Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3674
The deposition of al-Muqtadir and the accession of b. al-Mu'tazz
مَسِيرِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى سِجِلْمَاسَةَ وَظُهُورِ الْمَهْدِيِّ لَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّتِ الْأُمُورُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( فِي رَقَّادَةَ وَسَائِرِ بِلَادِ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ ) أَتَاهُ أَخُوهُ أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدٌ، فَفَرِحَ بِهِ، وَكَانَ هُوَ الْكَبِيرَ، فَسَارَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي رَمَضَانَ مِنَ السَّنَةِ مِنْ رَقَّادَةَ، وَاسْتَخْلَفَ عَلَى إِفْرِيقِيَةَ أَخَاهُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ، وَأَبَا زَاكِي، وَسَارَ فِي جُيُوشٍ عَظِيمَةٍ، فَاهْتَزَّ الْمَغْرِبُ لِخُرُوجِهِ، وَخَافَتْهُ زَنَاتَةُ، وَزَالَتِ الْقَبَائِلُ عَنْ طَرِيقِهِ، وَجَاءَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ وَدَخَلُوا فِي طَاعَتِهِ. فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ مِنْ سِجِلْمَاسَةَ، ( وَانْتَهَى خَبَرُهُ إِلَى أَلْيَسَعَ بْنِ مِدْرَارٍ، أَمِيرِ سِجِلْمَاسَةَ )، أَرْسَلَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَهُوَ فِي حَبْسِهِ، عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ، يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ نَسَبِهِ وَحَالِهِ، وَهَلْ إِلَيْهِ قَصَدَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ؟ فَحَلَفَ لَهُ الْمَهْدِيُّ أَنَّهُ مَا رَأَى أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، ( وَلَا عَرَفَهُ )، وَإِنَّمَا أَنَا رَجُلٌ تَاجِرٌ، فَاعْتُقِلَ فِي دَارٍ وَحْدَهُ، وَكَذَلِكَ فَعَلَ بِوَلَدِهِ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ، وَجَعَلَ عَلَيْهِمَا الْحَرَسَ، وَقُرِّرَ وَلَدُهُ أَيْضًا، فَمَا حَالَ عَنْ كَلَامِ أَبِيهِ، وَقَرَّرَ رِجَالًا كَانُوا مَعَهُ، ( وَضَرَبَهُمْ )، فَلَمْ يُقِرُّوا بِشَيْءٍ. وَسَمِعَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى أَلْيَسَعَ يَتَلَطَّفُهُ، وَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقْصِدِ الْحَرْبَ، وَإِنَّمَا لَهُ حَاجَةٌ مُهِمَّةٌ عِنْدَهُ، وَوَعَدَهُ الْجَمِيلَ، فَرَمَى الْكِتَابَ، وَقَتَلَ الرُّسُلَ، فَعَادُوهُ بِالْمُلَاطَفَةِ خَوْفًا عَلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ، وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْهُ لَهُ، فَقَتَلَ الرَّسُولَ أَيْضًا، فَأَسْرَعَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي السَّيْرِ، وَنَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ أَلْيَسَعُ، وَقَاتَلَهُ يَوْمَهُ ذَلِكَ، ( وَافْتَرَقُوا )، فَلَمَّا جَنَّهُمُ اللَّيْلُ هَرَبَ أَلْيَسَعُ وَأَصْحَابُهُ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَبَنِي عَمِّهِ، وَبَاتَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ فِي غَمٍّ عَظِيمٍ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مَا صُنِعَ بِالْمَهْدِيِّ وَوَلَدِهُ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ أَهْلُ الْبَلَدِ، وَأَعْلَمُوهُ بِهَرَبِ أَلْيَسَعَ، فَدَخَلَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ الْبَلَدَ، وَأَتَوُا الْمَكَانَ الَّذِي فِيهِ الْمَهْدِيُّ، فَاسْتَخْرَجَهُ، وَاسْتَخْرَجَ وَلَدَهُ، فَكَانَتْ فِي النَّاسِ مَسَرَّةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ كَادَتْ تَذْهَبُ بِعُقُولِهِمْ، فَأَرْكَبَهُمَا، وَمَشَى هُوَ وَرُؤَسَاءُ الْقَبَائِلِ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمَا، وَأَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ لِلنَّاسِ: هَذَا مَوْلَاكُمْ، ( وَهُوَ يَبْكِي ) مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ، حَتَّى