Table Of ContentTRANSLATED BY EVERETT K. ROWSON
The Marwanid Restoration
Volume XXII
Translated by Everett K. Rowson
This volume chronicles the history of the Islamic state in
the years A. H. 74-81 (A. D. 693-701), after the final
defeat of Ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca put an end to twelve
years of civil war and reunited the empire under the rule
of the Marwanid caliph CAbd al-Malik. Syria and the
Hijaz enjoyed a period of relative peace during this time,
and stability and consolidation were furthered by such
basic administrative reforms as the institution of an
official Islamic coinage. Pacification of Iraq, where
Kharijite rebel bands still roamed and mutiny was
spreading among the government forces, was entrusted
by cAbd al-Malik to the victorious general al-Hajjaj b.
Yusuf. Al-Tabari gives a detailed account of this iron-
fisted governor's administration, concentrating on his
war against the redoubtable Shabib b. Yazid, a Kharijite
guerilla leader with a band of a few hundred men who
held out against all odds and twice even entered the
capital at al-Kufah and prayed in its mosque. Vivid
eyewitness reports from participants on both sides of
this conflict provide a valuable picture of Arab life in Iraq
at this time, as well as evidence for the ideology of the
Kharijites and the sources of discontent in the wider
society.
Attention is also given to developments in the frontier
provinces of the east, eventually also placed under the
authority of al-Hajjaj. In Khurasan, the vicious tribal
feuds that had interrupted the policy of continued
conquest were gradually resolved and campaigning
resumed. In Sijistan, a crushing defeat of Arab troops led
al-Hajjaj to outfit the "Peacock Army," a force of
unprecedented size and impressiveness, which, when it
rebelled under its leader, Ibn al-Ashcath, was to offer the
governor the gravest challenge of his career.
SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies
ISBN 0-88706-976-2
Said Amir Arjomand, Editor 90000
9 780887
State University of New York Press
THE HISTORY OF AL -TABARI
AN ANNOTATED TRANSLATION
VOLUME XXII
The Marwanid Restoration
THE CALIPHATE OF `ABD AL-MALIK
A.D. 693 -701/A. H.74-81
1b
The History of al-Tabari
Editorial Board
Ihsan Abbas, University of Jordan, Amman
C. E. Bosworth, The University of Manchester
Jacob Lassner, Wayne State University, Detroit
Franz Rosenthal, Yale University
Ehsan Yar-Shater, Columbia University (General Editor)
SUNY
SERIES IN NEAR EASTERN STUDIES
Said Amir Arjomand, Editor
The general editor acknowledges with gratitude the support
received for the execution of this project from the Division
of Research Programs , Translations Division of the National
Endowment for the Humanities , an independent federal
agency.
Bibliotheca Persica
Edited by Ehsan Yar-Shater
The History of al-Tabari
(Ta'rikh al-rusul wa l-muluk)
VOLUME XXII
The Marwanid Restoration
translated and annotated
by
Everett K. Rowson
Harvard University
State University of New York Press
The preparation of this volume was made possible in part by a
grant from the Division of Research Programs of the National
Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency.
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
0 1989 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without written permission
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.
For information, address State University of New York
Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 12246
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
[Ta'rikh al-rusul wa-al-mulnk.English.Selections]
The Marwinid restoration / translated and annotated by
Everett K. Rowson.
p.cm. - (The history of al-Tabari = Ta'rIkh al-rusul wa'l
-muluk : v. 22) (SUNY series in Near Eastern studies)
(Bibliotheca Persica)
Translation of extracts from: Ta'rikhal-rusul wa-al-muliik.
Bibliography: p. Includes indexes.
ISBN 0-88706-975-4. ISBN o-887o6-976-2 (pbk.)
i. Islamic Empire-History-661-75o. 2. Iraq-History-
634-1534
1. Rowson, Everett K. H. Title. III. Series. IV. Series: Tabari,
838?-923. Ta'rikhal-rusul wa-al-muluk. Englishi v. 22.
V. Series: Bibliothecs Persica (Albany, N.Y.)
DS38.2.T313 1985 vol. 22
[DS38.5 ]
9o9'.I s-dc19
(909'.097671) 88-16086
CIP
10987654321
Preface
THE HISTORY OF PROPHETS AND KINGS (Ta'rlkh al-rusul wa'l-
muluk) by Abu Ja`far Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari (839-923),
here rendered as the History of al-Tabari,is by common consent
the most important universal history produced in the world of
Islam. It has been translated here in its entirety for the first time
for the benefit of non-Arabists, with historical and philological
notes for those interested in the particulars of the text.
Tabari's monumental work explores the history of the ancient
nations, with special emphasis on biblical peoples and prophets,
the legendary and factual history of ancient Iran, and, in great
detail, the rise of Islam, the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and
the history of the Islamic world down to the year 9 15. The first
volume of this translation will contain a biography of al-Tabari
and a discussion of the method, scope, and value of his work. It
will also provide information on some of the technical considera-
tions that have guided the work of the translators.
