Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3515
The Year 267 AH
عُبُورِ الْمُوَفَّقِ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ وَفِي سنة سبع وستين ومائتين عَبَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ إِلَى مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ لَسِتٍّ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ ; وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ جَمَاعَةً مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْخَبِيثِ لَمَّا رَأَوْا مَا حَلَّ بِهِمْ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ مِنْ قِبَلِ مَنْ يَظْهَرُ مِنْهُمْ، وَشِدَّةَ الْحِصَارِ عَلَى مَنْ لَزِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ، وَحَالَ مَنْ خَرَجَ بِالْأَمَانِ، جَعَلُوا يَهْرُبُونَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَجْهٍ، وَيَخْرُجُونَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ بِالْأَمَانِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْخَبِيثُ ذَلِكَ جَعَلَ عَلَى الطُّرُقِ الَّتِي يُمْكِنُهُمُ الْهَرَبُ مِنْهَا مَنْ يَحْفَظُهَا، فَأَرْسَلَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ يَطْلُبُونَ الْأَمَانَ، وَأَنْ يُوَجِّهَ لِمُحَارَبَةِ الْخَبِيثِ جَيْشًا لِيَجِدُوا طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْمَصِيرِ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَمَرَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى النَّهْرِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، وَبِهِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ ( يَحْمِيهِ فَنَهَضَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ وَمَعَهُ الشَّذَوَاتُ، وَالسُّمَيْرِيَّاتُ، وَالْمَعَابِرُ، فَقَصَدَهُ، وَتَحَارَبَ هُوَ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ )، وَاشْتَدَّتِ الْحَرْبُ، وَاسْتَظْهَرَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ عَلَى الزَّنْجِ، وَأَمَدَّ الْخَبِيثُ أَصْحَابَهُ بِسُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَامِعٍ فِي جَمْعٍ كَثِيرٍ، فَاتَّصَلَتِ الْحَرْبُ مِنْ بُكْرَةٍ إِلَى الْعَصْرِ، وَكَانَ الظَّفَرُ لِأَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، ( وَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ الْقَوْمُ الَّذِينَ طَلَبُوا الْأَمَانَ. وَاجْتَازَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ ) بِمَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ عِنْدَ نَهْرِ الْأَتْرَاكَ، فَرَأَى قِلَّةَ الزَّنْجِ هُنَاكَ، فَطَمِعَ فِيهِمْ، فَقَصَدَهُمْ أَصْحَابُهُ وَقَدِ انْصَرَفَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةِ، فَدَخَلُوا ذَلِكَ الْمَسْلَكَ، ( وَصَعِدَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمُ السُّورَ وَعَلَيْهِ فَرِيقٌ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ، فَقَتَلُوهُمْ وَسَمِعَ الْعَلَوِيُّ ) فَجَهَّزَ أَصْحَابَهُ لِحَرْبِهِمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ اجْتِمَاعَهُمْ وَحَشْدَهُمْ لِحَرْبِهِ مَعَ قِلَّةِ أَصْحَابِهِ، رَحَلَ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ يَسْتَمِدُّهُ، فَأَتَاهُ مَنْ خَفَّ مِنَ الْغِلْمَانِ، فَظَهَرُوا عَلَى الزَّنْجِ فَهَزَمُوهُمْ. وَكَانَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ جَامِعٍ لَمَّا رَأَى ظُهُورَ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ سَارَ فِي النَّهْرِ مُصْعِدًا فِي جَمْعٍ كَبِيرٍ، ثُمَّ أَتَى أَصْحَابَ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ، وَهُمْ يُحَارِبُونَ مَنْ بِإِزَائِهِمْ، وَخَفَقَتْ طُبُولُهُ، فَانْكَشَفَ أَصْحَابُ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَرَجَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ مَنْ كَانَ انْهَزَمَ عَنْهُمْ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ، فَأُصِيبَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ غِلْمَانِ الْمُوَفَّقِ وَغَيْرِهِمْ، فَأَخَذَ الزَّنْجُ عِدَّةَ أَعْلَامٍ، وَحَامَى أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَسَلِمَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ. وَطَمِعَ الزَّنْجُ بِهَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ، وَشُدَّتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، فَأَجْمَعَ الْمُوَفَّقُ عَلَى الْعُبُورِ إِلَى مَدِينَتِهِمْ بِجُيُوشِهِ أَجْمَعَ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ بِالتَّأَهُّبِ، وَجَمَعَ الْمَعَابِرَ، وَالسُّفُنَ وَفَرَّقَهَا عَلَيْهِمْ، وَعَبَرَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لَسِتٍّ بَقِينَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ، وَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابَهُ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ لِيَضْطَرَّ الْخَبِيثُ إِلَى تَفْرِقَةِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَقَصَدَ الْمُوَفَّقُ إِلَى رُكْنٍ مِنْ أَرْكَانِ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَهُوَ أَحْصَنُ مَا فِيهَا، وَقَدْ أَنْزَلَهُ الْخَبِيثُ ابْنَهُ، وَهُوَ أَنْكِلَايَ، وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ جَامِعٍ، وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبَانٍ، وَغَيْرَهُمْ، وَعَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمَجَانِيقِ، وَالْآلَاتِ لِلْقِتَالِ مَا لَا حَدَّ [ لَهُ ]. فَلَمَّا الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ أَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ غِلْمَانَهُ بِالدُّنُوِّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الرُّكْنِ، وَبَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ السُّورِ نَهْرُ الْأَتْرَاكِ، وَهُوَ نَهْرٌ عَرِيضٌ كَثِيرُ الْمَاءِ، فَأَحْجَمُوا عَنْهُ، فَصَاحَ بِهِمُ الْمُوَفَّقُ، وَحَرَّضَهُمْ عَلَى الْعُبُورِ، فَعَبَرُوا سِبَاحَةً، وَالزَّنْجُ تَرْمِيهِمْ بِالْمَجَانِيقِ، وَالْمَقَالِيعِ، وَالْحِجَارَةِ، وَالسِّهَامِ، فَصَبَرُوا حَتَّى جَاوَزُوا النَّهْرَ، وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى السُّورِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عَبَرَ مَعَهُمْ مِنَ الْفَعَلَةِ مَنْ كَانَ أُعِدَّ لِهَدْمِ السُّورِ، فَتَوَلَّى الْغِلْمَانُ تَشْعِيثَ السُّورِ بِمَا كَانَ مَعَهُمْ مِنَ السِّلَاحِ، وَسَهَّلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ذَلِكَ، وَكَانَ مَعَهُمْ بَعْضُ السَّلَالِيمِ، فَصَعِدُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ الرُّكْنِ، وَنَصَبُوا عَلَمًا مِنْ أَعْلَامِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَانْهَزَمَ الزَّنْجُ عَنْهُ، وَأَسْلَمُوهُ بَعْدَ قِتَالٍ شَدِيدٍ، وَقُتِلَ مِنَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ ; وَلَمَّا عَلَا أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ السُّورَ أَحْرَقُوا مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ مَنْجَنِيقٍ وَقَوْسٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ. وَكَانَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ قَصَدَ نَاحِيَةً أُخْرَى، فَمَضَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبَانٍ إِلَى مُقَاتِلَتِهِ، فَهَزَمَهُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ، وَقَتَلَ جَمْعًا كَثِيرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ ( وَنَجَا عَلِيٌّ، وَوَصَلَ ) أَصْحَابُ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ إِلَى السُّورِ، فَثَلَمُوا فِيهِ ثُلْمَةً، وَدَخَلُوهُ، فَلَقِيَهُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ ابْنُ جَامِعٍ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ حَتَّى رَدَّهُمْ إِلَى مَوَاضِعِهِمْ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْفَعَلَةَ وَافَوُا السُّورَ فَهَدَمُوهُ فِي عِدَّةِ مَوَاضِعَ، فَعَمِلُوا عَلَى الْخَنْدَقِ جِسْرًا، فَعَبَرَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَانْهَزَمَ الزَّنْجُ عَنْ سُورِ بَابٍ كَانُوا قَدِ اعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ، وَانْهَزَمَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُمْ، وَأَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ يَقْتُلُونَهُمْ، حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى نَهْرِ ابْنِ سَمْعَانَ، وَقَدْ صَارَتْ دَارُ ابْنِ سَمْعَانَ فِي أَيْدِي أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَأَحْرَقُوهَا، وَقَاتَلَهُمُ الزَّنْجُ هُنَاكَ، ثُمَّ انْهَزَمُوا حَتَّى بَلَغُوا مَيْدَانَ الْخَبِيثِ، فَرَكِبَ فِي جَمْعٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَانْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ عَنْهُ، وَقَرُبَ مِنْهُ بَعْضُ رَجَّالَةِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَضَرَبَ وَجْهَ فَرَسِهِ بِتُرْسِهِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مَعَ مَغِيبِ الشَّمْسِ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ النَّاسَ بِالرَّجْعِ، فَرَجَعُوا وَمَعَهُمْ مِنْ رُءُوسِ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ شَيْءٌ كَثِيرٌ. وَكَانَ قَدِ اسْتَأْمَنَ إِلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ أَوَّلَ النَّهَارِ نَفَرٌ مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْخَبِيثِ، فَتَوَقَّفَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَتَّى حَمَلَهُمْ فِي السُّفُنِ، وَأَظْلَمَ اللَّيْلُ، وَهَبَّتْ رِيحٌ عَاصِفٌ، وَقَوِيَ الْجَزْرُ، فَلَصِقَ أَكْثَرُ السُّفُنِ بِالطِّينِ، فَخَرَجَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ فَنَالُوا مِنْهَا، وَقَتَلُوا فِيهَا نَفَرًا، وَكَانَ بَهْبُودُ بِإِزَاءِ مَسْرُورٍ الْبَلْخِيِّ، فَأَوْقَعَ بِأَصْحَابِ مَسْرُورٍ، وَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةً، وَأَسَرَ جَمَاعَةً، فَكَسَرَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ نَشَاطِ أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ. وَكَانَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ قَدِ انْهَزَمَ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ نَحْوَ نَهْرِ الْأَمِيرِ، وَالْقَنْدَلِ، وَعَبَّادَانَ، وَهَرَبَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ إِلَى الْبَصْرَةِ، وَأَرْسَلُوا يَطْلُبُونَ الْأَمَانَ فَأَمَّنَهُمُ الْمُوَفَّقُ، وَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَجْرَى الْأَرْزَاقَ عَلَيْهِمْ. وَكَانَ مِمَّنْ رَغِبَ فِي الْأَمَانِ مِنْ قُوَّادِ الْفَاجِرِ رَيْحَانُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ الْمَغْرِبِيُّ، وَكَانَ مِنْ رُؤَسَاءِ أَصْحَابِهِ، أَرْسَلَ يَطْلُبُ الْأَمَانَ، وَأَنْ يُرْسِلَ جَمَاعَةً إِلَى مَكَانٍ ذَكَرَهُ لِيَخْرُجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَفَعَلَ الْمُوَفَّقُ، فَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ فَخَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِ وَوَصَلَهُ، وَضَمَّهُ إِلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَاسْتَأْمَنَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ ; وَكَانَ خُرُوجُ رَيْحَانَ لِلَيْلَةٍ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ مِنَ السَّنَةِ.
Translation
✧ Al-Muwaffaq's crossing to the city of the leader of the Zanj In the year two hundred and sixty-seven, al-Muwaffaq crossed to the city of the wicked one with six nights remaining of Dhu al-Hijjah. The reason for that was that a group of the wicked one's commanders, when they saw the affliction that had befallen them from those of them who came out, and the severity of the siege upon those who remained in the city, and the condition of those who came out under safe-conduct, began to flee from every direction and come out to al-Muwaffaq under safe-conduct. When the wicked one saw that, he placed on the roads by which they might flee those who would guard them. So a group of the commanders sent to al-Muwaffaq seeking safe-conduct and asking that he send an army to fight the wicked one so that they might find a way to reach him. He ordered his son Abu al-ʿAbbas to march to the Western River, where ʿAli b. Aban was protecting it. Abu al-ʿAbbas set out accompanied by shadhawāt, sumayriyyāt, and ferryboats, and made for him. He and ʿAli b. Aban fought, the battle intensified, and Abu al-ʿAbbas gained the upper hand over the Zanj. The wicked one reinforced his companions with Sulayman b. Jamiʿ at the head of a large force. The fighting continued from early morning until mid-afternoon, and victory belonged to Abu al-ʿAbbas, and the people who had sought safe-conduct came over to him. Abu al-ʿAbbas passed by the city of the wicked one near the River of the Turks and saw how few the Zanj were there. He became hopeful against them, and his companions made for them, though most of them had already turned back to al-Muwaffaqiyya. They entered that approach, and a group of them climbed the wall, on which was a band of Zanj, and they killed them. The ʿAlawi heard of it, so he equipped his companions to fight them. When Abu al-ʿAbbas saw them gathering and massing to fight him despite the small number of his companions, he withdrew and sent to al-Muwaffaq requesting reinforcements. Those of the ghilmān who were lightly equipped came to him, and they prevailed over the Zanj and routed them. When Sulayman b. Jamiʿ saw Abu al-ʿAbbas's success, he sailed upstream in the river with a large force. Then he came upon Abu al-ʿAbbas's companions from behind while they were fighting those facing them; his drums beat, and Abu al-ʿAbbas's companions were exposed, and those of the Zanj who had been routed from them turned back upon them. A group of al-Muwaffaq's ghilmān and others were struck down, and the Zanj captured several banners. Abu al-ʿAbbas defended his