Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3623
The killing of Abu Thabit, amir of Tarsus, and the appointment of b. al-A'rabi
ظَفَرِ الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِوَصِيفٍ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ فِي هَذِهِ سنة سبع وثمانين ومائتين هَرَبَ وَصَيْفٌ خَادِمُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي السَّاجِ مِنْ بَرْذَعَةَ إِلَى مَلْطِيَّةَ مِنْ أَعْمَالِ مَوْلَاهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ يَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَهُ الثُّغُورَ، فَأَخَذَ رُسُلَهُ وَقَرَّرَهُمْ عَنْ سَبَبِ مُفَارَقَةِ وَصَيْفٍ مَوْلَاهُ، فَذَكَرُوا لَهُ أَنَّهُ فَارَقَهُ عَلَى مُوَاطَأَةٍ مِنْهُمَا أَنَّهُ مَتَى وَلِيَ وَصَيْفٌ الثُّغُورَ سَارَ إِلَيْهِ مَوْلَاهُ، وَقَصَدَا دِيَارَ مُضَرَ وَتَغَلَّبَا عَلَيْهَا. فَسَارَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ نَحْوَهُ، فَنَزَلَ الْعَيْنَ السَّوْدَاءَ، وَأَرَادَ الرَّحِيلَ فِي طَرِيقِ الْمِصِّيصَةِ، فَأَتَتْهُ الْعُيُونُ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ وَصِيفًا يُرِيدُ عَيْنَ زَرْبَةَ، فَسَأَلَ أَهْلَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِذَلِكَ الطَّرِيقِ، وَسَأَلَهُمْ عَنْ أَقْرَبِ الطُّرُقِ إِلَى لِقَاءِ وَصَيْفٍ، فَأَخَذُوهُ وَسَارُوا بِهِ نَحْوَهُ، وَقَدَّمَ جَمْعًا مِنْ عَسْكَرِهِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، فَلَقُوا وَصِيفًا فَقَاتَلُوهُ، وَأَخَذُوهُ أَسِيرًا، فَأَحْضَرُوهُ عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ فَحَبَسَهُ، وَأَمَرَ فَنُودِيَ فِي أَصْحَابِ وَصَيْفٍ بِالْأَمَانِ، وَأَمَرَ الْعَسْكَرَ بِرَدِّ مَا نَهَبُوهُ مِنْهُمْ، فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ. وَكَانَتِ الْوَقْعَةُ لِثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ ذِي الْقَعْدَةِ ; فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْهُ رَحَلَ إِلَى الْمِصِّيصَةِ، وَأَحْضَرَ رُؤَسَاءَ طَرَسُوسَ فَقَبَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِأَنَّهُمْ كَاتَبُوا وَصِيفًا، وَأَمَرَ بِإِحْرَاقِ مَرَاكِبِ طَرَسُوسَ الَّتِي كَانُوا يَغْزُونَ فِيهَا، وَجَمِيعَ آلَاتِهَا، وَكَانَ مِنْ جُمْلَتِهَا نَحْوٌ مِنْ خَمْسِينَ مَرْكَبًا قَدِيمَةً، قَدْ أَنْفَقَ عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ مَا لَا يُحْصَى، وَلَا يُمْكِنُ عَمَلُ مِثْلِهَا، فَأَضَرَّ ذَلِكَ بِالْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَفَتَّ فِي أَعَضَادِهِمْ، وَ [ قَوِيَ ] أَمْرُ الرُّومِ أَنْ يَغْزُوَ فِي الْبَحْرِ، وَكَانَ إِحْرَاقُهَا بِإِشَارَةِ دُمْيَانَةَ غُلَامِ يَازْمَانَ لِشَيْءٍ كَانَ فِي نَفْسِهِ عَلَى أَهْلِ طَرَسُوسَ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الثُّغُورِ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ كَوْرَةَ. وَسَارَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ إِلَى أَنْطَاكِيَةَ وَحَلَبَ وَغَيْرِهِمَا، وَعَادَ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ.
Translation
✧ Al-Muʿtaḍid's victory over Waṣīf and those with him In this year, 287 AH, Waṣīf, the servant of Muḥammad b. Abī al-Sāj, fled from Bardhaʿa to Malaṭya, one of the districts of his master, and wrote to al-Muʿtaḍid asking him to appoint him over the frontier fortresses. He seized his messengers and questioned them about the reason for Waṣīf's separation from his master. They mentioned to him that he had parted from him by prior agreement between the two of them, that when Waṣīf was appointed over the frontier fortresses, his master would march to him, and they would aim for the abodes of Muḍar and seize control of them. Al-Muʿtaḍid then marched toward him and encamped at al-ʿAyn al-Sawdāʾ. He intended to depart by way of al-Maṣṣīṣa, but scouts came to him and informed him that Waṣīf was heading for ʿAyn Zarba. He asked those knowledgeable about that route and inquired of them about the shortest routes to meet Waṣīf. They took him and traveled with him toward Waṣīf. He sent a group of his army ahead of him, and they encountered Waṣīf, fought him, and took him captive. They brought him before al-Muʿtaḍid, who imprisoned him. He gave orders, and a proclamation of safety was made among Waṣīf's companions. He commanded the army to return what they had plundered from them, and they did so. The battle took place with thirteen nights remaining of Dhū al-Qaʿda. When he had finished with him, he departed for al-Maṣṣīṣa and summoned the leaders of Ṭarsūs and seized them because they had corresponded with Waṣīf. He ordered the burning of the ships of Ṭarsūs with which they used to raid, along with all their equipment. Among them were about fifty old ships, on which he had spent incalculable sums of money, and the like of which could not be made. This harmed the Muslims and weakened their strength, and the affairs of the Byzantines became stronger in raiding by sea. The burning was at the suggestion of Dumyāna, the servant of Yāzamān, because of something in his heart against the people of Ṭarsūs. He appointed al-Ḥasan b. ʿAlī Kūra over the people of the frontier fortresses. Al-Muʿtaḍid then traveled to Antioch, Aleppo, and elsewhere, and returned to Baghdād.
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