Tarikh (al-Tabari) 4007
Then the year 333 AH began
ذِكْرُ حِصَارِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ الْمَهْدِيَّةَ لَمَّا سَمِعَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ بِتَأَهُّبِ صِنْهَاجَةَ وَكُتَامَةَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ لِنُصْرَةِ الْقَائِدِ، خَافَ وَرَحَلَ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ نَحْوَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، فَنَزَلَ عَلَى خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ مِيلًا مِنْهَا، وَبَثَّ سَرَايَاهُ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، فَانْتَهَبَتْ مَا وَجَدَتْ، وَقَتَلَتْ مَنْ أَصَابَتْ، فَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، وَاتَّفَقَتْ كُتَامَةُ وَأَصْحَابُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْرُجُوا إِلَى أَبِي يَزِيدَ لِيَضْرِبُوا عَلَيْهِ فِي مُعَسْكَرِهِ؛ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا أَنَّ عَسْكَرَهُ قَدْ تَفَرَّقَ فِي الْغَارَةِ، فَخَرَجُوا يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ لِثَمَانٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْأُولَى مِنَ السَّنَةِ. وَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ أَبَا يَزِيدَ، وَقَدْ أَتَاهُ فَضْلٌ بِعَسْكَرٍ مِنَ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، فَوَجَّهَهُمْ إِلَى قِتَالِ كُتَامَةَ، وَقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِمُ ابْنَهُ، فَالْتَقَوْا عَلَى سِتَّةِ أَمْيَالٍ مِنَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ وَاقْتَتَلُوا، وَبَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ أَبَا يَزِيدَ، فَرَكِبَ بِجَمِيعِ مَنْ بَقِيَ مَعَهُ، فَلَقِيَ أَصْحَابَهُ مُنْهَزِمِينَ، وَقَدْ قُتِلَ كَثِيرٌ مِنْهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ الْكُتَامِيُّونَ انْهَزَمُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ قِتَالٍ، وَأَبُو يَزِيدَ فِي أَثَرِهِمْ إِلَى بَابِ الْفَتْحِ، وَاقْتَحَمَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْبَرْبَرِ فَدَخَلُوا بَابَ الْفَتْحِ، فَأَشْرَفَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ عَلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ فِي جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ، فَأَتَى بَابَ الْفَتْحِ، وَوَجَّهَ زَوِيلَةَ إِلَى بَابِ بَكْرٍ، ثُمَّ وَقَفَ هُوَ عَلَى الْخَنْدَقِ الْمُحْدَثِ، وَبِهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْعَبِيدِ، فَنَاشَبَهُمْ أَبُو يَزِيدَ الْقِتَالَ عَلَى الْخَنْدَقِ، ثُمَّ اقْتَحَمَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ وَمَنْ مَعَهُ الْبَحْرَ، فَبَلَغَ الْمَاءُ صُدُورَ الدَّوَابِّ، حَتَّى جَاوَزُوا السُّورَ الْمُحْدَثَ، فَانْهَزَمَ الْعَبِيدُ، وَأَبُو يَزِيدَ فِي طَلَبِهِمْ. وَوَصَلَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ إِلَى بَابِ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، عِنْدَ الْمُصَلَّى الَّذِي لِلْعِيدِ، وَبَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ رَمْيَةَ سَهْمٍ، وَتَفَرَّقَ أَصْحَابُهُ فِي زَوِيلَةَ يَنْهَبُونَ وَيَقْتُلُونَ، وَأَهْلُهَا يَطْلُبُونَ الْأَمَانَ، وَالْقِتَالُ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْفَتْحِ بَيْنَ كُتَامَةَ وَالْبَرْبَرِ وَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ مَا صَنَعَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْجَانِبِ، فَحَمَلَ الْكُتَّامِيُّونَ عَلَى الْبَرْبَرِ، فَهَزَمُوهُمْ وَقَتَلُوا فِيهِمْ، وَسَمِعَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ بِذَلِكَ، وَوُصُولَ زِيرِي بْنِ مَنَادٍ ( فِي صِنْهَاجَةَ )، فَخَافَ الْمَقَامَ، فَقَصَدَ بَابَ الْفَتْحِ لِيَأْتِيَ زِيرِي وَكُتَامَةَ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ بِطُبُولِهِ وَبُنُودِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَهْلُ الْأَرْبَاضِ ذَلِكَ، ظَنُّوا أَنَّ الْقَائِمَ قَدْ خَرَجَ بِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، فَكَبَّرُوا وَقَوِيَتْ نُفُوسُهُمْ، وَاشْتَدَّ قِتَالُهُمْ، فَتَحَيَّرَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ، وَعَرَفَهُ أَهْلُ تِلْكَ النَّاحِيَةِ، فَمَالُوا عَلَيْهِ لِيَقْتُلُوهُ، فَاشْتَدَّ الْقِتَالُ عِنْدَهُ، فَهَدَمَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ حَائِطًا وَخَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَتَخَلَّصَ، وَوَصَلَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ، وَهُمْ يُقَاتِلُونَ الْعَبِيدَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ قَوِيَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَانْهَزَمَ الْعَبِيدُ وَافْتَرَقُوا. ثُمَّ رَحَلَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ إِلَى ثَرْنُوطَةَ، وَحَفَرَ عَلَى عَسْكَرِهِ خَنْدَقًا، وَاجْتَمَعَ إِلَيْهِ خَلْقٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنْ إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ، وَالْبَرْبَرِ، وَنَفُوسَةَ، وَالزَّابِّ، وَأَقَاصِي الْمَغْرِبِ، فَحَصَرَ الْمَهْدِيَّةَ حِصَارًا شَدِيدًا، وَمَنَعَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الدُّخُولِ إِلَيْهَا وَالْخُرُوجِ مِنْهَا، ثُمَّ زَحَفَ إِلَيْهَا لِسَبْعٍ بَقِينَ مِنْ جُمَادَى الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ السَّنَةِ، فَجَرَى قِتَالٌ عَظِيمٌ قُتِلَ [ فِيهِ ] جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ وُجُوهِ عَسْكَرِ الْقَائِمِ، وَاقْتَحَمَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ بِنَفْسِهِ حَتَّى وَصَلَ إِلَى قُرْبِ الْبَابِ، فَعَرَفَهُ بَعْضُ الْعَبِيدِ، فَقَبَضَ عَلَى لِجَامِهِ وَصَاحَ: هَذَا أَبُو يَزِيدَ فَاقْتُلُوهُ، فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ فَقَطَعَ يَدَهُ، وَخَلَّصَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ. فَلَمَّا رَأَى شِدَّةَ قِتَالِ أَصْحَابِ الْقَائِمِ، كَتَبَ إِلَى عَامِلِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ يَأْمُرُهُ بِإِرْسَالِ مُقَاتِلَةِ أَهْلِهَا إِلَيْهِ، فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ، فَوَصَلُوا إِلَيْهِ، فَزَحَفَ بِهِمْ آخِرَ رَجَبٍ، فَجَرَى قِتَالٌ شَدِيدٌ انْهَزَمَ فِيهِ أَبُو يَزِيدَ هَزِيمَةً مُنْكَرَةً، وَقُتِلَ فِيهِ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ وَأَكْثَرُ أَهْلِ الْقَيْرَوَانِ، ثُمَّ زَحَفَ الزَّحْفَةَ الرَّابِعَةَ فِي الْعَشْرِ الْآخَرِ مِنْ شَوَّالٍ، فَجَرَى قِتَالٌ عَظِيمٌ، وَانْصَرَفَ ( إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، وَكَثُرَ خُرُوجُ ) النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجُوعِ وَالْغَلَاءِ، فَفَتَحَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ الْقَائِمُ الْأَهْرَاءَ الَّتِي عَمِلَهَا الْمَهْدِيُّ وَمَلَأَهَا طَعَامًا، وَفَرَّقَ مَا فِيهَا عَلَى رِجَالِهِ، وَعَظُمَ الْبَلَاءُ عَلَى الرَّعِيَّةِ حَتَّى أَكَلُوا الدَّوَابَّ وَالْمَيْتَةَ، وَخَرَجَ مِنَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ أَكْثَرُ السُّوقَةِ وَالتُّجَّارِ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ بِهَا سِوَى الْجُنْدِ، فَكَانَ الْبَرْبَرُ يَأْخُذُونَ مَنْ خَرَجَ وَيَقْتُلُونَهُمْ وَيَشُقُّونَ بُطُونَهُمْ طَلَبًا لِلذَّهَبِ. ( ثُمَّ وَصَلَتْ كُتَامَةُ ) فَنَزَلَتْ بِقَسَنْطِينَةَ، فَخَافَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ، فَسَارَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ عَسْكَرِهِ فِي جَمْعٍ عَظِيمٍ مِنْ وَرْفَجُومَةَ وَغَيْرِهِمْ ( إِلَى كُتَامَةَ )، فَقَاتَلَهُمْ فَهَزَمَهُمْ، فَتَفَرَّقُوا، وَكَانَ الْبَرْبَرُ يَأْتُونَ إِلَى أَبِي يَزِيدَ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ، وَيَنْهَبُونَ، وَيَقْتُلُونَ، وَيَرْجِعُونَ إِلَى مَنَازِلِهِمْ، حَتَّى أَفْنَوْا مَا كَانَ فِي إِفْرِيقِيَّةَ: ( فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَبْقَ مَا يُنْهَبُ، تَوَقَّفُوا عَنِ الْمَجِيءِ إِلَيْهِ ) فَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَهُ سِوَى أَهْلِ أُورَاسَ وَبَنِي كَمْلَانَ. ( فَلَمَّا عَلِمَ الْقَائِمُ ) تَفَرُّقَ عَسَاكِرِهِ، أَخْرَجَ عَسْكَرَهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ قِتَالٌ شَدِيدٌ لِسِتٍّ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ مِنْ سَنَةِ ثَلَاثٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ، ثُمَّ صَبَّحُوهُمْ مِنَ الْغَدِ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ إِلَيْهِمْ أَحَدٌ، وَكَانَ أَبُو يَزِيدَ قَدْ بَعَثَ فِي طَلَبِ الرِّجَالِ مِنْ أُورَاسَ، ثُمَّ زَحَفَتْ عَسَاكِرُ الْقَائِمِ إِلَيْهِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ خَنْدَقِهِ، وَاقْتَتَلُوا، وَاشْتَدَّ بَيْنَهُمُ الْقِتَالُ، فَقُتِلَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُجُوهِ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَعَظُمَ قَتْلُهُ عَلَيْهِ، وَدَخَلَ خَنْدَقَهُ ثُمَّ عَاوَدَ الْقِتَالَ، فَهَبَّتْ رِيحٌ شَدِيدَةٌ مُظْلِمَةٌ، فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ لَا يُبْصِرُ صَاحِبَهُ، فَانْهَزَمَ ( عَسْكَرُ الْقَائِمِ ) ( وَقُتِلَ مِنْهُمْ ) جَمَاعَةٌ وَعَادَ الْحِصَارُ عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ، وَهَرَبَ ( كَثِيرٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ ) إِلَى جَزِيرَةِ صِقِلِّيَةَ، وَطَرَابُلُسَ، وَمِصْرَ، وَبَلَدِ الرُّومِ. وَفِي آخِرِ ذِي الْقِعْدَةِ اجْتَمَعَ عِنْدَ أَبِي يَزِيدَ جُمُوعٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، وَتَقَدَّمَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ فَقَاتَلَ عَلَيْهَا، فَتَخَيَّرَ الْكُتَامِيُّونَ مِنْهُمْ مِائَتَيْ فَارِسٍ، فَحَمَلُوا حَمْلَةَ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، فَقَتَلُوا فِي أَصْحَابِهِ كَثِيرًا، وَأَسَرُوا مِثْلَهُمْ، وَكَادُوا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْهِ، فَقَاتَلَ أَصْحَابُهُ دُونَهُ وَخَلَّصُوهُ، وَفَرِحَ أَهْلُ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، وَأَخَذُوا الْأَسْرَى فِي الْحِبَالِ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ، ( وَدَخَلَتْ سَنَةُ أَرْبَعٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ وَثَلَاثِمِائَةٍ وَهُوَ مُقِيمٌ عَلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ ). وَفِي الْمُحَرَّمِ مِنْهَا ظَهَرَ بِإِفْرِيقِيَّةَ رَجُلٌ يَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، فَأَجَابَهُ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ وَأَطَاعُوهُ، وَادَّعَى أَنَّهُ عَبَّاسِيٌّ وَرَدَ مِنْ بَغْدَاذَ وَمَعَهُ أَعْلَامٌ سُودٌ، فَظَفِرَ بِهِ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ وَقَبَضَ عَلَيْهِ، وَسَيَّرَهُ إِلَى أَبِي يَزِيدَ فَقَتَلَهُ، ثُمَّ إِنَّ بَعْضَ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ هَرَبَ إِلَى الْمَهْدِيَّةِ؛ بِسَبَبِ عَدَاوَةٍ كَانَتْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ أَقْوَامٍ سَعَوْا بِهِمْ إِلَيْهِ، فَخَرَجُوا مِنَ الْمَهْدِيَّةِ ( مَعَ أَصْحَابِ الْقَائِمِ ) فَقَتَلُوا أَصْحَابَ أَبِي يَزِيدَ، فَظَفِرُوا، فَتَفَرَّقَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَصْحَابُ أَبِي يَزِيدَ، وَلَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَهُ غَيْرُ هَوَارَةَ وَأُورَاسَ وَبَنِي كَمْلَانَ، وَكَانَ اعْتِمَادُهُ عَلَيْهِمْ.
Translation
