The Origins of the Islamic State/Part 2/Chapter 9

by Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá al-Balādhurī

CHAPTER IX

Ḥimṣ

The inhabitants capitulate. ʿAbbâs ibn-Hishâm from abu-Mikhnaf:—When abu-ʿUbaidah was through with Damascus, he sent ahead of him Khâlid ibn-al-Walîd and Milḥân ibn-Zaiyâr aṭ-Ṭâʾi and then he followed them. When they met in Ḥimṣ [Emesa],^[1] the people of the city resisted them, but finally sought refuge in the city and asked for safety and capitulation. They capitulated to abu-ʿUbaidah agreeing to pay 170,000 dînârs.^[2]

As-Simṭ captures Ḥimṣ. According to al-Wâḳidi and others, as the Moslems stood at the gates of Damascus there appeared a dense band of the enemy's horsemen. The troops of the Moslems set out and met them between Bait-Lihya and ath-Thanîyah. The enemy was defeated and took to flight in the direction of Ḥimṣ via Ḳâra. The Moslems pursued them to Ḥimṣ but found that they had turned away from it. The people of Ḥimṣ saw the Moslems and, being scared because Heraclius had run away from them and because of what they heard regarding the Moslems' power, valor and victory, they submitted and hastened to seek the promise of security. The Moslems guaranteed their safety and refrained from killing them. The people of Ḥimṣ offered them food for their animals and for themselves and the Moslems camped on the Orontes [al-Urunṭ, or al-Urund] (the river which empties its water in the sea near Antioch). The commander of the Moslems at that time was as-Simṭ ibn-al-Aswad al-Kindi.

When abu-ʿUbaidah was through with Damascus, he left over it in his place Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân, came to Ḥimṣ via Baʿlabakk, and encamped at the Rastan gate. The people of Ḥimṣ capitulated, and he guaranteed the safety of their lives, possessions, city-wall, churches, and wells excluding one-fourth of St. John's Church which was to be turned into a mosque. He made it a condition on those of them who would not embrace Islâm to pay kharâj.^[3]

According to certain reports, it was as-Simṭ ibn-al-Aswad al-Kindi who made the terms with the people of Ḥimṣ. When abu-ʿUbaidah arrived, he caused the terms to take effect. As-Simṭ divided the city into lots, each marked for one Moslem to build his house. He also made them settle in every place whose occupants had evacuated it and in every yard that was deserted.

The terms with Ḥamâh, Shaizar, Fâmiyah and other places. Abu-Ḥafṣ ad-Dimashḳi from Saʿîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz:—When abu-ʿUbaidah ibn-al-Jarrâḥ effected the conquest of Damascus, he left over it as his lieutenant Yazîd ibn-abi-Sufyân; over the province of Palestine, ʿAmr ibn-al-ʿÂṣi; and over the province of the Jordan, Shuraḥbîl. He then advanced to Ḥimṣ whose people capitulated on the same terms as those of Baʿlabakk. Leaving over Ḥimṣ ʿUbâdah ibn-aṣ-Ṣâmit al-Anṣâri, he pushed towards Ḥamâh [Epiphania] whose people met him offering their submission. He made terms with them, stipulating that they pay tax on their heads and kharâj on their land. Thence he proceeded towards Shaizar. The people of Shaizar [Larissa] went out to meet him bowing^[4] before him and accompanied by players on the tambourines and singers. They agreed to terms similar to those made with the people of Ḥamâh. Abu-ʿUbaidah's horsemen reached as far as az-Zarrâʿah and al-Ḳasṭal. He then passed through Maʿarrat Ḥimṣ [Maʿarrat an-Nuʿmân] which was named after an-Nuʿmân ibn-Bashîr.^[5] Its people came out playing on tambourines and singing before him. Thence he came to Fâmiyah whose people met him in the same way and consented to pay poll-tax and kharâj. Thus was the question of Ḥimṣ brought to an end, and Ḥimṣ and Ḳinnasrîn became parts of one whole.^[6]

