Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3431
The Year 256 AH
خَلْعِ الْمُهْتَدِي وَمَوْتِهِ ( فِي رَجَبٍ الْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ مِنْهُ )، خُلِعَ الْمُهْتَدِي، وَتُوُفِّيَ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً بَقِيَتْ مِنْهُ. وَكَانَ السَّبَبُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكَرْخِ وَالدُّورِ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ الَّذِينَ تَقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُهُمْ، تَحَرَّكُوا فِي أَوَّلِ رَجَبٍ لِطَلَبِ أَرْزَاقِهِمْ، فَوَجَّهَ الْمُهْتَدِي إِلَيْهِمْ أَخَاهُ أَبَا الْقَاسِمِ، وَكَيْغَلَغَ وَغَيْرَهُمَا، فَسَكَّنُوهُمْ، فَرَجَعُوا، وَبَلَغَ أَبَا نَصْرٍ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ بُغَا أَنَّ الْمُهْتَدِيَ قَالَ لِلْأَتْرَاكِ: إِنَّ الْأَمْوَالَ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُوسَى ابْنَيْ بُغَا، فَهَرَبَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ وَهُوَ بِالسِّنِّ مُقَابِلَ مُسَاوِرٍ الشَّارِيِّ، فَكَتَبَ الْمُهْتَدِي إِلَيْهِ أَرْبَعَةَ كُتُبٍ يُعْطِيهِ الْأَمَانَ، فَرَجَعَ هُوَ وَأَخُوهُ حَيْسُونٌ، فَحَبَسَهُمَا، وَمَعَهُمَا كَيْغَلَغَ، وَطُولِبَ أَبُو نَصْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بُغَا بِالْأَمْوَالِ، فَقُبِضَ مِنْ وَكِيلِهِ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَقُتِلَ لِثَلَاثٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، وَرُمِيَ بِهِ فِي بِئْرٍ فَأَنْتَنَ، فَأَخْرَجُوهُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْمَأْمُونِ. وَكَتَبَ الْمُهْتَدِي إِلَى مُوسَى بْنِ بُغَا، لَمَّا حَبَسَ أَخَاهُ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ الْعَسْكَرَ إِلَى بَايِكْبَاكَ وَيَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى بَايِكْبَاكَ أَنْ يَتَسَلَّمَ الْعَسْكَرَ، وَيَقُومَ بِحَرْبِ مُسَاوِرٍ الشَّارِيِّ، وَقَتْلِ مُوسَى بْنِ بُغَا وَمُفْلِحٍ، فَسَارَ بَايِكْبَاكُ بِالْكِتَابِ إِلَى مُوسَى، فَقَرَأَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَقَالَ: لَسْتُ أَفْرَحُ بِهَذَا، فَإِنَّهُ تَدْبِيرٌ عَلَيْنَا جَمِيعِنَا، فَمَا تَرَى ؟ فَقَالَ مُوسَى: أَرَى أَنْ تَسِيرَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَتُخْبِرَهُ أَنَّكَ فِي طَاعَتِهِ وَنُصْرَتِهِ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى مُفْلِحٍ، فَهُوَ يَطْمَئِنُّ إِلَيْكَ، ثُمَّ تُدِبِّرُ فِي قَتْلِهِ. فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، فَوَصَلَهَا وَمَعَهُ يَارْكُوجُ، وَأَسَارْتَكِينُ، وَسِيمَا الطَّوِيلُ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ، فَدَخَلُوا دَارَ الْخِلَافَةِ لِاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ مَضَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، فَحَبَسَ بَايِكْبَاكَ وَصَرَفَ الْبَاقِينَ، فَاجْتَمَعَ أَصْحَابُ بَايِكْبَاكَ وَغَيْرُهُمْ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، وَقَالُوا: لِمَ حُبِسَ قَائِدُنَا، وَلِمَ قُتِلَ أَبُو نَصْرِ بْنُ بُغَا ؟ خروج المهتدي وهزيمته وقتله فخرج الْمُهْتَدِي واسْتَخْدَمَ مِنْ فَوْرِهِ جُنْدًا مِنَ الْمَغَارِبَةِ وَالْفَرَاغِنَةِ وَالْأَشْرُوسَنِيَّةِ وَالْأَزْكَشِيَّةِ وَالْأَتْرَاكِ أَيْضًا، وَرَكِبَ فِي جَيْشٍ كَثِيفٍ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا بِهِ رَجَعَ مُوسَى بْنُ بُغَا إِلَى طَرِيقِ خُرَاسَانَ وَأَظْهَرَ بَايَكْبَاكُ السَّمْعَ وَالطَّاعَةَ، فَدَخَلَ فِي ثَانِيَ عَشَرَ رَجَبٍ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ سَامِعًا مُطِيعًا، فَلَمَّا أُوقِفَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَحَوْلَهُ الْأُمَرَاءُ وَالسَّادَةُ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ، شَاوَرَهُمْ فِيهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ صَالِحُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْمَنْصُورِ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، لَمْ يَبْلُغْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْخُلَفَاءِ فِي الشَّجَاعَةِ وَالْإِقْدَامِ مَا بَلَغْتَ، وَقَدْ كَانَ أَبُو مُسْلِمٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ شَرًّا مِنْ هَذَا وَأَكْثَرَ جُنْدًا، وَلَمَّا قَتَلَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْمَنْصُورُ سَكَنَتِ الْفِتْنَةُ وَخَمَدَ صَوْتُ أَصْحَابِهِ. فَأَمَرَ بِقَتْلِ بَايِكْبَاكَ، وَأَلْقَى رَأْسَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ عَتَّابُ بْنُ عَتَّابٍ، فَحَمَلُوا عَلَى عَتَّابٍ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَعَطَفَتْ مَيْمَنَةُ الْمُهْتَدِي وَمَيْسَرَتُهُ بِمَنْ فِيهَا مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَصَارُوا مَعَ إِخْوَانِهِمُ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَانْهَزَمَ الْبَاقُونَ عَنِ الْمُهْتَدِي، وَقُتِلَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ. فَقِيلَ: قُتِلَ سَبْعُمِائَةٍ وَثَمَانُونَ رَجُلًا، وَقِيلَ: قُتِلَ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ نَحْوُ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ. وَقِيلَ: أَلْفَانِ. وَقِيلَ: أَلْفٌ. وَقِيلَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْمُهْتَدِي خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَوَلَّى مُنْهَزِمًا، وَبِيَدِهِ السَّيْفُ، وَهُوَ يُنَادِي: يَا مَعْشَرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ! أَنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، قَاتِلُوا عَنْ خَلِيفَتِكُمْ ! فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَامَّةِ إِلَى ذَلِكَ، فَسَارَ إِلَى بَابِ السِّجْنِ، فَأَطْلَقَ مَنْ فِيهِ وَهُوَ يَظُنُّ أَنَّهُمْ يُعِينُونَهُ، فَهَرَبُوا وَلَمْ يُعِنْهُ أَحَدٌ، فَسَارَ إِلَى دَارِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ جَمِيلٍ صَاحِبِ الشُّرْطَةِ، فَدَخَلَهَا وَهُمْ فِي أَثَرِهِ، فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ وَأَخْرَجُوهُ، وَسَارُوا بِهِ إِلَى الْجَوْسَقِ عَلَى بَغْلٍ فَحُبِسَ عِنْدَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ خَاقَانَ، ( وَقَبَّلَ الْمُهْتَدِي يَدَهُ، فِيمَا قِيلَ، مِرَارًا عَدِيدَةً )، وَجَرَى بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ، وَهُوَ مَحْبُوسٌ، كَلَامٌ كَثِيرٌ أَرَادُوهُ فِيهِ عَلَى الْخَلْعِ، فَأَبَى وَاسْتَسْلَمَ لِلْقَتْلِ، فَقَالُوا: إِنَّهُ كَتَبَ بِخَطِّهِ رُقْعَةً لِمُوسَى بْنِ بُغَا، وَبَايِكْبَاكَ، وَجَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، أَنَّهُ لَا يَغْدِرُ بِهِمْ، وَلَا يَغْتَالُهُمْ، وَلَا يَفْتِكُ بِهِمْ، وَلَا يَهُمُّ بِذَلِكَ، وَأَنَّهُ مَتَى فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَهُمْ فِي حِلٍّ مِنْ بَيْعَتِهِ، وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْهِمْ ( يُقْعِدُونَ مَنْ ) شَاءُوا. فَاسْتَحَلُّوا بِذَلِكَ تَقَضِّيَ أَمْرِهِ، فَدَاسُوا خَصْيَتَيْهِ، وَصَفَقُوهُ فَمَاتَ، وَأَشْهَدُوا عَلَى مَوْتِهِ أَنَّهُ سَلِيمٌ لَيْسَ بِهِ أَثَرٌ، وَدُفِنَ بِمَقْبَرَةِ الْمُنْتَصِرِ. رواية أخرى في سبب مقتل الخليفة المهتدي وَقِيلَ: كَانَ سَبَبُ خَلْعِهِ وَمَوْتِهِ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْكَرْخِ وَالدُّورِ اجْتَمَعُوا وَطَلَبُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوا إِلَى الْمُهْتَدِي، وَيُكَلِّمُوهُ بِحَاجَاتِهِمْ، فَدَخَلُوا الدَّارَ، وَفِيهَا أَبُو نَصْرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بُغَا، وَغَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، فَخَرَجَ أَبُو نَصْرٍ مِنْهَا، وَدَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْكَرْخِ وَالدُّورِ، وَشَكَوْا حَالَهُمْ إِلَى الْمُهْتَدِي، وَهُمْ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ، وَطَلَبُوا مِنْهُ أَنْ يُعْزَلَ مِنْهُمْ أُمَرَاؤُهُمْ، وَأَنْ يَصِيرَ الْأَمْرُ إِلَى إِخْوَتِهِ، وَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ الْقُوَّادَ وَكُتَّابَهُمْ بِالْمَالِ الَّذِي صَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَوَعَدَهُمْ بِإِجَابَتِهِمْ إِلَى مَا سَأَلُوهُ، فَأَقَامُوا يَوْمَهُمْ فِي الدَّارِ، فَحَمَلَ الْمُهْتَدِي إِلَيْهِمْ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ. وَسَارَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بُغَا إِلَى الْمُحَمَّدِيَّةِ، وَأَصْبَحُوا مِنَ الْغَدِ يَطْلُبُونَ مَا سَأَلُوهُ، فَقِيلَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ هَذَا أَمْرٌ صَعْبٌ، وَإِخْرَاجُ الْأَمْرِ عَنْ يَدِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقُوَّادِ لَيْسَ بِسَهْلٍ، فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ مُطَالَبَتَهُمْ بِالْأَمْوَالِ ؟ فَانْظُرُوا فِي أُمُورِكُمْ، فَانْظُرُوا فِي أُمُورِكُمْ، فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَصْبِرُونَ عَلَى هَذَا الْأَمْرِ إِلَى أَنْ نَبْلُغَ غَايَتَهُ، وَإِلَّا فَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُحْسِنُ لَكُمُ النَّظَرَ، فَأَبَوْا إِلَّا مَا سَأَلُوهُ، فَدَعَوْا إِلَى أَيْمَانِ الْبَيْعَةِ عَلَى أَنْ يُقِيمُوا عَلَى هَذَا الْقَوْلِ، وَأَنْ يُقَاتِلُوا مَنْ قَاتَلَهُمْ، وَيَنْصَحُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَأَجَابُوا إِلَى ذَلِكَ، فَأُخِذَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَيْمَانُ الْبَيْعَةِ. ثُمَّ كَتَبُوا إِلَى أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَعَنِ الْمُهْتَدِي يُنْكِرُونَ خُرُوجَهُ عَنِ الدَّارِ بِغَيْرِ سَبَبٍ، وَأَنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا قَصَدُوا لِيَشْكُوا حَالَهُمْ، وَلَمَّا رَأَوُا الدَّارَ فَارِغَةً أَقَامُوا فِيهَا، فَرَجَعَ فَحَضَرَ عِنْدَ الْمُهْتَدِي، فَقَبَّلَ رِجْلَهُ وَيَدَهُ وَوَقَفَ، فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْأَمْوَالِ وَمَا يَقُولُهُ الْأَتْرَاكُ، فَقَالَ: وَمَا أَنَا وَالْأَمْوَالُ ؟ قَالَ: وَهَلْ هِيَ إِلَّا عِنْدَكَ وَعِنْدَ أَخِيكَ وَأَصْحَابِكُمَا ؟ ثُمَّ أَخَذُوا بِيَدِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَحَبَسُوهُ، وَكَتَبُوا إِلَى مُوسَى بْنِ بُغَا، وَمُفْلِحٍ بِالِانْصِرَافِ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَتَسْلِيمِ الْعَسْكَرِ إِلَى قُوَّادٍ ذَكَرُوهُمْ، وَكَتَبُوا إِلَى الْأَتْرَاكِ الصِّغَارِ فِي تَسَلُّمِ الْعَسْكَرِ مِنْهُمَا، وَذَكَرُوا مَا جَرَى لَهُمْ، وَقَالُوا: إِنْ أَجَابَ مُوسَى وَمُفْلِحٌ إِلَى مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ مِنَ الْإِقْبَالِ إِلَى سَامَرَّا، وَتَسْلِيمِ الْعَسْكَرِ، وَإِلَّا فَشُدُّوهُمَا وَثَاقًا، وَاحْمِلُوهُمْ إِلَى الْبَابِ. وَأَجْرَى الْمُهْتَدِي عَلَى مَنْ أُخِذَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْبَيْعَةُ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ دِرْهَمَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَتِ الْكُتُبُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ مُوسَى أَخَذَهَا مُوسَى، وَقُرِئَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى النَّاسِ، وَأَخَذُوا عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَيْعَةَ بِالنُّصْرَةِ لَهُمْ، وَسَارُوا نَحْوَ سَامَرَّا، فَنَزَلُوا عِنْدَ قَنْطَرَةِ ( الرَّقِيقِ لِإِحْدَى ) عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً خَلَتْ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، وَخَرَجَ الْمُهْتَدِي وَعَرَضَ النَّاسَ. وَعَادَ مِنْ يَوْمِهِ، وَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ مِنَ الْغَدِ وَقَدْ دَخَلَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُوسَى زُهَاءَ أَلْفِ فَارِسٍ، مِنْهُمْ كَوْبَكِينُ وَغَيْرُهُ، وَعَادَ، وَخَرَجَ الْمُهْتَدِي فَصَفَّ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَفِيهِمْ مَنْ أَتَى مِنْ أَصْحَابِ مُوسَى، وَتَرَدَّدَتِ الرُّسُلُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مُوسَى ( يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ ) نَاحِيَةً يَنْصَرِفُ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَصْحَابُ الْمُهْتَدِي يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَجِيءَ إِلَيْهِمْ لِيُنَاظِرَهُمْ عَلَى الْأَمْوَالِ، فَلَمْ يَتَّفِقُوا عَلَى شَيْءٍ. وَانْصَرَفَ عَنْ مُوسَى خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَعَدَلَ هُوَ وَمُفْلِحٌ يُرِيدَانِ طَرِيقَ خُرَاسَانَ، وَأَقْبَلَ بَايِكْبَاكُ، وَجَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ، فَوَصَلُوا إِلَى الْمُهْتَدِي، فَسَلَّمُوا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالِانْصِرَافِ، وَحَبَسَ بَايِكْبَاكَ، وَقَتَلَهُ، وَلَمْ يَتَحَرَّكْ أَحَدٌ، وَلَا تَغَيَّرَ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا تَغَيُّرًا يَسِيرًا، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْأَحَدُ أَنْكَرَ الْأَتْرَاكُ مُسَاوَاةَ الْفَرَاغِنَةِ لَهُمْ فِي الدَّارِ، وَدُخُولَهُمْ مَعَهُمْ، وَرُفِعَ أَنَّ الْفَرَاغِنَةَ إِنَّمَا تَمَّ لَهُمْ هَذَا بِعَدَمِ رُؤَسَاءِ الْأَتْرَاكِ، فَخَرَجُوا مِنَ الدَّارِ بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ، وَبَقِيَتِ الدَّارُ عَلَى الْفَرَاغِنَةِ، وَالْمَغَارِبَةِ، فَأَنْكَرَ الْأَتْرَاكُ ذَلِكَ، وَأَضَافُوا إِلَيْهِ طَلَبَ بَايِكْبَاكَ، فَقَالَ الْمُهْتَدِي لِلْفَرَاعِنَةِ وَالْمَغَارِبَةِ مَا جَرَى مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَظُنُّونَ فِيكُمْ قُوَّةً فَمَا أَكْرَهُ قُرْبَكُمْ، وَإِلَّا أَرْضَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ تَفَاقُمِ الْأَمْرِ ! فَذَكَرُوا أَنَّهُمْ يَقُومُونَ بِهِ، فَخَرَجَ بِهِمُ الْمُهْتَدِي وَهُمْ فِي سِتَّةِ آلَافٍ، مِنْهُمْ مِنَ الْأَتْرَاكِ نَحْوُ أَلْفٍ وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ صَالِحِ بْنِ وَصِيفٍ، وَكَانَ الْأَتْرَاكُ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافِ، فَلَمَّا الْتَقَوُا انْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ صَالِحٍ، وَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ كَمِينٌ لِلْأَتْرَاكِ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُهْتَدِي، وَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ مَا تَقَدَّمَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَّا رَأَوُا الْمُهْتَدِيَ بِدَارِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ جَمِيلٍ قَاتَلَهُمْ، فَأَخْرَجُوهُ، وَكَانَ بِهِ أَثَرُ طَعْنَةٍ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْجُرْحَ أَلْقَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَأَرَادُوهُ عَلَى خَلْعٍ، فَأَبَى أَنْ يُجِيبَهُمْ، فَمَاتَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ وَأَظْهَرُوهُ لِلنَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ، وَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ. وَكَانُوا قَدْ خَلَعُوا أَصَابِعَ يَدَيْهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ مِنْ كَعْبَيْهِ، وَفَعَلُوا بِهِ غَيْرَ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى مَاتَ ; وَطَلَبُوا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ بُغَا، فَوَجَدُوهُ مَيِّتًا، فَكَسَرُوا عَلَى قَبْرِهِ أَلْفَ سَيْفٍ. وَكَانَتْ مُدَّةُ خِلَافَةِ الْمُهْتَدِي أَحَدَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَخَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ لَيْلَةً، وَكَانَ عُمْرُهُ ثَمَانِيًا وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً، وَكَانَ وَاسِعَ الْجَبْهَةِ، أَسْمَرَ، رَقِيقًا، أَشْهَلَ، جَهْمَ الْوَجْهِ، عَرِيضَ الْبَطْنِ، عَرِيضَ الْمَنْكِبَيْنِ، قَصِيرًا، طَوِيلَ اللِّحْيَةِ، وَمَوْلِدُهُ بِالْقَاطُولِ. وعن أَحْمَدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْأُمَوِيُّ قَالَ: كَانَتْ لِي حَلْقَةٌ وَأَنَا بِمَكَّةَ أَجْلِسُ فِيهَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ، وَيَجْتَمِعُ إِلَيَّ فِيهَا أَهْلُ الْأَدَبِ، وَإِنَّا [يَوْمًا] لَنَتَنَاظَرُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ النَّحْوِ وَالْعَرُوضِ، وَقَدْ عَلَتْ أَصْوَاتُنَا وَذَلِكَ فِي خِلَافَةِ الْمُهْتَدِي، إِذْ وَقَفَ عَلَيْنَا مَجْنُونٌ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَمَا تَسْتَحُونَ اللَّهَ يَا مَعْدِنَ الْجَهْلِ شُغِلْتُمْ بِذَا وَالنَّاسُ فِي أَعْظَمِ الشُّغْلِ أَمَامَكُمْ أَضْحَى قَتِيلًا مُجَدَّلًا وَقَدْ أَصْبَحَ الْإِسْلَامُ مُفْتَرِقَ الشَّمْلِ وَأَنْتُمْ عَلَى الْأَشْعَارِ وَالنَّحْوِ عُكَّفٌ تَصِيحُونَ بِالْأَصْوَاتِ فَلَسْتُمْ بِذِي عَقْلِ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ الْمَجْنُونُ، وَتَفَرَّقْنَا، وَقَدْ أَفْزَعَنَا مَا ذَكَرَهُ الْمَجْنُونُ، وَحَفِظَنَا الْأَبْيَاتَ، فَخَبَّرْتُ بِذَلِكَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، فَحَدَّثَ بِهِ قَبِيحَةَ أُمَّ الْمُعْتَزِّ بِاللَّهِ فَقَالَتْ: إِنَّ لِهَذَا لَنَبَأٌ، فَاكْتُبُوا هَذِهِ الْأَبْيَاتَ، وَأَرِّخُوا هَذَا الْيَوْمَ، وَاطْوُوا هَذَا الْخَبَرَ عَنِ الْعَامَّةِ. فَفَعَلْنَا، فَلَمَّا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ وَرَدَ الْخَبَرُ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ السَّلَامِ بِقَتْلِ الْمُهْتَدِي.
Translation
✧ The deposition and death of al-Muhtadī (In Rajab, on the fifteenth of it), al-Muhtadī was deposed, and he died with twelve nights remaining of it. The reason for that was that the people of al-Karkh and al-Dūr, of the Turks previously mentioned, stirred at the beginning of Rajab to demand their stipends. Al-Muhtadī sent to them his brother Abū al-Qāsim, and Kayghalagh and others, and they calmed them, so they returned. It reached Abū Naṣr Muḥammad b. Bughā that al-Muhtadī had said to the Turks: "The funds are with Muḥammad and Mūsā, the two sons of Bughā." So he fled to his brother, who was at al-Sinn facing Musāwir al-Shārī. Al-Muhtadī wrote to him four letters granting him safe conduct, so he returned, he and his brother Ḥaysūn, and he imprisoned both of them, along with Kayghalagh. Abū Naṣr Muḥammad b. Bughā was demanded to produce the funds, and fifteen thousand dinars were seized from his agent. He was killed on the third night of Rajab and thrown into a well, where he began to stink, so they brought him out to his house, and al-Ḥasan b. al-Maʾmūn prayed over him. Al-Muhtadī wrote to Mūsā b. Bughā, when he imprisoned his brother, that he should hand over the army to Bāyakbāk and return to him. And he wrote to Bāyakbāk that he should take over the army, and undertake the war against Musāwir al-Shārī, and kill Mūsā b. Bughā and Mufliḥ. So Bāyakbāk traveled with the letter to Mūsā, read it to him, and