✧ Account of Abu Yazid's siege of al-Mahdiyyah When Abu Yazid heard of the preparation of the Sanhajah, the Kutamah, and others to support the Commander, he grew afraid and departed immediately toward al-Mahdiyyah. He encamped fifteen miles from it and sent out his raiding parties toward the vicinity of al-Mahdiyyah. They plundered whatever they found and killed whomever they encountered. The people gathered at al-Mahdiyyah, and the Kutamah and the supporters of al-Qa'im agreed to go out against Abu Yazid to strike him in his camp, because they heard that his army had dispersed for raiding. So they went out on Thursday, eight days remaining in Jumada al-Ula of that year. News of that reached Abu Yazid, and Fadl had come to him with an army from al-Qayrawan. He dispatched them to fight the Kutamah, placing his son over them. They met six miles from al-Mahdiyyah and fought. The news reached Abu Yazid, and he rode out with all who remained with him. He found his companions in defeat, and many of them had been killed. When the Kutamis saw him, they fled without fighting, and Abu Yazid pursued them to the Gate of Victory (Bab al-Fath). A group of Berbers charged in and entered the Gate of Victory. Abu Yazid overlooked al-Mahdiyyah, then returned to his camp. Then he advanced toward al-Mahdiyyah in Jumada al-Akhirah, coming to the Gate of Victory, and he sent Zawilah toward the Gate of Bakr. Then he himself stood at the newly dug trench, where there were a group of slaves. Abu Yazid engaged them in fighting at the trench. Then Abu Yazid and those with him plunged into the sea; the water reached the chests of the mounts, until they passed the new wall. The slaves fled, and Abu Yazid pursued them. Abu Yazid reached the gate of al-Mahdiyyah, at the prayer place used for the festival, and between him and al-Mahdiyyah was an arrow-shot. His companions dispersed through Zawilah, plundering and killing, while its people sought quarter. The fighting at the Gate of Victory was between the Kutamah and the Berbers, who did not know what Abu Yazid had done on that side. The Kutamis charged the Berbers, defeated them, and killed many. Abu Yazid heard of that and of the arrival of Ziri b. Manad with the Sanhajah; he feared to remain, so he made for the Gate of Victory to come upon Ziri and the Kutamah from behind with his drums and banners. When the people of the suburbs saw that, they thought that al-Qa'im himself had come out of al-Mahdiyyah, so they shouted 'God is great' and their spirits strengthened, and their fighting intensified. Abu Yazid was confounded. The people of that area recognized him and turned on him to kill him. Fighting became fierce around him, and some of his companions broke down a wall and he went out through it and escaped. He reached his camp after sunset, while they were fighting the slaves. When they saw him, their hearts were strengthened, and the slaves fled and dispersed. Then Abu Yazid departed to Tharnutah and dug a trench around his camp. A great number of people gathered to him from Ifriqiyah, the Berbers, Nafusah, al-Zab, and the farthest parts of the Maghrib. He besieged al-Mahdiyyah with a severe siege, preventing people from entering or leaving it. Then he marched against it with seven days remaining in Jumada al-Akhirah of that year. Great fighting took place in which a number of the leading men of al-Qa'im's army were killed. Abu Yazid personally charged until he drew near the gate. One of the slaves recognized him, seized his bridle, and shouted: 'This is Abu Yazid, kill him!' A man from among Abu Yazid's companions came and cut off the slave's hand, and Abu Yazid was saved. When he saw the intensity of the fighting of al-Qa'im's supporters, he wrote to the governor of al-Qayrawan ordering him to send the fighting