The History has been divided here into 38 volumes, each of
which covers about two hundred pages of the original Arabic text
in the Leiden edition. An attempt has been made to draw the
dividing lines between the individual volumes in such a way that
each is to some degree independent and can be read as such. The
page numbers of the original in the Leiden edition appear on the
margins of the translated volumes.
Al-Tabari very often quotes his sources verbatim and traces the
chain of transmission (isndd) to an original source. The chains of
transmitters are, for the sake of brevity, rendered by only a dash
vi Preface
(-) between the individual links in the chain. Thus, According to
Ibn Humayd-Salamah-Ibn Ishaq means that al-Tabari received
the report from Ibn Humayd who said that he was told by Sa-
lamah, who said that he was told by Ibn Ishaq, and so on. The
numerous subtle and important differences in the original Arabic
wording have been disregarded.
The table of contents at the beginning of each volume gives a
brief survey of the topics dealt with in that particular volume. It
also includes the headings and subheadings as they appear in al-
Tabari's text, as well as those occasionally introduced by the
translator.
Well-known place names, such as, for instance, Mecca, Bagh-
dad, Jerusalem, Damascus, and the Yemen, are given in their
English spellings. Less common place names, which are the vast
majority, are transliterated. Biblical figures appear in the accepted
English spelling. Iranian names are usually transcribed according
to their Arabic forms, and the presumed Iranian forms are often
discussed in the footnotes.
Technical terms have been translated wherever possible, but
some, such as dirham and imam, have been retained in Arabic
forms. Others that cannot be translated with sufficient precision
have been retained and italicized as well as footnoted.
The annotation aims chiefly at clarifying difficult passages,
identifying individuals and place names, and discussing textual
difficulties. Much leeway has been left to the translators to in-
clude in the footnotes whatever they consider necessary and
helpful.
The bibliographies list all the sources mentioned in the
annotation.
The index in each volume contains all the names of persons
and places referred to in the text, as well as those mentioned in
the notes as far as they refer to the medieval period. It does not
include the names of modem scholars. A general index, it is
hoped, will appear after all the volumes have been published.
For further details concerning the series and acknowledgments,
see Preface to Volume I.
Ehsan Yar-Shater
Contents
10
Preface / v
Abbreviations / ix
Translator's Foreword / xi
The Events of the Year 74 (693/694) / I
The Important Events of This Year / x
Al-Muhallab and the War against the Azraqites / 3
The Reason for the Dismissal of Bukayr and
Appointment of Umayyah / 7
The Events of the Year 75 (694/695) / 12
The Events of This Year / 12
The Revolt of the Bagran Troops against al-Hajjaj / 23
Al-Muhallab and the War against the Azraqites / 25
The Rebellious Activities of $iliti during This Year / 31
The Events of the Year 76 (695/696) / 32
The Events of This Year / 32
The Rebellion of $ilil} b. Musarrili and the Reason for it / 32
Shabib's Entry into al-Kufah and His Dealings with al-Hajjaj
There, and Why Shabib Did This / 44
'Abd al-Malik Reforms the Coinage / 9o
viii Contents
The Events of the Year 77 (696/697) / 93
Shabib Kills 'Attab b. Warga' and Zuhrah b. Hawiyyah / 93
Shabib's Second Entry into al-Kiifah and His Battle
with al-Hajjaj / 107
Account of Shabib's End / 122
Account of Mutarrif's Rebelling and Throwing Off His
Allegiance to 'Abd al-Malik b. Marwan / 128
Account of the Dissension among the Azraqites and the Reason
for Its Breaking Out, until They Came to Ruin / 150
Destruction of the Azraqites / 162
Umayyah b. 'Abdallah Kills Bukayr b. Wishal} in
Khurasan / 165
The Events of the Year 78 (697/698) / 177
The Important Events Occurring in This Year / 177
The Officials Whom al-Hajjaj Appointed in Khurasan and
Sijistan, and Why He Appointed Whom He Did,
with Further Details / 177
The Events of the Year 79 (698/699) / 182
The Important Events of This Year / 182
The Campaign by 'Ubaydallah b. Abi Bakrah in Sijistan / 183
The Events of the Year 8o (699/700) / 187
The Important Events of This Year / 187
AI-Muhallab Attacks Kish / 188
'Abd al-Ral}man b. al-Ash'ath Campaigns in Sijistin / 190
The Events of the Year 81 (700/701) / 196
The Events of This Year / 196
Account of Bal it b. Warga"s Death in Khurisan / 196
Bibliography of Cited Works / 201
Index / 207
Description:This volume chronicles the history of the Islamic state in the years A. H. 74-81 (A. D. 693-701), after the final defeat of Ibn al-Zubayr in Mecca put an end to twelve years of civil war and reunited the empire under the rule of the Marwanid caliph 'Abd al-Malik. Syria and the Hijaz enjoyed a period
