Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3529
The Year 269 AH
انْتِقَالِ صَاحِبِ الزَّنْجِ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ وَإِحْرَاقِ سُوقِهِ لَمَّا أُحْرِقَتْ دُورُهُ، وَمَسَاكِنُ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَنُهِبَتْ أَمْوَالُهُمْ، انْتَقَلُوا إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ مِنْ نَهْرِ أَبِي الْخَصِيبِ، وَجَمَعَ عِيَالَهُ حَوْلَهُ، وَنَقَلَ أَسْوَاقَهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَضَعُفَ أَمْرُهُ بِذَلِكَ ضَعْفًا شَدِيدًا ظَهَرَ لِلنَّاسِ، فَامْتَنَعُوا مِنْ جَلْبِ الْمِيرَةِ إِلَيْهِ، فَانْقَطَعَتْ عَنْهُ كُلُّ مَادَّةٍ، وَبَلَغَ الرِّطْلُ مِنْ خُبْزِ الْبُرِّ عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ، فَأَكَلُوا الشَّعِيرَ، وَأَصْنَافَ الْحُبُوبِ. ثُمَّ لَمْ يَزَلِ الْأَمْرُ بِهِمْ إِلَى أَنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَأْكُلُ صَاحِبَهُ إِذَا انْفَرَدَ بِهِ، وَالْقَوِيُّ يَأْكُلُ الضَّعِيفَ، ثُمَّ أَكَلُوا أَوْلَادَهُمْ. وَرَأَى الْمُوَفَّقُ أَنْ يُخَرِّبَ الْجَانِبَ الشَّرْقِيَّ كَمَا أَخْرَبَ الْغَرْبِيَّ، فَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِقَصْدِ دَارِ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ، وَمَعَهُمُ الْفَعَلَةُ، وَكَانَ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعُ مُحَصَّنًا بِجَمْعٍ كَثِيرٍ، وَعَلَيْهِ عَرَّادَاتٌ، وَمَنْجَنِيقَاتٌ، وَقِسِيٌّ، فَاشْتَبَكَتِ الْحَرْبُ، وَكَثُرَتِ الْقَتْلَ?، فَانْتَصَرَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوهُمْ وَهَزَمُوهُمْ، وَانْتَهَوْا إِلَى الدَّارِ، فَتَعَذَّرَ عَلَيْهِمُ الصُّعُودُ إِلَيْهَا لِعُلُوِّ سُورِهَا، فَلَمْ تَبْلُغْهُ السَّلَالِيمُ الطِّوَالُ، فَرَمَى بَعْضُ غِلْمَانِ الْمُوَفَّقِ بِكَلَالِيبَ كَانَتْ مَعَهُمْ، فَعَلَّقُوهَا فِي أَعْلَامِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَجَذَبُوهَا، فَتَسَاقَطَتِ الْأَعْلَامُ مَنْكُوسَةً، فَلَمْ يَشُكَّ الْمُقَاتِلَةُ عَنِ الدَّارِ فِي أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْمُوَفَّقِ قَدْ مَلَكُوهَا، فَانْهَزَمُوا لَا يَلْوِي أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ، فَأَخَذَهَا أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ، وَصَعِدَ النَّفَّاطُونَ وَأَحْرَقُوهَا وَمَا كَانَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْمَجَانِيقِ، وَالْعَرَّادَاتِ، وَنَهَبُوا مَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمَتَاعِ، وَالْأَثَاثِ، وَأَحْرَقُوا مَا كَانَ حَوْلَهَا مِنَ الدُّورِ، وَاسْتَنْقَذُوا مَا كَانَ فِيهَا مِنَ النِّسَاءِ، وَكُنَّ عَالَمًا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ، فَحُمِلْنَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةِ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِلَيْهِنَّ. وَاسْتَأْمَنَ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَخَاصَّتِهِ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَ خِدْمَتَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، فَأَمَّنَهُمُ الْمُوَفَّقُ، وَأَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَدَلَّتْ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْمُسْتَأْمِنَةِ الْمُوَفَّقَ عَلَى سُوقٍ عَظِيمَةٍ كَانَتْ لِلْخَبِيثِ مُتَّصِلَةٍ بِالْجِسْرِ الْأَوَّلِ، تُسَمَّى الْمُبَارَكَةَ، وَأَعْلَمُوهُ إِنْ أَحْرَقَهَا لَمْ يَبْقَ سُوقٌ غَيْرُهَا، وَخَرَجَ عَنْهُمْ تُجَّارُهُمِ الَّذِينَ كَانَ بِهِمْ قُوَامُهُمْ، فَعَزَمَ الْمُوَفَّقُ عَلَى إِحْرَاقِهَا، وَأَمَرَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِقَصْدِ السُّوقِ مِنْ جَانِبَيْهَا، فَقَصَدُوهَا، وَأَقْبَلَتِ الزَّنْجُ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَتَحَارَبُوا أَشَدَّ حَرْبٍ تَكُونُ، وَاتَّصَلَتْ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ إِلَى طَرَفٍ مِنْ أَطْرَافِ السُّوقِ وَأَلْقَوْا فِيهِ النَّارَ فَاحْتَرَقَ وَاتَّصَلَتِ النَّارُ. وَكَانَ النَّاسُ يَقْتَتِلُونَ، وَالنَّارُ مُحِيطَةٌ بِهِمْ، ( وَاتَّصَلَتِ النَّارُ بِظِلَالِ السُّوقِ فَاحْتَرَقَتْ ) وَسَقَطَتْ عَلَى الْمُقَاتِلَةِ، وَاحْتَرَقَ بَعْضُهُمْ، فَكَانَتْ هَذِهِ حَالُهُمْ إِلَى مَغِيبِ الشَّمْسِ، ثُمَّ تَحَاجَزُوا، وَرَجَعَ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِمْ، وَانْتَقَلَ تُجَّارُ السُّوقِ إِلَى أَعْلَى الْمَدِينَةِ، وَكَانُوا قَدْ نَقَلُوا مُعْظَمَ أَمْتِعَتِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ مِنْ هَذِهِ السُّوقِ خَوْفًا مِنْ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْخَبِيثَ فَعَلَ بِالْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ مِنْ حَفْرِ الْخَنَادِقِ، وَتَغْوِيرِ الطُّرُقِ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ بِالْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، بَعْدَ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ، وَاحْتَفَرَ خَنْدَقًا عَرِيضًا حَصَّنَ بِهِ مَنَازِلَ أَصْحَابِهِ الَّتِي عَلَى النَّهْرِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، فَرَأَى الْمُوَفَّقُ أَنْ يُخَرِّبَ بَاقِيَ السُّورِ إِلَى النَّهْرِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ حَرْبٍ طَوِيلَةٍ فِي مُدَّةٍ بَعِيدَةٍ. وَكَانَ لِلْخَبِيثِ فِي الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ جَمْعٌ مِنَ الزَّنْجِ قَدْ تَحَصَّنُوا بِالسُّورِ وَهُوَ مَنِيعٌ، وَهُمْ أَشْجَعُ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَكَانُوا يُحَامُونَ عَنْهُ، وَكَانُوا يَخْرُجُونَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، عِنْدَ مُحَارَبَتِهِمْ، عَلَى حِرَى كُورٍ وَمَا يَلِيهِ، وَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ أَنْ يُقْصَدَ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعُ، وَيُخَرَّبَ سُورُهُ، وَيُخْرَجَ مَنْ فِيهِ، فَأَمَرَ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ، وَالْقُوَّادَ بِالتَّأَهُّبِ لِذَلِكَ، وَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِمْ، وَأَمَرَ بِالشَّذَا أَنْ تُقَرَّبَ مِنَ السُّورِ، وَنَشِبَتِ الْحَرْبُ، وَدَامَتْ إِلَى بَعْدِ الظُّهْرِ، وَهَدَمَ مَوَاضِعَ، وَأَحْرَقَ مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْعَرَّادَاتِ، وَتَحَاجَزَ الْفَرِيقَانِ، وَهُمَا عَلَى السَّوَاءِ، سِوَى هَدْمِ السُّورِ، وَإِحْرَاقِ عَرَّادَاتٍ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ، فَنَالَ الْفَرِيقَيْنِ مِنَ الْجِرَاحِ أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ. وَعَادَ الْمُوَفَّقُ، فَوَصَلَ أَهْلَ الْبَلَاءِ وَالْمَجْرُوحِينَ عَلَى قَدْرِ بَلَائِهِمْ، وَهَكَذَا كَانَ عَمَلُهُ فِي مُحَارَبَتِهِ، وَأَقَامَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ الْوَقْعَةِ أَيَّامًا، ثُمَّ رَأَى مُعَاوَدَةَ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ لَمَّا رَأَى مِنْ حَصَانَتِهِ وَشَجَاعَةِ مَنْ فِيهِ، وَأَنَّهُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ حِرَى كُورٍ إِلَّا بَعْدَ إِزَالَةِ هَؤُلَاءِ، فَأَعَدَّ الْآلَاتِ، وَرَتَّبَ أَصْحَابَهُ، وَقَصَدَهُ، وَقَاتَلَ مَنْ فِيهِ، وَأُدْخِلَتِ الشَّذَوَاتُ النَّهْرَ، وَاشْتَدَّتِ الْحَرْبُ وَدَامَتْ. وَأَمَدَّ الْخَبِيثُ أَصْحَابَهُ بِالْمُهَلَّبِيِّ، وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَامِعٍ فِي جَيْشِهِمَا، فَحَمَلُوا عَلَى أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ حَتَّى أَلْحَقُوهُمْ بِسُفُنِهِمْ، وَقَتَلُوا مِنْهُمْ جَمَاعَةً، فَرَجَعَ الْمُوَفَّقُ وَلَمْ يَبْلُغْ مِنْهُمْ مَا أَرَادَ، وَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُقَاتِلَهُمْ مِنْ عِدَّةِ وُجُوهٍ لِتَخِفَّ وَطْأَتُهُمْ عَلَى مَنْ يَقْصِدُ هَذَا الْمَوْضِعَ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، وَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابَهُ عَلَى جِهَاتِ أَصْحَابِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَسَارَ هُوَ إِلَى جِهَةِ النَّهْرِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، وَقَاتَلَ مَنْ فِيهِ. وَطَمِعَ الزَّنْجُ بِمَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْوَقْعَةِ، فَصَدَقَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ الْقِتَالَ، فَهَزَمُوهُمْ، فَوَلَّوْا مُنْهَزِمِينَ، وَتَرَكُوا حِصْنَهُمْ فِي أَيْدِي أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَهَدَمُوهُ، وَغَنِمُوا مَا فِيهِ، وَأَسَرُوا، وَقَتَلُوا خَلْقًا لَا يُحْصَى، وَخَلَّصُوا مِنْ هَذَا الْحِصْنِ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا مِنَ النِّسَاءِ، وَالصِّبْيَانِ، وَرَجَعَ الْمُوَفَّقُ إِلَى عَسْكَرِهِ بِمَا أَرَادَ.
