Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3531
The Year 269 AH
اسْتِيلَاءِ الْمُوَفَّقِ عَلَى مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ لَمَّا عَلِمَ الْمُوَفَّقُ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَهُ قَدْ تَمَرَّنُوا عَلَى سُلُوكِ تِلْكَ الْأَرْضِ وَعَرَفُوهَا، صَمَّمَ الْعَزْمَ عَلَى الْعُبُورِ إِلَى مُحَارَبَةِ الْخَبِيثِ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ مِنْ نَهْرِ أَبِي الْخَصِيبِ، فَجَلَسَ مَجْلِسًا عَامًّا، وَأَحْضَرَ قُوَّادَ الْمُسْتَأْمِنَةِ، وَفُرْسَانَهُمْ، فَوَقَفُوا بِحَيْثُ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلَامَهُ، ثُمَّ كَلَّمَهُمْ فَعَرَّفَهُمْ مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ، وَالْجَهْلِ، وَانْتِهَاكِ الْمَحَارِمِ، وَمَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ - عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - وَأَنَّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ أَحَلَّ لَهُ دِمَاءَهُمْ، وَأَنَّهُ غَفَرَ لَهُمْ زَلَّتَهُمْ، وَوَصَلَهُمْ، وَأَنَّ ذَلِكَ يُوجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ حَقَّهُ، وَطَاعَتَهُ، وَأَنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُرْضُوا رَبَّهُمْ، وَسُلْطَانَهُمْ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْجِدِّ فِي مُجَاهَدَةِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ لَيَعْرِفُونِ مَسَالِكَ الْعَسْكَرِ، وَمَضَايِقَ مَدِينَتِهِ، وَمَعَاقِلَهَا الَّتِي أَعَدَّهَا، فَهُمْ أَوْلَى أَنْ يَجْتَهِدُوا فِي الْوُلُوجِ عَلَى الْخَبِيثِ، وَالْوُغُولِ إِلَى حُصُونِهِ، حَتَّى يُمَكِّنَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ، فَإِذَا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَلَهُمُ الْإِحْسَانُ، وَالْمَزِيدُ، وَمَنْ قَصَّرَ مِنْهُمْ فَقَدْ أَسْقَطَ مَنْزِلَتَهُ وَحَالَهُ. فَارْتَفَعَتْ أَصْوَاتُهُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ لَهُ، وَالِاعْتِرَافِ بِإِحْسَانِهِ، وَبِمَا هُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْمُنَاصَحَةِ، وَالطَّاعَةِ، وَأَنَّهُمْ يَبْذُلُونَ دِمَاءَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ مَا يُقَرِّبُهُمْ مِنْهُ، وَسَأَلُوهُ أَنْ يُفْرِدَهُمْ بِنَاحِيَةٍ لِيَظْهَرَ مِنْ نِكَايَتِهِمْ فِي الْعَدُوِّ مَا يَعْرِفُ بِهِ إِخْلَاصَهُمْ، وَطَاعَتَهُمْ، فَأَجَابَهُمْ إِلَى ذَلِكَ، وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِمْ، وَوَعَدَهُمْ، وَكَتَبَ فِي جَمْعِ السُّفُنِ، وَالْمَعَابِرِ مِنْ دِجْلَةَ، وَالْبَطِيحَةِ وَنَوَاحِيهَا لِيُضِيفَهَا إِلَى مَا فِي عَسْكَرِهِ، إِذْ كَانَ مَا عِنْدَهُ يَقْصُرُ عَنِ الْجَيْشِ لِكَثْرَتِهِ، وَأَحْصَى مَا فِي الشَّذَا، وَالسُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ، وَأَنْوَاعِ السُّفُنِ، فَكَانُوا زُهَاءَ عَشَرَةِ آلَافِ مَلَّاحٍ مِمَّنْ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ الرِّزْقُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَالِ مُشَاهَرَةً، سِوَى سُفُنِ أَهْلِ الْعَسْكَرِ الَّتِي يُحْمَلُ فِيهَا الْمِيرَةُ، وَيَرْكَبُهَا النَّاسُ فِي حَوَائِجِهِمْ، وَسِوَى مَا كَانَ لِكُلِّ قَائِدٍ مِنَ السُّمَيْرِيَّاتِ، وَالْحَرْبِيَّاتِ، وَالزَّوَارِيقِ. فَلَمَّا تَكَامَلَتِ السُّفُنُ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَى ابْنِهِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَقُوَّادِهِ بِقَصْدِ مَدِينَةِ الْخَبِيثِ الشَّرْقِيَّةِ مِنْ جِهَاتِهَا، ( فَسَيَّرَ ابْنَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ إِلَى ) نَاحِيَةِ دَارِ الْمُهَلَّبِيِّ أَسْفَلَ الْعَسْكَرِ، وَكَانَ قَدْ شَحَنَهَا بِالرِّجَالِ، وَالْمُقَاتِلِينَ، وَأَمَرَ جَمِيعَ أَصْحَابَهُ بِقَصْدِ دَارِ الْخَبِيثِ، وَإِحْرَاقِهَا، فَإِنْ عَجَزُوا عَنْهَا اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى دَارِ الْمُهَلَّبِيِّ، وَسَارَ هُوَ فِي الشَّذَا، وَهِيَ مِائَةٌ وَخَمْسُونَ قِطْعَةً، فِيهَا أَنْجَادُ غِلْمَانِهِ، وَانْتَخَبَ مِنَ الْفُرْسَانِ وَالرَّجَّالَةِ عَشَرَةَ آلَافٍ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَسِيرُوا عَلَى جَانِبَيِ النَّهْرِ مَعَهُ إِذَا سَارَ، وَأَنْ يَقِفُوا مَعَهُ إِذَا وَقَفَ، لِيَتَصَرَّفُوا بِأَمْرِهِ. وَبَكَّرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ لِقِتَالِ الْفَاسِقِينَ يَوْمَ الثُّلَاثَاءِ لِثَمَانٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْقَعْدَةِ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَسِتِّينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَكَانُوا قَدْ تَقَدَّمُوا إِلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَوَاقَعُوهُمْ، وَتَقَدَّمَ كُلُّ طَائِفَةٍ إِلَى الْجِهَةِ الَّتِي أَمَرَهُمْ بِهَا، فَلَقِيَهُمُ الزِّنْجُ، وَاشْتَدَّتِ الْحَرْبُ، وَكَثُرَ الْقَتْلُ وَالْجِرَاحُ فِي الْفَرِيقَيْنِ، وَحَامَى الْفَسَقَةُ عَنِ الَّذِي اقْتَصَرُوا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ مَدِينَتِهِمْ، وَاسْتَمَاتُوا، وَصَبَرُوا، فَنَصَرَ اللَّهُ أَصْحَابَ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَانْهَزَمَ الزِّنْجُ، وَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَأُسِرَ مِنْ أَنْجَادِهِمْ وَشُجْعَانِهِمْ جَمْعٌ كَثِيرٌ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ فَضُرِبَتْ أَعْنَاقُ الْأَسْرَى فِي الْمَعْرَكَةِ، وَقَصَدَ بِجَمْعِهِ الدَّارَ الَّتِي يَسْكُنُهَا الْخَبِيثُ، وَكَانَ قَدْ لَجَأَ إِلَيْهَا، وَجَمَعَ أَبْطَالَ أَصْحَابِهِ لِلْمُدَافَعَةِ عَنْهَا، فَلَمْ يُغْنُوا عَنْهَا شَيْئًا، وَانْهَزَمُوا عَنْهَا وَأَسْلَمُوهَا، وَدَخَلَهَا أَصْحَابُ الْمُوَفَّقِ وَفِيهَا بَقَايَا مَا كَانَ سَلِمَ لِلْخَبِيثِ مِنْ مَالِهِ، وَوَلَدِهِ، وَأَثَاثِهِ، فَنَهَبُوا ذَلِكَ أَجْمَعَ، وَأَخَذُوا حَرَمَهُ، وَأَوْلَادَهُ، وَكَانُوا عِشْرِينَ مَا بَيْنَ صَبِيَّةٍ، وَصَبِيٍّ، وَسَارَ الْخَبِيثُ هَارِبًا نَحْوَ دَارِ الْمُهَلَّبِيِّ لَا يَلْوِي عَلَى أَهْلٍ، وَلَا مَالٍ، وَأُحْرِقَتْ دَارُهُ، وَأُتِيَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِأَهْلِ الْخَبِيثِ وَأَوْلَادِهِ، فَسَيَّرَهُمْ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ. وَكَانَ أَصْحَابُ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ قَدْ قَصَدُوا دَارَ الْمُهَلَّبِيِّ، وَقَدْ لَجَأَ إِلَيْهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مِنَ الْمُنْهَزِمِينَ، فَغَلَبُوهُمْ عَلَيْهَا، وَاشْتَغَلُوا بِنَهْبِهَا، وَأَخَذُوا مَا فِيهَا مِنْ حَرَمِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَوْلَادِهِمْ، وَجَعَلَ مَنْ ظَفَرَ مِنْهُمْ بِشَيْءٍ حَمَلَهُ إِلَى سَفِينَتِهِ، فَعَلَوْا فِي الدَّارِ وَنَوَاحِيهَا، فَلَمَّا رَآهُمُ الزِّنْجُ كَذَلِكَ رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَتَلُوا فِيهِمْ مَقْتَلَةً يَسِيرَةً. وَكَانَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ غِلْمَانِ الْمُوَفَّقِ الَّذِينَ قَصَدُوا دَارَ الْخَبِيثِ تَشَاغَلُوا بِحَمْلِ الْغَنَائِمِ إِلَى السُّفُنِ أَيْضًا، فَأَطْمَعَ ذَلِكَ الزِّنْجَ فِيهِمْ، فَأَكَبُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَكَشَفُوهُمْ، وَاتَّبَعُوا آثَارَهُمْ، وَثَبَتَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَبْطَالِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَرَدُّوا الزِّنْجَ حَتَّى تَرَاجَعَ النَّاسُ إِلَى مَوَاقِفِهِمْ، وَدَامَتِ الْحَرْبُ إِلَى الْعَصْرِ، فَأَمَرَ الْمُوَفَّقُ غِلْمَانَهُ بِصِدْقِ الْحَمْلَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَفَعَلُوا، فَانْهَزَمَ الْخَبِيثُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ، وَأَخَذَتْهُمُ السُّيُوفُ حَتَّى انْتَهَوْا إِلَى دَارِهِ أَيْضًا، فَرَأَى الْمُوَفَّقُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَصْرِفَ أَصْحَابَهُ إِلَى إِحْسَانِهِمْ، فَرَدَّهُمْ وَقَدْ غَنِمُوا، وَاسْتَنْقَذُوا جَمْعًا مِنَ النِّسَاءِ الْمَأْسُورَاتِ كُنْ يُخْرَجْنَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ أَرْسَالًا فَيُحْمَلْنَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِيَّةِ. وَكَانَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ قَدْ أَرْسَلَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ قَائِدًا، فَأَحْرَقَ ثَمَّ بَيَادِرَ كَانَتْ ذَخِيرَةً لِلْخَبِيثِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا أُضْعِفَ بِهِ الْخَبِيثُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ. ثُمَّ وَصَلَ إِلَى الْمُوَفَّقِ كِتَابُ لُؤْلُؤٍ غُلَامِ ابْنِ طُولُونَ فِي الْقُدُومِ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِذَلِكَ، وَأَخَّرَ الْقِتَالَ إِلَى أَنْ يَحْضُرَ.