companions, and most of them were saved; then he withdrew. The Zanj became emboldened by this encounter, and their hearts were strengthened. Al-Muwaffaq resolved to cross to their city with all his armies. He ordered the people to prepare, gathered ferryboats and ships, and distributed them among the troops. He crossed on Wednesday, with six nights remaining of Dhu al-Hijjah, and dispersed his companions around the city so that the wicked one would be forced to divide his own forces. Al-Muwaffaq made for one of the corners of the city, which was its strongest point, where the wicked one had stationed his son Ankalay, Sulayman b. Jamiʿ, ʿAli b. Aban, and others, and upon which were mangonels and war engines beyond count. When the two forces met, al-Muwaffaq ordered his ghilmān to advance toward that corner. Between them and the wall lay the River of the Turks, a wide river with abundant water. They held back from it, so al-Muwaffaq shouted at them and urged them to cross. They crossed by swimming while the Zanj pelted them with mangonels, slings, stones, and arrows. They endured until they had passed the river and reached the wall. None of the workers who had been prepared for demolishing the wall had crossed with them, so the ghilmān undertook breaching the wall with the weapons they had with them. God Almighty made that easy. They had some ladders with them, so they climbed that corner and planted one of al-Muwaffaq's banners. The Zanj fled from it and abandoned it after fierce fighting, and a great many were killed on both sides. When al-Muwaffaq's companions mounted the wall, they burned the mangonels, bows, and other equipment upon it. Abu al-ʿAbbas had made for another sector. ʿAli b. Aban went to fight him, but Abu al-ʿAbbas routed him and killed a great number of his companions; ʿAli escaped. Abu al-ʿAbbas's companions reached the wall, made a breach in it, and entered. Sulayman b. Jamiʿ met them and fought them until he drove them back to their positions. Then the workers reached the wall and demolished it in several places. They built a bridge over the moat, and the people crossed over it from al-Muwaffaq's side. The Zanj fled from a wall by a gate where they had taken refuge, and the people fled with them while al-Muwaffaq's companions killed them until they reached the River of Ibn Samʿan. The house of Ibn Samʿan had fallen into the hands of al-Muwaffaq's companions, and they burned it. The Zanj fought them there, then fled until they reached the wicked one's open square. He rode out with a band of his companions, but his companions fled from him. Some of al-Muwaffaq's infantry drew near him, and one struck the face of his horse with his shield. That took place at sunset. Al-Muwaffaq ordered the people to withdraw, and they returned carrying many heads of the wicked one's companions. At the beginning of the day a number of the wicked one's commanders had sought safe-conduct with Abu al-ʿAbbas. He waited for them until he had transported them in the ships. Night fell, a violent wind blew, and the tide rose strongly, so most of the ships stuck in the mud. A band of Zanj came out and attacked them, killing a number of men aboard. Bahbud was opposite Masrur al-Balkhi and fell upon Masrur's companions, killing a group of them and capturing a group. That dampened the spirits of al-Muwaffaq's companions. Some of the wicked one's companions had fled headlong toward the River of the Emir, al-Qandal, and ʿAbbadan. A group of Arabs fled to al-Basra and sent seeking safe-conduct. Al-Muwaffaq granted it to them, bestowed robes of honor upon them, and allotted stipends to them. Among the commanders of the profligate who desired safe-conduct was Rayhan b. Salih al-Maghribi, one of the chiefs of his companions. He sent seeking safe-conduct and asking that al-Muwaffaq send a group to a place he named so that he might come out to them. Al-Muwaffaq did so, and he came to him. Al-Muwaffaq bestowed a robe of honor upon him, treated him kindly, gave him gifts, and attached him to Abu al-ʿAbbas. After him, a group of his companions sought safe-conduct. Rayhan's coming out took place on the night with one night remaining of Dhu al-Hijjah of that year.
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