Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3575
The Year 278 AH
وَفَاةِ الْمُوَفَّقِ وَفِيهَا تُوُفِّيَ أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الْمُوَفَّقُ بِاللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ حُسَامِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَنَاصِرِ الدِّينِ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ الْمُوَفَّقِ، تَغَمَّدَهُ اللَّهُ بِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَأَسْكَنَهُ بُحْبُوحَةَ جَنَّتِهِ بِمَنِّهِ وَكَرَمِهِ، لَكِنْ أَبْقَى اللَّهَ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ بَعْدَهُ وَلَدَهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ أَحْمَدَ ابْنَ الْمُوَفَّقَ الْمُلَقَّبَ بِالْمُعْتَضِدِ. وَكَانَ شَهْمًا شُجَاعًا فَاتِكًا كَرِيمًا جَوَادًا مُمَدَّحًا. وَكَانَ أبي أحمد الموفق قَدْ مَرِضَ فِي بِلَادِ الْجَبَلِ، فَانْصَرَفَ وَقَدِ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ وَجَعُ النَّقْرَسِ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى الرُّكُوبِ، فَعُمِلَ لَهُ سَرِيرٌ عَلَيْهِ قُبَّةٌ، فَكَانَ يَقْعُدُ عَلَيْهِ [ هُوَ ] وَخَادِمٌ لَهُ يُبْرِدُ رِجْلَهُ بِالْأَشْيَاءِ الْبَارِدَةِ، حَتَّى إِنَّهُ يَضَعُ عَلَيْهَا الثَّلْجَ، ثُمَّ صَارَتْ عِلَّةٌ بِرِجْلِهِ، دَاءُ الْفِيلِ، وَهُوَ وَرَمٌ عَظِيمٌ يَكُونُ فِي السَّاقِ، يَسِيلُ مِنْهُ مَاءٌ. وَكَانَ يَحْمِلُ سَرِيرَهُ أَرْبَعُونَ رَجُلًا بِالنُّوبَةِ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يَوْمًا: قَدْ ضَجِرْتُمْ مِنْ حَمْلِي، بِوُدِّي أَنْ أَكُونَ كَوَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ أَحْمِلُ عَلَى رَأْسِي، وَآكُلُ، وَأَنَا فِي عَافِيَةٍ. وَقَالَ فِي مَرَضِهِ: أَطْبَقَ دِيوَانِي ( عَلَى ) مِائَةِ أَلْفِ مُرْتَزِقٍ، مَا أَصْبَحَ فِيهِمْ أَسْوَأُ حَالًا مِنِّي، فَوَصَلَ إِلَى دَارِهِ لِلَيْلَتَيْنِ خَلَتَا مِنْ صَفَرٍ. وَشَاعَ مَوْتُهُ بَعْدَ انْصِرَافِ أَبِي الصَّقْرِ مِنْ دَارِهِ، وَكَانَ تَقَدَّمَ بِحِفْظِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، فَأُغْلِقَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَبْوَابٌ دُونَ أَبْوَابٍ، وَقَوِيَ الْإِرْجَافُ بِمَوْتِهِ، وَكَانَ قَدِ اعْتَرَتْهُ غَشْيَةٌ، فَوَجَّهَ أَبُو الصَّقْرِ إِلَى الْمَدَائِنِ، فَحَمَلَ مِنْهَا الْمُعْتَمِدَ وَأَوْلَادَهُ، فَجِيءَ بِهِمْ إِلَى دَارِهِ، وَلَمْ يَسِرْ أَبُو الصَّقْرِ إِلَى دَارِ الْمُوَفَّقِ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى غِلْمَانُ الْمُوَفَّقِ الْمَائِلُونَ إِلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ وَالرُّؤَسَاءُ مِنْ غِلْمَانِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ مَا نَزَلَ بِالْمُوَفَّقِ، كَسَرُوا الْأَقْفَالَ، وَالْأَبْوَابَ الْمُغْلَقَةَ عَلَى أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ ذَلِكَ ظَنَّ أَنَّهُمْ يُرِيدُونَ قَتْلَهُ، وَأَخَذَ سَيْفَهُ بِيَدِهِ، وَقَالَ لِغُلَامٍ عِنْدَهُ: وَاللَّهِ لَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيَّ وَفِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الرُّوحِ ! فَلَمَّا وَصَلُوا إِلَيْهِ رَأَى فِي أَوَّلِهِمْ غُلَامَهُ وَصِيفًا مُوشْكِيرَ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَلْقَى السَّيْفَ مِنْ يَدِهِ، وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُمْ مَا يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا الْخَيْرَ، فَأَخْرَجُوهُ، وَأَقْعَدُوهُ عِنْدَ أَبِيهِ، فَلَمَّا فَتَحَ عَيْنَهُ رَآهُ، فَقَرَّبَهُ وَأَدْنَاهُ إِلَيْهِ. وَجَمَعَ أَبُو الصَّقْرِ عِنْدَ الْقُوَّادِ وَالْجُنْدِ، وَقَطَعَ الْجِسْرَيْنِ، وَحَارَبَهُ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ، فَقَتَلَ بَيْنَهُمْ قَتْلَى، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ النَّاسُ أَنَّ الْمُوَفَّقَ حَيٌّ حَضَرَ عِنْدَهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي السَّاجِ، وَفَارَقَ أَبَا الصَّقْرِ، وَتَسَلَّلَ الْقُوَّادُ، وَالنَّاسُ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّقْرِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَبُو الصَّقْرِ ذَلِكَ حَضَرَ هُوَ وَابْنُهُ دَارَ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَلَمَّا قَالَ لَهُ الْمُوَفَّقُ شَيْئًا مِمَّا جَرَى، فَأَقَامَ فِي دَارِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمُعْتَمِدُ أَنَّهُ بَقِيَ فِي الدَّارِ نَزَلَ هُوَ وَبَنُوهُ وَبَكْتِمُرُ، فَرَكِبُوا زَوْرَقًا، فَلَقِيَهُمْ طَيَّارٌ لِأَبِي لَيْلَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي دُلَفَ، فَحَمَلَهُ فِيهِ إِلَى دَارِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جِهْشِيَارَ. وَذَكَرَ أَعْدَاءُ أَبِي الصَّقْرِ أَنَّهُ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَقَرَّبَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَمِدِ بِمَالِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، وَأَسْبَابِهِ، وَأَشَاعُوا ذَلِكَ عَنْهُ عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِ الْمُوَفَّقِ، فَنُهِبَتْ دَارُ أَبِي الصَّقْرِ، حَتَّى أُخْرِجَتْ نِسَاؤُهُ مِنْهَا حُفَاةً بِغَيْرِ أُزُرٍ، وَنُهِبَ مَا يُجَاوِرُهَا مِنَ الدُّورِ، وَكُسِرَتْ أَبْوَابُ السِّجْنِ، وَخَرَجَ مَنْ كَانَ فِيهَا. وَخَلَعَ الْمُوَفَّقُ عَلَى ابْنِهِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ، وَعَلَى أَبِي الصَّقْرِ، وَرَكِبَا جَمِيعًا، فَمَضَى أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، وَأَبُو الصَّقْرِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ وَقَدْ نُهِبَ، فَطَلَبَ حَصِيرَةً يَقْعُدُ عَلَيْهَا عَارِيَةً، فَوَلَّى أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ غُلَامَهُ بَدْرًا الشُّرْطَةَ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ غَانِمِ بْنِ الشَّاهْ عَلَى الْجَانِبِ الشَّرْقِيِّ. وَمَاتَ الْمُوَفَّقُ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ صَفَرٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ، وَدُفِنَ لَيْلَةَ الْخَمِيسِ بِالرُّصَافَةِ، وَجَلَسَ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ لِلتَّعْزِيَةِ. وَكَانَ الْمُوَفَّقُ عَادِلًا، حَسَنَ السِّيرَةِ، يَجْلِسُ لِلْمَظَالِمِ، وَعِنْدَهُ الْقُضَاةُ، وَغَيْرُهُمْ، فَيَنْتَصِفُ النَّاسُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، وَكَانَ عَالِمًا بِالْأَدَبِ، وَالنَّسَبِ، وَالْفِقْهِ، وَسِيَاسَةِ الْمُلْكِ، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، قَالَ يَوْمًا: إِنَّ جَدِّي عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الْعَبَّاسِ قَالَ: إِنَّ الذُّبَابَ لِيَقَعُ عَلَى جَلِيسِي فَيُؤْذِينِي ذَلِكَ، وَهَذَا نِهَايَةُ الْكَرَمِ، وَأَنَا وَاللَّهِ أَرَى جُلَسَائِي بِالْعَيْنِ الَّتِي أَرَى بِهَا إِخْوَانِي، وَاللَّهِ لَوْ تَهَيَّأَ لِي أَنْ أُغَيِّرَ أَسْمَاءَهُمْ لَنَقَلْتُهَا مِنَ الْجُلَسَاءِ إِلَى الْأَصْدِقَاءِ وَالْإِخْوَانِ. وَقَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ عَلِيٍّ: دَعَا الْمُوَفَّقُ يَوْمًا جُلَسَاءَهُ، فَسَبَقْتُهُمْ وَحْدِي، فَلَمَّا رَآنِي وَحْدِي أَنْشَدَ يَقُولُ: وَأَسْتَصْحِبُ الْأَصْحَابَ حَتَّى إِذَا دَنَوْا وَمَلُّوا مِنَ الْإِدْلَاجِ جِئْتُكُمُ وَحْدِي فَدَعَوْتُ لَهُ، وَاسْتَحْسَنْتُ إِنْشَادَهُ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ، وَلَهُ مَحَاسِنُ كَثِيرَةٌ لَيْسَ هَذَا مَوْضِعُ ذِكْرِهَا.
