Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3514
The Year 267 AH
مُحَاصَرَةِ مَدِينَةِ صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ لَمَّا أَنْفَذَ الْمُوَفَقُّ الْكِتَابَ إِلَى الْعَلَوِيِّ، وَلَمْ يَرُدَّ جَوَابَهُ، عَرَضَ عَسْكَرَهُ، وَأَصْلَحَ آلَاتِهِ، وَرَتَّبَ قُوَّادَهُ، ثُمَّ سَارَ هُوَ وَابْنُهُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ فِي الْعِشْرِينَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ الَّتِي سَمَّاهَا الْمُخْتَارَةَ، وَأَشْرَفَ عَلَيْهَا، وَتَأَمَّلَهَا وَرَأَى حَصَانَتَهَا بِالْأَسْوَارِ وَالْخَنَادِقِ، وَغَوَّرَ الطَّرِيقَ إِلَيْهَا، وَمَا أُعِدَّ مِنَ الْمَجَانِيقِ وَالْعَرَّادَاتِ، وَالْقِسِيِّ، وَسَائِرِ الْآلَاتِ عَلَى سُورِهَا، مِمَّا لَمْ يَرَ مِثْلَهُ لِمَنْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ مُنَازِعِي السُّلْطَانِ، وَرَأَى مِنْ كَثْرَةِ عَدَدِ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ مَا اسْتَعْظَمَهُ. فَلَمَّا عَايَنَ الزَّنْجُ أَصْحَابَ الْمُوَفَّقِ ارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ حَتَّى ارْتَجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ ابْنَهُ بِالتَّقَدُّمِ إِلَى سُورِ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَالرَّمْيِ لِمَنْ عَلَيْهِ بِالسِّهَامِ، فَتَقَدَّمَ حَتَّى أَلْصَقَ شَذَوَاتِهِ بِمُسَنَّاةِ قَصْرِ الْخَبِيثِ، فَكَثُرَ الزَّنْجُ وَأَصْحَابُهُمْ عَلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَتَتَابَعَتْ سِهَامُهُمْ وَحِجَارَةُ مَجَانِيقِهِمْ وَمَقَالِيعِهِمْ، وَرَمَى عَوَامُّهُمْ بِالْحِجَارَةِ عَنْ أَيْدِيهِمْ، حَتَّى مَا يَقَعُ الطَّرَفُ إِلَّا عَلَى سَهْمٍ أَوْ حَجَرٍ. وَثَبَتَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ، فَرَأَى الْعَلَوِيُّ مِنْ صَبْرِهِ وَثَبَاتِ أَصْحَابِهِ مَا لَمْ يَرَ مِثْلَهُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ [ مِمَّنْ ] حَارَبَهُمْ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمُ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِالرُّجُوعِ فَفَعَلُوا، اسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ مُقَاتِلَةٌ فِي سُمَيْرِيَّتَيْنِ، فَأَمَّنَهُمْ، فَخَلَعَ عَلَى مَنْ فِيهِمَا مِنَ الْمُقَاتِلَةِ وَالْمَلَّاحِينَ عَلَى أَقْدَارِهِمْ وَوَصَلَهُمْ وَأَمَرَ بِإِدْنَائِهِمْ إِلَى مَوْضِعٍ يَرَاهُمْ فِيهِ نُظَرَاؤُهُمْ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَنْجَعِ الْمَكَايِدِ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمُ الْبَاقُونَ رَغِبُوا فِي الْأَمَانِ، وَتَنَافَسُوا فِيهِ، وَابْتَدَرُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَصَارَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ عَدَدٌ كَثِيرٌ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ، فَعَمَّهُمْ بِالْخِلَعِ وَالصِّلَاتِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ ذَلِكَ أَمَرَ بِرَدِّ أَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى السُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ إِلَى نَهْرِ أَبِي الْخَصِيبِ، وَوَكَّلَ بِفُوَّهَةِ النَّهْرِ مَنْ يَمْنَعُهُمْ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ، وَأَمَرَ بَهْبُودَ، وَهُوَ مِنْ شَرِّ قُوَّادِهِ، أَنْ يَخْرُجَ فِي الشَّذَوَاتِ، فَخَرَجَ وَبَرَزَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ فِي شَذَوَاتِهِ، وَقَاتَلَهُ، وَاشْتَدَّتِ الْحَرْبُ، فَانْهَزَمَ بَهْبُودُ إِلَى فِنَاءِ قَصْرِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَأَصَابَتْهُ طَعْنَتَانِ، وَجُرِحَ بِالسِّهَامِ، وَأُوهِنَتْ أَعْضَاؤُهُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ، فَأَوْلَجُوهُ نَهْرَ أَبِي الْخَصِيبِ وَقَدْ أَشَفَى عَلَى الْمَوْتِ، فَقُتِلَ مِمَّنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ قَائِدٌ ذُو بَأْسٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَمِيرَةُ، وَظَفَرَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ بِشَذَاةٍ فَقَتَلَ أَهْلَهَا، وَرَجَعَ هُوَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ سَالِمِينَ، فَاسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ أَهْلُ شَذَاةٍ مِنْهُمْ، فَأَمَّنَهُمْ، وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَرَجَعَ الْمُوَفَّقُ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ بِالنَّهْرِ الْمُبَارَكِ، اسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَيْهِ عِنْدَ مُنْصَرَفِهِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَأَمَّنَهُمْ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَوَصَلَهُمْ، وَأَثْبَتَ أَسْمَاءَهُمْ مَعَ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَأَقَامَ عَسْكَرُهُ يَوْمَيْنِ، ثُمَّ نَقَلَ عَسْكَرَهُ لَسِتٍّ بَقِينَ مِنْ رَجَبٍ إِلَى نَهْرِ جَطَّى فَنَزَلَهُ، وَأَقَامَ بِهِ إِلَى مُنْتَصَفِ شَعْبَانَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلْ. ثُمَّ رَكِبَ مُنْتَصَفَ شَعْبَانَ فِي الْخَيْلِ وَالرِّجَالِ وَأَعَدَّ الشَّذَا وَالسُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ، وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَهُ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ وَالْمُتَطَوِّعَةِ زُهَاءَ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا، وَكَانَ مَنْ مَعَ الْخَبِيثِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ إِنْسَانٍ، كُلُّهُمْ مِمَّنْ يُقَاتِلُ بِسَيْفٍ، أَوْ رُمْحٍ، أَوْ قَوْسٍ، أَوْ مِقْلَاعٍ، أَوْ مَنْجَنِيقٍ، وَأَضْعَفَهُمْ رُمَاةُ الْحِجَارَةِ مِنْ أَيْدِيهِمْ، وَهُمُ النَّظَّارَةُ، وَالنِّسَاءُ تُشْرِكُهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَأَقَامَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ، وَنُودِيَ بِالْأَمَانِ لِلنَّاسِ كَافَّةً إِلَّا الْخَبِيثَ، وَكَتَبَ الْأَمَانَ فِي رِقَاعٍ، وَرَمَاهَا فِي السِّهَامِ، وَوَعَدَ فِيهَا الْإِحْسَانَ، فَمَالَتْ قُلُوبُ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَاسْتَأْمَنَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَوَصَلَهُمْ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ حَرْبٌ. ثُمَّ رَحَلَ مِنْ نَهْرِ جَطَّى مِنَ الْغَدِ، فَعَسْكَرَ قُرْبَ مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَرَتَّبَ قُوَّادَهُ وَأَجْنَادَهُ، وَعَيَّنَ لِكُلِّ طَائِفَةٍ مَوْضِعًا يُحَافِظُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَيَضْبُطُونَهُ، وَكَتَبَ الْمُوَفَّقُ إِلَى الْبِلَادِ فِي عَمَلِ السُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ، وَالشَّذَوَاتِ، وَالزَّوَارِيقِ، وَالْإِكْثَارِ مِنْهَا لِيَضْبُطَ بِهَا الْأَنْهَارَ، لِيَقْطَعَ الْمِيرَةَ عَنِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَأَسَّسَ فِي مَنْزِلَتِهِ مَدِينَةً سَمَّاهَا الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةَ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَّالِهِ فِي النَّوَاحِي بِحَمْلِ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْمِيرَةِ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ إِلَى مَدِينَتِهِ، وَأَمَرَهِمْ بِإِنْفَاذِ مَنْ يَصْلُحُ لِلْإِثْبَاتِ فِي الدِّيوَانِ، وَأَقَامَ يَنْتَظِرُ ذَلِكَ شَهْرًا، فَوَرَدَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْمِيرَةُ مُتَتَابِعَةً، وَجَهَّزَ التُّجَّارُ صُنُوفَ التِّجَارَاتِ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةِ، وَاتُّخِذَتْ فِيهَا الْأَسْوَاقُ، وَوَرَدَتْهَا مَرَاكِبُ الْبَحْرِ، وَبَنَى الْمُوَفَّقُ بِهَا الْمَسْجِدَ الْجَامِعَ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالصَّلَاةِ فِيهِ، فَجَمَعَتْ هَذِهِ الْمَدِينَةُ مِنَ الْمَرَافِقِ، وَسِيقَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ صُنُوفِ الْأَشْيَاءِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي مِصْرَ مِنَ الْأَمْصَارِ الْقَدِيمَةِ وَحُمِلَتِ الْأَمْوَالُ، وَأُدِرَّتِ الْأَرْزَاقُ. وَعَبَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ، فَنَهَبُوا أَطْرَافَ عَسْكَرِ نُصَيْرٍ، وَأَوْقَعُوا بِهِ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ نُصَيْرًا بِجَمْعِ عَسْكَرِهِ وَضَبْطِهِمْ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى طَائِفَةٍ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ كَانُوا خَارِجَ الْمَدِينَةِ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَغَنِمَ مَا كَانَ مَعَهُمْ، فَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهُمْ فِي الْأَمَانِ، فَأَمَّنَهُمْ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَوَصَلَهُمْ، وَأَقَامَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ يُكَايِدُ الْخَبِيثَ بِبَذْلِ الْأَمْوَالِ لِمَنْ صَارَ إِلَيْهِ، وَمُحَاصَرَةِ الْبَاقِينَ، وَالتَّضْيِيقِ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَكَانَتْ قَافِلَةٌ قَدْ أَتَتْ مِنَ الْأَهْوَازِ، وَأَسْرَى إِلَيْهَا بَهْبُودُ فِي سُمَيْرِيَّاتٍ فَأَخَذَهَا، وَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ، وَغَرِمَ لِأَهْلِهَا مَا أُخِذَ مِنْهُمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِتَرْتِيبِ الشَّذَوَاتِ عَلَى مَخَارِجِ الْأَنْهَارِ، وَقَلَّدَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ الشَّذَا، وَحَفِظَ الْأَنْهَارَ بِهَا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي هُمْ بِهِ. وَفِي رَمَضَانَ عَبَرَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ يُرِيدُونَ الْإِيقَاعَ بِنُصَيْرٍ، ( فَنَذَرَ بِهِمُ النَّاسُ، فَخَرَجُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ) فَرَدُّوهُمْ خَائِبِينَ، وَظَفِرُوا بِصَنْدَلٍ الزَّنْجِيِّ، كَانَ يَكْشِفُ رُءُوسَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ، وَيُقَلِّبُهُنَّ تَقْلِيبَ الْإِمَاءِ، فَلَمَّا أُتِيَ بِهِ أَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ أَنْ يُرْمَى بِالسِّهَامِ ثُمَّ قَتَلَهُ. وَاسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَبَلَغَتْ عِدَّةُ مَنِ اسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَيْهِ فِي آخِرِ رَمَضَانَ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفًا. وَفِي شَوَّالٍ انْتَخَبَ صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ مِنْ عَسْكَرِهِ خَمْسَةَ آلَافٍ مِنْ شُجْعَانِهِمْ وَقُوَّادِهِمْ، وَأَمَرَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ الْمُهَلَّبِيَّ بِالْعُبُورِ لِكَبْسِ عَسْكَرِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَكَانَ فِيهِمْ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مِائَتَيْ قَائِدٍ، فَعَبَرُوا لَيْلًا، وَاخْتَفَوْا فِي آخِرِ النَّخْلِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ، إِذَا ظَهَرَ أَصْحَابُهُمْ، وَقَاتَلُوا الْمُوَفَّقَ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ، ظَهَرُوا، وَحَمَلُوا عَلَى عَسْكَرِهِ وَهُمْ غَارُّونَ، مَشَاغِيلُ بِحَرْبِ مِنْ أَمَامِهِمْ، فَأَسْتَأْمَنَ مِنْهُمْ إِنْسَانٌ مِنَ الْمَلَّاحِينَ، فَأَخْبَرَ الْمُوَفَّقَ، فَسَيَّرَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ لِقِتَالِهِمْ وَضَبْطِ الطُّرُقِ الَّتِي يَسْلُكُونَهَا، فَقَاتَلُوا قِتَالًا شَدِيدًا، وَأَسَرَ أَكْثَرَهُمْ، وَغَرِقَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَقُتِلَ بَعْضُهُمْ، وَنَجَا بَعْضُهُمْ، فَأَمَرَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ أَنْ يُحْمَلَ الْأَسْرَى، وَالرُّءُوسُ، وَالسُّمَيْرِيَّاتُ وَيُعْبَرَ بِهِمْ عَلَى مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ. وَبَلَغَ الْمُوَفَّقَ أَنَّ الْخَبِيثَ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: إِنَّ الْأَسْرَى مِنَ الْمُسْتَأْمِنَةِ، وَإِنَّ الرُّءُوسَ تَمْوِيهٌ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَأَمَرَ بِإِلْقَاءِ الرُّءُوِسِ فِي مَنْجَنِيقٍ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا عَرَفُوهَا، فَأَظْهَرُوا الْجَزَعَ وَالْبُكَاءَ، وَظَهَرَ لَهُمْ كَذِبُ الْخَبِيثِ. وَفِيهَا أَمَرَ الْخَبِيثُ بِاتِّخَاذِ شَذَوَاتٍ، فَعُمِلَتْ لَهُ، فَكَانَتْ لَهُ خَمْسُونَ شَذَاةً فَقَسَمَهَا بَيْنَ ثَلَاثَةٍ مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالتَّعَرُّضِ لِعَسْكَرِ الْمُوَفَّقِ ; وَكَانَتْ شَذَوَاتُ الْمُوَفَّقِ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَلِيلَةً لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَصِلْ إِلَيْهِ مَا أَمَرَ بِعَمَلِهِ، وَالَّتِي كَانَتْ عِنْدَهُ مِنْهَا فَرَّقَهَا عَلَى أَفْوَاهِ الْأَنْهَارِ لِقَطْعِ الْمِيرَةِ عَنِ الْخَبِيثِ، فَخَافَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَوَرَدَ عَلَيْهِمْ شَذَوَاتٌ كَانَ الْمُوَفَّقُ أَمَرَ بِعَمَلِهَا، فَسَيَّرَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ لِيُورِدَهَا خَوْفًا عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الزَّنْجِ، فَلَمَّا أَقْبَلْ بِهَا رَآهَا الزَّنْجُ فَعَارَضُوهَا بِشَذَوَاتِهِمْ، فَقَصَدَهُمْ غُلَامٌ لِأَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ لِيَمْنَعَهُمْ، وَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَانْكَشَفُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَتَبِعَهُمْ حَتَّى أَدْخَلَهُمْ نَهْرَ الْخَصِيبِ، انْقَطَعَ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَعَطَفُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَأَخَذُوهُ، وَمَنْ مَعَهُ بَعْدَ حَرْبٍ شَدِيدَةٍ، فَقُتِلُوا، وَسَلِمَتِ الشَّذَوَاتُ مَعَ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَأَصْلَحَهَا، وَرَتَّبَ فِيهَا مَنْ يُقَاتِلُ. ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَتْ شَذَوَاتُ الْعَلَوِيِّ عَلَى عَادَتِهَا، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ فِي أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ، وَظَفِرَ مِنْهُمْ بِعِدَّةِ شَذَوَاتٍ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ ظَفِرَ بِهِ فِيهَا، فَمَنَعَ الْخَبِيثُ أَصْحَابَهُ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ عَنْ فِنَاءِ قَصْرِهِ، وَقَطَعَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ الْمِيرَةَ عَنْهُمْ، فَاشْتَدَّ جَزَعُ الزَّنْجِ، وَطَلَبَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ وُجُوهِ أَصْحَابِهِ الْأَمَانَ، فَأُمِّنُوا، وَكَانَ مِنْهُمْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْقُمِّيُّ، وَكَانَ إِلَيْهِ ضَبْطُ السُّورِ مِمَّا يَلِي عَسْكَرَ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَيَخْرُجُ لَيْلًا، فَأَمَّنَهُ الْمُوَفَّقُ، وَوَصَلَهُ بِصِلَاتٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَهُ وَلِمَنْ خَرَجَ مَعَهُ، وَحَمَلَهُ عَلَى عِدَّةِ دَوَابَّ بِآلَاتِهَا وَحِلْيَتِهَا، وَأَرَادَ إِخْرَاجَ زَوْجَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ، فَأَخَذَهَا الْخَبِيثُ فَبَاعَهَا ; وَمِنْهُمْ أَحْمَدُ الْيَرْبُوعِيُّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ أَشْجَعِ رِجَالِ الْعَلَوِيِّ، وَغَيْرُهُمَا، فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَوَصَلَهُمْ بِصِلَاتٍ كَثِيرَةٍ. وَلَمَّا انْقَطَعَتِ الْمِيرَةُ وَالْمَوَادُّ عَنِ الْعَلَوِيِّ أَمَرَ شِبْلًا وَأَبَا الْبَذِّيِّ، وَهُمَا مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ قُوَّادِهِ [ الَّذِينَ ] يَثِقُ بِهِمْ، بِالْخُرُوجِ إِلَى الْبَطِيحَةِ فِي عَشَرَةِ آلَافٍ مِنْ ثَلَاثَةِ وُجُوهٍ لِلْغَارَةِ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَقَطْعِ الْمِيرَةِ عَنِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَسَيَّرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ إِلَيْهِمْ زِيرَكَ فِي جَمْعٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَلَقِيَهُمْ بِنَهْرِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، فَرَأَى كَثْرَتَهُمْ، فَرَاعَهُ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَخَارَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فِي قِتَالِهِمْ، فَحَمَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَقَاتَلَهُمْ، فَقَذَفَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الرُّعْبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَانْهَزَمُوا، وَوَضَعَ فِيهِمُ السَّيْفَ، وَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ مَقْتَلَةً عَظِيمَةً، وَغَرِقَ مِنْهُمْ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ، وَأَسَرَ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا، وَأَخَذَ مِنْ سُفُنِهِمْ مَا أَمْكَنَهُ أَخَذُهُ، وَغَرَّقَ مَا أَمْكَنَهُ تَغْرِيقُهُ، وَكَانَ مَا أَخَذَهُ مِنْ سُفُنِهِمْ نَحْوَ أَرْبَعَمِائَةِ سَفِينَةٍ، وَأَقْبَلَ بِالْأُسَارَى وَالرُّءُوسِ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ الْمُوَفَّقِ.