Translation
✧ The transfer of the leader of the Zanj to the eastern side and the burning of his market When his houses and the dwellings of his followers were burned, and their wealth was plundered, they moved to the eastern side of the Nahr Abī al-Khaṣīb, and he gathered his family around him, and transferred his markets there. His affairs were thereby severely weakened, and this became apparent to the people, so they refrained from bringing provisions to him, and every source of supply was cut off from him. A raṭl of wheat bread reached ten dirhams, so they ate barley and various kinds of grains. Then matters continued with them until one of them would eat his companion when he was alone with him, and the strong would eat the weak. Then they ate their own children. Al-Muwaffaq decided to destroy the eastern side as he had destroyed the western side. He ordered his followers to head for the Dār al-Hamdānī, accompanied by laborers. This place was fortified with a large gathering, and upon it were ʿarrādāt (light catapults), manjanīqāt (mangonels), and bows. The battle became intense, and killing increased. The followers of al-Muwaffaq gained victory over them, killed them, and routed them. They reached the house, but it was difficult for them to climb up to it because of the height of its wall, which the long ladders could not reach. Some of the servants of al-Muwaffaq threw grappling hooks that they had with them, attaching them to the banners of the villain, and pulled them, so the banners fell down inverted. The fighters defending the house did not doubt that the followers of al-Muwaffaq had taken it, so they fled without anyone turning to his companion. The followers of al-Muwaffaq seized it, and the naffāṭūn (naphtha-throwers) climbed up and burned it along with the mangonels and ʿarrādāt that were on it. They plundered what was inside of goods and furnishings, and burned the houses around it. They rescued the women who were inside, and they were a large number of Muslim women. They were taken to al-Muwaffaqiyya, and al-Muwaffaq ordered that they be treated with kindness. On that day, a large group from the followers of the villain and his elite, those who attended his service, sought protection. Al-Muwaffaq granted them protection and treated them well. A group of those who had sought protection informed al-Muwaffaq of a great market belonging to the villain, connected to the first bridge, called al-Mubāraka. They told him that if he burned it, no other market would remain, and their merchants, who were their mainstay, would depart from them. Al-Muwaffaq resolved to burn it and ordered his followers to head for the market from its two sides. They headed for it, and the Zanj came against them. They fought the fiercest battle that could be. The followers of al-Muwaffaq reached one end of the market and set fire to it, and it burned, and the fire spread. The people were fighting while the fire surrounded them, and the fire spread to the awnings of the market and burned them, and they fell upon the fighters, and some of them were burned. This was their situation until sunset, then they disengaged, and the followers of al-Muwaffaq returned to their camp. The merchants of the market moved to the upper part of the city, having already transferred most of their goods and wealth from this market out of fear of something like this. Then, after this battle, the villain did on the eastern side what he had done on the western side by digging trenches and making roads impassable. He dug a wide trench with which he fortified the dwellings of his followers on the western riverbank. Al-Muwaffaq decided to destroy the rest of the wall up to the western river. He did so after a long war over a long period. The villain had in the western side a group of Zanj who had fortified themselves with the wall, which was strong, and they were the bravest of his followers. They defended it, and they would come out against the followers of al-Muwaffaq when they fought, at Ḥirā Kūr and its vicinity. Al-Muwaffaq ordered that this position be targeted, its wall destroyed, and those inside expelled. He ordered Abū al-ʿAbbās and the commanders to prepare for that and gave them instructions. He ordered that the shadhawāt (river boats) be brought close to the wall. The battle broke out and continued until after noon. He demolished some places and burned the ʿarrādāt that were on them. The two parties disengaged, and they were on equal terms except for the demolition of the wall and the burning of some ʿarrādāt that were on it. Both parties suffered greatly from wounds. Al-Muwaffaq returned and rewarded the people of valor and the wounded according to their merit. Such was his practice in his warfare. Al-Muwaffaq stayed for some days after this battle, then he decided to return to this place because of its fortification and the courage of those inside, and because he could not reach what lay between him and Ḥirā Kūr except after removing these people. He prepared the equipment, arranged his men, and advanced against it. He fought those inside, and the shadhawāt were brought into the river. The battle became intense and prolonged. The villain reinforced his followers with al-Muhallabī and Sulaymān b. Jāmiʿ and their armies. They charged against the followers of al-Muwaffaq until they drove them back to their ships and killed a group of them. Al-Muwaffaq returned without achieving what he wanted. It became clear to him that he should fight them from several directions to lighten their pressure on those who targeted this place. He did so, distributing his followers against the various sides of the villain's forces, and he himself marched toward the western riverbank and fought those there. The Zanj were emboldened by the previous battle, but the followers of al-Muwaffaq fought them fiercely and routed them. They fled defeated and left their fortress in the hands of the followers of al-Muwaffaq, who demolished it, took its contents as booty, took captives, and killed countless people. From this fortress they rescued many women and children. Al-Muwaffaq returned to his camp having achieved what he wanted.
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