The History of al-Ṭabarī Vol. 32 
The Reunification of the ʿAbbāsid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Maʾmūn A.D. 813-833/A.H. 198-218

The 20 years’ caliphate of al-Maʾmūn began as a stormy period in Middle Eastern history; after the comparatively peaceful reign of his father Hārūn al-Rashīd, the caliphate was plunged into violent civil warfare in both Iraq and Arabia, involving the sons of al-Rashīd, rivals for the supreme authority, and various other sectarian rebels and aspirants for power. Yet once peace was secured and the caliphate lands united once more, al-Maʾmūn’s reign settled down into one of the most exciting and innovative of the mediaeval caliphate. The Caliph himself was a highly cultivated man who possessed a keen intellectual curiosity and who interested himself in the practical sciences, astronomy and mathematics. He also encouraged the translating of Greek philosophical, scientific and medical works from Greek and Syriac into Arabic and involved himself in theological controversies in which the dialectical techniques of the Greek thinkers were to figure. Ṭabarī’s history of this period constitutes a prime source for political and military history. His racy and vivid style, including many verbatim conversations and documents, brings the Caliphate of al-Maʾmūn very much alive.



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Table of Content

Abbreviations employed




Translator’s Foreword




Genealogical table of the `Abbasids (with special reference to those members of the family mentioned in this section of al-Tabari’s History)




Maps.



1. Al-‘Iraq in the Caliphate of al-Ma’mun



2. Baghdad and its environs




The Caliphate of al-Ma’mun



[The Remainder of the Events of the Year 198(813/814)]




The Events of the Year 199 (814/815)



Various events in al-`Iraq



The revolt in al-Kufah of Muhammad b. Ibrahim, called Ibn Tabataba, under the military leadership of Abu al-Saraya



The spread of the revolt to Mecca under Husayn b.Hasan al-Aftas




The Events of the Year 200 (815/816)



Harthamah b. A`yan’s recapture of al-Kufah, and the defeat and execution of Abu al-Saraya



The revolt in the Yemen of the `Alid Ibrahim b.Musa al-Jazzar



The proclamation in Mecca of the `Alid Muhammad b.Ja`far al-Sadiq as Caliph



The overthrowing of Muhammad b. Ja`far’s rule by the `Abbasid forces, and his renunciation of power



The abortive attempt to seize power in Mecca by a member of the `Aqili branch of the Talibids



Harthamah b. A`yan’s journeying to al-Ma’mun’s court at Marw and his fate there



The civil strife in Baghdad between the troops of the Harbiyyah quarter and those of al-Ma’mun’s representative in al-`Iraq, al-Hasan b. Sahl




The Events of the Year 201 (816/817)



The expulsion from Baghdad of al-Hasan b. Sahl’s representative in the city, `Ali b. Hisham; the fighting between the Sahlid forces and the leader of the Baghdad rebels, Muhammad b. Abi Khalid; the proclamation in Baghdad of the `Abbasid prince Mansur b. al-Mahdi as al-Ma’mun’s amir and khalifah



The breakdown of social order in Baghdad, and the movement there of the volunteers and vigilantes under Khalid al-Daryush and Sahl b. Salama al-Ansari



Al-Ma’mun’s designation of the Eighth Imam of the Shi`ah, `Ali al-Rida, as his heir and the adoption of the `Alid green colour



The proclamation in Baghdad of Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi as anti-caliph



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 202 (817/818)



Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi’s assumption of power in central al-`Iraq



The revolt in al-Kufah of the `Alid al-`Abbas b.Musa al-Kazim, and its suppression by Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi’s forces



Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi’s arrest and jailing of the vigilante leader in Baghdad Sahl b. Salama



Al-Ma’mun’s decision to leave Marw and to travel westwards and secure al-`Iraq; the murder of his minister al-Fadl b. Sahl; Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi’s preparations to withstand al-Ma’mun’s forces



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 203 (818/819)



The death of the Imam `Ali al-Rida; al-Hasan b.Sahl’s nervous breakdown



Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi’s despairing attempt to retain his caliphal power in Baghdad; his loss of the people of Baghdad’s allegiance;his disappearance underground in the city



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 204 (819/820)



Al-Ma’mun’s arrival in Baghdad and assumption of authority there; the abandonment of the `Alid colour of green and restoration of the traditional `Abbasid colour of black



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 205 (820/821)



Al-Ma’mun’s appointment of Tahir b. al-Husayn as governor of Khurasan and the East; Tahir’s suspicions of al-Ma’mun’s good faith towards him and his scheming with the Caliph’s minister Ahmad b. Abi Khalid



Various appointments to governorships in the outlying part of the empire




The Events of the Year 206 (821/822)



Various items of information



Al-Ma’mun’s appointment of `Abdallah b. Tahir as governor of al-Jazirah and Syria with the task of suppressing the revolt there of Nasr b. Shabath



Tahir b. al-Husayn’s epistle of advice to his son `Abdallah on the latter’s taking up his post



The epistle’s immediate fame




The Events of the Year 207 (822/823)



The revolt in Yemen of the `Alid `Abd al-Rahman b.Ahmad



The mysterious death in Khurasan of Tahir b.al-Husayn



The appointment of his son Talhah as successor over Khurasan and the East; a variant account of this episode



