A Contemporary View of the First Crusade (3)

رؤية معاصرة للحملة الصليبية الأولى

A Contemporary View of the First Crusade (Part Three)

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article, “A Contemporary View of the First Crusade,” is included in the English Article Category

الأوضاع العامة في الخلافة العربية الاسلامية

General Conditions in the Arab-Islamic Caliphate

كانت أراضي الخلافة العربية الاسلامية في نهاية القرن الخامس ومطلع القرن السادس الهجريين، تخضع لقوى متعددة متنافرة، وقع بينها الخلاف، وعملت كل منها على التوسع على حساب الأخرى، وعلى رأس هذه القوى:

At the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 6th century AH, the lands of the Arab-Islamic Caliphate were subject to multiple conflicting powers that fell into dispute, each working to expand at the expense of the other. At the forefront of these powers were:

1. The Abbasid Caliphate

وكان خلفاؤها قد قبعوا في مدينة بغداد، ورضوا من الحكم بالاسم بعد أن خرجت عن سلطتهم غالبية أراضي الخلافة الاسلامية. ولم يبق بأيديهم إلا بغداد وما يحيط بها، والأمر والقول الفصل في هذه البقعة للسلاجقة سلاطين بغداد.

Its caliphs had remained secluded in the city of Baghdad, content with holding rule only in name after the majority of the Islamic Caliphate’s lands had fallen outside their authority. Nothing remained in their hands except Baghdad and its surroundings, while the ultimate authority and decisive word in this region belonged to the Seljuks, the Sultans of Baghdad.

2. The Seljuk Empire

وقد توسّعت سلطتهم تدريجياً حتى شملت أغلب مناطق الخلافة العباسية الشرقية، ونهضوا في عهد سلاطينهم، طغرل بك، وألب أرسلان، وملك شاه بحماية أراضي الخلافة العربية الاسلامية، وأثبتوا أنهم سيوف الاسلام الذائدون عنه؛ فقد نهضوا للوقوف في وجه البيزنطيين، وتوسّعوا غرباً على حسابهم. وتوّج ألب أرسلان نضاله مع البيزنطيين بمعركة مناذ كرد[5] تلك المعركة التي كانت آثارها كبيرة على الصعيدين المحلي والدولي…

Their authority expanded gradually until it encompassed most regions of the eastern Abbasid Caliphate. During the reign of their sultans—Tughril Beg, Alp Arslan, and Malik Shah—they rose to protect the lands of the Arab-Islamic Caliphate, proving themselves to be the defending swords of Islam. They stood up against the Byzantines and expanded westward at their expense. Alp Arslan crowned his struggle against the Byzantines with the Battle of Manzikert ¹, a battle whose impacts were significant on both local and international levels. Regionally, that victory opened the gates of Anatolia to the Seljuks and drove the Byzantine forces back westward, paving the way for the establishment of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum. Internationally, this battle was one of the factors that united European Christian hearts against the Islamic East, after the Byzantine emperors appealed to the Pope for assistance in containing the threat of Seljuk expansion.

ولم تستمر قوة السلاجقة بالصعود، فقد أخذت قوتهم بالانحلال إثر وفاة ملك شاه سنة 485هـ/ 1902- 1903م. وانقسم السلاجقة على أنفسهم، ووقعت الحروب بينهم. وقد انجلى هذا النزاع الذي دام ما يزيد عن سنتين عن انتصار بركياروق بن ملك شاه وتسلمه لعرش السلطنة السلجوقية[6]

However, the strength of the Seljuks did not continue to rise. Following the death of Malik Shah in 485 AH / 1092–1093 CE, their power began to dissolve. The Seljuks became divided among themselves, and wars broke out between them. This conflict, which lasted for more than two years, ended with the victory of Barkiyaruq bin Malik Shah and his accession to the throne of the Seljuk Sultanate. ²

وإذا كان النزاع حول العرش قد انتهى فإن آثاره لم تنته. فقد ذهبت وحدة السلاجقة وتماسكهم، وأصبحوا شِيَعاً وأحزاباً ومعسكرات متباينة تتصارع فيما بينها…[7]

