Tarikh (al-Tabari) 3876
Then the Year 324 AH Began
ذِكْرُ قَتْلِ يَاقُوتٍ وَفِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ قُتِلَ يَاقُوتٌ بِعَسْكَرِ مُكْرَمٍ. وَكَانَ سَبَبُ قَتْلِهِ ثِقَتُهُ بِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ فَخَانَهُ، وَقَابَلَ إِحْسَانَهُ بِالْإِسَاءَةِ عَلَى مَا نَذْكُرُهُ. وَقَدْ ذَكَرْنَا أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ارْتَسَمَ بِكِتَابَةِ يَاقُوتٍ مَعَ ضَمَانِ الْأَهْوَازِ، فَلَمَّا كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ، وَثِقَ بِهِ وَعَوَّلَ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُهُ، وَكَانَ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ شَيْءٌ فِي أَمْرِهِ وَخُوِّفَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ كَمَا تَظُنُّونَ ; لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُحَدِّثُ نَفْسَهُ بِالْإِمْرَةِ وَقَوْدِ الْعَسَاكِرِ، وَإِنَّمَا غَايَتُهُ الْكِتَابَةُ، فَاغْتَرَّ بِهَذَا مِنْهُ. وَكَانَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ - سَلِيمَ الْقَلْبِ، حَسَنَ الِاعْتِقَادِ، فَلِهَذَا لَمْ يَخْرُجْ عَنْ طَاعَةِ الْخَلِيفَةِ حِينَ قَبَضَ عَلَى وَلَدَيْهِ بَلْ دَامَ عَلَى الْوَفَاءِ. فَأَمَّا حَالُهُ مَعَ الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمَّا عَادَ مَهْزُومًا مِنْ عِمَادِ الدَّوْلَةِ بْنِ بُوَيْهِ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ مُكْرَمٍ، كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ بِعَسْكَرِ مَكْرَمٍ لِيَسْتَرِيحَ، وَيَقَعَ التَّدْبِيرُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ، وَكَانَ بِالْأَهْوَازِ، وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ الِاجْتِمَاعَ مَعَهُ فِي بَلَدٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَسَمِعَ يَاقُوتٌ قَوْلَهُ وَأَقَامَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ أَخَاهُ أَبَا يُوسُفَ الْبَرِيدِيَّ يَتَوَجَّعُ لَهُ وَيُهَنِّيهِ بِالسَّلَامَةِ، وَقَرَّرَ الْقَاعِدَةَ عَلَى أَنْ يَحْمِلَ لَهُ أَخُوهُ مِنْ مَالِ الْأَهْوَازِ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، وَاحْتَجَّ بِأَنَّ عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمُ الْبَرْبَرُ، وَالشَّفِيعِيَّةُ، وَالنَّازُوكِيَّةُ، وَالْبَلْقِيَّةُ، وَالْهَارُونِيَّةُ. كَانَ ابْنُ مُقْلَةَ قَدْ مَيَّزَ هَذِهِ الْأَصْنَافَ مِنْ عَسْكَرِ بَغْدَاذَ وَسَيَّرَهُمْ إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ ; لِيَخِفَّ عَلَيْهِ مَؤُونَتُهُمْ، فَذَكَرَ أَبُو يُوسُفَ أَنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ مَتَى رَأَوُا الْمَالَ يَخْرُجُ عَنْهُمْ إِلَيْكَ شَغَبُوا، وَيَحْتَاجُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ إِلَى مُفَارَقَةِ الْأَهْوَازِ، ثُمَّ يَصِيرُ أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى أَنَّهُمْ يَقْصِدُونَكَ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ الْحَالُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: إِنَّ رِجَالَكَ مَعَ سُوءِ أَثَرِهِمْ يَقْنَعُونَ بِالْقَلِيلِ. فَصَدَّقَهُ يَاقُوتٌ فِيمَا قَالَ، وَأَخَذَ ذَلِكَ الْمَالَ وَفَرَّقَهُ، وَبَقِيَ عِدَّةَ شُهُورٍ لَمْ يَصِلْهُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ إِلَى أَنْ دَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ [ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ ]، فَضَاقَ الرِّزْقُ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ يَاقُوتٍ وَاسْتَغَاثُوا، وَذَكَرُوا مَا فِيهِ أَصْحَابُ الْبَرِيدِيِّ بِالْأَهْوَازِ مِنَ السِّعَةِ، وَمَا هُمْ فِيهِ مِنَ الضِّيقِ. وَكَانَ قَدِ اتَّصَلَ بِيَاقُوتٍ طَاهِرٌ الْجِيلِيُّ، وَهُوَ مِنْ كِبَارِ أَصْحَابِ ابْنِ بُوَيْهِ، فِي ثَمَانِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَهُوَ مِنْ أَرْبَابِ الْمَرَاتِبِ الْعَالِيَةِ، وَمِمَّنْ يَسْمُو إِلَى مَعَالِي الْأُمُورِ. وَسَبَبُ اتِّصَالِهِ بِهِ خَوْفُهُ مِنِ ابْنِ بُوَيْهِ أَنْ يَقْبِضَ عَلَيْهِ خُوفًا مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى