وَإِنْ نَهَشَ قَتَلَ، عُدَّتُهُ عَتِيدَةٌ، وَنِعْمَتُهُ شَدِيدَةٌ، يَلْقَى الْجَيْشَ فِي النَّفَرِ الْقَلِيلِ الْعَدِيدِ، بِقَلْبٍ أَشَدَّ مِنَ الْحَدِيدِ، طَالِبٌ لِلثَّأْرِ لَا تَفُلُّهُ الْعَسَاكِرُ، بَاسِلُ الْبَأْسِ، وَمُقْتَضِبُ الْأَنْفَاسِ، لَا يَعُوزُهُ مَا طَلَبَ، وَلَا يَفُوتُهُ مَنْ هَرَبَ، وَارِي الزِّنَادِ مُضْطَلِعُ الْعِمَادِ، لَا تُشْرِهُهُ الرَّغَائِبُ، وَلَا تُعْجِزُهُ النَّوَائِبُ، وَإِنْ وُلِّيَ كَفَى، وَإِنْ قَالَ وَفَى ; وَإِنْ نَازَلَ فَبَطَلٌ، وَإِنْ قَالَ فَعَلَ ; ظِلُّهُ لِوَلِيِّهِ ظَلِيلٌ، وَبَأْسُهُ فِي الْهِيَاجِ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلٌ، يَفُوقُ مَنْ سَامَاهُ، وَيُعْجِزُهُ مَنْ نَاوَاهُ، وَيَتْعَبُ مَنْ جَارَاهُ، وَيَنْعِشُ مَنْ وَالَاهُ. وَقَدْ أَثْنَى الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ عَلَى جَوْدَةِ ذِهْنِهِ وَحُسْنِ فَهْمِهِ وَأَدَبِهِ حِينَ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي حَيَاةِ أَبِيهِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ بِسَامَرَّا، وَرَوَى الْخَطِيبُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَرْبٍ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ بِاللَّهِ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ خَلِيفَةً أَحْسَنَ وَجْهًا مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُ سَجَدْتُ فَقَالَ: يَا شَيْخُ تَسْجُدُ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ؟ فَقُلْتُ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ النَّبِيلُ، ثَنَا بَكَّارُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا رَأَى مَا يَفْرَحُ بِهِ، أَوْ بُشِّرَ بِمَا يَسُرُّهُ، سَجَدَ شُكْرًا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. وَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ: صِرْتُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَزِّ وَهُوَ أَمِيرٌ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ بِقُدُومِي خَرَجَ مُسْتَعْجِلًا إِلَيَّ فَعَثَرَ، فَأَنْشَأَ يَقُولُ: يَمُوتُ الْفَتَى مِنْ عَثْرَةٍ بِلِسَانِهِ وَلَيْسَ يَمُوتُ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ عَثْرَةِ الرِّجْلِ فَعَثْرَتُهُ مِنْ فِيهِ تَرْمِي بِرَأْسِهِ وَعَثْرَتُهُ فِي الرِّجْلِ تَبْرَأُ عَلَى مَهْلِ وَذَكَرَ الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ عَسَاكِرَ: أَنَّ الْمُعْتَزَّ لَمَّا حَذَقَ الْقُرْآنَ فِي حَيَاةِ أَبِيهِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ اهْتَمَّ أَبُوهُ لِذَلِكَ وَاجْتَمَعَتِ الْأُمَرَاءُ الْكُبَرَاءُ وَالرُّؤَسَاءُ بِسُرَّ مَنْ رَأَى، وَاخْتَلَفُوا لِذَلِكَ أَيَّامًا عَدِيدَةً وَجَرَتْ أَحْوَالٌ عَظِيمَةٌ. وَلَمَّا جَلَسَ وَهُوَ صَبِيٌّ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى أَبِيهِ بِالْخِلَافَةِ، وَخَطَبَ النَّاسَ نُثِرَتِ الْجَوَاهِرُ فِي الصَّوَانِيِ، وَالذَّهَبُ وَالْفِضَّةُ عَلَى الْخَوَاصِّ وَالْعَوَامِّ بِدَارِ الْخِلَافَةِ، فَكَانَ قِيمَةُ مَا نُثِرَ مِنَ الْجَوَاهِرِ مَا يُسَاوِي مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَمِثْلَهَا ذَهَبًا، وَأَلْفَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، غَيْرَ مَا كَانَ مِنْ خِلَعٍ وَأَسْمِطَةٍ وَأَقْمِشَةٍ مِمَّا يَفُوتُ الْحَصْرَ وَكَانَ وَقْتًا مَشْهُودًا لَمْ يَكُنْ سُرُورٌ بِدَارِ الْخِلَافَةِ أَبْهَجَ مِنْهُ وَلَا أَحْسَنَ وَخَلَعَ الْخَلِيفَةُ عَلَى أُمِّ وَلَدِهِ الْمُعْتَزِّ - وَهِيَ قَبِيحَةُ - خِلَعًا سَنِيَّةً وَأَعْطَاهَا وَأَجْزَلَ لَهَا الْعَطَاءَ، وَكَذَلِكَ خَلَعَ عَلَى مُؤَدَّبِ الْمُعْتَزِّ - وَهُوَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِمْرَانَ - مِنَ الْجَوْهَرِ وَالذَّهَبِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ شَيْئًا كَثِيرًا جِدًّا وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.