وَصَلَ إِلَى فُسْطَاطٍ قَدْ ضُرِبَ لَهُ فَنَزَلَ فِيهِ، وَأَمَرَ بِطَلَبِ أَلْيَسَعَ ( فَطُلِبَ )، فَأُدْرِكَ، فَأُخِذَ وَضُرِبَ السِّيَاطَ ثُمَّ قُتِلَ. فَلَمَّا ظَهَرَ الْمَهْدِيُّ أَقَامَ بِسِجِلْمَاسَةَ أَرَبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، وَسَارَ إِلَى إِفْرِيقِيَةَ، وَأَحْضَرَ الْأَمْوَالَ مِنْ إِنْكِجَانَ، فَجَعَلَهَا أَحْمَالًا وَأَخَذَهَا مَعَهُ، وَوَصَلَ إِلَى رَقَّادَةَ الْعَشْرَ الْأَخِيرَ ( مِنْ رَبِيعٍ الْآخَرِ ) مِنْ سَنَةِ سَبْعٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، وَزَالَ مُلْكُ بَنِي الْأَغْلَبِ، وَمُلْكُ بَنِي مِدْرَارٍ الَّذِينَ مِنْهُمْ أَلْيَسَعَ وَكَانَ لَهُمْ ثَلَاثُونَ وَمِائَةُ سَنَةٍ مُنْفَرِدِينَ بِسِجِلْمَاسَةَ، وَزَالَ مُلْكُ بَنِي رُسْتُمَ مِنْ تَاهَرْتَ، وَلَهُمْ سِتُّونَ وَمِائَةُ سَنَةٍ تَفَرَّدُوا بِتَاهَرْتَ، وَمَلَكَ الْمَهْدِيُّ جَمِيعَ ذَلِكَ. فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ مِنْ رَقَّادَةَ تَلَقَّاهُ أَهْلُهَا، وَأَهْلُ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، وَأَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَرُؤَسَاءُ كُتَامَةَ مُشَاةً بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَوَلَدُهُ خَلْفَهُ، فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَرَدَّ [ رَدًّا ] جَمِيلًا، وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالِانْصِرَافِ، وَنَزَلَ بِقَصْرٍ مِنْ قُصُورِ رَقَّادَةَ، وَأَمَرَ يَوْمَ الْجُمْعَةِ بِذِكْرِ اسْمِهِ فِي الْخُطْبَةِ فِي الْبِلَادِ، وَتَلَقَّبَ بِالْمَهْدِيِّ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. وَجَلَسَ بَعْدَ الْجُمْعَةِ رَجُلٌ يُعْرَفُ بِالشَّرِيفِ، وَمَعَهُ الدُّعَاةُ، وَأَحْضَرُوا النَّاسَ بِالْعُنْفِ وَالشِّدَّةِ، وَدَعَوْهُمْ إِلَى مَذْهَبِهِمْ، ( فَمَنْ أَجَابَ أُحْسِنَ إِلَيْهِ، وَمَنْ أَبَى حُبِسَ، فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ فِي مَذْهَبِهِمْ ) إِلَّا بَعْضُ النَّاسِ، وَهُمْ قَلِيلٌ، وَقُتِلَ ( كَثِيرٌ مِمَّنْ ) لَمْ يُوَافِقْهُمْ عَلَى قَوْلِهِمْ. وَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَوَارِيَ زِيَادَةِ اللَّهِ، فَاخْتَارَ مِنْهُنَّ كَثِيرًا لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِوَلَدِهِ أَيْضًا، وَفَرَّقَ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَى وُجُوهِ كُتَامَةَ، وَقَسَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَدَوَّنَ الدَّوَاوِينَ، وَجَبَى الْأَمْوَالَ، وَاسْتَقَرَّتْ قَدَمُهُ، وَدَانَتْ لَهُ أَهْلُ الْبِلَادِ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ الْعُمَّالَ عَلَيْهَا جَمِيعِهَا، فَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَى جَزِيرَةِ صِقِلِّيَةَ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خِنْزِيرٍ، ( فَوَصَلَ إِلَى مَازَرَ عَاشِرَ ) ذِي الْحِجَّةِ سَنَةَ سَبْعٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ، ( فَوَلَّى أَخَاهُ عَلَى جَرْجَنْتَ )، وَجَعَلَ قَاضِيًا بِصِقِلِّيَةَ إِسْحَاقَ بْنَ الْمِنْهَالِ، وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ قَاضٍ تَوَلَّى بِهَا لِلْمَهْدِيِّ الْعَلَوِيَّ. وَبَقِيَ ابْنُ أَبِي خِنْزِيرٍ إِلَى سَنَةِ ثَمَانٍ وَتِسْعِينَ [ وَمِائَتَيْنِ ]، فَسَارَ فِي عَسْكَرِهِ إِلَى دَمَنْشَ، فَغَنِمَ، وَسَبَى، وَأَحْرَقَ، وَعَادَ فَبَقِيَ مُدَّةً يَسِيرَةً، وَأَسَاءَ السِّيرَةَ فِي أَهْلِهَا، فَثَارُوا بِهِ، وَأَخَذُوهُ وَحَبَسُوهُ، وَكَتَبُوا إِلَى الْمَهْدِيِّ بِذَلِكَ، وَاعْتَذَرُوا، فَقَبِلَ عُذْرَهُمْ، وَاسْتَعْمَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَلِيَّ بْنَ عُمَرَ الْبَلَوِيَّ، فَوَصَلَ آخِرَ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ سَنَةَ تِسْعٍ وَتِسْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ.