The "Junds" and "ʿAwâṣim." There is a disagreement regarding the name "Jund"^[7] [as applied to the military districts of Syria]. According to some, Palestine was called "Jund" by the Moslems because it was a collection of many provinces, and so was each of Damascus, Jordan, Ḥimṣ and Ḳinnasrîn. According to others, each district which had an army that received its monthly allowance in it was called "Jund." Thus Mesopotamia belonged to Ḳinnasrîn; but ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân made it a separate "Jund," that is, made its army take its allowance from its kharâj. ʿAbd-al-Malik was asked to do so by Muḥammad ibn-Marwân. own to the time of Yazîd ibn-Muʿâwiyah, Ḳinnasrîn and its districts were included in the province of Ḥimṣ; but Yazîd constituted Kinnasrîn, Antioch, Manbij and their districts as one "Jund." When ar-Rashîd Hârûn ibn-al-Mahdi was made caliph, he set Ḳinnasrîn apart and made of it and its districts one "Jund." He also separated Manbij, Dulûk, Raʿbân, Ḳûrus, Antioch and Tîzîn and called them "al-ʿAwâṣim"^[8] because these were the cities to which the Moslems resorted after making an invasion and leaving the frontier cities, and where they were safe and protected. The chief city of "al-ʿAwâṣim " he made Manbij [Hierapolis]. In this city ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Ṣâliḥ ibn-ʿAli lived in the year 173 and erected many buildings.

Al-Lâdhiḳîyah entered. Abu-Ḥafṣ ad-Dimashḳi from Saʿîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz, and Mûsa ibn-Ibrâhîm at-Tanûkhi from certain sheikhs of Ḥimṣ:—Abu-ʿUbaidah appointed in his place over Ḥimṣ ʿUbâdah ibn-aṣ-Ṣâmit al-Anṣâri who left for al-Lâdhiḳîyah.^[9] Its people resisted him and the city had a massive gate that could be opened only by a number of men. Seeing how difficult it was to reduce the city, ʿUbâdah encamped at a distance from it and ordered that trenches like canals be dug, each one large enough to conceal a man with his horse. The Moslems made special effort and got the work done. They then pretended to be returning to Ḥimṣ; but no sooner had the night fallen with its darkness, than they returned to their camp and trenches, while the people of al-Lâdhiḳîyah were negligent of them being under the impression that the Moslems had left them. Early in the morning, they opened their gate and drove forth their cattle; but how terrified they were to meet the Moslems and see them enter through the gate! Thus was the city taken by force. ʿUbâdah entered the fort and then climbed its wall and called "Allah is great" etc. Certain Christians of al-Lâdhiḳîyah fled to al-Yusaiyid, and later sought to surrender, agreeing to return to their lands. They were assigned to lands, and a fixed kharâj^[10] was assessed to be paid by them every year whether they should increase or decrease in number. Their church was left for them. The Moslems, following the order of ʿUbâdah, erected in al-Ladhikiyah a cathedral mosque that was later enlarged.

Al-Lâdhiḳîyah destroyed and rebuilt. In the year 100, when ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz was caliph, the Greeks made a descent by sea on the coast of al-Lâdhiḳîyah. They destroyed the city and took its inhabitants prisoners. ʿUmar ordered that it be rebuilt and fortified and asked the [Greek] "tyrant"^[11] to accept ransom for the Moslem prisoners. But this was not carried out till after his death in the year 101. The city was completed and garrisoned by the order of Yazîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik.

According to a tradition communicated by one from al-Lâdhiḳîyah, ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz fortified the city and finished its work before he died. All what Yazîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik did was to repair the city and increase its garrison.

Baldah taken by assault. Abu-Ḥafṣ ad-Dimashḳi from Saʿîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz and Saʿîd ibn-Sulaimân al-Ḥimṣi: ʿUbâdah with the Moslems appeared at the coast and took by assault a city called Baldah lying two parasangs from Jabalah. The city was later destroyed and its inhabitants evacuated it. Jabalah, which was a fortification for the Greeks and was deserted by them when the Moslems conquered Ḥimṣ, was established by Muʿâwiyah ibn-abi-Sufyân and guarded by a garrison.

The fort of Jabalah. Sufyân ibn-Muḥammad al-Bahrâni from certain sheikhs:—Muʿâwiyah erected for Jabalah^[12] a fort outside the older Greek fort which was now inhabited by monks and others devoted to religious exercises.