Translation
✧ The siege of the city of the master of the Zanj When al-Muwaffaq sent the letter to the ʿAlawī and received no reply, he reviewed his army, repaired his equipment, and arranged his commanders. Then he and his son Abū al-ʿAbbās marched on the twentieth of Rajab toward the city of the wicked one, which he had named al-Mukhtārah. He looked down upon it, examined it, and saw its fortification with walls and moats, the sunken road leading to it, and the mangonels, siege engines, bows, and all the other equipment prepared on its wall—the like of which he had not seen among any previous contender for authority. He also saw the great number of fighting men and considered it enormous. When the Zanj caught sight of al-Muwaffaq’s companions, their voices rose until the earth shook. Al-Muwaffaq ordered his son to advance to the wall of the city and shoot arrows at those on it. He advanced until his riverboats touched the embankment of the wicked one’s palace. The Zanj and their followers crowded around Abū al-ʿAbbās and those with him, and their arrows, stones from their mangonels, and missiles came in succession, while their common soldiers hurled stones by hand, so that one’s eye fell on nothing but arrow or stone. Abū al-ʿAbbās stood firm. The ʿAlawī saw of his endurance and the steadfastness of his companions what he had never seen from anyone who had fought them. Then al-Muwaffaq ordered them to withdraw, and they did so. Fighting men in two sumayriyyah boats sought safe passage to al-Muwaffaq; he granted them safety. He bestowed robes of honour upon the fighting men and sailors in them according to their ranks, gave them gifts, and ordered that they be brought to a place where their peers could see them. This was one of the most effective stratagems. When the others saw them, they desired safety, competed for it, and hastened to it. A great number of the owners of sumayriyyahs came to al-Muwaffaq that day, and he honoured all of them with robes and gifts. When the master of the Zanj saw that, he ordered his followers to take the sumayriyyahs back into the Nahr Abī al-Khaṣīb and stationed guards at the mouth of the river to prevent them from coming out. He ordered Bihbūdh, one of his worst commanders, to go out in the riverboats. He did so, and Abū al-ʿAbbās faced him with his own boats and fought him. The battle intensified, and Bihbūdh fled to the courtyard of the wicked one’s palace. He received two spear thrusts, was wounded by arrows, and his limbs were battered by stones. They brought him into the Nahr Abī al-Khaṣīb while he was on the verge of death. Among those killed with him was a valiant commander named ʿUmayrah. Abū al-ʿAbbās captured one of their boats, killed its crew, and returned with his companions unharmed. The crew of another of their boats sought safe passage to Abū al-ʿAbbās; he granted them safety, treated them well, and bestowed robes upon them. Al-Muwaffaq and his companions returned to his camp on the Mubārak River. Many people sought safe passage to him upon his return; he granted them safety, bestowed robes and gifts upon them, and had their names recorded with Abū al-ʿAbbās. His army remained for two days, then he moved his camp on the twenty-fourth of Rajab to the Nahr Jaṭṭā, where he encamped and stayed until mid-Shaʿbān without fighting. Then in mid-Shaʿbān he mounted with cavalry and infantry, and prepared the riverboats and sumayriyyahs. Those with him of soldiers and volunteers numbered about