Ali ibn Hamdun al-Andalusi was an early adherent of Isma'ilism and of the Fatimid Caliphate. He was the founder and governor of the city of M'Sila, and the progenitor of a line of governors and generals in the service of the Fatimid and Umayyad rulers.
Ali was born with the name Tha'laba, to a family descending from Abd al-Hamid al-Judhami, a member of the Syrian regiments of the Umayyad Caliphate who had settled in al-Andalus, in the region of Alcalá la Real. Ali's father, Hamdun, had moved the family to Béjaïa in what is now northeastern Algeria, where the family acquired the Nisba of al-Andalusi.[1]
In 900, Ali decided to go on the Hajj pilgrimage, but on the way, as he was passing through the lands of the KutamaBerbers, he was impressed by the Isma'ili message being propagated by Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i. He stayed there, married a Kutama woman named Maymuna bint Alaham al-Jili, and changed his name from Tha'laba to Ali.[2] After the establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate in 909, he became one of the closest advisors of the new caliph, Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah.[1] In 924, during the campaign by al-Mahdi's heir-apparent, al-Qa'im against the Zenata Berbers, Ali was given the task of establishing a new city on the plain between the Hodna Mountains and the Chott el Hodna lake. Named al-Muhammadiya (modern M'Sila) after al-Qa'im, it was meant to cement Fatimid control over the area, as well as a base from which to cultivate the once rich Hodna plain.[3]
Ali and his family settled in the new city, becoming its governors and assuming, in the words of the historian Heinz Halm, "the role of margraves" at the southwestern extremity of the Fatimid territory against the Zenata.[1][3] Ali ibn Hamdun remained loyal to the Fatimid cause during the great revolt of Abu Yazid (944–947). In late 945, Hamdun led his men towards Béja, but was defeated and mortally wounded in battle against Abu Yazid's son, Ayyub.[4][5]
Hamdun was succeeded by his son, Ja'far,[6] who along with his brother Yahya played a major role in the conflict between the Fatimids and the UmayyadCaliphate of Córdoba in subsequent decades, defecting to the latter in 971.[7]
Halm, Heinz (1991). Das Reich des Mahdi: Der Aufstieg der Fatimiden [The Empire of the Mahdi: The Rise of the Fatimids] (in German). Munich: C. H. Beck. ISBN978-3-406-35497-7.
Manzano, Eduardo (2019). La corte del califa: Cuatro años en la Córdoba de los omeyas [The Court of the Caliph: Four Years in Umayyad Córdoba] (in Spanish). Barcelona: Editorial Crítica. ISBN978-8-49199028-4.
Further readingedit
Canard, Marius (1957). "Une famille de partisans puis d'adversaires des Fatimides en Afrique du Nord". Mélanges d'histoire et d'archéologie de l'Occident musulman (in French). Vol. II. pp. 33–49.
March 20, 2024
hamdun, andalusi, early, adherent, isma, ilism, fatimid, caliphate, founder, governor, city, sila, progenitor, line, governors, generals, service, fatimid, umayyad, rulers, contents, life, references, sources, further, readinglife, editali, born, with, name, l. Ali ibn Hamdun al Andalusi was an early adherent of Isma ilism and of the Fatimid Caliphate He was the founder and governor of the city of M Sila and the progenitor of a line of governors and generals in the service of the Fatimid and Umayyad rulers Contents 1 Life 2 References 3 Sources 4 Further readingLife editAli was born with the name Tha laba to a family descending from Abd al Hamid al Judhami a member of the Syrian regiments of the Umayyad Caliphate who had settled in al Andalus in the region of Alcala la Real Ali s father Hamdun had moved the family to Bejaia in what is now northeastern Algeria where the family acquired the Nisba of al Andalusi 1 In 900 Ali decided to go on the Hajj pilgrimage but on the way as he was passing through the lands of the Kutama Berbers he was impressed by the Isma ili message being propagated by Abu Abdallah al Shi i He stayed there married a Kutama woman named Maymuna bint Alaham al Jili and changed his name from Tha laba to Ali 2 After the establishment of the Fatimid Caliphate in 909 he became one of the closest advisors of the new caliph Abd Allah al Mahdi Billah 1 In 924 during the campaign by al Mahdi s heir apparent al Qa im against the Zenata Berbers Ali was given the task of establishing a new city on the plain between the Hodna Mountains and the Chott el Hodna lake Named al Muhammadiya modern M Sila after al Qa im it was meant to cement Fatimid control over the area as well as a base from which to cultivate the once rich Hodna plain 3 Ali and his family settled in the new city becoming its governors and assuming in the words of the historian Heinz Halm the role of margraves at the southwestern extremity of the Fatimid territory against the Zenata 1 3 Ali ibn Hamdun remained loyal to the Fatimid cause during the great revolt of Abu Yazid 944 947 In late 945 Hamdun led his men towards Beja but was defeated and mortally wounded in battle against Abu Yazid s son Ayyub 4 5 Hamdun was succeeded by his son Ja far 6 who along with his brother Yahya played a major role in the conflict between the Fatimids and the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba in subsequent decades defecting to the latter in 971 7 References edit a b c Manzano 2019 p 166 Manzano 2019 pp 166 167 a b Halm 1991 p 242 Manzano 2019 pp 166 167 Halm 1991 p 275 Manzano 2019 p 167 Manzano 2019 pp 83 86 167 171 176 198 199 Sources editHalm Heinz 1991 Das Reich des Mahdi Der Aufstieg der Fatimiden The Empire of the Mahdi The Rise of the Fatimids in German Munich C H Beck ISBN 978 3 406 35497 7 Manzano Eduardo 2019 La corte del califa Cuatro anos en la Cordoba de los omeyas The Court of the Caliph Four Years in Umayyad Cordoba in Spanish Barcelona Editorial Critica ISBN 978 8 49199028 4 Further reading editCanard Marius 1957 Une famille de partisans puis d adversaires des Fatimides en Afrique du Nord Melanges d histoire et d archeologie de l Occident musulman in French Vol II pp 33 49 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ali ibn Hamdun al Andalusi amp oldid 1191581888, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
