Hamdan ibn Hamdun ibn al-Harith al-Taghlibi (fl. 868–895) was a Taghlibi Arab chieftain in the Jazira, and the patriarch of the Hamdanid dynasty. Alongside other Arab chieftains of the area, he resisted the attempts at re-imposition of Abbasid control over the Jazira in the 880s, and joined the Kharijite Rebellion. He was finally defeated and captured by Caliph al-Mu'tadid in 895, but was later released as a reward for the distinguished services of his son Husayn to the Caliph.
Life
Family tree of the Hamdanid dynasty
His family belonged to the Banu Taghlib tribe, established in the Jazira since before the Muslim conquests. The tribe was particularly strong in the region of Mosul, and came to dominate the area during the decade-long Anarchy at Samarra (861–870), when the Taghlibi leaders took advantage of the collapse of the authority of the central Abbasid government to assert their autonomy.[1] Hamdan himself appears for the first time in 868, fighting alongside other Taghlibis against the Kharijite Rebellion in the Jazira.[2]
In 879, however, the Abbasid government, in an effort to restore its control, replaced the succession of Tahglibi chieftains as governors of Mosul by a Turkish commander, Ishaq ibn Kundajiq. This prompted the defection of the Taghlib chiefs, including Hamdan ibn Hamdun, to the Kharijite rebels.[2][3] Hamdan became a prominent leader in the rebellion; thus he is mentioned—with the Kharijite sobriquet of "al-Shari"—among the Kharijite and Arab tribal leaders in the great victory won by Ibn Kundajiq in April/May 881, when the rebel army was routed and pursued to Nisibis and Amid.[2][4]
In 892, a new Caliph, al-Mu'tadid, took the throne, determined to restore Abbasid control over the Jazira. In a series of campaigns, he achieved the submission of most local potentates, but Hamdan offered tenacious opposition. Holding the fortresses of Maridin and Ardamusht (near modern Cizre), and allied with the Kurdish tribes of the mountains north of the Jaziran plain, he held out until 895. In that year, the Caliph took first Mardin and then Ardamusht, which was yielded by Hamdan's son Husayn. Hamdan fled before the caliphal army, but after an "epic chase" (H. Kennedy), finally gave up and surrendered himself at Mosul and was thrown in prison.[2][3]
As H. Kennedy comments, "this surrender might have seemed the end of the family fortunes as it was for other local leaders in the area", but Hamdan's son Husayn managed to preserve the family's fortunes. Husayn entered the Caliph's service and was instrumental in ending the Kharijite Rebellion and capturing its leader, Harun al-Shari. He was rewarded by the grateful Mu'tadid with a pardon for his father and the right to raise and command his own corps of Taghlibi horse, which he led on several expeditions over the next few years, becoming one of the Caliphate's most prominent commanders. His influence enabled him to become, in Kennedy's description, the "intermediary between government and the Arabs and Kurds of the Jazira", thereby cementing the family's dominance in the area and laying the foundation for the rise of the Hamdanid dynasty to power under his two grandsons, Nasir al-Dawla and Sayf al-Dawla.[5][6]
Fields, Philip M., ed. (1987). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXXVII: The ʿAbbāsid Recovery: The War Against the Zanj Ends, A.D. 879–893/A.H. 266–279. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN978-0-88706-054-0.
Kennedy, Hugh N. (2004). The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates: The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century (Second ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Ltd. ISBN978-0-582-40525-7.
March 05, 2023
hamdan, hamdun, harith, taghlibi, taghlibi, arab, chieftain, jazira, patriarch, hamdanid, dynasty, alongside, other, arab, chieftains, area, resisted, attempts, imposition, abbasid, control, over, jazira, 880s, joined, kharijite, rebellion, finally, defeated, . Hamdan ibn Hamdun ibn al Harith al Taghlibi fl 868 895 was a Taghlibi Arab chieftain in the Jazira and the patriarch of the Hamdanid dynasty Alongside other Arab chieftains of the area he resisted the attempts at re imposition of Abbasid control over the Jazira in the 880s and joined the Kharijite Rebellion He was finally defeated and captured by Caliph al Mu tadid in 895 but was later released as a reward for the distinguished services of his son Husayn to the Caliph Life Edit Family tree of the Hamdanid dynasty His family belonged to the Banu Taghlib tribe established in the Jazira since before the Muslim conquests The tribe was particularly strong in the region of Mosul and came to dominate the area during the decade long Anarchy at Samarra 861 870 when the Taghlibi leaders took advantage of the collapse of the authority of the central Abbasid government to assert their autonomy 1 Hamdan himself appears for the first time in 868 fighting alongside other Taghlibis against the Kharijite Rebellion in the Jazira 2 In 879 however the Abbasid government in an effort to restore its control replaced the succession of Tahglibi chieftains as governors of Mosul by a Turkish commander Ishaq ibn Kundajiq This prompted the defection of the Taghlib chiefs including Hamdan ibn Hamdun to the Kharijite rebels 2 3 Hamdan became a prominent leader in the rebellion thus he is mentioned with the Kharijite sobriquet of al Shari among the Kharijite and Arab tribal leaders in the great victory won by Ibn Kundajiq in April May 881 when the rebel army was routed and pursued to Nisibis and Amid 2 4 Map of the Jazira Upper Mesopotamia In 892 a new Caliph al Mu tadid took the throne determined to restore Abbasid control over the Jazira In a series of campaigns he achieved the submission of most local potentates but Hamdan offered tenacious opposition Holding the fortresses of Maridin and Ardamusht near modern Cizre and allied with the Kurdish tribes of the mountains north of the Jaziran plain he held out until 895 In that year the Caliph took first Mardin and then Ardamusht which was yielded by Hamdan s son Husayn Hamdan fled before the caliphal army but after an epic chase H Kennedy finally gave up and surrendered himself at Mosul and was thrown in prison 2 3 As H Kennedy comments this surrender might have seemed the end of the family fortunes as it was for other local leaders in the area but Hamdan s son Husayn managed to preserve the family s fortunes Husayn entered the Caliph s service and was instrumental in ending the Kharijite Rebellion and capturing its leader Harun al Shari He was rewarded by the grateful Mu tadid with a pardon for his father and the right to raise and command his own corps of Taghlibi horse which he led on several expeditions over the next few years becoming one of the Caliphate s most prominent commanders His influence enabled him to become in Kennedy s description the intermediary between government and the Arabs and Kurds of the Jazira thereby cementing the family s dominance in the area and laying the foundation for the rise of the Hamdanid dynasty to power under his two grandsons Nasir al Dawla and Sayf al Dawla 5 6 References Edit Kennedy 2004 pp 265 266 a b c d Canard 1971 p 126 a b Kennedy 2004 p 266 Fields 1987 p 50 Canard 1971 pp 126ff Kennedy 2004 pp 266ff Sources EditCanard Marius 1971 Ḥamdanids In Lewis B Menage V L Pellat Ch amp Schacht J eds The Encyclopaedia of Islam Second Edition Volume III H Iram Leiden E J Brill pp 126 131 OCLC 495469525 Fields Philip M ed 1987 The History of al Ṭabari Volume XXXVII The ʿAbbasid Recovery The War Against the Zanj Ends A D 879 893 A H 266 279 SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies Albany New York State University of New York Press ISBN 978 0 88706 054 0 Kennedy Hugh N 2004 The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates The Islamic Near East from the 6th to the 11th Century Second ed Harlow UK Pearson Education Ltd ISBN 978 0 582 40525 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hamdan ibn Hamdun amp oldid 1138750258, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