Even though the conflict over the throne had ended, its consequences did not. The unity and cohesion of the Seljuks were lost; they splintered into factions, parties, and opposing camps fighting among themselves. Their state fragmented into five competing kingdoms: the Persian Sultanate ruled directly by Barkiyaruq (which controlled Baghdad), the Kingdom of Khurasan and Transoxiana under Sultan Sanjar, the Kingdom of Aleppo under Ridwan bin Tutush, the Kingdom of Damascus under Duqaq bin Tutush, and finally the Sultanate of Rum led by Kilij Arslan bin Sulaiman bin Qutulmish. ³

وفَقَد السلاجقة بذلك حماسهم المتدفق للتوسع الخارجي… حتى أفل في النهاية[8]

As a result, the Seljuks lost their surging enthusiasm for outward expansion. They began to fragment and feud. The throne became an ultimate goal in itself rather than a means. Their ministers and commanders emulated this behavior—competing and quarreling to gain positions and authority. From that point on, the Seljuk state weakened, and its star gradually faded until it eventually set. ⁴

 

وقد استغلت القوة المحيطة بالسلاجقة في داخل البلاد تحطيم قوة البيت السلجوقي، بانقسامه على نفسه لصالحها. فعمل الخليفة العباسي في بغداد على تحرير نفسه من سيطرتهم. كما استقلت قبيلة بني مزيَد العربية عنهم وأسّست إمارة بني مزيَد في الحلّة[9]. كما أخذت قوة السلاجقة في الشام تنحسر سريعاً على إثر الخلاف بين ولدي تتش: رضوان صاحب حلب، ودقاق صاحب دمشق.

The surrounding powers inside the country exploited the breakdown of the House of Seljuk due to its internal division for their own benefit. The Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad worked to free himself from their control. Meanwhile, the Arab tribe of Bani Mazyad seceded from them and established the Emirate of Bani Mazyad in Hillah. ⁵ In the Levant (Sham), Seljuk power also receded rapidly following the conflict between the two sons of Tutush: Ridwan, ruler of Aleppo, and Duqaq, ruler of Damascus.

ولعل أكبر مظهر لانحلال سلطان السلاجقة في بلاد الشام والعراق وغيرها، ظهور عدد كبير من البيوت الحاكمة لا يجمعها رابطة سوى الاتصال بالبيت السلجوقي، ومن تلك البيوت ظهرت وحدات سياسية أطلق عليها اسم الأتابكيات، وعلى أصحابها اسم الأتابكة[10].

Perhaps the most prominent manifestation of the dissolution of Seljuk authority in the Levant, Iraq, and elsewhere was the emergence of numerous ruling dynasties connected by no bond other than their claim of affiliation with the House of Seljuk. From these ruling houses arose political entities called atabegates (atabikiyat), and their rulers were called atabegs. ⁶

To be continued in the next part, Insha Allah

Source: Alukah

1. For details of the Battle of Manzikert, see: Ibn al-Athir, al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, events of the year 463 AH; ar-Rawandi, Rahat ash-Sudur wa Ayat as-Surur, pp. 118 ff.; Asad Rustum, ar-Rum fi Siyasatihim, Vol. 2, pp. 110–111; Suhail Zakkar, Mudkhal ila Tarikh al-Hurub ash-Salibiyyah, pp. 138 ff.; Runciman, A History of the Crusades, pp. 96 ff.
2. Ibn al-Athir, events of the years 485–487 AH; ar-Rawandi, pp. 142–143.
3. Ibn al-Athir, events of the year 490 AH; Sa’id ‘Abd al-Fattah ‘Ashur, al-Harakah ash-Salibiyyah, pp. 113–114.
4. ‘Abd al-Naim Hasanayn, Salajikah Iran wa al-‘Iraq, p. 90.
5. The Shi’ite state of Bani Mazyad was established on the western bank of the Euphrates River, extending from the town of Hit to Kufah and Wasit, posing a threat to Seljuk rule in the Iraqi territory. See: Sa’id Ashur, al-Harakah ash-Salibiyyah, Vol. 1, p. 114; Amina al-Baytar, Mawqif Umara’ al-‘Arab bi al-Sham wa al-‘Iraq, pp. 357 ff.
6. The word “atabeg” is of Turkic origin, composed of “ata” (father or guardian) and “beg” (ruler or prince), meaning “guardian of the prince.”