Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3660
The death of Isma'il b. Ahmad al-Samani and the succession of his son Ahmad
وَفَاةِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ السَّامَانِيِّ وَوِلَايَةِ ابْنِهِ أَحْمَدَ فِي سَنَةُ خَمْسٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، مُنْتَصَفَ صَفَرٍ، تُوُفِّيَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ أَمِيرُ خُرَاسَانَ وَمَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ، بِبُخَارَى،مِنْ مُلُوكِ السَّامَانِيَّةِ، وَهُمْ أَرْبَابُ الْوِلَايَاتِ بِسَمَرْقَنْدَ وَالشَّاشِ وَفَرْغَانَةَ وَتِلْكَ الْبِلَادِ. وَظَفِرَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بِعَمْرِو بْنِ اللَّيْثِ الصَّفَّارِ الْخَارِجِيِّ، فَبَعَثَ بِهِ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ، فَكَتَبَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ عَهْدَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَلَى خُرَاسَانَ، وَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ الْخِلَعَ وَلَمَّا انْتَهَتِ الْخِلَافَةُ إِلَى الْمُكْتَفِي بِاللَّهِ كَتَبَ لَهُ، عَهْدَ [إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَوَلَّاهُ] مِنَ الرَّيِّ إِلَى مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ إِلَى بِلَادِ التُّرْكِ وَبَنَى إِسْمَاعِيلُ رَبْطًا فِي الْمَفَاوِزِ، يَسَعُ كُلُّ رِبَاطٍ مِنْهَا أَلْفَ فَارِسٍ، وَوَقَفَ عَلَيْهَا وُقُوفًا وَوَرَدَ إِلَى بِلَادِهِ جَيْشٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنْ كِبَارِ التُّرْكِ، فِيهِ أَلْفٌ وَسَبْعُمِائَةِ قُبَّةٍ، وَلَا تَكُونُ الْقُبَّةُ التُّرْكِيَّةُ إِلَّا لِرَئِيسٍ وَمُتَقَدِّمٍ، فَوَجَّهَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ أَحَدَ قُوَّادِهِ لِقِتَالِهِمْ، فَوَافَاهُمْ وَهُمْ غَارُّونَ، فَقَتَلَ مِنْهُمْ خَلْقًا [كَثِيرًا]، وَاسْتَبَاحَ عَسْكَرَهُمْ وَانْصَرَفَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ غَانِمِينَ. وَكَانَ طَاهِرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ اللَّيْثِ قَدِ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى فَارِسَ، بَعْدَ أَنْ أُسِرَ جَدُّهُ عَمْرُو بْنُ اللَّيْثِ، فَأَنْفَذَ الْمُعْتَضِدُ مَوْلَاهُ بَدْرًا لِقِتَالِهِ، فَبَعَثَ طَاهِرٌ إِلَى إِسْمَاعِيلَ يَسْأَلُهُ التَّوَسُّطَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْخَلِيفَةِ لِيُقِرَّهُ عَلَى بِلَادِهِ وَيُقَاطِعَهُ عَلَى مَالٍ، وَأَهْدَى إِلَى إِسْمَاعِيلَ هَدَايَا مِنْ جُمْلَتِهَا ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ جَوْهَرَةً، وَزْنُ كُلِّ جَوْهَرَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ سَبْعَةِ مَثَاقِيلَ إِلَى الْعَشَرَةِ، بَعْضُهَا أَحْمَرُ وَبَعْضُهَا أَزْرَقُ فَقُوِّمَتْ بِمِائَةِ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، فَكَتَبَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِلَى الْمُعْتَضِدِ فَشَفَعَ فِيهِ وَيُخْبِرُهُ بِحَالِ الْهَدِيَّةِ وَيَسْأَلُهُ فِي قَبُولِهَا: فَأَجَابَهُ: لَوْ أَنْفَذَ إِلَيْكَ كُلُّ عَامِلٍ لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمْثَالَ هَذَا لَكَانَ مِمَّا يَسُرُّهُ، وَشَفَّعَهُ فِي طَاهِرٍ. وَتُوُفِّيَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ فِي صَفَرِ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ فِي خِلَافَةِ الْمُكْتَفِي، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ الْخَبَرُ تَمَثَّلَ الْمُكْتَفِيَ بِقَوْلِ أَبِي نُوَاسٍ: لَنْ يُخْلِفَ الدَّهْرُ مِثْلَهُمْ أَبَدًا هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ شَأْنُهُمْ عَجَبُ وَكَانَ يُلَقَّبُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ بِالْمَاضِي، وَوَلِيَ بَعْدَهُ ابْنُهُ أَبُو نَصْرٍ أَحْمَدُ، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُكْتَفِيَ عَهْدَهُ بِالْوِلَايَةِ، وَعَقَدَ لِوَاءَهُ بِيَدِهِ. وَكَانَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَاقِلًا، عَادِلًا، حَسَنَ السِّيرَةِ فِي رَعِيَّتِهِ، حَلِيمًا، حُكِيَ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ لِوَلَدِهِ أَحْمَدَ مُؤَدِّبٌ يُؤَدِّبُهُ، فَمَرَّ بِهِ الْأَمِيرُ إِسْمَاعِيلُ يَوْمًا، وَالْمُؤَدِّبُ لَا يَعْلَمُ بِهِ، فَسَمِعَهُ وَهُوَ يَسُبُّ ابْنَهُ، وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: لَا بَارَكَ اللَّهُ فِيكَ، وَلَا فِيمَنْ وَلَدَكَ ! فَدَخَلَ إِلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا هَذَا، نَحْنُ لَمْ نُذْنِبْ ذَنْبًا لِتَسُبَّنَا، فَهَلْ تَرَى أَنْ تُعْفِيَنَا مِنْ سَبِّكَ، وَتَخُصَّ الْمُذْنِبَ بِشَتْمِكَ وَذَمِّكَ ؟ فَارْتَاعَ الْمُؤَدِّبُ، فَخَرَجَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْهُ، وَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِصِلَةٍ جَزَاءً لِخَوْفِهِ مِنْهُ. وَقِيلَ: جَرَى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ذِكْرُ الْأَنْسَابِ وَالْأَحْسَابِ فَقَالَ لِبَعْضِ جُلَسَائِهِ: كُنْ عِصَامِيًّا وَلَا تَكُنْ عِظَامِيًّا، أَيْ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَفْتَخِرَ بِنَفْسِهِ لَا بِنَسَبِهِ وَبَلَدِهِ وَجَدِّهِ كَمَا قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: وَبِجِدِّي سَمَوْتُ لَا بِجُدُودِي وَقَالَ آخَرُ: حَسْبِي فَخَارًا وَشِيمَتِي أَدَبِي وَلَسْتُ مِنْ هَاشِمٍ وَلَا الْعَرَبِ إِنَّ الْفَتَى مَنْ يَقُولُ هَأَنَذَا لَيْسَ الْفَتَى مَنْ يَقُولُ كَانَ أَبِي وَسَأَلَ يَوْمًا يَحْيَى بْنَ زَكَرِيَّاءَ النَّيْسَابُورِيَّ فَقَالَ لَهُ: مَا السَّبَبُ فِي أَنَّ آلَ مُعَاذٍ لَمَّا زَالَتْ دَوْلَتُهُمْ بَقِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ نِعْمَتُهُمْ بِخُرَاسَانَ، مَعَ سُوءِ سِيرَتِهِمْ وَظُلْمِهِمْ، وَأَنَّ آلَ طَاهِرٍ لَمَّا زَالَتْ دَوْلَتُهُمْ عَنْ خُرَاسَانَ زَالَتْ مَعَهَا نِعْمَتُهُمْ مَعَ عَدْلِهِمْ، وَحُسْنِ سِيرَتِهِمْ، وَنَظَرِهِمْ لِرَعِيَّتِهِمْ ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَحْيَى: السَّبَبُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَنَّ آلَ مُعَاذٍ لَمَّا تَغَيَّرَ أَمْرُهُمْ كَانَ الَّذِي وَلِيَ الْبِلَادَ بَعْدَهُمْ آلُ طَاهِرٍ فِي عَدْلِهِمْ، وَإِنْصَافِهِمْ، وَاسْتِعْفَافِهِمْ عَنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ، وَرَغْبَتِهِمْ فِي اصْطِنَاعِ أَهْلِ الْبُيُوتَاتِ، فَقَدَّمُوا آلَ مُعَاذٍ وَأَكْرَمُوهُمْ، وَأَنَّ آلَ طَاهِرٍ لَمَّا زَالَتْ عَنْهُمْ كَانَ سُلْطَانُ بِلَادِهِمْ آلَ الصَّفَّارِ فِي ظُلْمِهِمْ، وَغَشَمِهِمْ، وَمُعَادَاتِهِمْ لِأَهْلِ الْبُيُوتَاتِ وَمُنَاصَبَتِهِمْ لِأَهْلِ الشَّرَفِ وَالنِّعَمِ، فَأَتَوْا عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَزَالُوا نِعْمَتَهُمْ. فَقَالَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ: لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ يَا يَحْيَى، فَقَدْ شَفَيْتَ صَدْرِي ! وَأَمَرَ لَهُ بِصِلَةٍ، وَلَمَّا وَلِيَ بَعْدَ أَخِيهِ كَانَ يُكَاتِبُ أَصْحَابَهُ وَأَصْدِقَاءَهُ بِمَا كَانَ يُكَاتِبُهُمْ أَوَّلًا، فَقِيلَ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا، إِذَا زَادَنَا اللَّهُ رِفْعَةً، أَنْ لَا نُنْقِصَ إِخْوَانَنَا بَلْ نَزِيدَهُمْ رِفْعَةً، وَعُلًا، وَجَاهًا، لِيَزِيدُوا لَنَا إِخْلَاصًا وَشُكْرًا. وَلَمَّا وَلِيَ بَعْدَهُ ابْنُهُ أَبُو نَصْرٍ أَحْمَدُ، وَاسْتَوْثَقَ أَمْرُهُ، أَرَادَ الْخُرُوجَ إِلَى الرَّيِّ فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ زِيدَوَيْهِ بِالْخُرُوجِ إِلَى سَمَرْقَنْدَ وَالْقَبْضِ عَلَى عَمِّهِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ لِئَلَّا يَخْرُجَ عَلَيْهِ وَيَشْغَلَهُ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، وَاسْتَدْعَى عَمَّهُ إِلَى بُخَارَى، فَحَضَرَ فَاعْتَقَلَهُ بِهَا، ثُمَّ عَبَرَ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ، فَلَمَّا وَرَدَ نَيْسَابُورَ هَرَبَ بَارِسُ الْكَبِيرُ مِنْ جُرْجَانَ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، خَوْفًا مِنْهُ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ خَوْفِهِ أَنَّ الْأَمِيرَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ كَانَ قَدِ اسْتَعْمَلَ ابْنَهُ أَحْمَدَ عَلَى جُرْجَانَ لَمَّا أَخَذَهَا مِنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، ثُمَّ عَزَلَهُ عَنْهَا، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَيْهَا بَارِسَ الْكَبِيرَ، عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ، فَاجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَ بَارِسَ أَمْوَالٌ جَمَّةٌ مِنْ خَرَاجِ الرَّيِّ، وَطَبَرِسْتَانَ، وَجُرْجَانَ، فَبَلَغَتْ ثَمَانِينَ وِقْرًا، فَحَمَلَهَا إِلَى إِسْمَاعِيلَ، فَلَمَّا سَارَتْ عَنْهُ بَلَغَهُ خَبَرُ مَوْتِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، فَرَدَّهَا وَأَخَذَهَا، فَلَمَّا سَارَ إِلَيْهِ أَحْمَدُ خَافَهُ، وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْمُكْتَفِي يَسْتَأْذِنُهُ فِي الْمَصِيرِ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَذِنَ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، فَسَارَ إِلَيْهِ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ فَارِسٍ، فَأَرْسَلَ أَحْمَدُ خَلْفَهُ عَسْكَرًا، فَلَمْ يُدْرِكُوهُ، وَاجْتَازَ الرَّيَّ، فَتَحَصَّنَ بِهَا نَائِبُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، فَسَارَ ( إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ )، فَوَصَلَهَا وَقَدْ مَاتَ الْمُكْتَفِي، وَوَلِيَ الْمُقْتَدِرُ بَعْدَهُ، ( فَأَعْجَبَهُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ ). وَكَانَ وُصُولُهُ بَعْدَ حَادِثَةِ ابْنِ الْمُعْتَزِّ، فَسَيَّرَهُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ فِي عَسْكَرِهِ إِلَى بَنِي حَمْدَانَ وَوَلَّاهُ دِيَارَ رَبِيعَةَ، فَخَافَهُ أَصْحَابُ الْخَلِيفَةِ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَوَضَعُوا عَلَيْهِ غُلَامًا لَهُ فَسَمَّهُ فَمَاتَ، وَاسْتَوْلَى غُلَامُهُ عَلَى مَالِهِ، وَتَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَتَهُ، وَكَانَ مَوْتُهُ بِالْمَوْصِلِ.
Translation