Translation
✧ The Deposition and Death of al-Muʿtazz On the twenty-seventh of Rajab in the year two hundred and fifty-five, the Caliph al-Muʿtazz bi-llāh was deposed, and on the second of Shaʿbān his death was made known. The cause of his deposition was that the troops gathered and demanded their stipends from him, but he had nothing to give them. He asked his mother to lend him money with which to fend them off, but she refused and made it clear that she had nothing. The Turks then agreed to depose him. They sent for him to come out to them, but he excused himself saying that he had taken medicine and was weak, yet requested that some of them enter. Some of the commanders entered and seized him with maces, beating him, and dragged him by his foot and brought him out wearing a torn shirt stained with blood. They stood him in the middle of the caliphal palace in intense heat until he began shifting from one foot to the other because of the severity of the heat. Some of them slapped him while he wept, and the one striking him said, "Renounce it," while the people were gathered. Then they put him into a small room where he was confined. They continued to subject him to various kinds of torment until he renounced the caliphate, and al-Muhtadī bi-llāh succeeded him. Then they handed him over to someone who subjected him to terrible torture with various forms of punishment. He was prevented from food and drink for three days until he began asking for a drink of water from the well but was not given any. Then they put him into a vault containing plaster and lime and thrust him into it. He was found dead the next morning. They pulled him out of the plaster with his body intact and brought a group of notables to testify that he had died without any mark on him. That was on the second day of Shaʿbān of this year, a Saturday. Al-Muhtadī bi-llāh prayed over him, and he was buried beside his brother al-Muntaṣir next to the Palace of al-Ṣawāmiʿ. He was twenty-four years old. His caliphate lasted four years, six months, and twenty-three days. He was tall, stout, handsome, with an aquiline nose, a round face, a pleasant laugh, and fair complexion, with black, curly, thick hair and a thick beard, beautiful eyes and face, narrow forehead, and red cheeks, may God have mercy on him. He was eloquent. Among his words was when al-Mustaʿīn marched to Baghdad and he had assembled a group for consultation, he said to them: "Do you not look at this band whose hypocrisy has spread? The rabble, the disobedient, the scoundrels who have no restraint, no discernment, and no distinction. Their evil deeds have made plunging into error seem fair to them. They are the few even if numerous, and the blameworthy when mentioned. I have known that no one is fit to lead armies, guard the frontiers, settle affairs, and administer the provinces except a man in whom four qualities are complete: prudence by which he guards against the true outcomes of matters when they arise; knowledge that restrains him from recklessness and rashness in things except when opportunity permits; courage that calamities do not break even when they recur; and generosity that makes light the spending of wealth when it is sought, along with swift reward of good deeds to worthy helpers, a heavy hand upon the people of deviation and aggression, and readiness for mishaps since the mishaps of time cannot be trusted. And as for the two qualities, they are removing the veil from the subjects and judging between the strong and the weak with equality. And as for the one quality, it is vigilance over affairs. I have chosen for them a man from the clients of one of them, strong-willed, resolute, whom prosperity does not make arrogant and adversity does not confound, who does not fear what lies ahead and is not terrified by what he encounters. He is like the lion in the root of Islam: if provoked he attacks, and if he bites he kills. His equipment is ready and his strength is mighty. He meets the army with a small band, with a heart harder than iron, seeking vengeance that hosts cannot blunt, fierce in battle, and swift in action. He does not lack what he seeks, and no one escapes him who flees. He is kindling fire and bearing the pillar; desires do not distract him and calamities do not defeat him. If appointed, he suffices; if he speaks, he fulfills; if he fights, he is a hero; if he says, he does. His shade is cool to his ally and his might in battle is a guide. He surpasses those who rival him, frustrates those who oppose him, wearies those who race him, and revives those who befriend him." Imam Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal praised the excellence of his intellect, his good understanding, and his manners when he visited him during the lifetime of his father al-Mutawakkil in Sāmarrā. Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī narrated from ʿAlī b. Ḥarb, who said: "I entered upon al-Muʿtazz bi-llāh and I never saw a caliph with a more handsome face than his. When I saw him, I prostrated. He said, 'O shaykh, do you prostrate to anyone other than God?' I replied, 'Abū ʿĀṣim al-Ḍaḥḥāk b. Makhlad al-Nabīl narrated to us, Bakkār b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abī Bakrah narrated to us, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of God ﷺ, when he saw something that pleased him or was given good tidings that delighted him, would prostrate in thanks to God, Mighty and Majestic.'" Al-Zubayr b. Bakkār said: "I went to al-Muʿtazz while he was a prince. When he heard of my arrival, he hurried out to me and stumbled, then he began to recite: A man dies from a slip of his tongue, but a man does not die from a slip of the foot. His slip of the mouth casts down his head, while his slip of the foot heals in time." Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir mentioned that when al-Muʿtazz completed memorizing the Qurʾān during the lifetime of his father al-Mutawakkil, his father took great interest in that, and the great commanders and leaders gathered in Surra man raʾā. They disputed about it for many days, and great events took place. When he sat as a boy on the pulpit and greeted his father as caliph and addressed the people, jewels were scattered in the trays, and gold and silver upon the elite and common people in the caliphal palace. The value of the jewels scattered was equal to a hundred thousand dinars, and the like amount in gold, and a million dirhams, besides robes of honor, trays, and fabrics beyond count. It was a witnessed occasion, and no joy in the caliphal palace was more splendid or more beautiful. The caliph bestowed upon the mother of his son al-Muʿtazz—who was Qabīḥa—magnificent robes of honor and gave her abundant gifts. Likewise he bestowed upon al-Muʿtazz's tutor—who was Muḥammad b. ʿImrān—jewels, gold, and other things in great abundance. And God, Glorified and Exalted, knows best.
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