Tarikh (al-Tabari) 4430
Then the year 375 AH began
ذِكْرُ الْإِفْرَاجِ عَنْ وَرْدٍ الرُّومِيِّ وَمَا صَارَ أَمْرُهُ إِلَيْهِ وَدُخُولِ الرُّوسِ فِي النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ أَفْرَجَ صَمْصَامُ الدَّوْلَةِ عَنْ وَرْدٍ الرُّومِيِّ، وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُ حَبْسِهِ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْآنَ أَفْرَجَ عَنْهُ وَأَطْلَقَهُ، وَشَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ إِطْلَاقَ عَدَدٍ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ أَسَارَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَنْ يُسَلِّمَ إِلَيْهِ سَبْعَةَ حُصُونٍ مِنْ بَلَدِ الرُّومِ بِرَسَاتِيقِهَا، وَأَنْ لَا يَقْصِدَ بِلَادَ الْإِسْلَامِ هُوَ وَلَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ مَا عَاشَ، وَجَهَّزَهُ بِمَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَالٍ وَغَيْرِهِ، فَسَارَ إِلَى بِلَادِ الرُّومِ، وَاسْتَمَالَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ خَلْقًا كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْبَوَادِي وَغَيْرِهِمْ، وَأَطْمَعَهُمْ فِي الْعَطَاءِ وَالْغَنِيمَةِ، وَسَارَ حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِمَلَطْيَةَ، فَتَسَلَّمَهَا، وَقَوِيَ بِهَا وَبِمَا فِيهَا مِنْ مَالٍ وَغَيْرِهِ. وَقَصَدَ وَرْدِيسَ بْنَ لَاوَنَ، فَتَرَاسَلَا، وَاسْتَقَرَّ الْأَمْرُ بَيْنَهُمَا عَلَى أَنْ تَكُونَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةُ، وَمَا جَاوَرَهَا مِنْ شَمَالِيِّ الْخَلِيجِ، لِوَرْدِيسَ. وَهَذَا الْجَانِبُ مِنَ الْخَلِيجِ لِوَرْدٍ، وَتَحَالَفَا وَاجْتَمَعَا، فَقَبَضَ وَرْدِيسُ عَلَى وَرْدٍ وَحَبَسَهُ، ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ نَدِمَ فَأَطْلَقَهُ عَنْ قَرِيبٍ، وَعَبَرَ وَرْدِيسُ الْخَلِيجَ، وَحَصَرَ الْقُسْطَنْطِينِيَّةَ وَبِهَا الْمَلَكَانِ ابْنَا أَرْمَانُوسَ، وَهُمَا بَسِيلُ وَقُسْطَنْطِينُ، وَضَيَّقَ عَلَيْهِمَا، فَرَاسَلَا مَلِكَ الرُّوسِيَّةِ، وَاسْتَنْجَدَاهُ وَزَوَّجَاهُ بِأُخْتٍ لَهُمَا، فَامْتَنَعَتْ مِنْ تَسْلِيمِ نَفْسِهَا إِلَى مَنْ يُخَالِفُهَا فِي الدِّينِ، فَتَنَصَّرَ، وَكَانَ هَذَا أَوَّلَ النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ بِالرُّوسِ، وَتَزَوَّجَهَا وَسَارَ إِلَى لِقَاءِ وَرْدِيسَ، فَاقْتَتَلُوا وَتَحَارَبُوا فَقُتِلَ وَرْدِيسُ، وَاسْتَقَرَّ الْمَلِكَانِ فِي مُلْكِهِمَا، وَرَاسَلَا وَرْدًا وَأَقَرَّاهُ عَلَى مَا بِيَدِهِ، فَبَقِيَ مُدَيْدَةً وَمَاتَ، وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ مَاتَ مَسْمُومًا. وَتَقَدَّمَ بَسِيلُ فِي الْمُلْكِ، وَكَانَ شُجَاعًا عَادِلًا، وَحَسَنَ الرَّأْيِ، وَدَامَ مُلْكُهُ، وَحَارَبَ الْبُلْغَارَ خَمْسًا وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً، وَظَفِرَ بِهِمْ، وَأَجْلَى كَثِيرًا مِنْهُمْ مِنْ بِلَادِهِمْ، وَأَسْكَنَهَا الرُّومَ، وَكَانَ كَثِيرَ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمَيْلِ إِلَيْهِمْ.
Translation
✧ Mention of the release of Ward the Byzantine and the situation he came to, and the entry of the Rus into Christianity In this year, Samsam al-Dawla released Ward the Byzantine, whose imprisonment has been mentioned previously. When the time came, he released him and set him free, stipulating that he release a large number of Muslim captives, surrender seven fortresses of the Byzantine lands with their rural districts, and that neither he nor any of his companions would raid the lands of Islam as long as he lived. He equipped him with money and other necessities he required. He went to the lands of the Byzantines, and on his way he won over many of the Bedouin and others, enticing them with gifts and booty. He traveled until he halted at Malatya, took possession of it, and was strengthened by it and by the money and other resources it contained. He then set out against Bardas son of Leo, and they exchanged messages and the matter was settled between them, that Constantinople and the lands north of the gulf adjacent to it would belong to Bardas, and this side of the gulf to Ward. They swore oaths and joined forces. Then Bardas seized Ward and imprisoned him. Later he regretted it and soon released him. Bardas crossed the gulf and besieged Constantinople, where the two kings, the sons of Romanus, Basil and Constantine, were. He pressed them hard, so they sent to the king of Russia seeking his aid, and offered him their sister in marriage. At first she refused to give herself to one who differed from her in religion, so he converted to Christianity. This was the beginning of Christianity among the Rus. He married her and marched to meet Bardas. They fought and battled, and Bardas was killed. The two kings were established in their rule, and they corresponded with Ward, confirming him in what he held. He remained for a while and then died. It is said that he died by poison. Basil assumed authority, and he was brave and just, with sound judgment. His rule lasted long. He fought the Bulgars for thirty-five years and triumphed over them, expelling many of them from their lands and settling Byzantines there. He was very kind and well-disposed toward the Muslims.
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