حَالَ يَاقُوتٍ انْصَرَفَ عَنْهُ إِلَى غَرْبَيْ تُسْتَرَ، وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَغَلَّبَ عَلَى مَاهِ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَكَانَ مَعَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الصَّيْمَرِيُّ، وَهُوَ كَاتِبُهُ، فَسَمِعَ بِهِ عِمَادُ الدَّوْلَةِ بْنُ عِمَادِ بْنِ بُوَيْهِ فَكَبَسَهُ، فَانْهَزَمَ هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ وَاسْتَوْلَى ابْنُ بُوَيْهِ عَلَى عَسْكَرِهِ وَغَنَمِهِ، وَأَسَرَ الصَّيْمَرِيَّ، فَأَطْلَقَهُ الْخَيَّاطُ وَزِيرُ عِمَادِ الدَّوْلَةِ بْنِ بُوَيْهِ، فَمَضَى إِلَى كَرْمَانَ، وَاتَّصَلَ بِالْأَمِيرِ مُعِزِّ الدَّوْلَةِ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ بْنِ بُوَيْهِ، وَكَانَ ذَلِكَ سَبَبُ إِقْبَالِهِ. فَلَمَّا سَارَ طَاهِرٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ يَاقُوتٍ، ضَعُفَتْ نَفْسُهُ وَاسْتَطَالَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُهُ، فَخَافَهُمْ وَرَاسَلَ الْبَرِيدِيَّ وَعَرَّفَهُ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ، وَأَعْلَمَهُ أَنَّ مُعَوَّلَهُ عَلَى مَا يُدَبِّرُهُ بِهِ، فَأَنْفَذَ إِلَيْهِ الْبَرِيدِيُّ يَقُولُ: إِنَّ عَسْكَرَكَ قَدْ فَسَدُوا، وَفِيهِمْ مَنْ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَخْرُجَ، وَالرَّأْيُ أَنْ يُنْفِذَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ لِيَسْتَصْلِحَهُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَهُ أَشْغَالٌ تَمْنَعُهُ أَنْ يَحْضُرَ عِنْدَهُ، وَلَوْ حَضَرَ عِنْدَهُ وَالْجُنْدُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ، لَمْ يَتَمَكَّنْ مِنَ الِانْتِصَافِ مِنْهُمْ ; لِأَنَّهُمْ يُظَاهِرُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا، وَإِذَا حَضَرُوا عِنْدَهُ بِالْأَهْوَازِ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ، فَعَلَ بِهِمْ مَا أَرَادَ وَلَا يُمْكِنُهُمْ خِلَافُهُ. فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ يَاقُوتٌ، وَأَنْفَذَ أَصْحَابَهُ إِلَيْهِ، فَاخْتَارَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ أَرَادَ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَرَدَّ مَنْ لَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ إِلَى يَاقُوتٍ، ( بَعْدَ أَنْ كَسَرَهُمْ وَأَسْقَطَ مِنْ أَرْزَاقِهِمْ، فَقِيلَ ذَلِكَ لِيَاقُوتٍ )، فَأُشِيرَ عَلَيْهِ بِمُعَاجَلَةِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَفْحِلَ أَمْرُهُ، فَلَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ وَقَالَ: جَعَلْتُهُمْ عِنْدَهُ عِدَّةً لِي. وَأَحْسَنَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ إِلَى مَنْ عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْجُنْدِ، فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ يَاقُوتٍ لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ، وَطَلَبُوا أَرْزَاقَهُمُ الَّتِي قَرَّرَهَا الْبَرِيدِيُّ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمْ يُنْفِذْ شَيْئًا، فَرَاجَعَهُ فَلَمْ يُنْفِذْ شَيْئًا، فَسَارَ يَاقُوتٌ إِلَيْهِ جَرِيدَةً لِئَلَّا يَسْتَوْحِشَ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا بَلَغَهُ ذَلِكَ خَرَجَ إِلَى لِقَائِهِ، وَقَبَّلَ يَدَهُ وَقَدَمَهُ، وَأَنْزَلَهُ دَارَهُ وَقَامَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَقَدَّمَ بِنَفْسِهِ الطَّعَامَ لِيَأْكُلَ. وَكَانَ قَدْ وَضَعَ الْجُنْدَ عَلَى إِثَارَةِ الْفِتْنَةِ، فَحَضَرُوا الْبَابَ وَشَغَبُوا وَاسْتَغَاثُوا، فَسَأَلَ يَاقُوتٌ عَنِ الْخَبَرِ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ الْجُنْدَ بِالْأَبْوَابِ قَدْ شَغَبُوا، وَيَقُولُونَ: قَدِ اصْطَلَحَ يَاقُوتٌ وَالْبَرِيدِيُّ، وَلَا بُدَّ لَنَا مِنْ قَتْلِ يَاقُوتٍ، فَقَالَ لَهُ الْبَرِيدِيُّ: قَدْ تَرَى مَا دَفَعْنَا إِلَيْهِ، فَانْجُ بِنَفْسِكَ وَإِلَّا قُتِلْنَا جَمِيعًا، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ بَابٍ آخَرَ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ، وَلَمْ يُفَاتِحِ الْبَرِيدِيَّ بِكَلِمَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ، وَعَادَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ مُكْرَمٍ، فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْبَرِيدِيُّ يَقُولُ لَهُ: إِنَّ الْعَسْكَرَ الَّذِينَ شَغَبُوا قَدِ اجْتَهَدْتُ فِي إِصْلَاحِهِمْ وَعَجَزْتُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، وَلَسْتُ آمَنُهُمْ أَنْ يَقْصِدُوكَ، وَبَيْنَ عَسْكَرِ مُكْرَمٍ وَالْأَهْوَازِ ثَمَانِيَةُ فَرَاسِخَ، وَالرَّأْيُ أَنْ تَتَأَخَّرَ إِلَى تُسْتَرَ لِتَبْعُدَ عَنْهُمْ، وَهِيَ حَصِينَةٌ، وَكَتَبَ لَهُ عَلَى عَامِلِ تُسْتَرَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ. فَسَارَ يَاقُوتٌ إِلَيْهَا، وَكَانَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ اسْمُهُ مُؤْنِسٌ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا الْأَمِيرُ، إِنَّ الْبَرِيدِيَّ [ يَحُزُّ مَفَاصِلَنَا ] وَيَفْعَلُ بِنَا مَا تَرَى، وَأَنْتَ مُغْتَرٌّ بِهِ، ( وَهُوَ الَّذِي وَضَعَ الْجُنْدَ بِالْأَهْوَازِ حَتَّى فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ )، وَقَدْ شَرَعَ فِي إِبْعَادِكَ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَخَذَ وُجُوهَ أَصْحَابِكَ، ( وَقَدْ أَطْلَقَ لَكَ ) مَا لَا يَقُومُ بِأَوَدِ أَصْحَابِكِ الَّذِينَ عِنْدَكَ، وَمَا أَعْطَاكَ ذَلِكَ أَيْضًا إِلَّا حَتَّى تَتَبَلَّغَ بِهِ، وَتَضِيقَ الْأَرْزَاقُ عَلَيْنَا، وَيَفْنَى مَا لَنَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ وَعِدَّةٍ فَنَنْصَرِفَ عَنْكَ عَلَى أَقْبَحِ حَالٍ، فَحِينَئِذٍ يَبْلُغُ مِنْكَ مَا يُرِيدُهُ، فَاحْفَظْ نَفْسَكَ مِنْهُ وَلَا تَأْمَنْهُ، وَلَمْ يَثِقْ لِلْجُنْدِ الْحَجَرِيَّةِ بِبَغْدَاذَ شَيْخٌ غَيْرُكَ، وَقَدْ كَاتَبُوكَ فَسِرْ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَكُلُّ مَنْ بِبَغْدَاذَ يُسَلِّمُ إِلَيْكَ الرِّئَاسَةَ، فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ، وَإِلَّا فَسِرْ بِنَا إِلَى الْأَهْوَازِ ; لِنَطْرُدَ الْبَرِيدِيَّ عَنْهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ مِنَّا، فَأَنْتَ أَمِيرٌ وَهُوَ كَاتِبٌ. فَقَالَ: لَا تَقُلْ فِي أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ هَذَا، فَلَوْ كَانَ لِي أَخٌ مَا زَادَ عَلَى مَحَبَّتِهِ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ يَاقُوتًا ظَهَرَ مِنْهُ مَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى ضَعْفِهِ وَعَجْزِهِ عَنِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَضَعُفَتْ نُفُوسُ أَصْحَابِهِ، وَصَارَ كُلُّ لَيْلَةٍ يَمْضِي مِنْهُمْ طَائِفَةٌ إِلَى الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَإِذَا قِيلَ ذَلِكَ لِيَاقُوتٍ، يَقُولُ: إِلَى كَاتِبِي يَمْضُونَ، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى بَقِيَ فِي ثَمَانِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الرَّاضِيَ قَبَضَ عَلَى الْمُظَفَّرِ بْنِ يَاقُوتٍ فِي جُمَادَى الْأُولَى، وَسَجَنَهُ أُسْبُوعًا ثُمَّ أَطْلَقَهُ وَسَيَّرَهُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ، فَلَمَّا اجْتَمَعَ بِهِ بِتُسْتَرَ أَشَارَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْمَسِيرِ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ، فَإِنْ دَخَلَهَا، فَقَدْ حَصَلَ لَهُ مَا يُرِيدُ، وَإِلَّا سَارَ إِلَى الْمَوْصِلِ وَدِيَارِ رَبِيعَةَ فَاسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهَا، فَلَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْهُ، فَفَارَقَهُ وَلَدُهُ إِلَى الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَجَعَلَ مُوَكَّلِينَ يَحْفَظُونَهُ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْبَرِيدِيَّ خَافَ مَنْ عِنْدِهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ يَاقُوتٍ أَنْ يُعَاوِدُوا الْمَيْلَ وَالْعَصَبِيَّةَ لَهُ، وَيُنَادُوا بِشِعَارِهِ فَيَهْلَكَ، فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى يَاقُوتٍ يَقُولُ لَهُ: إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْخَلِيفَةِ وَرَدَ عَلَيَّ يَأْمُرُنِي أَنْ لَا أَتْرُكَكَ تُقِيمُ بِهَذِهِ الْبِلَادِ، وَمَا يُمْكِنُنِي مُخَالَفَةُ السُّلْطَانِ، وَقَدْ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُخَيِّرَكَ إِمَّا أَنْ تَمْضِيَ إِلَى حَضْرَتِهِ فِي خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ غُلَامًا، وَإِمَّا إِلَى بِلَادِ الْجَبَلِ لِيُوَلِّيَكَ بَعْضَ الْأَعْمَالِ، فَإِنْ خَرَجْتَ طَائِعًا، وَإِلَّا أَخْرَجْتُكَ قَهْرًا. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَتِ الرِّسَالَةُ إِلَى يَاقُوتٍ تَحَيَّرَ فِي أَمْرِهِ، وَاسْتَشَارَ مُؤْنِسَا غُلَامَهُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: قَدْ نَهَيْتُكَ عَنِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ وَمَا سَمِعْتَ، وَمَا بَقِيَ لِلرَّأْيِ وَجْهٌ، فَكَتَبَ يَاقُوتٌ يَسْتَمْهِلُهُ شَهْرًا لِيَتَأَهَّبَ، وَعَلِمَ حِينَئِذٍ خُبْثَ الْبَرِيدِيِّ حَيْثُ لَا يَنْفَعُهُ عِلْمُهُ. فَلَمَّا وَصَلَ كِتَابُ يَاقُوتٍ يَطْلُبُ الْمُهْلَةَ، أَجَابَهُ أَنَّهُ لَا سَبِيلَ إِلَى الْمُهْلَةِ، وَسَيَّرَ الْعَسَاكِرَ مِنَ الْأَهْوَازِ إِلَيْهِ، فَأَرْسَلَ يَاقُوتٌ الْجَوَاسِيسَ لِيَأْتُوهُ بِالْأَخْبَارِ، فَظَفَرَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ بِجَاسُوسٍ، فَأَعْطَاهُ مَالًا عَلَى أَنْ يَعُودَ إِلَى يَاقُوتٍ وَيُخْبِرَهُ أَنَّ الْبَرِيدِيَّ وَأَصْحَابَهُ قَدْ وَافُوا عَسْكَرَ مُكْرَمٍ، وَنَزَلُوا فِي الدُّورِ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ مُطَمْئِنِينَ، فَمَضَى الْجَاسُوسُ وَأَخْبَرَ يَاقُوتًا بِذَلِكَ، فَأَحْضَرَ مُؤْنِسًا وَقَالَ: قَدْ ظَفِرْنَا بِعَدُوِّنَا وَكَافِرِ نِعْمَتِنَا، وَأَخْبَرَهُ بِمَا قَالَ الْجَاسُوسُ، وَقَالَ: نَسِيرُ مِنْ تُسْتَرَ الْعَتَمَةَ، وَنُصْبِحُ عَسْكَرَ مُكْرَمٍ وَهُمْ غَارُّونَ، فَنَكْبِسَهُمْ فِي الدُّورِ، فَإِنْ وَقَعَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ فَاللَّهُ مَشْكُورٌ، وَإِنَّ هَرَبَ اتَّبَعْنَاهُ. فَقَالَ مُؤْنِسٌ: مَا أَحْسَنَ هَذَا إِنْ صَحَّ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْجَاسُوسُ صَادِقًا، فَقَالَ يَاقُوتٌ: إِنَّهُ يُحِبُّنِي وَيَتَوَلَّانِي وَهُوَ صَادِقٌ، فَسَارَ يَاقُوتٌ فَوَصَلَ إِلَى عَسْكَرِ مُكْرَمٍ طُلُوعَ الشَّمْسِ، فَلَمْ يَرَ لِلْعَسْكَرِ أَثَرًا، فَعَبَرَ الْبَلَدَ إِلَى نِهَارِ جَارُودَ، وَخَيَّمَ هُنَاكَ، وَبَقِيَ يَوْمَهُ وَلَا يَرَى لِعَسْكَرِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ أَثَرًا، فَقَالَ لَهُ مُؤْنِسٌ: إِنَّ الْجَاسُوسَ كَذَبَنَا، وَأَنْتَ تَسْمَعُ كَلَامَ الْكَاذِبِينَ، وَإِنَّنِي خَائِفٌ عَلَيْكَ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ، أَقْبَلَتْ عَسَاكِرُ الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَنَزَلُوا عَلَى فَرْسَخٍ مِنْ يَاقُوتٍ، وَحَجَزَ بَيْنِهِمُ اللَّيْلُ وَأَصْبَحُوا الْغَدَ، فَكَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ مُنَاوَشَةٌ، وَاتَّعَدُوا لِلْحَرْبِ الْغَدَ. وَكَانَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ قَدْ سَيَّرَ عَسْكَرًا مِنْ طَرِيقٍ أُخْرَى لِيَصِيرُوا وَرَاءَ يَاقُوتٍ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُ، فَيَكُونُ كَمِينًا يَظْهَرُ عِنْدَ الْقِتَالِ فَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْمَوْعِدُ بَاكَرُوا بِالْقِتَالِ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا مِنْ بُكْرَةٍ إِلَى الظُّهْرِ، وَكَانَ عَسْكَرُ الْبَرِيدِيِّ قَدْ أَشْرَفَ عَلَى الْهَزِيمَةِ مَعَ كَثْرَتِهِمْ، وَكَانَ مُقَدِّمُهُمْ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ الْحَمَّالَ. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ الظُّهْرُ، ظَهَرَ الْكَمِينُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ عَسْكَرِ يَاقُوتٍ، فَرَدَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مُؤْنِسًا فِي ثَلَاثِمِائَةِ رَجُلٍ، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ، فَعَادَ مُؤْنِسٌ مُنْهَزِمًا، فَحِينَئِذٍ انْهَزَمَ أَصْحَابُ يَاقُوتٍ، وَكَانُوا سِوَى الثَّلَاثِمِائَةِ خَمْسَمِائَةٍ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى يَاقُوتٌ ذَلِكَ نَزَلَ عَنْ دَابَّتِهِ، وَأَلْقَى سِلَاحَهُ، وَجَلَسَ بِقَمِيصٍ إِلَى جَانِبِ جِدَارِ رِبَاطٍ. وَلَوْ دَخَلَ الرِّبَاطَ وَاسْتَتَرَ فِيهِ لَخَفِيَ أَمْرُهُ، وَكَانَ أَدْرَكَهُ اللَّيْلُ، فَرُبَّمَا سَلِمَ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَمْرًا هَيَّأَ أَسْبَابَهُ، وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ قَدَرًا مَقْدُورًا. فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ مَعَ الْحَائِطِ غَطَّى وَجْهَهُ بِكُمِّهِ، وَمَدَّ يَدَهُ كَأَنَّهُ يَتَصَدَّقُ وَيَسْتَحْيِي [ أَنْ ] يَكْشِفَ وَجْهَهُ، فَمَرَّ بِهِ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ فَأَنْكَرُوهُ، فَأَمَرُوهُ بِكَشْفِ وَجْهِهِ فَامْتَنَعَ، فَنَخَسَهُ أَحَدُهُمْ بِمِزْرَاقٍ مَعَهُ، فَكَشَفَ وَجَّهَهُ وَقَالَ: أَنَا يَاقُوتٌ، فَمَا تُرِيدُونَ مِنِّي ؟ احْمِلُونِي إِلَى الْبَرِيدِيِّ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَتَلُوهُ، وَحَمَلُوا رَأْسَهُ إِلَى الْعَسْكَرِ، وَكَتَبَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الْحَمَّالُ كِتَابًا إِلَى الْبَرِيدِيِّ عَلَى جَنَاحِ طَائِرٍ يَسْتَأْذِنُهُ فِي حَمْلِ رَأْسِهِ ( إِلَى الْعَسْكَرِ )، فَأَعَادَ الْجَوَابَ بِإِعَادَةِ الرَّأْسِ إِلَى الْجُثَّةِ وَتَكْفِينِهِ وَدَفْنِهِ، وَأَسْرِ غُلَامِهِ مُؤْنِسٍ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنْ قُوَّادِهِ فَقُتِلُوا، وَأَرْسَلَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ إِلَى تُسْتَرَ فَحَمَلَ مَا فِيهَا لِيَاقُوتٍ مِنْ جَوَارٍ وَمَالٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ، فَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لِيَاقُوتٍ غَيْرُ اثْنَيْ [ عَشْرَ ] أَلْفِ دِينَارٍ، فَحُمِلَ الْجَمِيعُ إِلَيْهِ، وَقُبِضَ عَلَى الْمُظَفَّرِ بْنِ يَاقُوتٍ، فَبَقِيَ فِي حَبْسِ الْبَرِيدِيِّ مُدَّةً ثُمَّ نَفَّذَهُ إِلَى بَغْدَاذَ. وَتَجَبَّرَ الْبَرِيدِيُّ بَعْدَ يَاقُوتٍ وَعَصَى، وَقَدْ أَطَلْنَا فِي ذِكْرِ هَذِهِ الْحَادِثَةِ، وَإِنَّمَا ذَكَرْنَاهَا عَلَى طُولِهَا لِمَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْأَسْبَابِ الْمُحَرِّضَةِ عَلَى الِاحْتِيَاطِ وَالِاحْتِرَازِ، فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ أَوَّلِهَا إِلَى آخِرِهَا فِيهَا تَجَارِبُ وَأُمُورٌ يَكْثُرُ وُقُوعُ مِثْلِهَا.
Translation
✧ Mention of the killing of Yāqūt In this year Yāqūt was killed at ʿAskar Mukram. The cause of his killing was his trust in Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Barīdī, who betrayed him and repaid his kindness with ill-treatment, as we shall relate. We have already mentioned that Abū ʿAbd Allāh assumed the role of secretary to Yāqūt along with the tax-farming of al-Ahwāz. When he wrote to him, Yāqūt trusted him and relied on what he said. Whenever something was said to him concerning his affair and he was warned of his malice, he would say: “Abū ʿAbd Allāh is not as you think, for he does not aspire to command or leading armies; his utmost ambition is secretarial work.” Thus he was deceived by him in this. He—may God have mercy on him—was pure of heart and sound in belief, and for this reason he did not depart from obedience to the caliph when he seized his two sons, but rather remained steadfast in loyalty. As for his situation with al-Barīdī, when he returned defeated from ʿImād al-Dawlah b. Buwayh to ʿAskar Mukram, Abū ʿAbd Allāh wrote to him to stay at ʿAskar Mukram in order to rest, and that planning would take place after that. Al-Barīdī was at al-Ahwāz and disliked meeting with him in one town. Yāqūt heeded his words and stayed. Then al-Barīdī sent his brother Abū Yūsuf al-Barīdī to him to commiserate with him and congratulate him on his safety. He established the arrangement that his brother would deliver to him from the revenue of al-Ahwāz fifty thousand dinars. He pleaded that he