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 208 (823/824)



Al-Hasan b. al-Husayn al-Mus`abi’s revolt in Khurasan; various appointments to official positions




The Events of the Year 209 (824/825)



`Abdallah b. Tahir’s lengthy campaigns against Nasr b. Shabath; `Abdallah’s letters to Nasr inviting his submission and guaranteeing his safety; Nasr’s final submission and the demolition of his fortress Kaysum



Military operations in Azerbaijan against the rebel Babak al-Khurrami




The Events of the Year 210 (825/826)



Al-Ma’mun’s execution of the conspirator Ibn `A’ishah



The capture of Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi, dressed in woman’s clothing, in the streets of Baghdad; Ibrahim’s ode addressed to al-Ma’mun seeking the Caliph’s forgiveness



Al-Ma’mun’s consummation of his marriage to al-Hasan b. Sahl’s daughter Buran and the sumptuous celebrations at Fam al-Silh



`Abdallah b. Tahir’s march into Egypt to combat the rebel `Ubaydallah b. al-Sari; his capture of Alexandria and expulsion thence of the Andalusians to Crete



The revolt of the people of Qumm against tax burdens




The Events of the Year 211 (826/827)



`Ubaydallah b. al-Sari’s submission to `Abdallah b.Tahir



Anecdote in which `Abdallah is cleared of suspected sympathies for Shi`ism



Ahmad b. Yusuf’s letter of congratulation to `Abdallah on his restoration of order in Egypt



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 212 (827/828)



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 213 (828/829)



Various items of information



Ghassan b. `Abbad’s appointment as governor of Sind




The Events of the Year 214 (829/830)



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 215 (830/831)



Al-Ma’mun’s journey to the Byzantine frontier and his campaigning there




The Events of the Year 216 (831/832)



Al-Ma’mun’s further campaigns against the Byzantines



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 217 (832/833)



Al-Ma’mun’s execution at Adana of `Ali and Husayn, the two sons of Hisham



Al-Ma’mun’s campaigns in the Byzantine lands; his correspondence with the Emperor Theophilus




The Events of the Year 218 (833/834)



Al-Ma’mun’s fortifications at Tyana and his troop levies for the Byzantine wars



Al-Ma’mun’s orders to his governor in Baghdad, Ishaq b. Ibrahim al-Mus`abi, to interrogate the judges and traditionists on the question of the createdness of the Qur’an: the Caliph’s first letter



Anecdote in which `Abdallah is cleared of suspected sympathies for Shi`ism



Ahmad b. Yusuf’s letter of congratulation to `Abdallah on his restoration of order in Egypt



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 212 (827/828)



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 213 (828/829)



Various items of information



Ghassan b. `Abbad’s appointment as governor of Sind




The Events of the Year 214 (829/830)



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 215 (830/831)



Al-Ma’mun’s journey to the Byzantine frontier and his campaigning there




The Events of the Year 216 (831/832)



Al-Ma’mun’s further campaigns against the Byzantines



Various items of information




The Events of the Year 217 (832/833)



Al-Ma’mun’s execution at Adana of `Ali and Husayn, the two sons of Hisham



Al-Ma’mun’s campaigns in the Byzantine lands; his correspondence with the Emperor Theophilus




The Events of the Year 218 (833/834)



Al-Ma’mun’s fortifications at Tyana and his troop levies for the Byzantine wars



Al-Ma’mun’s orders to his governor in Baghdad, Ishaq b. Ibrahim al-Mus`abi, to interrogate the judges and traditionists on the question of the createdness of the Qur’an: the Caliph’s first letter



Al-Ma’mun’s interrogation at al-Raqqah of certain scholars, and his second letter to Ishaq b. Ibrahim



Ishaq’s interrogation at Baghdad of a further group of scholars



Al-Ma’mun’s third letter to Ishaq after receiving the scholars’ replies



Ishaq’s despatch of the remaining recalcitrants to the Caliph at Tarsus



Al-Ma’mun’s letters to his governors appointing his brother Abu Ishaq al-Mu`tasim and his successor and commending him to their obedience



Al-Ma’mun’s fatal illness at al-Budandun; his last testament and commendation to al-Mu`tasim; his death on 18 Rajab 218/9 August 833 and burial at Tarsus




Anecdotes about al-Ma’mun and his conduct:



Al-Ma’mun’s answer to Ibrahim b. `Isa b. Burayhah’s request to be admitted into the circle of the Caliph’s travelling companions



Al-Ma’mun’s suspicious attitude towards the Syrians



His reverence for a document emanating from the Prophet himself



His generosity with the revenues collected in Syria



Al-Ma’mun and the poet of Tamim from al-Basrah



Al-Ma’mun and the exigent boon companion from Syria



Al-Ma’mun’s dismissal of a poet-judge of Damascus for his jesting attitude towards the Islamic faith



The singer `Allawayh’s defence of the Umayyads before his master al-Ma’mun



Stories illustrating al-Ma’mun’s own poetic talent and aesthetic judgement; his relations with his court poets and the hostile one Di`bil



Al-Ma’mun and Kulthum al-`Attabi



More stories about al-Ma’mun’s relations with his court poets




Bibliography. 1. Primary sources: texts and translations



2. Secondary sources and reference works




Index