# The Caliphate: Its Rise, Decline, and Fall/Chapter 62

CHAPTER LXII
ABU JAʿFAR AL-MANṢŪR
136–158 A.H. 754–775 A.D.
Abu Jaʿfar Dhuʾl-Ḥijja, 136 A.H. June, 754 A.D.At the death of As-Saffāḥ, Abu Jaʿfar, as we have seen, was on pilgrimage at Mecca. His cousin, ʿĪsa, whom the late Caliph had nominated as second in succession, caused Abu Jaʿfar to be at once proclaimed at Al-Kūfa, and the oath of allegiance was taken accordingly. On receiving tidings of his brother's death, Abu Jaʿfar returned immediately to Al-Kūfa. He inaugurated his succession by leading the prayers in the Great Mosque with the usual address, and then went on to the palace at Al-Anbār. He assumed the name of Al-Manṣūr, the Victorious. He was older than As-Saffāḥ, but was the son of a Berber slave-girl, his brother's mother being of the powerful Yemeni clan, al-Ḥārith ibn Kaʿb.
Rebellion of ʿAbdallah, the Caliph's uncle.Abu Muslim, as already said, was also on pilgrimage with him. ʿAl-Manṣūr, directly on hearing of his brother's death while on the homeward route, sent for him, and told him that he feared the attitude of his uncle ʿAbdallah. Abu Muslim bade him set his mind at ease, promising in the event of ʿAbdallah's rebellion to proceed at once against him. There was ground for the alarm. ʿAbdallah was in command of a powerful force on the border of Asia Minor. His brother, the late Caliph, had promised him the succession in reward for his campaign against Merwān; and so, persuading the army to do homage to him as Caliph, he set siege to Ḥarrān. Al-Manṣūr was the more anxious for the services of Abu Muslim, as there were in his uncle's army 17,000 men of Khorāsān devoted to their old leader. Abu Muslim now marched against ʿAbdallah, who on his ​approach raised the siege, and marched east to Naṣībīn, where he entrenched himself in a strong position; but on his way, fearing the Khorāsānīs just referred to, he cruelly put the whole of them to the sword.Defeated by Abu Muslim, vi. 137 A.H. Nove., 754 A.D. To decoy him from his stronghold, Abu Muslim made as if he would march for Syria; on which the rebel army, mostly Syrians, alarmed for their families, insisted upon following the same course; and then Abu Muslim returning, occupied the deserted vantage-ground. Fighting went on for five months with various success, but in the end, through Abu Muslim's able tactics, the Syrian army was totally discomfited. ʿAbdallah fled, but was eventually placed under charge of his brother Suleimān, governor of Al-Baṣra.
Fall and death of Abu Muslim, 137 A.H. 755 A.D.The thankless Caliph, instead of rewarding a man who had founded, and now had saved, his throne, was bent on his death as one for whom, having served his purpose, he had no further need, and whom he both feared and hated. While yet on the field of battle, the great warrior divined the temper of his master, who, much to his mortification, had sent a courier to take count of the spoil, and bethought him of retiring for safety to Khorāsān. This, in fact, was what the Caliph dreaded; and so with many fair words that he wished to keep him near his person, he offered him the government of Syria and Egypt. Abu Muslim replied that there was ever danger in a powerful subject being near the Court; at a distance he would be the Caliph's devoted servant; but otherwise he would have no alternative but to break allegiance. An angry correspondence ensued, and Abu Muslim began his march to Khorāsān. At Ḥolwān, he received a peremptory mandate to repair to Al-Medāin, where the Caliph waited for him. Distracted by various counsel,—friends, once faithful, but now won over to deceive, advised him to obey,—and so, trusting to fair promises, he proceeded to the ​Court. As he drew near, Abu Eiyūb, the Wazīr, fearing the warrior and his followers if he came in wrath, bribed one to meet and assure him of the Caliph's favour and good will. Abu Muslim's apprehensions thus disarmed, he entered the palace, and was graciously welcomed; kissing the Caliph's hand, he was bidden to rest awhile and refresh himself with a bath. The following day, again summoned to the Court, the Caliph at first addressed him softly thus:—"Tell me of the two daggers that ʿAbdallah had." "Here," said his guest, "is one of them,”" and he handed it to the Caliph, who put it under his pillow. Then with some warmth,—"And the girl of his whom thou tookest!" "Not so," replied Abu Muslim; "but I feared for her, and so carrying her to a tent left her in safe custody." On this, with growing warmth Al-Manṣūr brought charge upon charge against the ill-fated man,—Why had he slighted him on the pilgrimage? set out for Khorāsān against his orders? made himself out, though once a mere slave, as if of ʿAbbāsid descent, and sought the hand of the Caliph's aunt? and worst of all, why had he slain Ibn Kethīr, long before him an early and faithful supporter of the dynasty? As he waxed fiercer at every charge, Abu Muslim could but urge his lifelong service to the throne, kiss the Caliph's hand, and plead for pardon. But in vain. Al-Manṣūr clapped his hands, and at the signal five armed men stepped from behind the curtain, and as the victim cried aloud for mercy, cut him in pieces, while the Caliph cursed. To calm the crowd without, it was told them that "the Caliph was in conclave with his Amīr"; and believing it to be so, ʿĪsa, the heir-apparent, entered and asked where Abu Muslim was. "He was here but now," answered the Caliph. “"Ah," replied ʿĪsa, "I knew that he was loyal and would obey thy call." "Fool that thou art!" cried Al-Manṣūr;—"Thou hadst not in all the world a worse enemy than he; look there!" he said, as the carpet was raised, revealing the mangled corpse. ʿĪsa, horrified, retired. ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/480 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/481 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/482 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/483 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/484 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/485 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/486 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/487 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/488 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/489 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/490 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/491 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/492 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/493 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/494 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/495 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/496 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/497 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/498 ​Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/499
* ↑ The enormous butchery of 17,000 soldiers is narrated without comment. Cruelty and treachery seem innate in the whole family. On two occasions in this march, ʿAbdallah sent chiefs whom he was afraid of, to his creatures elsewhere, with letters which they unsuspectingly carried containing orders for their assassination. One of them had occasion to open his missive, and so escaped.
* ↑ See above, p. 443. The charge of making himself out to be of ʿAbbāsid descent was true enough. When in the zenith of his glory, there were not wanting creatures who, to cover his servile origin, invented a story to that effect; a fatal adulation that only added fuel to the Caliph's jealousy.