said: "I am not pleased with this, for it is a plot against us all. What do you think?" Mūsā said: "I think you should go to Sāmarrā and tell him that you are in obedience to him and in support of him against me and against Mufliḥ, so he will trust you, then you can plan his killing." So he proceeded to Sāmarrā, and reached it accompanied by Yārkūj, Asārtakīn, Sīmā al-Ṭawīl, and others. They entered the palace of the caliphate on the twelfth of Rajab. Then he imprisoned Bāyakbāk and dismissed the rest. The companions of Bāyakbāk and other Turks gathered and said: "Why has our commander been imprisoned, and why was Abū Naṣr b. Bughā killed?" The going forth of al-Muhtadī, his defeat, and his killing So al-Muhtadī went out and immediately enlisted troops from the Maghāriba, the Farāghina, the Ashrūsaniyya, the Azkashiyya, and also the Turks, and he rode out with a dense army. When they heard of him, Mūsā b. Bughā returned to the Khurasan road, and Bāyakbāk showed obedience and loyalty, and entered to the caliph on the twelfth of Rajab in obedience and loyalty. When he was made to stand before him, with the commanders and the nobles of the Banū Hāshim around him, he consulted them about him. Ṣāliḥ b. ʿAlī b. Yaʿqūb b. Abī Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, no one among the caliphs has attained in courage and boldness what you have attained. Abū Muslim al-Khurasānī was worse than this one and had more troops, and when Abū Jaʿfar al-Manṣūr killed him, the sedition subsided and the voice of his followers was silenced." So he ordered the killing of Bāyakbāk, and ʿAttāb b. ʿAttāb threw his head to them. Then they attacked ʿAttāb and killed him, and the right wing and left wing of al-Muhtadī, with the Turks among them, turned and joined their Turkish brethren, and the rest fled from al-Muhtadī, and a group from both sides was killed. It was said: Seven hundred and eighty men were killed. And it was said: About four thousand of the Turks were killed. And it was said: Two thousand. And it was said: One thousand. And it was said: Many of al-Muhtadī's followers were killed. He fled defeated, sword in hand, calling out: "O Muslims! I am the Commander of the Faithful, fight for your caliph!" But no one among the common people answered him to that. He went to the prison gate and released those inside, thinking they would help him, but they fled and no one helped him. He went to the house of Aḥmad b. Jamīl, the chief of police, and entered it while they were pursuing him. They entered upon him and brought him out, and took him to al-Jawsaq on a mule, where he was imprisoned with Aḥmad b. Khāqān. (And al-Muhtadī kissed his hand, as it was said, many times.) While he was imprisoned, much talk passed between them and him; they wanted him to abdicate, but he refused and submitted to being killed. They said: He wrote with his own hand a note to Mūsā b. Bughā, Bāyakbāk, and a group of the commanders, that he would not act treacherously toward them, nor assassinate them, nor attack them suddenly, nor intend that, and that if he did that, they would be absolved of their allegiance to him, and the matter would be theirs to appoint whom they wished. Thus they deemed it lawful to carry out his affair. They crushed his testicles and slapped him until he died. They had witnesses testify to his death that he was sound, with no mark on him, and he was buried in the cemetery