THE REIGN OF AL-IHAKIM Bl AMR ALLAH

330 Pages·2017·14 MB·English

THE REIGN OF AL-IHAKIM Bl AMR ALLAH
‘(386/996 - 41 \/\Q 2\%
"A POLITICAL STUDY"
by
SADEK ISMAIL ASSAAD
Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in the University of London
May 1971
ProQuest Number: 10672922
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ABSTRACT
The present thesis is a political study of the reign of al-Hakim
Bi Amr Allah the sixth Fatimid Imam-Caliph who ruled between 386-411/
996-1021. It consists of a note on the sources and seven chapters. The first
chapter is a biographical review of al-Hakim's person. It introduces a
history of his birth, childhood, succession to the Caliphate, his education
and private life and it examines the contradiction in the sources concerning
his character.
Chapter II discusses the problems which al-Hakim inherited from
the previous rule and examines their impact on the political life of his State.
Chapter III introduces the administration of the internal affairs of
the State. It examines the struggle for power between the Imgm-Caliph and
his Wasita and its results on the internal policies of the Imam-Caliph. If also
discusses the economic, social, legal and architectural reforms which he
introduced throughout his reign. The progress of the Ismaili Da*wa and the
problem of Ahl af-Dhimma are also examined in this chapter.
Chapter IV is devoted to the external policy of al-Hakim. It studies
his policies concerning the maintenance of his suzerainty over the provinces
of Damascus, Hijaz and Tripoli and his endeavour to extend it over Aleppo
and other parts of the Muslim world. His policy towards the Byzantine and
Abbasid Empires is also discussed in this chapter.
Chapter V examines the rebellions and uprisings which al-Hakim
faced and discusses his methods in dealing with them.
Chapter VI introduces the split in the Ismaili Da*wa which resulted
in the creation of the Druz Sect. It also examines the causes behind such
an important event.
Chapter VII is concerned with the death or "disappearance" of
al-Hakim and discusses the stories and myths surrounding it,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I should like to express my deepest gratitude to my
supervisor, Professor Bernard Lewis, for his learned guidance throughout
the years of my study under him. His help and encouragement made it
possible to undertake and complete this thesis. To him I am greatly
indebted.
Thanks are also due to the librarians and staffs of the School of
Oriental and African Studies, the British Museum Library, the University
of London Library, the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the Bibliotheque Nationale,
Paris, for their help in making available manuscripts and books.
I should also like to thank all my colleagues and friends, especially
Miss E. Bastable, MissR.L. Hollis, Mr. A. al-Kharsan and Dr. T. Kawa
for their help and constant encouragement.
S .1. Assaad
5.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
^ u P( M
Abu al-Fida al-Mukhtagar fi Tarikh al-Bashar by Abu al-Fida..
Antakl Tarikh Yahya ibn Sa* id al-Antaki by al-Antaki.
ft
*Azimi Tarikh al-*Ag:imi by al-* Azimi.
Exposfe Expos4 de la Religion des Druzes by S, de Sacy.
Ibn Abi U§aybi*a * Uyun al-Anba; fj Akhbar al-Atibba* by
Ibn Abi Usaybi*a
Ibn aMAmid Tarikh al-Muslimin by Ibn al-*Amid.
Ibn al-Jawzi al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa al-Umam by
Ibn al-Jawzl.
Ibn al-Athir al-Kamil f? al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir.
Ibn Ayas BadaM* al-Zuhur fi WaqaM* al-Duhur by
itn Ayas.
Ibn al-Dawadari Kanz al-Purar v/a JamF al-Ghurar; al-Durra
al-Madiyya Fi Tarikh al-Dawla al-Fatjmiyya by
Ibn al-Dawadan.
Ibn Hammad Akhbar Muluk Bani 6 Ubayd wa Siratihim by
ibn biammad,
Ibn ‘ Idhari al-Bayan al-Mughrib fi Akhbar al-Andulus wa
al"Maghrib by Ibn i Idhar’T, "*
Ibn Khaldun AN* Ibar wa Diwan al-Mubtada wa a 1-Khobar
by Ibn Khaldun,
Ibn Khaliikan Wa fa yat al-A* yan by Ibn Khali ikan.
Ibn Kathir Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya by Ibn Kathir.
