Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3625
The killing of Abu Thabit, amir of Tarsus, and the appointment of b. al-A'rabi
أَسْرِ عَمْرٍو الصَّفَّارِ وَمُلْكِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ خُرَاسَانَ فِي سنة سبع وثمانين ومائتين، فِي رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ أُسِرَ عَمْرُو بْنُ اللَّيْثِ الصَّفَّارُ وَكَانَ سَبَبُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ عَمْرًا أَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ بِرَأْسِ رَافِعِ بْنِ هَرْثَمَةَ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَهُ مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ، فَوَجَّهَ إِلَيْهِ الْخِلَعَ وَاللِّوَاءَ بِذَلِكَ، وَهُوَ بِنَيْسَابُورَ، فَوَجَّهَ لِمُحَارَبَةِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ السَّامَانِيِّ صَاحِبِ مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، وَكَانَ خَلِيفَتَهُ وَحَاجِبَهُ، وَأَخَصَّ أَصْحَابِهِ بِخِدْمَتِهِ، وَأَكْبَرَهُمْ عِنْدَهُ، وَغَيْرَهُ مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ إِلَى آمُلَ، فَعَبَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ إِسْمَاعِيلُ جَيْحُونَ، فَحَارَبَهُمْ، فَهَزَمَهُمْ، وَقَتَلَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ فِي نَحْوِ سِتَّةِ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ. وَبَلَغَ الْمُنْهَزِمُونَ إِلَى عَمْرٍو، وَهُوَ بِنَيْسَابُورَ، وَعَادَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِلَى بُخَارَى فَتَجَهَّزَ عَمْرٌو لِقَصْدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُهُ بِإِنْفَاذِ الْجُيُوشِ، وَلَا يُخَاطِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْهُمْ، وَسَارَ عَنْ نَيْسَابُورَ نَحْوَ بَلْخَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ: إِنَّكَ قَدْ وُلِّيتَ دُنْيَا عَرِيضَةً، وَإِنَّمَا فِي يَدِي مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ، وَأَنَا فِي ثَغْرٍ، فَاقْنَعْ بِمَا فِي يَدِكَ، وَاتْرُكْنِي فِي هَذَا الثَّغْرِ. فَأَبَى، فَذُكِرَ لِعَمْرٍو، وَأَصْحَابِهِ شِدَّةَ الْعُبُورِ بِنَهْرِ بَلْخَ، فَقَالَ: لَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أُسَكِّرَهُ بِبَذْرِ الْأَمْوَالِ، وَأَعْبُرَهُ لَفَعَلْتُ. فَسَارَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ نَحْوَهُ وَعَبَرَ النَّهْرَ إِلَى الْجَانِبِ الْغَرْبِيِّ، وَجَاءَ عَمْرٌو فَنَزَلَ بَلْخَ، وَأَخَذَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَلَيْهِ النَّوَاحِيَ لِكَثْرَةِ جَمْعِهِ، وَصَارَ عَمْرٌو كَالْمُحَاصَرِ، وَنَدِمَ عَلَى مَا فَعَلَ، وَطَلَبَ الْمُحَاجَزَةَ، فَأَبَى إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَلَيْهِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا، فَلَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَهُمْ كَثِيرُ قِتَالٍ حَتَّى انْهَزَمَ عَمْرٌو فَوَلَّى هَارِبًا، وَمَرَّ بِأَجَمَةٍ فِي طَرِيقِهِ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّهَا أَقْرَبُ الطُّرُقِ، فَقَالَ لِعَامَّةِ مَنْ مَعَهُ: امْضُوا فِي الطَّرِيقِ الْوَاضِحِ ; وَسَارَ هُوَ فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ، فَدَخَلَ الْأَجَمَةَ، فَوَحَلَتْ بِهِ دَابَّتُهُ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِي نَفْسِهِ حِيلَةٌ، وَمَضَى مَنْ مَعَهُ وَلَمْ يُعَرِّجُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَجَاءَ أَصْحَابُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَأَخَذُوهُ أَسِيرًا، فَسَيَّرَهُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِلَى سَمَرْقَنْدَ. وَلَمَّا وَصَلَ الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ ذَمَّ عَمْرًا وَمَدَحَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ خَيَّرَ عَمْرًا بَيْنَ مُقَامِهِ عِنْدَهُ، أَوْ إِنْفَاذِهِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَاخْتَارَ الْمُقَامَ عِنْدَ الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَسَيَّرَهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَوَصَلَ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ سَنَةَ ثَمَانٍ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ رُكِّبَ عَلَى جَمَلٍ وَأُدْخِلَ بَغْدَاذَ، ثُمَّ حُبِسَ، فَبَقِيَ مَحْبُوسًا حَتَّى قُتِلَ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَثَمَانِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ عَلَى مَا نَذْكُرُهُ. وَأَرْسَلَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ إِلَى إِسْمَاعِيلَ بِالْخِلَعِ، وَوَلَّاهُ مَا كَانَ بِيَدِ عَمْرٍو، وَخَلَعَ عَلَى نَائِبِهِ بِالْحَضْرَةِ الْمَعْرُوفِ بِالْمَرْزُبَانِيِّ، وَاسْتَوْلَى إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَلَى خُرَاسَانَ وَصَارَتْ بِيَدِهِ. وَكَانَ عَمْرٌو أَعْوَرَ شَدِيدَ السُّمْرَةِ، عَظِيمَ السِّيَاسَةِ، قَدْ مَنَعَ أَصْحَابَهُ وَقُوَّادَهُ أَنْ ( يَضْرِبَ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ غُلَامًا ) إِلَّا بِأَمْرِهِ، أَوْ يَتَوَلَّى عُقُوبَةَ الْغُلَامِ نَائِبُهُ، أَوْ أَحَدُ حُجَّابِهِ، وَكَانَ يَشْتَرِي الْمَمَالِيكَ الصِّغَارَ، وَيُرَبِّيهِمْ، وَيَهَبُهُمْ لِقُوَّادِهِ وَيُجْرِي عَلَيْهِمُ الْجِرَايَاتِ الْحَسَنَةِ سِرًّا، لِيُطَالِعُوهُ بِأَحْوَالِ قُوَّادِهِ، وَلَا يَنْكَتِمُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِهِمْ شَيْءٌ، وَلَمْ يَكُونُوا يَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ يَنْقُلُ إِلَيْهِ عَنْهُمْ، فَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ يَحْذَرُهُ وَهُوَ وَحْدَهُ. حُكِيَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ لَهُ عَامِلٌ بِفَارِسَ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو حُصَيْنٍ، فَسَخِطَ عَلَيْهِ عَمْرٌو، وَأَلْزَمَهُ أَنْ يَبِيعَ أَمْلَاكَهُ، ( وَيُوصِلَ ثَمَنَهَا إِلَيْهِ )، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ طَلَبَ مِنْهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، فَإِنْ أَدَّاهَا فِي ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَإِلَّا قَتَلَهُ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْكَاتِبِ يَطْلُبُ مِنْهُ أَنْ يَجْتَمِعَ بِهِ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُ، فَاجْتَمَعَ بِهِ، وَعَرَّفَهُ ضِيقَ يَدِهِ وَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَضْمَنَهُ لِيَخْرُجَ مِنْ مَحْبَسِهِ وَيَسْعَى فِي تَحْصِيلِ الْمَبْلَغِ الْمَطْلُوبِ مِنْهُ، فَفَعَلَ وَأَخْرَجَهُ، فَلَمْ يُفْتَحْ عَلَيْهِ بِشَيْءٍ، فَعَادَ إِلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْكَاتِبِ، فَبَلَغَ خَبَرُهُ عَمْرًا، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ مَا أَدْرِي مِنْ أَيِّهِمَا أَعْجَبُ، مِنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ فِيمَا فَعَلَ مِنْ بَذْلِ مِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ، أَمْ مِنْ أَبِي حُصَيْنٍ كَيْفَ عَادَ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ الْقَتْلُ ! ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِإِطْلَاقِ مَا عَلَيْهِ وَرَدَّهُ إِلَى مَنْزِلَتِهِ. وَحُكِيَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَحْمِلُ أَحْمَالًا كَثِيرَةً مِنَ الْجُرُبِ، وَلَا يَعْلَمُ أَحَدٌ مَا مُرَادُهُ، فَاتَّفَقَ فِي بَعْضِ السِّنِينَ أَنَّهُ قَصَدَ طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْعُصَاةِ عَلَيْهِ ( لِلْإِيقَاعِ بِهِمْ )، فَسَلَكَ طَرِيقًا لَا تَظُنُّ الْعُصَاةُ أَنَّهُمْ يُؤْتَوْنَ مِنْهُ، وَكَانَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ وَادٍ، فَأَمَرَ بِتِلْكَ الْجُرُبِ فَمُلِئَتْ تُرَابًا، وَأَحْجَارًا، وَنَضَّدَ بَعْضَهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ، وَجَعَلَهَا طَرِيقًا فِي الْوَادِي، فَعَبَرَ أَصْحَابُهُ عَلَيْهَا، وَأَتَاهُمْ وَهُمْ آمِنُونَ فَأَثْخَنَ فِيهِمْ وَبَلَغَ مِنْهُمْ مَا أَرَادَ. وَحُكِيَ أَيْضًا أَنَّ أَكْبَرَ حُجَّابِهِ كَانَ اسْمُهُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، وَكَانَ يَخْلُفُهُ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أُمُورِهِ الْعِظَامِ، فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمًا، وَأَخَذَ يُعَدِّدُ عَلَيْهِ ذُنُوبَهُ، فَحَلَفَ مُحَمَّدٌ بِاللَّهِ وَالطَّلَاقِ وَالْعِتْقِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَمْلِكُ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ بِدْرَةً، وَهُوَ يَحْمِلُهَا إِلَى الْخِزَانَةِ، وَلَا يَجْعَلُ لَهُ ذَنْبًا لَمْ يَعْلَمْهُ، فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو: مَا أَعْقَلَكَ مِنْ رَجُلٍ ! احْمِلْهَا إِلَى الْخِزَانَةِ، فَحَمَلَهَا، فَرَضِيَ عَنْهُ، وَمَا أَقْبَحَ هَذَا مِنْ فِعْلٍ ( وَشَرَهٍ إِلَى أَمْوَالِ ) مَنْ أَذْهَبَ عُمْرَهُ فِي خِدْمَتِهِ !
Translation
✧ The capture of ʿAmr al-Ṣaffār and Ismāʿīl's possession of Khurāsān In the year 287, in Rabīʿ al-Awwal, ʿAmr b. al-Layth al-Ṣaffār was captured. The reason was that ʿAmr sent to al-Muʿtaḍid the head of Rāfiʿ b. Harthama and requested that he appoint him over what lies beyond the river. He sent him robes of honor and the banner for that, while he was in Naysābūr. He sent Muḥammad b. Bashīr—his deputy and chamberlain, the most special of his companions in his service, and the greatest of them in his eyes—and others of his commanders to Āmul to fight Ismāʿīl b. Aḥmad al-Sāmānī, the lord of what lies beyond the river. Ismāʿīl crossed the Jayḥūn to them, fought them, defeated them, and killed Muḥammad b. Bashīr along with about six thousand men. The defeated reached ʿAmr while he was in Naysābūr, and Ismāʿīl returned to Bukhārā. ʿAmr prepared to march against Ismāʿīl, but his companions advised him to send armies and not risk himself. He did not accept their advice and marched from Naysābūr toward Balkh. Ismāʿīl sent to him: "You have been given a vast dominion, while in my hand is only what lies beyond the river, and I am at a frontier. Be content with what is in your hand and leave me at this frontier." He refused. The difficulty of crossing the river of Balkh was mentioned to ʿAmr and his companions, and he said: "If I wished, I could dam it with seeds of wealth and cross it." Ismāʿīl marched toward him and crossed the river to the western side. ʿAmr came and encamped at Balkh. Ismāʿīl seized the surrounding areas against him because of the size of his army. ʿAmr became as if besieged and regretted what he had done. He sought a truce, but Ismāʿīl refused him. They fought, and there was not much fighting between them before ʿAmr was defeated and fled. He passed by a thicket on his way, and it was said to him that it was the shortest route. He said to the common soldiers with him: "Go along the clear road." He himself went with a small group and entered the thicket. His mount became stuck in the mud and he had no recourse. Those with him went on and did not turn back to him. Ismāʿīl's men came and took him captive. Ismāʿīl sent him to Samarqand. When the news reached al-Muʿtaḍid, he censured ʿAmr and praised Ismāʿīl. Then Ismāʿīl gave ʿAmr the choice between remaining with him or being