had with him a great number of troops, among them the Barbar, the Shafīʿiyyah, the Nāzūkiyyah, the Balqiyyah, and the Hārūniyyah. Ibn Muqlah had separated these groups from the army of Baghdād and dispatched them to al-Ahwāz in order to lighten their burden upon him. Abū Yūsuf mentioned that if these men saw money leaving them to go to you, they would mutiny, and Abū ʿAbd Allāh would need to abandon al-Ahwāz; then their affair would lead to them making for you, and we do not know how the situation would turn out. Then he said to him: “Your men, despite their bad conduct, are content with little.” Yāqūt believed what he said, took that money and distributed it. Several months passed without anything reaching him from it, until the year 324 [AH] began. Then provisions became scarce for Yāqūt’s followers, and they cried out for help and mentioned the abundance that al-Barīdī’s followers enjoyed in al-Ahwāz and the hardship they themselves were in. Tāhir al-Jīlī had attached himself to Yāqūt, and he was one of the leading men of Ibn Buwayh’s followers, with eight hundred men. He was a man of high rank and one who aspired to great matters. The reason for his attachment to him was his fear that Ibn Buwayh would seize him out of apprehension. When he saw Yāqūt’s condition, he left him for the western part of Tustar and wanted to seize control of Māh al-Baṣrah. With him was Abū Jaʿfar al-Ṣaymarī, his secretary. ʿImād al-Dawlah b. ʿImād b. Buwayh heard of him and raided him by surprise. He and his followers fled, and Ibn Buwayh took possession of his camp and his spoils, capturing al-Ṣaymarī. Al-Khayyāṭ, the vizier of ʿImād al-Dawlah b. Buwayh, released him, and he went to Kirmān and attached himself to the amir Muʿizz al-Dawlah Abū al-Ḥasan b. Buwayh. That was the cause of his advancement. When Tāhir departed from Yāqūt, he became dispirited, and his followers grew insolent toward him. He feared them and corresponded with al-Barīdī, informing him of his situation and letting him know that he relied on whatever he would arrange for him. Al-Barīdī sent back to him saying: “Your army has become corrupt, and among them are those who ought to leave. The right course is that you send them to me so that I may reform them, for I have occupations that prevent me from coming to you. If they came to me with the troops gathered together, I would not be able to exact justice from them, because they support one another. But if they come to me at al-Ahwāz separately, I can do with them what I wish, and they cannot oppose me.” Yāqūt did this and sent his followers to him. Al-Barīdī selected from them those he wanted for himself and sent back to Yāqūt those in whom there was no good, after he had broken them and reduced their stipends. That was reported to Yāqūt, and he was advised to strike at al-Barīdī quickly before his affair grew strong, but he paid no attention and said: “I have placed them with him as a reserve for myself.” Al-Barīdī treated well the troops who were with him. Yāqūt’s followers spoke to him about that and demanded the stipends that al-Barīdī had fixed. He wrote to him, but al-Barīdī sent nothing. He wrote again, and he sent nothing. So Yāqūt rode to him with a small escort so as not to alarm him. When al-Barīdī learned of this, he went out to meet him, kissed his hand and his foot, lodged him in his own house, stood before him, and himself served the food for him to eat. Al-Barīdī had arranged for the troops to stir up trouble. They came to the gate and clamored and cried out for help. Yāqūt asked about the matter, and it was said to him: “The troops at the gates have clamored and are saying: ‘Yāqūt and al-Barīdī have made peace, and we must