Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3668
The deposition of al-Muqtadir and the accession of b. al-Mu'tazz
وِلَايَةِ أَبِي مُضَرَ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ وَهَرَبِهُ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فِي سنة ست وتسعين ومائتين، مُسْتَهَلِّ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ، وَلِيَ أَبُو مُضَرَ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ بْنُ ( أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ ) عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، بَعْدَ قَتْلِ أَبِيهِ، فَعَكَفَ عَلَى اللَّذَّاتِ وَالشَّهَوَاتِ وَمُلَازِمَةِ النُّدَمَاءِ وَالْمُضْحِكِينَ، وَأَهْمَلَ أُمُورَ الْمَمْلَكَةِ وَأَحْوَالَ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَأَرْسَلَ كِتَابًا، ( يَوْمَ وُلِّيَ ) إِلَى عَمِّهِ الْأَحْوَلِ عَلَى لِسَانِ أَبِيهِ يَسْتَعْجِلُهُ ( فِي الْقُدُومِ عَلَيْهِ وَيَحُثُّهُ عَلَى السُّرْعَةِ، فَسَارَ مُجِدًّا وَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ بِقَتْلِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ )، فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ قَتَلَهُ وَقَتَلَ مَنْ قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَعْمَامِهِ وَإِخْوَتِهِ. وَاشْتَدَّتْ شَوْكَةُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ فِي أَيَّامِهِ، وَقَوِيَ أَمْرُهُ، وَكَانَ الْأَحْوَلُ قُبَالَتَهُ، فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ صَفَتْ لَهُ الْبِلَادُ، وَدَانَتْ لَهُ الْأَمْصَارُ وَالْعِبَادُ، فَسَيَّرَ إِلَيْهِ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ جَيْشًا مَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي الْأَغْلَبِ، وَهُوَ مِنْ بَنِي عَمِّهِ، بَلَغَتْ عِدَّتُهُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ أَلْفًا سِوَى مَنِ انْضَافَ إِلَيْهِ، فَهَزَمَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيُّ عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ ( آنِفًا )، فَلَمَّا اتَّصَلَ بِزِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ خَبَرُ الْهَزِيمَةِ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لَا مُقَامَ لَهُ لِأَنَّ هَذَا ( الْجَمْعَ ) هُوَ آخِرُ مَا انْتَهَتْ قُدْرَتُهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَجَمَعَ مَا عَزَّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَهْلٍ وَمَالٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ وَعَزَمَ عَلَى الْهَرَبِ إِلَى بِلَادِ الشَّرْقِ، وَأَظْهَرَ لِلنَّاسِ أَنَّهُ قَدْ جَاءَهُ خَبَرُ، ( هَزِيمَةِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ )، وَأَمَرَ بِإِخْرَاجِ رِجَالٍ مِنَ الْحَبْسِ، فَقَتَلَهُمْ، وَأَعْلَمَ خَاصَّتَهُ حَقِيقَةَ الْحَالِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْخُرُوجِ مَعَهُ. فَأَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ دَوْلَتِهِ بِأَنْ لَا يَفْعَلَ وَلَا يَتْرُكَ مُلْكَهُ. قَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لَا يُجْسَرُ عَلَيْهِ فَشَتَمَهُ، وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ رَأْيَهُ، وَقَالَ: أَحَبُّ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ يَأْخُذَنِي بِيَدِي. وَانْصَرَفَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ خَاصَّتِهِ وَأَهْلِهِ يَتَجَهَّزُ لِلْمَسِيرِ مَعَهُ، وَأَخْذِ مَا أَمْكَنَهُ حَمْلُهُ. وَكَانَتْ دَوْلَةُ آلِ ( الْأَغْلَبِ بِإِفْرِيقِيَّةَ ) قَدْ طَالَتْ مُدَّتُهَا، وَكَثُرَتْ عَبِيدُهَا ( وَقَوِيَ سُلْطَانُهَا )، وَسَارَ عَنْ إِفْرِيقِيَةَ إِلَى مِصْرَ فِي سَنَةِ سِتٍّ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ وَاجْتَمَعَ مَعَهُ خَلْقٌ عَظِيمٌ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ سَائِرًا حَتَّى وَصَلَ طَرَابُلُسَ، فَدَخَلَهَا، فَأَقَامَ بِهَا تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا، وَرَأَى بِهَا أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ أَخَا أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشِّيعِيِّ، وَكَانَ مَحْبُوسًا بِالْقَيْرَوَانِ، حَبَسَهُ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ، فَهَرَبَ إِلَى طَرَابُلُسَ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ أَحْضَرَهُ وَقَرَّرَهُ: هَلْ هُوَ أَخُو أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؟ فَأَنْكَرَ وَقَالَ: أَنَا رَجُلٌ تَاجِرٌ قِيلَ عَنِّي، ( إِنَّنِي أَخُو أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ) فَحَبَسْتَنِي. فَقَالَ لَهُ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ: أَنَا أُطْلِقُكَ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا فِي أَنَّكَ تَاجِرٌ فَلَا نَأْثَمُ فِيكَ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا، وَأَنْتَ أَخُو أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، فَلْيَكُنْ لِلصَّنِيعَةِ عِنْدَكَ مَوْضِعٌ، وَتَحْفَظْنَا فِيمَنْ خَلَّفْنَاهُ. وَأَطْلَقَهُ. وَكَانَ مِنْ كِبَارِ أَهْلِهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ أَبِي الْأَغْلَبِ، فَأَرَادَ قَتْلَهُ وَقَتْلَ رَجُلٍ آخَرَ كَانَا قَدْ عَرَضَا أَنْفُسَهُمَا عَلَى وِلَايَةِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، فَعَلِمَا ذَلِكَ، وَهَرَبَا إِلَى مِصْرَ، وَقَدِمَا عَلَى الْعَامِلِ بِهَا وَهُوَ عِيسَى النُّوشَرِيُّ، فَتَحَدَّثَا مَعَهُ، وَسَعَيَا بِزِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَا لَهُ: إِنَّهُ يُمَنِّي نَفْسَهُ بِوِلَايَةِ مِصْرَ، فَوَقَعَ ذَلِكَ فِي نَفْسِهِ، وَأَرَادَ مَنْعَهُ عَنْ دُخُولِ مِصْرَ إِلَّا بِأَمْرِ الْخَلِيفَةِ مِنْ بَغْدَاذَ، فَوَصَلَ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ لَيْلًا، وَعَبَرَ الْجِسْرَ إِلَى الْجِيزَةِ قَهْرًا، فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ النُّوشَرِيُّ لَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ مَنْعُهُ، فَأَنْزَلَهُ بِدَارِ ابْنِ الْجَصَّاصِ، وَنَزَلَ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي مَوَاضِعَ كَثِيرَةٍ، فَأَقَامَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ، وَرَحَلَ يُرِيدُ بَغْدَاذَ، فَهَرَبَ عَنْهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَفِيهِمْ غُلَامٌ لَهُ، ( وَأُخِذَ مِنْهُ مِائَةُ ) أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ فَأَقَامَ عِنْدَ النُّوشَرِيِّ، فَأَرْسَلَ النُّوشَرِيُّ إِلَى الْخَلِيفَةِ، وَهُوَ الْمُقْتَدِرُ بِاللَّهِ، يُعَرِّفُهُ حَالَ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ وَحَالَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ بِمِصْرَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِرَدِّ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهُ إِلَيْهِ مَعَ الْمَالِ، فَفَعَلَ. وَسَارَ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ الرَّقَّةَ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى الْوَزِيرِ وَهُوَ ابْنُ الْفُرَاتِ يَسْأَلُهُ فِي الْإِذْنِ لَهُ لِدُخُولِ بَغْدَاذَ، فَأَمَرَهُ بِالتَّوَقُّفِ، فَبَقِيَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ ( سَنَةً )، فَتَفَرَّقَ عَنْهُ أَصْحَابُهُ، وَهُوَ مَعَ هَذَا مُدْمِنٌ الْخَمْرَ، وَاسْتِمَاعَ الْمَلَاهِي، وَسُعِيَ بِهِ إِلَى الْمُقْتَدِرِ، وَقِيلَ لَهُ يُرَدُّ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ يَطْلُبُ بِثَأْرِهِ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ وَكَتَبَ إِلَى النُّوشَرِيِّ بِإِنْجَادِهِ بِالرِّجَالِ وَالْعُدَدِ وَالْأَمْوَالِ مِنْ مِصْرَ لِيَعُودَ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ فَعَادَ إِلَى مِصْرَ، فَأَمَرَهُ النُّوشَرِيُّ بِالْخُرُوجِ إِلَى ذَاتِ الْحَمَّامِ لِيَكُونَ هُنَاكَ إِلَى أَنْ يَجْتَمِعَ إِلَيْهِ مَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالْمَالِ، فَفَعَلَ، ( وَمَطَلَهُ )، فَطَالَ مُقَامَهُ، وَتَتَابَعَتْ بِهِ الْأَمْرَاضُ. وَقِيلَ بَلْ سَمَّهُ بَعْضُ غِلْمَانِهِ، فَسَقَطَ شَعْرُ لِحْيَتِهِ، فَعَادَ إِلَى مِصْرَ، وَقَصَدَ الْبَيْتَ الْمُقَدَّسَ، فَتُوُفِّيَ بِالرَّمْلَةِ وَدُفِنَ بِهَا. فَسُبْحَانَ الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ، وَلَا يَزُولُ مُلْكُهُ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ بِالْمَغْرِبِ مِنْ بَنِي الْأَغْلَبِ أَحَدٌ، وَكَانَتْ مُدَّةُ مُلْكِهِمْ مِائَةَ سَنَةٍ وَاثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً، وَكَانُوا يَقُولُونَ إِنَّنَا نَخْرُجُ إِلَى مِصْرَ وَالشَّامِ، وَنَرْبُطُ خَيْلَنَا فِي زَيْتُونِ فِلَسْطِينَ، فَكَانَ زِيَادَةُ اللَّهِ هُوَ الْخَارِجَ إِلَى فِلَسْطِينَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ لَا عَلَى مَا ظَنُّوهُ.