Translation
✧ The march of Abū ʿAbd Allāh to Sijilmāsa and the appearance of the Mahdī When affairs became settled for Abū ʿAbd Allāh in Raqqāda and the rest of the lands of Ifrīqiya, his brother Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad came to him, and he rejoiced at his arrival. He was the elder. Abū ʿAbd Allāh marched in Ramaḍān of that year from Raqqāda, leaving his brother Abū al-ʿAbbās and Abū Zākī as his deputies over Ifrīqiya. He set out with great armies. The Maghrib was shaken by his departure, Zanāta feared him, and the tribes moved away from his path. Their messengers came and entered into obedience to him. When he drew near to Sijilmāsa, and his news reached al-Yasaʿ b. Midrār, the emir of Sijilmāsa, he sent to the Mahdī, who was in his prison, as we have mentioned, asking him about his lineage and his situation, and whether Abū ʿAbd Allāh was aiming for him. The Mahdī swore to him that he had never seen Abū ʿAbd Allāh, nor did he know him, and that he was only a merchant. So he was detained alone in a house, and the same was done with his son Abū al-Qāsim. Guards were placed over them. His son was also interrogated, but he did not deviate from his father's words. He interrogated men who were with him and beat them, but they confessed to nothing. Abū ʿAbd Allāh heard of that, and it distressed him. He sent to al-Yasaʿ, trying to win him over gently, saying that he did not intend war and that he only had an important need with him. He promised him good treatment, but al-Yasaʿ threw the letter aside and killed the messengers. They returned to him again with gentleness, out of fear for the Mahdī, and did not mention him to him, but he killed the messenger as well. Abū ʿAbd Allāh hastened his march and descended upon him. Al-Yasaʿ came out to him and fought him that day, and they separated. When night fell, al-Yasaʿ and his companions fled from his family and his paternal cousins. Abū ʿAbd Allāh and those with him spent the night in great anxiety, not knowing what had been done with the Mahdī and his son. When morning came, the people of the town came out to him and informed him of al-Yasaʿ's flight. He and his companions entered the town and came to the place where the Mahdī was. He brought him out and brought out his son. There was great joy among the people that almost made them lose their minds. He mounted them both on riding animals, and he and the chiefs of the tribes walked before them. Abū ʿAbd Allāh said to the people: "This is your master," and he wept from the intensity of joy, until he reached a pavilion that had been pitched for him, and he dismounted in it. He ordered that al-Yasaʿ be sought, and he was sought, overtaken, seized, flogged with whips, and then killed. When the Mahdī appeared, he stayed in Sijilmāsa for forty days, then marched to Ifrīqiya. He brought out the wealth from Inkijān and made it into loads and took it with him. He reached Raqqāda in the last ten days of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir in the year 297, and the dominion of the Banū al-Aghlab came to an end, as did the dominion of the Banū Midrār, from whom al-Yasaʿ came, who had held Sijilmāsa independently for one hundred and thirty years, and the dominion of the Banū Rustam from Tāhart came to an end, who had held Tāhart independently for one hundred and sixty years. The Mahdī took possession of all of that. When he approached Raqqāda, its people met him, along with the people of al-Qayrawān, Abū ʿAbd Allāh, and the chiefs of Kutāma, walking before him, with his son behind him. They greeted him, and he returned a gracious greeting and ordered them to depart. He alighted at one of the palaces of Raqqāda. On Friday he ordered that his name be mentioned in the sermon in the lands, and he took the title al-Mahdī, Commander of the Faithful. After Friday prayers, a man known as al-Sharīf sat, and with him were the summoners. They brought the people by force and severity and summoned them to their doctrine. Whoever responded was treated well, and whoever refused was imprisoned. Only some of the people, and they were few, entered into their doctrine. Many of those who did not agree with their doctrine were killed. Abū ʿAbd Allāh presented to him the slave women of Ziyādat Allāh, and he chose many of them for himself and for his son as well. He distributed the rest among the nobles of Kutāma. He divided the provinces of Ifrīqiya among them, established the registers, collected the revenues, and his footing became firm. The people of the lands submitted to him. He appointed governors over all of them. He appointed al-Ḥasan b. Aḥmad b. Abī Khinzīr over the island of Sicily, and he arrived at Māzar on the tenth of Dhū al-Ḥijja in the year 297. He appointed his brother over Girgenti, and he made Isḥāq b. al-Minhāl a judge in Sicily, the first judge to hold office there for the ʿAlawid Mahdī. Ibn Abī Khinzīr remained until the year 298. He marched with his army to Demona, took booty, took captives, and burned, then returned. He remained but a short time and behaved badly toward its people, so they rose against him, seized him, and imprisoned him. They wrote to the Mahdī about that and apologized. He accepted their excuse and appointed over them ʿAlī b. ʿUmar al-Balawī, who arrived at the end of Dhū al-Ḥijja in the year 299.
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