The Breaking of a Thousand Swords: A History of the Turkish Military of Samarra (A.H. 200-275/815-889 C.E.)

324 Pages·2000·20.737 MB·English

by  Matthew S. Gordon

THE BREAKING OF A THOUSAND SWORDS
SUNY series in Medieval Middle East History
Jere Bacharach, editor
The Breaking
of a
Thousand Swords
A History of the
Turkish Military of Samarra
200 275 815-889
(a.h. - / c.e.)
Matthew S. Gordon
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS
Cover art: Samarra stucco panel from The Formation of Islamic
Art by Oleg Grabar, reprinted courtesy of Staatliche Museen zu
Berlin-Preussischer Kulturbesitz Museum fur Islamische Kunst.
Published by
State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2001 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Gordon, Matthew.
The breaking of a thousand swords : a history of the Turkish military of Samarra,
ah 200-275/815-889 ce / Matthew S. Gordon
p. cm. — (SUNY series in medieval Middle East history)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7914-4795-2 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-4796-0 (alk. paper : pbk.)
1. Samarra (Iraq)—History. 2. Oghuz (Turkic people)—Iraq—Samarra—History.
3. Oghuz (Turkic people)—Islamic Empire. 4. Soldiers—Islamic Empire.
5. Islamic Empire—History—750-1258. 6. Islamic Empire—History, Military.
I. Title. II. Series.
DS79.9.S3 G67 2000
956.7’4—dc21
00-026530
10 987654321
To my parents, Ann and David
Contents
List of Maps and Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xix
Introduction 1
The Turkish Soldiers of Samarra 1
The Samarran Turks in Modem Scholarship 6
The Original Sources 8
1. The Initial Period 15
The Appea ranee of the Guard 15
Al-Ma’mun: The Consolidation of Authority 26
Conclusion 44
2. The Settlement at Samarra 47
Al-Muctasim and the Departure from Baghdad 47
The Settlement at Samarra 55
3. The Samarran Political Arena 75
The Influence of the Turkish Leadership 75
The Onset of Anarchy 90
4. The Exercise of Authority 105
The Sources of Influence 105
The Reaction to Turkish Authority 132
Conclusion—A Waning Presence 141
Al-Muwajfaqs Hour 141
The Turkish Rank and File 143
Musa ibn Bug ha and the Turkish Leadership 144
A Final Anecdote 147
vii
Vlll Contents
Appendix A. Retainer Forces in Early Islamic History 151
Appendix B. Notable Families of Turkish Origin 157
Ibrahim ibn al-cAbbas al-Sull and Family 157
Azjur and Family 158
Jujfibn Yaltekln and Family 158
Khaqan cUrtuj and Family 159
Notes 161
Bibliography 263
Index 293
Maps and Illustrations
The two maps and the cAbbasid family tree were prepared by Barbara Wheeler and
her staff at Miami University’s Computing and Information Services Office. I am
grateful for their assistance.
All rights to the illustrations of Samarra belong to the Samarra Archaeological
Survey under the direction of Dr. Alastair Northedge. The illustrations are based on
the fieldwork carried out by the Survey from 1983 to 1989. The toponyms and their
location are based on the available textual sources, chief among them, the Kitab al-
buldan of al-Ya'qubl.
Maps
Map 1. Provinces and Cities of the Early 'Abbasid Period x
Map 2. Iraq and Western Iran (Early cAbbasid Period) xi
Illustrations
Illustration 1. 'Abbasid Samarra
Xll
Illustration 2. The Military Cantonments at Samarra (diagram) xm
Illustration 3. The Cantonment of al-Karkh xiv
Illustration 4. The Palace of Ashinas (diagram) xv
Illustration 5. Central 'Abbasid Samarra (toponyms) xvi
Illustration 6. 'Abbasid Samarra (outer zone—toponyms) XVII
Illustration 7. The Early 'Abbasid Caliphs xvm
IX
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