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

SUNY Press, Jul 1, 2015 - Religion - 300 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

• AlMamuns decision to leave Marw and to travel westwards: 2
• AlIraq in the Caliphate of alMamun: 5
• The Events of the Year 199 814815: 12
• QalfI Io: 17
• The spread of the revolt to Mecca under Husayn b Hasan: 19
• Harthamah b Ayans recapture of alKtlfah and the defeat: 26
• The Events of the Year 203 818819 84: 29
• alSadiq as Caliph: 30
• The Events of the Year 201 816817: 46
• The breakdown of social order in Baghdad and the movement: 61
• The revolt in alKufah of the Alid alAbbas b Musa alKazim: 69
• Ibrahim b alMahdis arrest and iailing of the vigilante leader: 75
• The death of the Imam Ali alRida alHasan b Sahls nervous: 84
• Various items of information: 97
• Tahir b alHusayns epistle of advice to his son Abdallah: 128
• Abdallah b Tihirs lengthy campaigns against N asr: 144
• AlMamuns execution of the conspirator Ibn Aishah 14 5: 153
• nutll Ubaydallah b alSaris submission to Abdallah b Tahir: 160
• Anecdote in which Abdallih is cleared of suspected: 169
• The Events of the Year 215 830831: 184
• The Events of the Year 218 833834: 198
• AlMamfin and the exigent boon companion from Syria: 241
• texts and translations: 258

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; SUNY series in Near Eastern Studies
• Translated by: C. E. Bosworth
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: SUNY Press, 2015
• ISBN: 0791497208, 9780791497203
• Length: 300 pages
• Subjects: Religion / General