Translation
✧ The Death of al-Muwaffaq In this year died Abū Aḥmad al-Muwaffaq billāh b. al-Mutawakkil, Sword of Islam and Champion of the Religion Abī Aḥmad al-Muwaffaq, may God cover him with His mercy and make him dwell in the midst of His Garden by His grace and generosity—but God preserved for the Muslims after him his son Abū al-ʿAbbās Aḥmad b. al-Muwaffaq, titled al-Muʿtaḍid. He was astute, brave, daring, noble, generous, and highly praised. Abū Aḥmad al-Muwaffaq had fallen ill in the land of al-Jabal and departed after the pain of gout had intensified, so that he could not ride. A couch with a canopy was made for him, and he used to sit on it [he] and a servant who cooled his leg with cold things, even placing snow on it. Then an ailment in his leg developed—elephantiasis—a great swelling in the shank from which fluid flows. Forty men used to carry his couch in relays. One day he said to them: You have grown weary of carrying me. I wish I were like one of you, carrying on my head and eating while in good health. During his illness he said: My dīwān contains a hundred thousand pensioners, none of whom has awakened in a worse state than mine. He reached his residence two nights before the end of Ṣafar. Word of his death spread after Abū al-Ṣaqr's departure from his residence. He had previously given orders to guard Abū al-ʿAbbās, and doors upon doors were locked on him. The rumor of his death grew strong, and a swoon had overtaken him. Abū al-Ṣaqr sent to al-Madāʾin and brought al-Muʿtamid and his sons from there to his residence, but Abū al-Ṣaqr did not go to al-Muwaffaq's residence. When al-Muwaffaq's servants who inclined toward Abū al-ʿAbbās and the chiefs among Abū al-ʿAbbās's servants saw what had befallen al-Muwaffaq, they broke the locks and the closed doors on Abū al-ʿAbbās. When Abū al-ʿAbbās heard that, he thought they intended to kill him. He took his sword in his hand and said to a servant beside him: By God, they will not reach me while any breath remains in me! When they reached him, he saw at their head his servant Waṣīf Mūshkīr. When he saw him, he dropped the sword from his hand and knew that they intended only good. They brought him out and seated him by his father. When his father opened his eyes and saw him, he drew him near. Abū al-Ṣaqr assembled the commanders and troops and cut the two bridges. Some people from the eastern side fought him, and some were killed among them. When people learned that al-Muwaffaq was alive, Muḥammad b. Abī al-Sāj came to him and abandoned Abū al-Ṣaqr, and the commanders and people slipped away from Abū al-Ṣaqr. When Abū al-Ṣaqr saw that, he and his son came to al-Muwaffaq's residence. When al-Muwaffaq said something to him about what had happened, he stayed in al-Muwaffaq's residence. When al-Muʿtamid saw that he remained in the residence, he, his sons, and Baktimur boarded a skiff. A ṭayyār belonging to Abū Laylā b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Abī Dulaf met them and carried him in it to the residence of ʿAlī b. Jahshiyār. Abū al-Ṣaqr's enemies claimed that he intended to ingratiate himself with al-Muʿtamid using al-Muwaffaq's wealth and belongings, and they spread that about him among al-Muwaffaq's followers. Abū al-Ṣaqr's residence was plundered, until its women were brought out barefoot without wrappers, and the neighboring houses were looted. The prison doors were broken and those inside came out. Al-Muwaffaq bestowed robes of honor on his son Abū al-ʿAbbās and on Abū al-Ṣaqr, and both rode out. Abū al-ʿAbbās went to his lodging and Abū al-Ṣaqr to his, which had been plundered. He asked for a mat to sit on as a loan. Abū al-ʿAbbās appointed his servant Badr as chief of police, and appointed Muḥammad b. Ghānim b. al-Shāh as his deputy over the eastern side. Al-Muwaffaq died on Wednesday, eight nights remaining in Ṣafar of this year, and was buried on Thursday night in al-Ruṣāfa, and Abū al-ʿAbbās sat to receive condolences. Al-Muwaffaq was just and of excellent conduct. He held sessions for grievances with judges and others present, and people obtained redress from one another. He was knowledgeable in literature, genealogy, jurisprudence, statecraft, and other fields. One day he said: My grandfather ʿAbd Allāh b. al-ʿAbbās said: A fly would land on my companion and that would annoy me—and that is the utmost of generosity. By God, I see my boon companions with the same eye with which I see my brothers. By God, if it were possible for me to change their name, I would transfer them from boon companions to friends and brothers. Yaḥyā b. ʿAlī said: One day al-Muwaffaq invited his boon companions. I went ahead of them alone. When he saw me alone, he recited: And I take companions until, when they draw near and grow weary of night travel, I come to you alone. I prayed for him and admired his recitation in that place. He had many excellent qualities, but this is not the place to mention them.
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