Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3525
The Year 269 AH
أَخْبَارِ الزَّنْجِ وَفِي سَنَةُ تِسْعٍ وَسِتِّينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ رُمِيَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِسَهْمٍ فِي صَدْرِهِ ; وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ بَهْبُودَ لَمَّا هَلَكَ طَمِعَ الْعَلَوِيُّ فِي مَالَهُ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ صَحَّ عِنْدَهُ أَنَّ مَلِكَهُ قَدْ حَوَى مِائَتَيْ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَجَوْهَرًا، وَفِضَّةً، فَطَلَبَ ذَلِكَ، وَأَخَذَ أَهْلَهُ وَأَصْحَابَهُ فَضَرَبَهُمْ، وَهَدَمَ أَبْنِيَتَهُ طَمَعًا فِي الْمَالِ، فَلَمْ يَجِدْ شَيْئًا، فَكَانَ فِعْلُهُ مِمَّا أَفْسَدَ قُلُوبَ أَصْحَابِهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَدَعَاهُمْ إِلَى الْهَرَبِ مِنْهُ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِالنِّدَاءِ بِالْأَمَانِ فِي أَصْحَابِ بَهْبُودَ، فَسَارَعُوا إِلَيْهِ فَأَلْحَقَهُمْ فِي الْعَطَاءِ بِمَنْ تَقَدَّمَ. وَرَأَى الْمُوَفَّقُ مَا كَانَ يَتَعَذَّرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْعُبُورِ إِلَى الزَّنْجِ فِي الْأَوْقَاتِ الَّتِي تَهُبُّ فِيهَا الرِّيَاحُ لِتُحَرِّكَ الْأَمْوَاجَ، فَعَزَمَ عَلَى أَنْ يُوَسِّعَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِأَصْحَابِهِ مَوْضِعًا فِي الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، فَأَمَرَ بِقَطْعِ النَّخْلِ وَإِصْلَاحِ الْمَكَانِ، وَأَنْ يُعْمَلَ لَهُ الْخَنَادِقُ، وَالسُّورُ لِيَأْمَنَ الْبَيَاتَ، وَجَعَلَ حِمَايَةَ الْعَامِلِينَ فِيهِ نُوَبًا عَلَى قُوَّادِهِ. فَعَلِمَ صَاحِبُ الزَّنْجِ، وَأَصْحَابُهُ أَنَّ الْمُوَفَّقَ إِذَا جَاوَرَهُمْ قَرَّبَ عَلَى مَنْ يُرِيدُ اللَّحَاقَ بِهِ الْمَسَافَةَ مَعَ مَا يَدْخُلُ قُلُوبَ أَصْحَابِهِ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ، وَانْتِقَاضِ تَدْبِيرِهِ عَلَيْهِ، فَاهْتَمُّوا بِمَنْعِ الْمُوَفَّقِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، وَبُذِلَ الْجُهْدُ فِيهِ، وَقَاتَلُوا أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ، فَاتَّفَقَ أَنَّ الرِّيحَ عَصَفَتْ فِي بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الْأَيَّامِ وَقَائِدٌ مِنَ الْقُوَّادِ هُنَاكَ، فَانْتَهَزَ الْخَبِيثُ الْفُرْصَةَ فِي إِنْفَاذِ هَذَا الْقَائِدِ، وَانْقِطَاعِ الْمَدَدِ عَنْهُ، فَسَيَّرَ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعَ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَاتَلُوهُ، فَهَزَمُوهُ، وَقَتَلُوا كَثِيرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَلَمْ تَجِدِ الشَّذَوَاتُ الَّتِي لِأَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ سَبِيلًا إِلَى الْقُرْبِ مِنْهُمْ خَوْفًا مِنَ الزَّنْجِ أَنْ تُلْقِيَهَا عَلَى الْحِجَارَةِ فَتَنْكَسِرَ، فَغَلَبَ الزَّنْجُ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَأَكْثَرُوا الْقَتْلَ وَالْأَسْرَ، وَمَنْ سَلِمَ مِنْهُمْ أَلْقَى نَفْسَهُ فِي الشَّذَوَاتِ وَعَبَرُوا إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةِ، فَعَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ. وَنَظَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ فَرَأَى أَنَّ نُزُولَهُ بِالْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ لَا يَأْمَنُ عَلَيْهِ حِيلَةَ الزَّنْجِ وَصَاحِبِهِمْ، وَانْتِهَازِ فُرْصَةٍ، لِكَثْرَةِ الْأَدْغَالِ، وَصُعُوبَةِ الْمَسَالِكِ، وَأَنَّ الزَّنْجَ أَعْرَفُ بِتِلْكَ الْمَضَايِقِ، وَأَجْرَأُ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَتَرَكَ ذَلِكَ، وَجَعَلَ قَصْدَهُ إِلَى هَدْمِ سُورِ الْفَاسِقِ، وَتَوْسِعَةِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَالْمَسَالِكِ، فَأَمَرَ بِهَدْمِ السُّورِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ النَّهْرِ الْمَعْرُوفِ بِمَنْكِيٍّ، وَبَاشَرَ الْحَرْبَ بِنَفْسِهِ، وَاشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ، وَكَثُرَ الْقَتْلُ، وَالْجِرَاحُ مِنَ الْجَانِبَيْنِ، وَدَامَ ذَلِكَ أَيَّامًا عِدَّةً. وَكَانَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ الْوُلُوجَ لِقَنْطَرَتَيْنِ كَانَتَا فِي نَهْرِ مَنْكِيٍّ، كَانَ الزَّنْجُ يَعْبُرُونَ عَلَيْهِمَا وَقْتَ الْقِتَالِ، فَيَأْتُونَ أَصْحَابَ الْمُوَفَّقِ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ظُهُورِهِمْ فَيَنَالُونَ مِنْهُمْ، فَعَمِلَ الْحِيلَةَ فِي إِزَالَتِهِمَا، فَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِقَصْدِهِمَا عِنْدَ اشْتِغَالِ الزَّنْجِ، وَغَفْلَتِهِمْ عَنْ حِرَاسَتِهِمَا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يُعِدُّوا الْفُئُوسَ، وَالْمَنَاشِيرَ، وَمَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْآلَاتِ، فَقَصَدُوا الْقَنْطَرَةَ الْأُولَى نِصْفَ النَّهَارِ، فَأَتَاهُمُ الزَّنْجُ لِمَنْعِهِمْ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا، فَانْهَزَمَ الزَّنْجُ، وَكَانَ مُقَدِّمَهُمْ أَبُو النَّدَى، فَأَصَابَهُ سَهْمٌ فِي صَدْرِهِ فَقَتَلَهُ، وَقَطَعَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ الْقَنْطَرَتَيْنِ وَرَجَعُوا. وَأَلَحَّ الْمُوَفَّقُ عَلَى الْخَبِيثِ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَهَدَمَ أَصْحَابُهُ مِنَ السُّورِ مَا أَمْكَنَهُمْ، وَدَخَلُوا الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَاتَلُوا فِيهَا، وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى دَارَيِ ابْنِ سَمْعَانَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَامِعٍ، فَهَدَمُوهُمَا وَنَهَبُوا مَا فِيهِمَا، وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى سُوَيْقَةٍ لِلْخَبِيثِ، سَمَّاهَا الْمَيْمُونَةَ، فَهُدِمَتْ، وَأُخْرِبَتْ، وَهَدَمُوا دَارَ الْجُبَّائِيِّ، وَانْتَهَبُوا مَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنْ خَزَائِنِ الْفَاسِقِ، وَتَقَدَّمُوا إِلَى الْجَامِعِ لِيَهْدِمُوهُ، فَاشْتَدَّتْ مُحَامَاةُ الزَّنْجِ عَنْهُ، فَلَمْ يَصِلْ إِلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ ; لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَدْ خَلُصَ مَعَ الْخَبِيثِ نُخْبَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَأَرْبَابِ الْبَصَائِرِ، فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يُقْتَلُ، أَوْ يُجْرَحُ، فَيَجْذِبُهُ الَّذِي إِلَى جَنْبِهِ وَيَقِفُ مَكَانَهُ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُوَفَّقُ ذَلِكَ أَمَرَ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ بِقَصْدِ الْجَامِعِ مِنْ أَحَدِ أَرْكَانِهِ بِشُجْعَانِ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَأَضَافَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْفَعَلَةَ لِلْهَدْمِ، وَنَصَبَ السَّلَالِيمَ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، وَقَاتَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَشَدَّ قِتَالٍ، فَوَصَلُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَهَدَمُوهُ، فَأُخِذَ مِنْبَرُهُ، فَأُتِيَ بِهِ الْمُوَفَّقُ، ثُمَّ عَادَ الْمُوَفَّقُ لِهَدْمِ السُّورِ فَأَكْثَرَ مِنْهُ، وَأَخَذَ أَصْحَابُهُ دَوَاوِينَ الْخَبِيثِ وَبَعْضَ خَزَائِنِهِ، فَظَهَرَ لِلْمُوَفَّقِ أَمَارَاتُ الْفَتْحِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَعَلَى ذَلِكَ إِذْ وَصَلَ سَهْمٌ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ فَأَصَابَهُ فِي صَدْرِهِ، رَمَاهُ بِهِ رُومِيٌّ كَانَ مِنْ صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ، اسْمُهُ قِرْطَاسُ، وَذَلِكَ لِخَمْسٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، فَسَتَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ ذَلِكَ، وَعَادَ إِلَى مَدِينَتِهِ وَبَاتَ، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى الْحَرْبِ عَلَى مَا بِهِ مِنْ أَلَمِ الْجِرَاحِ لِيَشْتَدَّ بِذَلِكَ قُلُوبُ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَزَادَ فِي عِلَّتِهِ، وَعَظُمَ أَمْرُهَا، حَتَّى خِيفَ عَلَيْهِ. وَاضْطَرَبَ الْعَسْكَرُ، وَالرَّعِيَّةُ، وَخَافُوا، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ مَدِينَتِهِ جَمَاعَةٌ، وَأَتَاهُ الْخَبَرُ، وَهُوَ فِي هَذِهِ الْحَالِ، بِحَادِثٍ فِي سُلْطَانِهِ، فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُهُ وَثِقَاتُهُ بِأَنْ يَعُودَ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، وَيُخَلِّفَ مَنْ يَقُومُ مَقَامَهُ، فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ، وَخَافَ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ مِنْ حَالِ الْخَبِيثِ مَا فَسَدَ، وَاحْتَجَبَ عَنِ النَّاسِ مُدَّةً، ثُمَّ بَرَأَ مِنْ عِلَّتِهِ، وَظَهَرَ لَهُمْ، وَنَهَضَ لِحَرْبِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَكَانَ ظُهُورُهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ. وَحَجّ بِالنَّاسِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ: هَارُونُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَاشِمِيُّ.