Anṭarṭûs reduced. Sufyân ibn-Muḥammad from his father and sheikhs:—ʿUbâdah with the Moslems conquered Anṭarṭûs [Tortosa] which was a fortified town and which was evacuated by its holders. Muʿâwiyah built Anṭarṭûs and fortified it^[13] giving the fiefs to the holders of the fort. The same thing he did with Maraḳîyah and Bulunyâs.

Guards stationed in the littoral towns. Abu-Ḥafṣ ad-Dimashḳi from his sheikhs:—Abu-ʿUbaidah effected the conquest of al-Lâdhiḳîyah, Jabalah and Anṭarṭûs through ʿUbâdah ibn-aṣ-Ṣâmit and used to put them in charge of a guard until the time in which the sea was closed.^[14] When Muʿâwiyah stationed garrisons in the coast cities and fortified them, he put garrisons in, and fortified these cities, too, and treated them as the other littoral towns.

Salamyah. It was reported to me by a sheikh from Ḥimṣ that close to Salamyah [Salaminias] lay a city called Muʾtakifah which one day was completely destroyed by an earthquake and only one hundred of its inhabitants survived. The survivors erected one hundred houses and lived in them. This new settlement was called Silm Miʾah^[15] which name was corrupted into Salamyah. Later there came to this place Ṣâliḥ ibn-ʿAli ibn-ʿAbdallâh ibn-ʿAbbâs, fortified it and lived in it with his sons. Many of his descendants still have their abode in it. According to ibn-Sahm al-Anṭâki, however, Salamyah is an ancient Greek name.

Marwân destroys the wall of Himṣ. I was told by Muḥammad ibn-Muṣaffa-l-Ḥimṣi that the wall of Ḥimṣ was destroyed by Marwân ibn-Muḥammad, because in his retreat before the people of Khurâsân, he passed by the people of Ḥimṣ, who had broken off from their allegiance, and they carried away some of his baggage, property and armories.

Al-Faḍl ibn-Ḳârin and Mûsa ibn-Bugha as governors of Ḥimṣ. The city of Ḥimṣ had stones for pavement. In the days of Aḥmad ibn-Muḥammad ibn-abi-Isḥâḳ al-Muʿtaṣim-Billâh, the people rose against his ʿâmil over them, al-Faḍl ibn-Ḳârin aṭ-Ṭabari, a brother of Mayazdiyâr ibn-Ḳârin,^[16] and in accordance with his orders the pavement was removed. They rebelled again, repaved the city and fought against al-Faḍl ibn-Ḳârin until they worsted him. After robbing him of his money and wives, they put him to death and crucified him. Al-Muʿtaṣim directed against them Mûsa ibn-Bugha-l-Kabîr [the Elder] his freedman, and the inhabitants including a large number of Christians and Jews, fought against him. After a fearful slaughter, Mûsa put the survivors to flight, pursued them to the city and entered it by force. This took place in the year 250.

Ḥimṣ is the seat of a large granary that receives wheat and oil from the cities of the coast and other places that were given out as fiefs for their holders and recorded for them as such in special record books.

Footnotes

1. Yâḳût, vol. ii, p. 335; Skizzen, vol. vi, p. 60.
2. Yaʿḳûbi, vol. ii, p. 160.
3. Nöldeke, ZDMG, vol. xxix, p. 76 seq; Caetani, vol. iii, p. 432, note 2.
4. Ar. kaffara; see GGA, 1863, p. 1348; Kashshâf, vol. i, p. 22.
5. Yâḳût, al-Mushtarik, p. 401.
6. Cf. Caetani, vol. iii, p. 790, line 7.
7. The same word is commonly used for "troops".
8. Zaidân, vol. i, p. 153; the word means "those that give protection."
9. Laodicea; Yâḳût, vol. iv, p. 338.
10. Kharâj muḳâṭaʿah. See Berchem, La Propriété Territorial, p. 45.
11. Ar. ṭâghıyah, an appellation of the Byzantine emperor used by the Arabian writers.
12. Gabala, Gibellus Major, or Zibel; Le Strange, pp. 459–460.
13. Yâḳût, vol. i, p. 388.
14. The guard was posted in them so long as the sea was open for navigation, i. e., until winter time.
15. "The safety of one hundred."
16. Cf. Athîr, vol. vii, p. 88.