To,
Amir al-Muminin
Respectfully, I beg to state that I
am writing this letter in such a situation that Ali bin Isa's head is lying
before me, his ring is on my finger and his army is under my command.
The letter took three days to reach
Fadal bin Sahal in Merv. He carried it to Mamoon and congratulated him on his
victory and the officials of his government saluted him as the Amir al-Muminin.
After two days Ali's head also arrived which was taken around the country and
shown to the people.
When Baghdad received the news of
Ali bin Isa's death, Ameen gave an army of 20,000 men to Abdur Rahman bin
Jablah Ambari to fight with Tahir. Ambari was bestowed with the letter of
governorship of Hamadan and Khorasan urging him to go, capture and form his
government. Abdur Rahman bin jablah arrived at Hamadan and besieged its fort.
When Tahir received the news, he took his army and marched towards Hamadan.
Abdur Rahman Jablah left Hamadan to fight him. In the very first assault, Tahir
defeated and forced them to flee. Abdur Rahman went back to Hamadan and made
preparations to fight again, they clashed and Abdur Rahman's forces suffered
defeat again and he entered Hamadan and took refuge their. Tahir moved forward
and encircled the city and the siege became prolonged. During this period, Tahir
conquered Qazwin making its administrators flee. The prolongation of the siege
caused great inconvenience to the civilians and Abdur Rahman apprehended a
night attack by the civilians themselves. He begged Tahir to grant him pardon
and safety. Tahir granted it and brought Hamadan under his control. Tahir's
granting Abdur Rahman pardon and safety allowed Abdur Rahman to live in Hamadan
freely. One day Abdur Rahman found an opportunity, collected his men and
launched a sudden attack on Tahir when he was off his guard. Tahir defeated and
killed Abdur Rahman. His companions who survived fled and met Huraishi's sons,
Abdullah and Ahmad who were coming from Baghdad to help him. Both were overawed
at the prospect of fighting Tahir and they returned and went back to Baghdad
without fighting. Tahir began to conquer city after city. He reached Halwan and
made fortifications and had trenches dug. After these conquests, Mamoon made a
proclamation that the oath for caliphate should be taken in every city and his
name should be mentioned in the Friday sermon. It was at this point that he
appointed Fadal bin Sahal as his Prime Minister. Under Fadal bin Sahal, Ali bin
Hisham was made the Defense Minister and Naim bin Khazim Finance Minister and
superintendent of the office of letters and composition. Fadal bin Sahal's
brother Hasan bin Sahal, was made an officer in the Ministry of Taxes.
Disturbances
in Caliph Ameen's Government
When Baghdad received the news of
Abdur Rahman bin Jablah's death while fighting with Tahir, there was an uproar
in the city. The Caliph called Asad bin Yazid bin Mizyad and sent him to
confront Tahir. Asad bin Yazid said to him, "Please give my army salaries
for a year in advance in addition to arms and equipment and promise that you
will leave under our control any of the countries we capture. Give me veteran
and brave fighters sorting out the weak ones." Ameen flew into a rage when
he heard these conditions and sent him to jail. Then he sent for Abdullah bin
Humaid bin Qahtabah and asked him to go and fight with Tahir. He also laid down
similar conditions. He was also punished. Then Ameen called Asad bin Yazid's
uncle Ahmad bin Mizyad and begged him to excuse him for imprisoning Asad and
asked him to face Tahir. Ahmad bin Mizyad recommended to him to release Asad
and he was freed. Ahmad bin Mizyad then left Baghdad with 20,000 fighters.
Seeing this, Abdullah bin Humaid bin Qahtabah expressed his willingness to go
fight with another 20,000 soldiers. Both set out for Halwān together. They both
camped at Khafeqeen near Halwān with their forces. Tahir learned of their
position and he also arrived there with his army. He spread his spies among the
Baghdad army in disguise and they spread the rumors that the treasury in
Baghdad had become empty and the soldiers were going without salary. The
soldiers began looting whatever they could. This created confusion and anarchy.
Some of the spies contradicted the rumor while others confirmed it. The
situation deteriorated and there was dissension and quarrels among the troops
and they returned to Baghdad without fighting. Tahir moved forward and occupied
Halwān. Meanwhile Harsimah bin Ayun came to Tahir at Halwan with a huge army
and letter from Mamoon from Rayy. The letter said:
"You must hand over all the
territory you have conquered to Harsimah and march towards Ahwāz."
Tahir complied and marched to Ahwāz
with the army.
Deposition
and Appointments of Caliph Ameen
It has been stated above that Caliph
Haroon Rasheed had imprisoned Abdul Malik bin Saleh for his complicity with the
Barmuk family. Immediately after assuming power, Ameen set him free. When the
Baghdad armies began to suffer repeated defeats at the hands of Tahir, Abdul
Malik bin Saleh went to the Caliph's court and said, "The Syrians and not
the Iraqis should be sent to fight with the Khorasanis for they can fight more
valiantly and I stand surety to their obedience and loyalty." Caliph Ameen
gave him the letter of governorship for Syria and Jazirah and sent him there.
He reached Riqqa and entered into correspondence with the nobles of Syria and
formed a large army of Syrians. Husain bin Ali bin Isa was also with Abdul
Malik heading the part of the army that consisted of Khorasanis. Abdul Malik
fell ill and died during this period. A civil war broke out between the Syrians
and the Khorasanis. The Syrians proceeded towards their homes. Husain bin Ali
bin Isa took the Khorasani army with him and went to Baghdad. The civilians and
the nobility of Baghdad welcomed him. Ameen called him to his court at night
but Husain refused to go. The next morning having persuaded his men to depose
Ameen, he came to the bridge leading into the city. There was a confrontation
with Ameen's army, which was defeated. Husain bin Ali attacked the Caliph's
palace, arrested Ameen and his mother Zubaidah Khatoon and imprisoned them in
Mansoor's palace and took the oath from the people for Mamoon's caliphate. The
next day they demanded their daily allowances but they did not receive as much
as they required and that began gossip among the people. Slowly and gradually,
the inhabitants of Baghdad began to express their sorrow at Ameen's deposition
and arrest. They united and clashed with Husain bin Ali bin Isa. Husain bin Ali
bin Isa fought a very fierce battle with them in which Husain bin Ali bin Isa
was defeated and captured. The citizens went to Mansoor's palace and freed
Ameen and Zubaidah Khatoon. They had Ameen sit on the throne of the Caliphate
and took the oath with him again and they brought Husain in chains before
Ameen. Ameen reproached him and then pardoned him and said to him, "Make
amends for your mistake by going to fight with Tahir and defeat him and gain
respect and fame." He was then invested with a robe of honor and sent off
with great respect. The civilians of Baghdad accompanied him to the bridge
congratulating him. When the crowd thinned, Husain crossed the bridge and ran
away announcing that he was still a rebel. Ameen sent some cavalry after him.
They caught him at a distance of three miles from Baghdad and after a light skirmish
he was killed. His head was cut off and brought to Ameen. This occurred on 15
Rajab 196 A.H. The same day Fadal bin Rabi who was Ameen's Prime Minister,
disappeared mysteriously and no one knew his whereabouts. Ameen was very
worried over Fadal bin Rabi's disappearance and betrayal.
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