Al-Amin
Muhammad ibn Harun al-Amin (787–813) (Arabic: محمد الأمين بن هارون الرشيد), Abbasid Caliph. He succeeded his father, Harun al-Rashid in 809 and ruled until he was killed in 813.
Caliph
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari records that Harun al-Rashid several times impressed on his sons they should respect each other and honor the succession as Harun arranged it. In A.H. 186, Harun had al-Amin and al-Ma'mun sign pledges during a pilgrimage to Mecca that both would respect his will.[1] Al-Amin, would receive the Caliphate and al-Ma'mun would become governor of Khurasan in eastern Iran and would furthermore be granted almost complete autonomy. On al-Amin's death, according to Harun's decision, al-Ma'mun would become Caliph.
Hostility towards al-Mamun
Al-Ma'mun had distrusted al-Amin before their father's death and convinced Harun to take him with him on Harun's last journey east. Although Harun had instructed the Baghdad commanders of this expedition to remain with al-Ma'mun, after Harun's death they returned to Baghdad. Al-Amin sought to turn al-Ma'mun's financial agent in Rayy against al-Ma'mun and he ordered al-Ma'mun to acknowledge al-Amin's son Musa as heir and return to Baghdad. Al-Ma'mun replaced his agent in Rayy and refused the orders. His mother was Persian and he had strong support in Iran.
The brothers had different mothers. Al-Amin was prompted to move against al-Ma'mun by meddlesome ministers, especially al Fadl ibn ar Rabi. Al-Amin had Harun's succession documents brought from Mecca to Baghdad, where he destroyed them. Al-Amin sent agents east to stir opposition to al-Ma'mun. However, a careful watch at the frontier denied these the opportunity. Al-Amin denied al-Ma'mun's request for his family and money and kept them in Baghdad.
Battle of Rayy
In March 811 Al-Amin dispatched an army under Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan against Al-Ma'mun. Ali advanced on Rayy. Ma'mun's capable general Tahir bin Husain met and defeated Ali who was killed.
Internal rebellions
Al-Amin faced unrest in Syria. He sent Abd al-Malik ibn Salih to restore order there. There was fierce fighting and Abd al-Malik died. Al-Amin sent Ahmad ibn Mazyad and Abdallah ibn Humayd east, each with an army (al-Tabari v. 31 p. 100 says each had 20,000 men). However, Tahir's agents sowed discord and these two armies fought against each other.
Al-Amin faced an uprising in Baghdad led by Ali ibn Isa's son Husayn. This was quelled and Husayn was killed. Tahir took Ahwaz and gained control of Bahrayn and parts of Arabia. Basra and Kufa swore allegiance to al-Ma'mun. Tahir advanced on Baghdad and defeated a force sent against him. In Mecca, Dawud ibn Isa reminded worshippers that al-Amin had destroyed Harun ar Rashid's succession pledges and led them in swearing allegiance to al-Mamun. Dawud then went to Marv and presented himself to al-Ma'mun. Al-Ma'mun confirmed Dawud in his governorship of Mecca and Medina.
Siege of Baghdad (812–813)
After the defeat of Caliph Al-Amins’ army at the Battle of Rayy and the death of his commander Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan,[2] the armies of Al-Amin were in retreat moving west from Iran to Iraq back to their base camp at Baghdad. Future Caliph Al-Ma'mun's general Tahir ibn Husayn, the victor of Battle of Rayy decided to chase the retreating army. However, reinforcements from Baghdad arrived under the able leadership of Abdal Rahman bin Jabala.[3] Abdal Rahman decided to fortify himself behind the walls and gates of Hamadan.But when Tahir ibn Husayn came closer to the city, Abdal Rahman decided to come out and meet this threat head on. Twice Abdal Rahman was driven back into the city. Tahir ibn Husayn began a blockade of the city and Abdal Rahman’s forces began to shower arrows and throw stones from the city walls. Eventually Abdal Rahman was obliged to leave and ask for terms due to resentment of the people of Hamadan at the occupation and rapidly depleting supplies.[4]
Tahir ibn Husayn realizing that Abdal Rahman bin Jabala left the city decided not to waste further time in Hamadan and marched westward towards Baghdad. On his way, he reached a certain pass named Asadabad where his army was ambushed by Abdal Rahman bin Jabala. The surprise attack caught Tahir’s troops off guard. But because the army was well disciplined the infantry managed to hold them off until Tahir ibn Husayn’s cavalry was ready to attack. In the ensuing confusion Abdal Rahman bin Jabala who had dismounted his horse was killed and his army defeated.[5]
After the short delay, Tahir ibn Husayn began his march towards Baghdad again. The news of the defeat of first Ali ibn Isa ibn Mahan and now Abdal Rahman bin Jabala reached Caliph Al-Amin and greatly distressed him. It seemed to the people of Baghdad that Tahir ibn Husayn was unstoppable. Nevertheless, people in Al-Ahwaz under the leadership of Muhammad bin Yazid al Muhallabi put up a fierce resistance to the armies of Tahir ibn Husayn. After defeating the army of al Muhallabi, Tahir now reached the gates of Baghdad and at the right time too as his reinforcements arrived under the leadership of Harthama bin A’yan.[6]
