The Great Calamity: An Abbasid/Zanj rebellion tl
- Thread starter John7755 يوحنا
- Start date
I haven't fully decided what I am going to do with the Zanj in all honesty, with that said, the Abbasid will not survive.
The vast majority are just created by myself, especially by now as the tl is diverging quickly especially with the new Mihna, Assad al-Wathiq, etc... A version of the speech from Dibaj is in Meadows of Gold and many elegies from Yahya ibn Umar but are varied, so I just made these up in general. The first part of Dibaj's long speech was his original speech and the part about "O, Arabs know that your honor came only through Islam" and the Ethiopian slave vs Arab is just a romantic increase of his speech. Basically, I wrote the dialogue in an attempt to make it more theme driven and enjoyable to read for individuals not incredibly interested in this time period.
In the land of Sawad the call of the Khawarij was heard loud and clear, to break the chains of oppression and destroy the transgressors in their palaces across the land of Iraq and to the whole world. From Dibaj's speech, on the freedom of the people and the attack on the legitimacy of the Abbasid, Zanj across the Sawad rebelled and attacked their masters. As well, the Khawarij faction from Kufa and Basra had joined up with Dibaj to coordinate an attack on the surrounding area using the Zanj as massed troops. Muhallabi preferred a straight forward route of invasion which would lead to an immediate attack on Kufa and Najaf, then strike Baghdad once achieved:
"The time is at hand, the strike on Kufa awaits. Then we can achieve the same pedigree and as Yahya Ibn Umar, the great martyr."
In response Dibaj said:
"It is not the best move to do such at the present. For in the open desert and territory surrounding Karbala, the enemy sees us well and is better numbered and equipped. It is best that we stay within the marsh and amongst our fervent followers than to immediately move to a hostile and overbearing land from which we will not survive."
In this, the Zanj rebellion became the most dangerous serious of rebellions in Iraqi history. The reason for this is that, previous revolts led by incredibly inspired leaders and fervent warriors considered it destiny to win a victory against superior forces no matter the odds. For the master is always above, and the enemy below, so was the belief, any opponet would be beaten according to Yahya ibn Umar or previous revolutionaries that tactic was thrown away and the aspect of ambush, time and movement was thrown out the window for the decisive battle, "They believe matters to be simple yet it is the sword that is sharpened for the encounter."
Muhallabi while in dissent, agreed to Dibaj and decided on a guerrilla approach to engaging the Abbasid forces. Further, they decided to focus heavily on freeing more slaves and spreading by word of Bedoiun the call of freedom. The call was to be sent to surrounding areas all the way to Ifriqiya to garner the support of Khawarij across the land. As well, Dibaj using the nickname claimed the title of the Imam of the Shumaytiyya a rebel movement in the 810s which started in Madinah. The title was to call the Shumaytiyya still lingering in mourning around Madinah into moving to Iraq to meet their Mahdi, whoever that may be. As well, letters began being sent to Kufa and Karbala which claimed that Dibaj was in fact Yahya ibn Umar who has recreated himself and is here to be the final Qa'im to conquer the world for the sake of Ahl ul-Bayt and Allah above.
The reception was mixed among Shi'i but fanatical supporters of the late Umar ibn Faraj and Yahya ibn Umar watched intently the actions of this Dibaj. They decided that the sign would be his prowess against the Abbasid in terms of a duel and the speech he exhibited. However, the majority write Dibaj off for his association with Khawarij and Zanj.
In the courts of Baghdad
Mu'Tazz
"So the calls of the Zanj is that of rebellion? Is this a new development, for never have I heard that rebellion nor fire came from such lowly of the low."
Bugha al Saghir responds:
"Zanj are but the weakest and dumbest of human kind created by the most high. They grovel at the feet of a believing people and do the bidding of their master as is ordained, their lot is among the marshes and the fields, this is a mercy and glad riding for them as in their homeland they were but savages raging across the jungle to no avail. The rebellion of theirs is nothing to fear oh Amir any stalwart warrior will prove their valor against such transgressors and then I will ride the east and take the traitor (Ya'qub al-Safar) from his horse and bring him before you, oh Amir."
Wathiq al-Assad:
"To not be so brash and quick to dismiss enemies, oh stalwart general. All enemies carry a slight prick and with it all watchful lords must be aware and great force while not needed, calls for serious eyes and stern hands."
Mu'Tazz responds:
"My honorable master, I rejoice in your wisdom on the matter at hand. However, I also see the point the honorable general makes, who is well versed in the ways of the bow and has experience across the land. Further, is it not the time at hand to engage Ya'qub, for he is encroaching upon Iraq, and his army has medal and fame. Better it is for us to face the stronger, leaving the weaker for another time. As you know well, the walls to our stronghold are firm and the throw of the Zanj means little to that made of stone and defended by valiant warriors from amongst the most noble of stock. However, the east is filled with the horsemen of Fars and is ruled by a heretic no less, who despite apostasy, defeated the Khurramiyah and the faked Ammar ibn Yusu, the Khawarij. His legend is growing across the Fars as the revived empire and the one to break the yoke. It is he who endangers the most. Therefore I call on you to agree with the honorable Bugha on this matter, oh teacher and father alike."