Ibn al-Muqaffa* Tarikh Bajarikat al-Kanisa al-Misr?yya by Severus
Ibn al-Muqaffa*
Ibn Muyassar Akhbar Misr by Ibn Muyassar.
Ibn al-Qalanisi Dhayl Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn al-Qalanisi
Ibn ai-Zafir Tarikh al-Duwai al-MunqatWa by Ibn
ft
ai-Zafir
*
Ishara a 1-Ishara I la Man Naia al-Wazara by Ibn
al-Sayrafi
IttWaz !ttj*az al-Hunafa fi Akhbar al-A? imma
al-fatimiytn al-Khulafa by al-Maqrizl
Khitat al-Mawa*iz wa al~l*tibar fi Dhikr al-Khijaj’
■
*
wa al-Athar by al-MaqrizT
Hujum al-Nujum al-Zahira by Ibn Taghri Birdi
Nuwa yri Nihayat a I-Arab by Nuwayri
Q iftT Tarikh al-Hukama by al-Q iffi
*
al-Rudhrawari Dhayl Tajarub al-Umam by al-Rudhrawari
al-Safadi al-Wafi bffal-Wafayat by al-Safadi
Sibt Mir’ at al-Zawan by Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi
al-Suyuti Husn al-Muhadara by al-Suyutr
Periodicals
A .1 .E .O . Annales de I'Institute d'Etudes Orientate de
L'Universif& d'Alger
A .J *S *L. American Journal of Semitic Languages
A .0 . Archiv Oriental?
B.E .O .I.F.D . Bulletin d'Etudes Orientale de I'Institute
Franpais de Damas
B.FA.E.U. Bulletin of the Faculty of Arts of the Egyptian
University
.
7
B.I.E. Bulletin de 1'Institute de Egypt
B.l ,F *A .O • Bulletin de I'Institute Francois dfArcheologic
Orientale de Caire
B *L ,R. Boldeian Library Records
B ,S .G * Bulletin de la Society de Geographie, Paris
B.S.O .A .S. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African
Studies #
C J . Les Cahiers de Tunisie
E.l. Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1st edition
E.l 2 Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition
G .U .O .S .T. Glasgow University Oriental Society
Transactions
I.C. Islamic Culture
Is!. Der Islam
J ,A * Journal Asiatique
J.A X> .S, Journal of American Oriental Society
J *B.B.R JK ,S . Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal
Asiatic Society
J.M.E *S. Journal of the Middle East Society
J *Q ,R. Jewish Quarterly Review
J .Q .R .N .S * Jewish Quarterly Review New Series
J .R .A .S, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
M .O . Le Monde Oriental
M.F.O .B. Melanges de la Facult6 Oriental
Beirut
8.
N *0 • Der Neue Orient
O.R. Rocznik Orient! I istyczny
R .B ,M *L • Repertorium fur Biblische und Morgen land ische
Litteratur
R .C A *S .J • Royal Central Asian Society Journal
R.O. Revue de I 'Orient
R.E.I. Revue des Etudes Islamique
/
R.E.B. Revue des Etudes Byzantine
R *F.S .E . Revue de la Faculty des Sciences £conomiques
(Istanbul)
W.l * Die Welt des Islams
Z .D ,M.G* Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgen landischen
Gesellschaft
CONTENTS Page
ABSTRACT 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 5
NOTE ON THE SOURCES 11
Chapter I A BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF AL-HAKIM'S
PERSON ‘ 26
His Birth 26
Al-Mansur as Heir 28
Al-Mansur's Succession to the Caliphate 30
Portrait of Al-Hakim 33
Al-Hakim's Education 33
AI-Hakim's Private Life 37
AI-Hakim's Character 37
#
Chapter I! THE LEGACY OF THE PREVIOUS RULE 45
The Unfulfilled Promises of the Da* wa 45
The growing influence of Ahl al-Dh?mma
in the Financial Administration of the State 52
Struggle for Power among the Military
Elements 59
The Downfall of Ibn ^mmar 78
Barjawan's Rule, his Administration and
his Downfall (387-390/997-999) 80
Chapter III THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTERNAL
AFFAIRS OF THE STATE 97
Political Administration 97
Economic Policy 109
Agricultural Policy 111