of al-Muntaṣir. Another account of the reason for the killing of Caliph al-Muhtadī It was said: The reason for his deposition and death was that the people of al-Karkh and al-Dūr gathered and asked to enter upon al-Muhtadī and speak to him about their needs. They entered the palace, in which Abū Naṣr Muḥammad b. Bughā and other commanders were present. Abū Naṣr left it, and the people of al-Karkh and al-Dūr entered and complained of their condition to al-Muhtadī. They were four thousand. They asked him that their commanders be dismissed from them, that the affair be given to his brothers, and that the commanders and their secretaries be held accountable for the money that had come to them. He promised to grant them what they asked. They remained that day in the palace, and al-Muhtadī had food brought to them. Muḥammad b. Bughā went to al-Muḥammadiyya, and the next morning they sought what they had asked. It was said to them: "This is a difficult matter, and removing the affair from the hands of these commanders is not easy. How much more so when combined with demanding money from them? So consider your affairs. Consider your affairs. If you can endure this matter until we reach its end, good; otherwise the Commander of the Faithful will look after your interests." But they refused anything except what they had asked. So they were called to the oaths of allegiance, to abide by this statement, to fight whoever fought them, and to be sincere to the Commander of the Faithful. They agreed to that, and the oaths of allegiance were taken from them. Then they wrote to Abū Naṣr on their own behalf and on behalf of al-Muhtadī, disapproving of his leaving the palace without cause, and saying that they had only intended to complain of their condition, and when they saw the palace empty, they stayed in it. So he returned and came before al-Muhtadī, kissed his foot and his hand, and stood. He asked him about the funds and what the Turks were saying. He said: "What have I to do with the funds?" He said: "Are they not only with you and your brother and your companions?" Then they took Muḥammad by the hand and imprisoned him. They wrote to Mūsā b. Bughā and Mufliḥ to return to Sāmarrā and hand over the army to commanders whom they named. They wrote to the junior Turks to take over the army from the two of them. They mentioned what had happened to them and said: "If Mūsā and Mufliḥ comply with what was commanded, namely to come to Sāmarrā and hand over the army, good; otherwise bind them firmly and bring them to the gate." Al-Muhtadī gave every man from whom the oath was taken two dirhams. When the letters reached Mūsā's army, Mūsā took them and they were read to him and to the people, and they took the oath of allegiance to support them. They marched toward Sāmarrā and encamped at the bridge of al-Raqīq on the eleventh night of Rajab. Al-Muhtadī went out and reviewed the people. He returned the same day, and the next morning about a thousand horsemen from Mūsā's followers had entered, including Kawbakīn and others. He returned, and al-Muhtadī went out and drew up his followers in ranks, including some who had come from Mūsā's followers. Messengers went back and forth between them and Mūsā, as he wanted to be appointed to a region to which he could withdraw, while al-Muhtadī's followers wanted him to come to them to debate about the funds. They did not agree on anything. Many of Mūsā's