The War of the Two Brothers

HIST 10079/25/13

Barmakids and Succession

• Abu `Abdullah Musa b. Mahdi al-Hadi (r. 785-786)• Yahya b. Khalid, Rabi b. Yunus, and Khayzuran

(mother of al-Hadi and Harun) work to keep Harun in line of succession

• Harun al-Rashid (r. 786-806) – Golden Age of `Abbasid Empire• Was al-Hadi killed?• What about al-Mahdi?

Harun al-Rashid and the Barmakids

• 794 – Harun “invested [Yahya] with the rule of [his] flock.”

• Fadl b. Yahya (766-808) – Harun’s “milk brother,” governor of Khurasan, expert administrator

• Ja`far b. Yahya (767-803) –Barmakid “playboy,” booncompanion of Harun

Why is Harun al-Rashid the Most Famous Caliph?

• 1,001 Nights – adventures of Harun and Ja`far• Western influence

– Barmacide feast – something that looks desirable, but is illusory and disappointing

– Harun al-Roosevelt• Golden Age before Collapse

– What happens after Harun’s reign made contemporary writers look back with rose colored glasses

Harun al-Rashid in Civilization V

Harun as Third Generation or New Traditionalist

• Hajj and Jihad• Caliph as spiritual leader• Caliph as military leader• Darb Zubayda• How does this play out publically?• Ibn al-Mubarak and Harun al-Rashid

Pool at Aqiq (Saudi Arabia), part of Darb Zubayda

al-Raqqa

Fall of the Barmakids

• Why does Harun turn on his number one fans?• `Alid sympathies – Yahya b. `Abdullah• Interest in asserting his own authority• Harem intrigue - Ja`far and Abbasa• 803 – Ja`far beheaded, Yahya and Fadl

arrested

New Succession

• 802 – pilgrimage to Medina and Mecca• Muhammad b. Harun al-Amin – eldest son with

Zubayda, supported by `Abbasid aristocracy• Abu Ja`far `Abdullah b. Harun al-Ma’mun – son

with Marajil, supported by the Barmakids• al-Amin -> al-Ma’mun• al-Ma’mun as independent ruler of Khurasan• Agreement signed and deposited in the sanctuary

at Mecca

Rebellion in Khurasan

• `Ali b. `Isa b. Mahan (d. 812): commander of the guard under al-Mahdi and secretary of the army under Hadi

• 796: Harun replaces Fadl b. Yahya with `Ali b. `Isa as governor of Khurasan

• Local resistance• 806: Open rebellion under Rafi b. al-Layth• 808: Harun travels to Khurasan

Death of Harun al-Rashid

• March 809: Harun al-Rashid dies in Tus (modern Mashhad)

• al-Amin becomes caliph as planned• al-Ma’mun becomes ruler of Khurasan as planned• Slowly tensions build

Shrine of Imam `Ali al-Rida; Mashhad, Iran

Caliphate Divided• al-Ma’mun holds onto tax revenues• al-Amin holds al-Ma’mun’s wife, children, and property

hostage• Fadl b. Rabi pushing to replace al-Ma’mun with Musa b. al-Amin in succession• 810: al-Amin has succession agreement removed from Ka`aba and destroyed

War of the Two Brothers

• al-Amin’s forces– Abna al-dawla– 50,000 trained professional soldiers– Under the leadership of `Ali b. `Isa (for some reason)

• al-Ma’mun’s forces– On the defensive– 3-4,000 volunteer fighters– Dihqans opposed to `Ali b. `Isa– Tahir b. al-Husayn Dhu al-Yaminayn

Battle of Rayy• May 1, 811• Tahir b. al-Husayn refuses to hide in city• al-Ma’mun’s forces outnumbered 10:1• `Ali b. `Isa killed in battle• al-Amin’s forces routed• Rallying point for al-Ma’mun• Tahir quickly crosses Zagros

The Siege of Baghdad

• al-Amin’s supporters are Baghdad elites• Abna and the Bedouin• 812: Tahir reaches Baghdad• Only round city is walled, suburbs are not• Over a year of door to door fighting• “The Naked Ones”

The Death of al-Amin

• al-Amin attempts to escape by boat• Caught by Tahir’s forces• Assumes he will be imprisoned• Tahir beheads al-Amin and displays his body in

the city• Who does this Tahir think he is?

al-Ma’mun

• Victory for the east• Keeps capital in Marw until 819• Declares Shi’ite Imam `Ali al-Rida his successor• Forced back to Baghdad• Has al-Rida killed in Tus• Rise of local rule– Aghlabids – Ifriqiya, 800-909– Tahirids – Khurasan, 821-873

Marw, Turkmenistan

The Tahirids• Tahir b. al-Husayn named governor of the West and head

of the shurta in Baghdad• 821: Tahir given governorship of Khurasan, allowed to name successors• Did Tahir intend to rebel?• Tahirids in Khurasan: 821-873• Tahirids in Baghdad: 813-891

Coin of Tahir b. al-Husayn