fifty thousand, while those with the wicked one numbered more than three hundred thousand persons, all of them fighters with sword, spear, bow, sling, or mangonel, the least of them being those who hurled stones by hand, namely the onlookers, with women joining them in that. Abū Aḥmad remained that day. Safety was proclaimed for all the people except the wicked one. He wrote the safe-conduct on scraps and attached them to arrows, promising good treatment in them. The hearts of the wicked one’s followers inclined toward him, and many people sought safety that day. He bestowed robes and gifts upon them, and there was no fighting that day. Then he departed from the Nahr Jaṭṭā the next day and encamped near the wicked one’s city. He arranged his commanders and troops and assigned each group a position to guard and control. Al-Muwaffaq wrote to the provinces ordering the construction of sumayriyyahs, riverboats, and skiffs, and their multiplication, so as to control the rivers and cut off supplies from the wicked one. He founded in his camp a city which he named al-Muwaffaqiyyah. He wrote to his agents in the districts to transport funds and provisions by land and water to his city, and ordered them to send those suitable for enlistment in the dīwān. He waited for that for a month. Provisions arrived in succession; merchants sent all kinds of trade goods to al-Muwaffaqiyyah; markets were established there; seagoing vessels arrived; al-Muwaffaq built the congregational mosque in it and ordered the people to pray in it. This city combined such conveniences, and all kinds of things were brought to it as never existed in any of the ancient cities. Funds were brought, and stipends were distributed. A band of the Zanj crossed over and raided the outskirts of Nuṣayr’s camp, inflicting losses on him. Al-Muwaffaq ordered Nuṣayr to gather his army and keep them in check. Al-Muwaffaq ordered his son Abū al-ʿAbbās to march against a band of the Zanj who were outside the city. He fought them, killed many of them, and seized what they had as booty. Some of them came to him seeking safety; he granted it, bestowed robes and gifts upon them. Abū Aḥmad continued to oppose the wicked one by disbursing funds to those who came over, besieging the rest, and tightening the pressure on them. A caravan had come from al-Ahwāz, and Bihbūdh attacked it by night with sumayriyyahs and captured it. This weighed heavily on al-Muwaffaq, and he compensated the owners for what was taken from them. He ordered the riverboats to be stationed at the mouths of the rivers, entrusted the boats to his son Abū al-ʿAbbās, and guarded the rivers with them from the sea to the place where they were. In Ramaḍān a band of the wicked one’s followers crossed over intending to fall upon Nuṣayr. The people were alerted to them and went out against them, driving them back disappointed. They captured Ṣandal the Zanjī, who used to uncover the heads of Muslim women and turn them over like slave girls. When he was brought, al-Muwaffaq ordered that he be shot with arrows and then killed. Many of the Zanj sought safe passage to al-Muwaffaq. The number of those who sought his safe-conduct by the end of Ramaḍān reached fifty thousand. In Shawwāl, the master of the Zanj selected from his army five thousand of their bravest men and commanders, and ordered ʿAlī b. Abān al-Muhallabī to cross over to attack al-Muwaffaq’s camp by surprise. Among them were more than two hundred commanders. They crossed at night and hid in the farthest palm grove. He ordered them that when their companions appeared and fought al-Muwaffaq from the front, they should emerge and charge his camp while its occupants were heedless and occupied with the fighting in front of