Translation
✧ Reports of the Zanj In the year two hundred and sixty-nine, al-Muwaffaq was struck by an arrow in his chest. The reason for that was that when Bahbūd perished, the ʿAlawī coveted his wealth, for it had become established with him that his possessions had gathered two hundred thousand dinars, jewels, and silver. He sought that, and he seized his family and his companions and beat them, and he demolished his buildings out of greed for the wealth, but he found nothing. His action was among the things that turned the hearts of his companions against him and summoned them to flee from him. So al-Muwaffaq commanded that a proclamation of safe-conduct be made among Bahbūd's companions, and they hastened to him, and he attached them in pay to those who had preceded. Al-Muwaffaq observed what had been difficult for him of crossing over to the Zanj at the times when the winds blew to stir the waves, so he resolved to widen for himself and his companions a position on the western side. He commanded the cutting of palm trees and the improving of the place, and that trenches and a wall be made for him so that he would be secure from a night attack. He made the protection of the workers in it in turns over his commanders. The leader of the Zanj and his companions knew that if al-Muwaffaq neighbored them, he would shorten the distance for whoever wished to join him, along with what would enter the hearts of his companions of fear and the collapse of his scheme against him. So they were concerned to prevent al-Muwaffaq from that, and utmost effort was expended in it, and they fought the most intense fighting. It happened that the wind blew violently in some of those days while a commander among the commanders was there. The treacherous one seized the opportunity to destroy this commander and to cut off reinforcements from him, so he dispatched all his companions to him, and they fought him and routed him, and they killed many of his companions. The troop-transports that belonged to al-Muwaffaq's companions could find no way to draw near to them for fear that the Zanj would cast them onto the rocks and they would break. So the Zanj overcame them and inflicted much killing and capturing. Whoever among them survived threw himself into the troop-transports and crossed over to al-Muwaffaqiyyah. That weighed heavily upon the people. Al-Muwaffaq considered and saw that his encamping on the western side would not be safe for him from the stratagem of the Zanj and their leader and the seizing of an opportunity, because of the many thickets and the difficulty of the paths, and that the Zanj were more knowledgeable of those narrow passages and bolder in them than his companions. So he abandoned that and made his aim the demolition of the wall of the transgressor and the widening of the road and the paths. He commanded the demolition of the wall from the side of the river known as Mankī, and he undertook the war himself. The fighting intensified, and killing and wounds were many on both sides, and that continued for several days. Al-Muwaffaq's companions were unable to approach two bridges that were on the River Mankī, over which the Zanj would cross at the time of fighting and come upon al-Muwaffaq's companions from behind their backs and inflict harm upon them. So he devised a stratagem for their removal. He commanded his companions to aim for them while the Zanj were occupied and heedless of guarding them, and he commanded them to prepare axes, saws, and the tools they would need. They aimed for the first bridge at midday. The Zanj came to prevent them, and they fought, and the Zanj were routed. Their commander was Abū al-Nadā, and an arrow struck him in his chest and killed him. Al-Muwaffaq's companions cut the two bridges and returned. Al-Muwaffaq pressed the treacherous one with war, and his companions demolished what they could of the wall. They entered the city and fought in it, and they reached the two houses of Ibn Samʿān and Sulaymān b. Jāmiʿ, and they demolished them and plundered what was in them. They reached a small market of the treacherous one that he had named al-Maymūnah, and it was demolished and destroyed. They demolished the house of al-Jubbāʾī and plundered what was in it of the treasures of the transgressor. They advanced to the mosque to demolish it, but the protection of the Zanj over it intensified, and al-Muwaffaq's companions did not reach it, because a select group of his companions and men of insight had remained with the treacherous one. One of them would be killed or wounded, and the one beside him would drag him away and stand in his place. When al-Muwaffaq saw that, he commanded Abū al-ʿAbbās to aim for the mosque from one of its corners with the brave men of his companions, and he added to them the workers for demolition, and he set up ladders. He did that and fought over it the most intense fighting, and they reached it and demolished it. Its pulpit was taken and brought to al-Muwaffaq. Then al-Muwaffaq returned to demolishing the wall and did much of it, and his companions seized the registers of the treacherous one and some of his treasuries. Signs of victory appeared to al-Muwaffaq. While they were in that state, an arrow reached al-Muwaffaq and struck him in his chest. A Byzantine who belonged to the leader of the Zanj, whose name was Qirṭās, shot it at him, and that was on the twenty-fifth of Jumādā al-Ūlā. Al-Muwaffaq concealed that, returned to his city, and spent the night. Then he returned to the war despite the pain of the wound that was upon him so that the hearts of his companions would be strengthened by that. His illness increased, and its matter became grave until he was feared for. The army and the subjects were thrown into confusion and were afraid. A group went out from his city. News came to him, while he was in this condition, of an incident in his realm. His companions and trusted men advised him to return to Baghdād and leave behind someone to take his place, but he refused that and feared that what had been spoiled of the condition of the treacherous one would become upright. He withdrew from the people for a period, then recovered from his illness and appeared to them. He rose to fight the treacherous one, and his appearance was in Shaʿbān of this year. In this year, Hārūn b. Muḥammad al-Hāshimī led the people on the pilgrimage.
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