Translation
✧ Al-Muwaffaq's capture of the eastern city of the Wicked One When al-Muwaffaq learned that his men had become experienced in traversing that terrain and knew it well, he resolved firmly to cross over to fight the Wicked One from the eastern side of the Nahr Abi al-Khasib. He held a public assembly and brought forward the commanders of the Mustaʾminah and their horsemen, and they stood where they could hear his words. Then he addressed them, making them aware of the error, ignorance, violation of sanctities, and disobedience to God—Mighty and Majestic—in which they had been engaged, and that this had made their blood lawful for him, and that he had forgiven them their lapse and maintained them, and that this imposed upon them his right and obedience, and that they would never please their Lord and their sovereign more than by striving earnestly in fighting the Wicked One, and that they indeed knew the routes of the army, the narrow passes of his city, and its strongholds that he had prepared, so they were the most worthy to exert themselves in penetrating against the Wicked One and thrusting into his fortresses until God enabled them to reach him. If they did that, they would have favor and increase; and whoever among them fell short would forfeit his rank and standing. Their voices rose in supplication for him, in acknowledgment of his kindness, and of their sincerity and obedience, and that they would sacrifice their blood in everything that brought them near to him. They asked him to assign them separately to one sector so that their effectiveness against the enemy would appear, by which he would know their sincerity and obedience. He granted them that, praised them, made them promises, and wrote orders to gather ships and ferries from the Tigris, the marshes, and their surrounding areas to add to what was in his army, since what he had was insufficient for the host due to its great size. He counted what was in the shadha, the sumayriyyat, and the various types of vessels, and they amounted to about ten thousand sailors who received rations from the treasury monthly, apart from the army's own ships for transporting provisions and for people's needs, and apart from the sumayriyyat, harbiyyat, and zawariq belonging to each commander. When the ships were fully assembled, he instructed his son Abu al-ʿAbbas and his commanders to make for the eastern city of the Wicked One from its various sides. He dispatched his son Abu al-ʿAbbas toward the area of Dar al-Muhallabi at the lower part of the camp, having filled it with men and fighters, and he ordered all his men to make for the Wicked One's residence and burn it. If they were unable to take it, they were to assemble at Dar al-Muhallabi. He himself advanced in the shadha, which numbered one hundred and fifty vessels, carrying the brave men among his pages. He selected ten thousand from the cavalry and infantry and ordered them to march along the two banks of the river with him when he moved and to halt with him when he halted, so that they might act according to his command. Al-Muwaffaq set out early to fight the transgressors on Tuesday, the eighth of Dhu al-Qaʿdah in the year 269. They had already engaged them on Monday and fought them, each contingent advancing toward the sector he had assigned to them. The Zanj met them, the battle grew fierce, and killing and wounding increased on both sides. The transgressors defended what they had confined themselves to of their city, fought to the death, and endured. God granted victory to al-Muwaffaq's men, the Zanj were routed, a great number of them were killed, and many of their brave men and champions were taken captive. Al-Muwaffaq ordered that the captives be beheaded on the battlefield. He then advanced with his entire force toward the residence where the Wicked One dwelt, into which he had taken refuge and gathered the heroes of his followers for its defense, but they availed him nothing and fled from it, abandoning it. Al-Muwaffaq's men entered it, finding the remnants of what had remained to the Wicked One of his wealth, children, and furnishings; they plundered all of that, seized his women and children—twenty in number, both girls and boys—and the Wicked One fled toward Dar al-Muhallabi, not turning aside for family or property. His residence was burned, and al-Muwaffaq was brought the Wicked One's family and children, and he sent them to Baghdad. Abu al-ʿAbbas's men had made for Dar al-Muhallabi, into which many of the routed had taken refuge. They overpowered them there and busied themselves with plundering it, seizing the Muslim women and children within. Whoever among them got hold of something carried it to his ship, and they moved about in the residence and its surroundings. When the Zanj saw them thus, they turned back upon them and inflicted a small massacre among them. A group of al-Muwaffaq's pages who had made for the Wicked One's residence had likewise become distracted carrying booty to the ships, and this emboldened the Zanj against them. They fell upon them and drove them back, pursuing their tracks. A band of al-Muwaffaq's heroes stood firm and repelled the Zanj until the men returned to their positions. The battle continued until the afternoon. Al-Muwaffaq ordered his pages to launch a vigorous charge against them, and they did so. The Wicked One and his followers were routed, and the swords cut them down until they reached his residence as well. At that point al-Muwaffaq decided to turn his men back to their reward, and he withdrew them, having gained booty and rescued a large number of captive women who were brought out that day in successive groups and carried to al-Muwaffaqiyyah. Abu al-ʿAbbas had sent a commander that day who burned there some threshing floors that were a store for the Wicked One, and that was among the things by which the Wicked One and his followers were weakened. Then a letter from Luʾluʾ, the page of Ibn Tulun, reached al-Muwaffaq about coming to him, and he ordered him to do so and postponed the fighting until he should arrive.
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