kill Yāqūt.’” Al-Barīdī said to him: “You see what we have been driven to. Save yourself, or we shall all be killed.” So Yāqūt went out by another door, fearful and watchful, without saying a single word to al-Barīdī, and returned to ʿAskar Mukram. Al-Barīdī wrote to him saying: “The troops who clamored—I have striven to set them right and have failed. I do not feel safe that they will come after you. Between ʿAskar Mukram and al-Ahwāz are eight parasangs. The right course is that you withdraw to Tustar so as to be far from them, for it is fortified.” And he wrote for him an order on the governor of Tustar for fifty thousand dinars. So Yāqūt went there. He had a servant named Muʾnis, who said: “O amir, al-Barīdī is cutting our joints and doing to us what you see, and you are deceived by him. He is the one who set the troops at al-Ahwāz until they did that. He has begun to distance you after taking the leading men of your followers. He has assigned to you what does not suffice for the needs of the followers who remain with you, and he has given you that only so that you may barely get by, so that provisions become tight for us and our mounts and equipment waste away, and then we will leave you in the worst state. Then he will achieve from you what he wants. Guard yourself against him and do not trust him. The Ḥajariyyah troops in Baghdād have no elder other than you, and they have written to you, so go to them. Everyone in Baghdād will surrender leadership to you. If you do that, well and good; otherwise, march with us to al-Ahwāz so that we may drive al-Barīdī out of it. Even if he has more men than we do, you are an amir and he is a secretary.” Yāqūt said: “Do not speak this way about Abū ʿAbd Allāh. If he were my brother, he could not exceed my love for him.” Then Yāqūt showed signs of weakness and inability against al-Barīdī, and his followers lost heart. Every night a group of them went over to al-Barīdī. When this was reported to Yāqūt, he would say: “They are going to my secretary.” This continued until he was left with eight hundred men. Then al-Rāḍī seized al-Muẓaffar b. Yāqūt in Jumādā al-Ūlā and imprisoned him for a week, then released him and sent him to his father. When he joined him at Tustar, he advised him to march to Baghdād. If he entered it, he would obtain what he wanted; otherwise he should go to al-Mawṣil and Diyār Rabīʿah and take control of them. Yāqūt did not listen to him, and his son left him for al-Barīdī, who honored him and appointed men to guard him. Then al-Barīdī feared that the followers of Yāqūt who were with him might return to loyalty and partisanship for him and proclaim his slogan, and so he would perish. He sent to Yāqūt saying: “A letter of the caliph has reached me commanding me not to allow you to remain in this region, and I cannot disobey the sultan. He has commanded me to give you the choice either to proceed to his court with fifteen servants, or to the mountain region so that he may appoint you to some office. If you leave willingly, fine; otherwise I shall expel you by force.” When the message reached Yāqūt, he was bewildered and consulted his servant Muʾnis. Muʾnis said to him: “I warned you about al-Barīdī, but you did not listen, and now there is no room for deliberation.” Yāqūt wrote asking for a month’s delay to prepare. At that point he recognized al-Barīdī’s treachery, when his knowledge was of no use to him. When Yāqūt’s letter requesting the delay arrived, al-Barīdī replied that there was no way to grant a delay, and he dispatched the armies from al-Ahwāz against him. Yāqūt sent out spies to bring him news. Al-Barīdī seized one of the spies and gave him money on condition that he return