men of its people to him. The governor did so. They arrived, and he marched with them at the end of Rajab. Severe fighting took place in which Abu Yazid suffered a disgraceful defeat, and a number of his companions and most of the people of al-Qayrawan were killed. Then he marched a fourth time in the last ten days of Shawwal. Great fighting took place, and he withdrew to his camp. The people, because of hunger and high prices, began leaving in large numbers. At that point al-Qa'im opened the granaries that al-Mahdi had built and filled with food, and he distributed their contents to his troops. The affliction on the common people became severe until they ate beasts and carrion. Most of the commoners and merchants left al-Mahdiyyah, and none remained there except the soldiers. The Berbers would seize those who came out, kill them, and split open their bellies seeking gold. Then the Kutamah arrived and encamped at Qasantinah. Abu Yazid became afraid. A man from his army went with a great gathering of the Warfajumah and others to the Kutamah, fought them, defeated them, and they dispersed. The Berbers kept coming to Abu Yazid from every direction, plundering, killing, and returning to their homes, until they had exhausted what was in Ifriqiyah. When nothing remained to plunder, they stopped coming to him, so none remained with him except the people of Auras and the Banu Kamlan. When al-Qa'im learned of the dispersal of his armies, he sent out his army against him. Severe fighting took place between them on the sixth of Dhu al-Qadah in the year 333. Then they attacked them the next morning, but no one came out against them. Abu Yazid had sent to seek men from Auras. Then al-Qa'im's armies marched against him, and he came out of his trench. They fought, and the fighting between them intensified. A number of Abu Yazid's companions were killed, among them a man of the leading men of his companions, whose death grieved him greatly. He entered his trench, then returned to the fighting. A strong, dark wind blew, so that a man could not see his companion. Al-Qa'im's army fled, and a number of them were killed. The siege returned to its former state. Many of the people of al-Mahdiyyah fled to the island of Sicily, Tripoli, Egypt, and the land of the Romans. At the end of Dhu al-Qadah, great crowds gathered at Abu Yazid's camp. He advanced toward al-Mahdiyyah and fought against it. The Kutamis chose from among themselves two hundred horsemen, and they charged as one man. They killed many of his companions and captured as many. They almost reached him, but his companions fought in his defense and rescued him. The people of al-Mahdiyyah rejoiced and took the captives in ropes to al-Mahdiyyah. The year 334 began while he was encamped before al-Mahdiyyah. In Muharram of that year, a man appeared in Ifriqiyah calling the people to himself. Many people answered him and obeyed him. He claimed that he was an Abbasid who had come from Baghdad and had with him black banners. One of Abu Yazid's companions seized him and took him prisoner, and sent him to Abu Yazid, who killed him. Then some of Abu Yazid's companions fled to al-Mahdiyyah because of enmity between them and people who had denounced them to him. They went out of al-Mahdiyyah with al-Qa'im's supporters and killed Abu Yazid's companions, and were victorious. At that point Abu Yazid's companions dispersed, and none remained with him except the Hawarah, the Auras, and the Banu Kamlan, and he relied on them.
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