sent to al-Muʿtaḍid. He chose to stay with al-Muʿtaḍid, so Ismāʿīl sent him to him. He arrived in Baghdādh in the year 288. When he arrived, he was mounted on a camel and brought into Baghdādh, then imprisoned. He remained imprisoned until he was killed in the year 289, as we shall mention. Al-Muʿtaḍid sent robes of honor to Ismāʿīl and appointed him over what had been in ʿAmr's hand. He bestowed robes of honor on his deputy at the court, known as al-Marzbānī. Ismāʿīl took possession of Khurāsān, and it came into his hand. ʿAmr was one-eyed, very dark-skinned, and of great statecraft. He forbade his companions and commanders from any of them striking a servant except by his order, or from anyone other than his deputy or one of his chamberlains undertaking the punishment of a servant. He used to buy young slaves, raise them, give them to his commanders, and secretly provide them with good stipends so that they would report to him on the conditions of his commanders, and nothing of their news would be hidden from him. They did not know who was conveying information about them to him, so each of them would be wary of him even when alone. It is told of him that he had a governor in Fārs called Abū Ḥuṣayn. ʿAmr became angry with him and compelled him to sell his properties and deliver their price to him. He did so. Then he demanded a hundred thousand dirhams from him, to be paid within three days, otherwise he would kill him. He could not obtain any of it. He sent to Abū Saʿīd the secretary, asking to meet with him, and he granted him permission. He met with him, told him of his straitened circumstances, and asked him to stand surety for him so that he could get out of his confinement and strive to obtain the required sum. He did so and released him, but no means were opened to him. He returned to Abū Saʿīd the secretary. News of this reached ʿAmr, and he said: "By God, I do not know which of the two I find more astonishing—Abū Saʿīd, in what he did in offering a hundred thousand dirhams, or Abū Ḥuṣayn, how he returned when he knew it meant death!" Then he ordered the remission of what was owed by him and restored him to his rank. It is also told of him that he used to carry many loads of leather sacks, and no one knew his purpose. It happened in one of the years that he set out against a group of rebels against him to strike them. He took a route which the rebels did not think they would be approached from. On his route there was a valley. He ordered those leather sacks to be filled with earth and stones, arranged some of them upon others, and made them into a road across the valley. His men crossed over them, and he came upon the rebels while they were secure, and he dealt a heavy blow among them and achieved from them what he wanted. It is also told that his greatest chamberlain was named Muḥammad b. Bashīr, and he deputized for him in many of his momentous affairs. One day he entered upon him, and ʿAmr began to enumerate his offenses. Muḥammad swore by God, by divorce, and by manumission that he possessed only fifty purses, and that he would carry them to the treasury, and that he should not ascribe to him an offense he did not know of. ʿAmr said: "How sensible a man you are! Carry them to the treasury." He carried them, and ʿAmr was pleased with him. How ugly is this deed, and what greed for the wealth of one who spent his life in his service!
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