The Siege
The Siege has no parallel in warfare of the time.[7] Although the city was surrounded by walls most of the population lived in suburbs which were not. The siege was therefore not an attack on a fortified perimeter but rather street fighting, house to house invasion as well as temporary improvised fortifications. It was extremely destructive especially for the civilian population.[8] Immediately, Tahir ibn Husayn ordered the other commanders namely Zuhayr ibn al-Musayyab al-Dabbi and Harthama bin A’yan to set up camps at Qasr Raqqat Kalwadha and Nahr Bin respectively, while he set up camp at Al-Anbar Gate.[9] They set up siege engines, Mangonels, and dug trenches. Both sides are known to have used siege weapons. At one point, a general of Al-Amin known as al-Samarqandi used boats to transport Mangonels on the river Tigris and bombard enemy positions in the suburbs of Baghdad inflicting more damage to the civilian population than to the besiegers.[10]There were several vicious battles, such as at al-Amin's palace of Qasr Halih, at Darb al-Hijarah and al-Shammasiyyah Gate. In the later stages of the siege irregulars came to the aid of Al-Amin.[11]
As things were getting worse and Tahir ibn Husayn pushed into the city, Al-Amin sought to negotiate safe passage out. Tahir ibn Husayn reluctantly agreed on the condition that Al-Amin turn over his scepter, seal and other signs of being Caliph. Al-Amin reluctant to do so tried to leave on a boat. Tahir ibn Husayn noticed the boat and sent his men after Al-Amin who was captured and brought to a room where he was executed. His head was placed on the Al-Anbar Gate. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari quotes Tahir's letter to the new Caliph Al-Ma'mun informing him of Al-Amin's capture and execution and the state of peace resulting in Baghdad.[12]
Aftermath
The end result was that Al-Ma'mun became the new Abbasid Caliph. Yet, he would not arrive in Baghdad until 819 due to the destruction and continued disturbances in the city.
Legacy
The fact that Al-Amin was known to be fond of eunuchs was seen by many at the time as a deficit in his character.[13] Al-Tabari notes this fondness for eunuchs.[14] He also records accounts of al-Amin's intense irritation when singers sang songs that were not very auspicious. Al-Amin is described by this historian as being extravagant.
Al-Amin had appealed to his mother, Zubaida, to arbitrate the succession and champion his cause as Aisha had done two centuries before. Zubaida refused to do so.
Notes
- ↑ Tabari and Bosworth, page 36.
- ↑ Al-Tabari (trans. & ed. Michael Fishbein), "The War Between Brothers (History of al-Tabari, vol. XXXI)" Suny Press (1992) ISBN 0791410854
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ Al-Tabari (trans. & ed. Michael Fishbein), "The War Between Brothers (History of al-Tabari, vol. XXXI)" Suny Press (1992) ISBN 0791410854
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ Al-Tabari (trans. & ed. Michael Fishbein), "The War Between Brothers (History of al-Tabari, vol. XXXI)" Suny Press (1992) ISBN 0791410854
- ↑ The Armies of the Caliphs: Military and Society in the Early Islamic State by Hugh N. Kennedy Published by Routledge, 2001,ISBN 0415250927,p.109
- ↑ Al-Tabari (trans. & ed. Michael Fishbein), "The War Between Brothers (History of al-Tabari, vol. XXXI)" Suny Press (1992) ISBN 0791410854
- ↑ Al-Tabari (trans. & ed. Michael Fishbein), "The War Between Brothers (History of al-Tabari, vol. XXXI)" Suny Press (1992) ISBN 0791410854, pp. 197–202
- ↑ Bernard Lewis, Race and Color in Islam (1979)
- ↑ See for example Ṭabarī and Fishbein, page 128.
Bibliography
- Muir, William. 1924. The Caliphate: its rise, decline and fall: from orig. sources. Edinburgh, UK: Grant. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
* Muir, William. 2000. The Caliphate: its rise, decline, and fall. Orientalism : early sources, v.3. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780415209014.
- Tabarī, and Clifford Edmund Bosworth. 1987. The reunification of the ʻAbbāsid Caliphate. SUNY series in Near Eastern studies. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780887060588.
- Ṭabarī, and Michael Fishbein. 1992. The war between brothers. SUNY series in Near Eastern studies. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791410851.
| Abbasid Born: 787; Died: 813 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sunni Islam titles | ||
| Preceded by: Harun al-Rashid |
Caliph of Islam 809 – 813 |
Succeeded by: Al-Ma'mun |
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