The History of al-Tabari Vol. 32: The Reunification of the 'Abbasid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Ma'mun A.D. 813-833/A.H. 198-218

Ṭabarī

SUNY Press, 1987 - History - 281 pages

The 20 years' caliphate of al-Ma'mum began as a stormy period in Middle Eastern history; after the comparatively peaceful reign of his father Harun al-Rashid, the caliphate was plunged into violent civil warfare in both Iraq and Arabia, involving the sons of al-Rashid, 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-Ma'mum'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. Tabari'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-Ma'mum very much alive.

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Contents

• The Caliphate of alMamun: 9
• The spread of the revolt to Mecca under Husayn b Hasan: 19
• Harthamah b Ayans recapture of alKufah and the defeat: 27
• The proclamation in Mecca of the Alid Muhammad b Jafar: 30
• The Events of the Year 201 816817: 46
• The Events of the Year 202 817818 I: 66
• AlMamuns decision to leave Marw and to travel westwards: 78
• Various items of information: 92
• Various appointments to governorships in the outlying part: 106
• Tahir b alHusayns epistle of advice to his son Abdallah: 128
• The Events of the Year 207 822823 I: 130
• Military operations in Azerbaijan against the rebel Babak: 144
• Abdallah b Tahirs march into Egypt to combat: 159
• Anecdote in which Abdallah is cleared of suspected: 169
• The Events of the Year 215 830831 I: 184
• The Events of the Year 218 833834 I: 198
• AlMamuns interrogation at alRaqqah of certain scholars: 204
• The Events of the Year 211 826827 168: 211
• Ishaqs despatch of the remaining recalcitrants to the Caliph: 220
• AlMamuns suspicious attitude towards the Syrians: 233
• AlMamun and Kulthum alAttabi: 253
• texts and translations: 258
• Index: 267

About the author

C. E. Bosworth is former Professor of Arabic at the University of Manchester.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The History of al-Tabari Vol. 32: The Reunification of the 'Abbasid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Ma'mun A.D. 813-833/A.H. 198-218; Bibliotheca Persica; SUNY series in Near Eastern studies; TABARI//HISTORY OF AL-TABARI/TA'RIKH AL-RUSUL WA'L-MULUK; Volume 32 of The History of Al-Ṭabarī: An Annotated Translation, Ehsan Yar-Shater; Volume 32 of The history of al-Ṭabarī; Volume 32 of Tārīkh al-rusul wa-al-mulūk, Ṭabarī; Volume 32 of تاريخ الرسل والملوك, طبري
• Author: Ṭabarī
• Editor: Clifford Edmund Bosworth
• Translated by: Clifford Edmund Bosworth
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: SUNY Press, 1987
• ISBN: 0887060587, 9780887060588
• Length: 281 pages
• Subjects: History / Middle East / General; History / World; Religion / General