Translation
✧ The appointment of Abū Muḍar to Ifrīqiya and his flight to Iraq, and what came of his affair In the year 296 [AH], at the beginning of the month of Ramaḍān, Abū Muḍar Ziyādat Allāh b. Abī al-ʿAbbās b. ʿAbd Allāh was appointed over Ifrīqiya after the killing of his father. He devoted himself to pleasures and desires, keeping close company with drinking companions and jesters, neglected the affairs of the kingdom and the conditions of the subjects, and sent a letter on the day he was appointed to his uncle al-Aḥwal in the name of his father, urging him to hasten to him and exhorting him to speed. He traveled with diligence, unaware of the killing of Abū al-ʿAbbās. When he arrived, he killed him and killed those of his uncles and brothers whom he could. The power of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī grew strong during his days, and his affair was strengthened. Al-Aḥwal was facing him, and when he was killed, the lands became clear for him, and the cities and the people submitted to him. Ziyādat Allāh sent an army against him under Ibrāhīm b. Abī al-Aghlab, who was one of his paternal cousins, numbering forty thousand besides those who joined him. Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī routed him, as we have mentioned earlier. When the news of the defeat reached Ziyādat Allāh, he knew that he could not remain, because this host was the utmost of his power. So he gathered what was dear to him of family, wealth, and other things, and resolved to flee to the lands of the East. He showed the people that news had come to him of the defeat of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī, and ordered that men be brought out of prison, then killed them. He informed his close associates of the true state of affairs and ordered them to leave with him. The people of his state advised him not to do so and not to abandon his kingdom. He said to them: "Abū ʿAbd Allāh cannot be withstood." He insulted them, rejected their counsel, and said: "The dearest thing to you is that he seize me by the hand." Each of his close associates and family departed to prepare for the journey with him, taking what he could carry. The dynasty of the Aghlabids in Ifrīqiya had lasted a long time, their slaves had become numerous, and their authority had grown strong. He departed from Ifrīqiya to Egypt in the year 296 [AH], and a great multitude gathered with him. He kept traveling until he reached Tripoli, entered it, and stayed there for nineteen days. There he saw Abū al-ʿAbbās, the brother of Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Shīʿī, who had been imprisoned in al-Qayrawān by Ziyādat Allāh and had fled to Tripoli. When he saw him, he brought him and questioned him: "Are you the brother of Abū ʿAbd Allāh?" He denied it and said: "I am a merchant. It was said of me that I am the brother of Abū ʿAbd Allāh, so you imprisoned me." Ziyādat Allāh said to him: "I will release you. If you are truthful in that you are a merchant, we commit no sin regarding you. If you are lying and you are the brother of Abū ʿAbd Allāh, let the favor have a place with you, and protect us regarding those we have left behind." And he released him. Among the leading men of his family and companions was Ibrāhīm b. Abī al-Aghlab. He wanted to kill him and another man who had offered themselves for the governorship of al-Qayrawān. They learned of this and fled to Egypt, coming to its governor, ʿĪsā al-Nūsharī. They spoke with him and slandered Ziyādat Allāh, saying to him: "He aspires to the governorship of Egypt." This took root in his mind, and he wanted to prevent him from entering Egypt except by order of the caliph in Baghdad. Ziyādat Allāh arrived at night and crossed the bridge to al-Jīza by force. When al-Nūsharī saw that, he could not prevent him, so he lodged him in the house of Ibn al-Jaṣṣāṣ, and his companions lodged in many places. He stayed for eight days, then departed for Baghdad. His companions fled from him, including a servant of his, from whom a hundred thousand dinars were taken. He remained with al-Nūsharī, who sent to the caliph, al-Muqtadir billāh, informing him of the situation of Ziyādat Allāh and of those who stayed behind in Egypt. He ordered him to return to him those who had stayed behind along with the money, and he did so. Ziyādat Allāh traveled until he reached al-Raqqa. He wrote to the vizier, Ibn al-Furāt, asking permission to enter Baghdad. He ordered him to halt, and he remained in that state for a year. His companions dispersed from him, while he persisted in drinking wine and listening to musical instruments. He was reported to al-Muqtadir, and it was said to him: "He should be sent back to the Maghrib to seek his revenge." He wrote to him about that and wrote to al-Nūsharī to support him with men, equipment, and funds from Egypt so that he could return to the Maghrib. He returned to Egypt, and al-Nūsharī ordered him to go out to Dhāt al-Ḥammām to remain there until what he needed of men and money gathered to him. He did so, but he delayed him, and his stay was prolonged, and illnesses afflicted him successively. It is said that one of his servants poisoned him, and the hair of his beard fell out. He returned to Egypt and headed for the Holy House. He died at al-Ramla and was buried there. Glory be to the Living who does not die, whose kingdom does not cease. Not one of the Banū al-Aghlab remained in the Maghrib. The duration of their rule was one hundred and twelve years. They used to say: "We will go out to Egypt and Syria, and tie our horses among the olive trees of Palestine." Thus Ziyādat Allāh was the one who went out to Palestine in this condition, not as they had thought.
Grades by grader
No grade is recorded for this wording. Ask what scholars say about its grade