✧ The death of Isma'il b. Ahmad al-Samani and the succession of his son Ahmad In the year two hundred and ninety-five, in the middle of Safar, Isma'il b. Ahmad, the amir of Khurasan and Transoxiana, died in Bukhara. He was one of the kings of the Samanids, who held the governorships of Samarkand, al-Shash, Farghana, and those lands. Isma'il had captured 'Amr b. al-Layth al-Saffar, the Kharijite, and sent him to al-Mu'tadid. Al-Mu'tadid wrote the covenant of Isma'il over Khurasan and sent him robes of honor. When the caliphate passed to al-Muktafi bi-llah, he wrote for him the covenant [of Isma'il and invested him] from al-Rayy to Transoxiana to the lands of the Turks. Isma'il built ribats in the deserts, each ribat of which could hold a thousand horsemen, and he endowed them with endowments. A great army of the leading Turks came to his lands, comprising one thousand seven hundred qubba tents, and a Turkish qubba belongs only to a chief or commander. Isma'il dispatched one of his commanders to fight them; he met them while they were heedless, killed many of them, plundered their camp, and the Muslims returned victorious. Tahir b. Muhammad b. 'Amr b. al-Layth had taken possession of Fars after his grandfather 'Amr b. al-Layth was captured. Al-Mu'tadid sent his freedman Badr to fight him. Tahir sent to Isma'il asking him to intercede between him and the caliph so that he might be confirmed over his lands and agree to pay a sum of money. He sent Isma'il gifts, among which were thirteen jewels, the weight of each jewel being between seven and ten mithqals, some red and some blue, valued at one hundred thousand dinars. Isma'il wrote to al-Mu'tadid interceding for him, informing him of the gift and asking his opinion about accepting it. He replied: "If every governor of the Commander of the Faithful sent you the like of this, it would be something that pleases him," and he granted his intercession for Tahir. Isma'il died in Safar of this year during the caliphate of al-Muktafi. When the news reached al-Muktafi, he recited the verse of Abu Nuwas: Time will never produce their like, ever; far, far indeed is their affair—a wonder. After his death he was nicknamed "the Past One." His son Abu Nasr Ahmad succeeded him, and al-Muktafi sent him his covenant of investiture and tied his standard with his own hand. Isma'il was intelligent, just, of good conduct toward his subjects, and forbearing. It is related of him that his son Ahmad had a tutor who tutored him. One day the amir Isma'il passed by while the tutor was unaware of him, and he heard him reviling his son, saying to him: "May God not bless you, nor the one who begot you!" He entered upon him and said: "O fellow, we have committed no sin for you to revile us. Do you think you could spare us your reviling and confine your abuse and blame to the sinner?" The tutor was alarmed. Isma'il left him and ordered that he be given a gift as recompense for his fear of him. It is said: Mention of lineages and noble deeds came up in his presence, and he said to one of his companions: "Be an 'Isami (self-made man), not an 'Izami (one who relies on his bones/ancestors)," meaning one should take pride in himself, not in his lineage, his land, or his grandfather, as one of them said: By my own effort I rose, not by my forefathers. And another said: My pride suffices me, and my character is my refinement, and I am not of Hashim nor of the Arabs. The true youth is he who says "Here I am," not he who says "My father was." One day he asked Yahya b. Zakariyya' al-Naysaburi, saying to him: "What is the reason that the house of Mu'adh, when their dynasty ended, their prosperity remained in Khurasan despite their bad conduct and oppression, while the house of Tahir, when their dynasty ended in Khurasan, their prosperity ended with it despite their justice, good conduct, and care for their subjects?" Yahya said to him: "The reason for that is that when the situation of the house of Mu'adh changed, those who governed the lands after them were the house of Tahir, in their justice, fairness, abstention from people's wealth, and their desire to benefit the great houses. So they favored the house of Mu'adh and honored them. But when the house of Tahir lost power, the rulers of their lands were the house of al-Saffar, in their oppression, tyranny, enmity to the great houses, and hostility toward the people of honor and prosperity. So they came upon them and removed their prosperity." Isma'il said: "God bless you, O Yahya, you have healed my breast!" And he ordered that he be given a gift. When he governed after his brother, he continued to correspond with his companions and friends in the same manner as he had before. He was told about that, and he said: "It is incumbent upon us, when God increases us in elevation, not to diminish our brothers but to increase them in elevation, loftiness, and standing, so that they may increase us in sincerity and gratitude." When his son Abu Nasr Ahmad succeeded him and his authority was secured, he wanted to go out to al-Rayy. Ibrahim b. Zayduwayh advised him to go to Samarkand and arrest his uncle Ishaq b. Ahmad, lest he rebel against him and distract him. He did that, summoned his uncle to Bukhara, and when he came, he imprisoned him there. Then he crossed over to Khurasan. When he reached Naysabur, Baris the Elder fled from Jurjan to Baghdad in fear of him. The reason for his fear was that the amir Isma'il had appointed his son Ahmad over Jurjan when he took it from Muhammad b. Zayd, then he dismissed him from it and appointed Baris the Elder over it, as we have mentioned. Baris accumulated vast sums from the kharaj of al-Rayy, Tabaristan, and Jurjan, amounting to eighty loads, and he carried them to Isma'il. When they had set out from him, news of Isma'il's death reached him, so he brought them back and took them. When Ahmad marched against him, he feared him and wrote to al-Muktafi asking permission to come to him. He granted him permission, and he marched to him with four thousand horsemen. Ahmad sent an army after him, but they did not catch him. He passed through al-Rayy, where Ahmad b. Isma'il's deputy fortified himself, then he proceeded to Baghdad. He reached it after al-Muktafi had died and al-Muqtadir had succeeded him, and al-Muqtadir was pleased with him. His arrival was after the incident of Ibn al-Mu'tazz. Al-Muqtadir sent him with his army against the Banu Hamdan and appointed him over Diyar Rabi'a. The caliph's associates feared that he might gain precedence over them, so they suborned a servant of his who poisoned him, and he died. His servant took possession of his wealth and married his wife. His death was at al-Mawsil.
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