to Yāqūt and tell him that al-Barīdī and his followers had reached ʿAskar Mukram and had settled in the houses separately and at ease. The spy went and told Yāqūt that. Yāqūt summoned Muʾnis and said: “We have gained the upper hand over our enemy and the ingrate who denied our favor.” He told him what the spy had said and said: “We will march from Tustar at nightfall and reach ʿAskar Mukram at dawn while they are off guard, and we will fall upon them in the houses. If al-Barīdī is taken, God be thanked; if he flees, we will pursue him.” Muʾnis said: “How fine this is, if it is true and the spy is truthful.” Yāqūt said: “He loves me and is loyal to me, and he is truthful.” So Yāqūt set out and reached ʿAskar Mukram at sunrise. He saw no trace of the army, crossed the town to Nahār Jārūd, and camped there. He remained there all day and saw no trace of al-Barīdī’s army. Muʾnis said to him: “The spy lied to us, and you listen to the words of liars. I fear for you.” After the afternoon prayer, al-Barīdī’s armies appeared and camped one parasang from Yāqūt. Night separated them, and the next morning there was skirmishing between them, and they agreed to battle the following day. Al-Barīdī had sent an army by another route so that they would come behind Yāqūt without his knowing, to serve as an ambush that would appear at the time of fighting, and they were waiting for it. When the appointed time came, they began fighting early, and they fought from morning until noon. Al-Barīdī’s army was on the verge of defeat despite their numbers, their vanguard being Abū Jaʿfar al-Ḥammāl. At noon the ambush appeared from behind Yāqūt’s army. Yāqūt sent Muʾnis back against them with three hundred men. Muʾnis fought them, and they were three thousand men. Muʾnis returned defeated. Then Yāqūt’s followers fled; apart from the three hundred, they were five hundred. When Yāqūt saw that, he dismounted from his beast, threw down his weapons, and sat down in his shirt beside the wall of a caravanserai. Had he entered the caravanserai and hidden inside, his affair would have been concealed, and night would have overtaken him, and perhaps he would have been saved. But when God wills a matter, He prepares its causes, and God’s command is a decree determined. When he sat by the wall, he covered his face with his sleeve and stretched out his hand as if he were begging and ashamed to uncover his face. A group of Berbers from al-Barīdī’s followers passed by him and did not recognize him. They ordered him to uncover his face, but he refused. One of them prodded him with a javelin he had, and he uncovered his face and said: “I am Yāqūt. What do you want from me? Take me to al-Barīdī.” They gathered around him and killed him, and carried his head to the camp. Abū Jaʿfar al-Ḥammāl wrote a letter to al-Barīdī by carrier pigeon asking his permission to bring the head to the camp. He replied with orders to return the head to the body, shroud him, and bury him. His servant Muʾnis and other commanders were captured and killed. Al-Barīdī sent to Tustar and removed whatever belonged to Yāqūt there, of slave women, money, and other things. Nothing appeared of Yāqūt’s wealth except twelve thousand dinars, and all of it was brought to him. Al-Muẓaffar b. Yāqūt was seized and remained in al-Barīdī’s prison for a time, then was sent to Baghdād. After Yāqūt, al-Barīdī grew tyrannical and rebelled. We have been lengthy in mentioning this incident. We have mentioned it at length because of the causes it contains that incite caution and wariness, for from beginning to end it contains lessons and matters the like of which occur frequently.
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