them. But one of the sailors among them sought safety and informed al-Muwaffaq. He sent his son Abū al-ʿAbbās to fight them and guard the roads they would take. They fought a fierce battle. Most of them were captured, many were drowned, some were killed, and some escaped. Abū al-ʿAbbās ordered that the prisoners, heads, and sumayriyyahs be brought and paraded past the wicked one’s city, and they did so. Al-Muwaffaq learned that the wicked one said to his followers: “The prisoners are from those who had been granted safety, and the heads are a trick played on you.” So he ordered the heads to be hurled at them by mangonel. When they saw them, they recognized them and showed grief and weeping, and the wicked one’s lying became clear to them. In that year the wicked one ordered the construction of riverboats, and they were made for him, so that he had fifty riverboats. He divided them among three of his commanders and ordered them to attack al-Muwaffaq’s forces. Al-Muwaffaq’s riverboats that day were few, because what he had ordered to be built had not yet reached him, and those he had with him he had distributed among the mouths of the rivers to cut off supplies from the wicked one. Al-Muwaffaq’s companions were afraid of them. Then riverboats that al-Muwaffaq had ordered to be built arrived, and he sent his son Abū al-ʿAbbās to bring them in, fearing the Zanj might attack them. When he brought them, the Zanj saw them and intercepted them with their own boats. A servant of Abū al-ʿAbbās went after them to hold them off, fought them, and they broke before him. He pursued them until he entered the Nahr al-Khaṣīb, where he became separated from his companions. They turned on him and captured him and those with him after a fierce battle, and they were killed. The riverboats reached Abū al-ʿAbbās safely; he repaired them and placed fighters on them. Then the ʿAlawī’s riverboats came as usual, and Abū al-ʿAbbās went out against them with his companions, fought them, and routed them. He captured several of their boats and killed those he found in them. The wicked one then forbade his followers to go beyond the courtyard of his palace. Abū al-ʿAbbās cut off their supplies, and the Zanj’s fear became intense. A group of the leading men among his followers sought safety, and they were granted it. Among them was Muḥammad b. al-Ḥārith al-Qummī, who was in charge of the wall facing al-Muwaffaq’s camp; he came out at night, and al-Muwaffaq granted him safety and gave him and those who came out with him many gifts. He gave him several mounts with their trappings and adornments. He wanted to bring out his wife, but was unable; the wicked one seized her and sold her. Among them also was Aḥmad al-Yarbūʿī, one of the bravest men of the ʿAlawī, and others. He bestowed robes upon them and gave them many gifts. When supplies and provisions were cut off from the ʿAlawī, he ordered Shibl and Abū al-Badhdhī, two of the leaders of his commanders whom he trusted, to go out to the marsh with ten thousand men in three directions to raid the Muslims and cut off supplies from al-Muwaffaq. Al-Muwaffaq sent Zīrak against them with a force of his companions. He met them at the Nahr Ibn ʿUmar. He saw their great number and was alarmed, but then sought Allah’s guidance in fighting them, charged them, and fought them. Allah, exalted be He, cast terror into their hearts, and they fled. He put them to the sword, killing many, and as many were drowned. He took many prisoners, captured as many of their ships as he could, and sank as many as he could sink. The ships he captured numbered about four hundred vessels. He returned with the prisoners and heads to al-Muwaffaq’s city.
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