followers left him, so he and Mufliḥ turned aside, intending the Khurasan road. Bāyakbāk and a group of the commanders came forward and reached al-Muhtadī. They greeted him, and he ordered them to leave. He imprisoned Bāyakbāk and killed him, and no one moved, and nothing changed except a slight change. That was on Saturday. On Sunday, the Turks objected to the Farāghina being made equal to them in the palace and entering with them. It was reported that the Farāghina had only achieved this because of the absence of the Turkish leaders. So they left the palace altogether, and the palace remained with the Farāghina and the Maghāriba. The Turks objected to that, and added to it the demand for Bāyakbāk. Al-Muhtadī told the Farāghina and the Maghāriba what had happened with the Turks, and said to them: "If you think you have strength, then I do not dislike your nearness; otherwise we should satisfy them before the matter worsens!" They said that they would undertake it. So al-Muhtadī went out with them, and they were six thousand, including about a thousand Turks, who were the companions of Ṣāliḥ b. Waṣīf. The Turks were ten thousand. When they met, Ṣāliḥ's companions were defeated, and an ambush of the Turks came out against them, and al-Muhtadī's followers were defeated. He mentioned something similar to what has preceded, except that he said that when they saw al-Muhtadī at the house of Aḥmad b. Jamīl, he fought them, and they brought him out, and he had the mark of a spear wound. When he saw the wound, he surrendered himself to them. They wanted him to abdicate, but he refused to answer them. He died on Wednesday, and they displayed him to the people on Thursday, and Jaʿfar b. ʿAbd al-Wāḥid prayed over him. They had dislocated the fingers of his hands and his feet from his ankles, and did other things to him until he died. They sought Muḥammad b. Bughā and found him dead, and broke a thousand swords over his grave. The duration of al-Muhtadī's caliphate was eleven months and fifteen nights. His age was thirty-eight years. He was broad-browed, dark-skinned, slender, with dark eyes with a touch of blue, a grim face, broad-bellied, broad-shouldered, short, with a long beard. He was born at al-Qāṭūl. From Aḥmad b. Saʿīd al-Umawī, who said: I had a circle in Makkah where I used to sit in the Sacred Mosque, and the people of literature gathered to me there. One day we were debating something of grammar and prosody, and our voices had risen, and that was during the caliphate of al-Muhtadī, when a madman stopped by us and looked at us, then said: Do you not feel shame before God, O mine of ignorance? You are occupied with this while the people are in the greatest occupation. Before you he has become a slain corpse, stretched out, And Islam has become with scattered unity. And you are devoted to poetry and grammar, Shouting with your voices, so you are not of any intellect. Then the madman departed, and we dispersed, alarmed by what the madman had mentioned. We memorized the verses. I reported that to Ismāʿīl b. al-Mutawakkil, and he told it to Qabīḥa, the mother of al-Muʿtazz billāh. She said: "There is news in this. Write down these verses, record the date of this day, and conceal this news from the common people." So we did. Then on the fifteenth day, news arrived from the City of Peace of the killing of al-Muhtadī.
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