Wathiq al-Assad responds drawing a deep breath and in his mind hearing for a great pitch:
"Oh Amir, what great depth of perception you have! What great intellect who have displayed! You make an old teacher proud, to have given life in regards to knowledge, it is the best quality of said employment. I have been a slave of Allah since times foregone and have seen many things and never least amongst them and in fact most is the threat of the ambush, the unsuspected enemy who peers from behind the veil. Or the great call of the delusional, for with great madness comes speech beyond the comprehended and the insane the zeal of the long gone age of old. The pious know my call, for the signs are clearly written for all to be aware in both the word of Allah and in the books of history which have in them the wisdom of ages added. Let me, oh Amir, bestow the history from which I speak and listen well, for the knowledge is light. Look upon the example of the land in which we live, the land of empires of the past, built upon the great rivers and the wealth that our land bestows and Allah watches over with glee. Once in our land, was the eminence of the Assyrian who held high the mantle of fire and their swords stretched across the earth as the flood of time. The great Sultan Asir-Bani-Apel who great in battle defeated his enemies making all kneel before him. However, in a sense of security left his door open to the unsuspected opponet. His mistake was to be the grave for his children as the warlords of Babylon and Fars overtook him and his prestigious land. Best be it that he calmly watched his opponet giving due process than to exhaust himself in frivolous affairs. Then look to a people close at home, the reign of the lords of Babylon, in all their splendor, was not enough to save them. In the reign of the conqueror Cyrus, the people of Fars flooded the land of Iraq as an unsuspected opponet and gained noteriety. Allah ordains who he pleases and shuns the transgressors and lazy of eye. For empires pass and fade and all that remains is the eye that watches the fall and the hand that put it into motion. Call to the shadows of the past, what splendor did their endeavors incur? But to lay with the dirt and their people turned into skaves of the earth. Look upon the people of Assyria now, how low they have fell. Or look to the lands of Egypt, the people no longer remember their past and a time is new. Oh, Amir,out of all empires and peoples, yours is the best among the best, but in all peoples lives the possibility of failure if wisdom is not heeded. For even in the people of Allah stands the failure of a generation, look to the Umayyad who claimed the same logic, 'why look to the East when the seat of Rum is before us and the end times in reach', they forgot to be patient and watchful at all time but to rush in head first and lose your footing is the most loathesome and through their transgression, Allah brought forth a more noble rule to the land of belief and ever more it will be if wisdom is always taken. Contemplate my words oh, Amir, betray you or decide you I shan't."
At the behest of these words, Mu'Tazz decided to have moderate skirmishes with Ya'qub, The Sultan of Dunqula and send small forces to quell the Zanj threat.
Bugha al-Saghir further engaged and defeated Khurramite rebels in and around Kirkuk who had fled Ya'qub. His army as well, began moving eastward to attack Qom and extend the Anbasid buffer zone between Iraq and the heartland of Ya'qub's land which was being situated in and around Qandahar which he began to decorate in ornate designs and build to grandeur.
In the Sawad, Muhallani became the foremost general given his skill in battle and experience fighting amongst the tribes in the Nejd.
Soon the Zanj will start actual battles.
"The time is at hand, the strike on Kufa awaits. Then we can achieve the same pedigree and as Yahya Ibn Umar, the great martyr."
In response Dibaj said:
"It is not the best move to do such at the present. For in the open desert and territory surrounding Karbala, the enemy sees us well and is better numbered and equipped. It is best that we stay within the marsh and amongst our fervent followers than to immediately move to a hostile and overbearing land from which we will not survive."
In this, the Zanj rebellion became the most dangerous serious of rebellions in Iraqi history. The reason for this is that, previous revolts led by incredibly inspired leaders and fervent warriors considered it destiny to win a victory against superior forces no matter the odds. For the master is always above, and the enemy below, so was the belief, any opponet would be beaten according to Yahya ibn Umar or previous revolutionaries that tactic was thrown away and the aspect of ambush, time and movement was thrown out the window for the decisive battle, "They believe matters to be simple yet it is the sword that is sharpened for the encounter."
Muhallabi while in dissent, agreed to Dibaj and decided on a guerrilla approach to engaging the Abbasid forces. Further, they decided to focus heavily on freeing more slaves and spreading by word of Bedoiun the call of freedom. The call was to be sent to surrounding areas all the way to Ifriqiya to garner the support of Khawarij across the land. As well, Dibaj using the nickname claimed the title of the Imam of the Shumaytiyya a rebel movement in the 810s which started in Madinah. The title was to call the Shumaytiyya still lingering in mourning around Madinah into moving to Iraq to meet their Mahdi, whoever that may be. As well, letters began being sent to Kufa and Karbala which claimed that Dibaj was in fact Yahya ibn Umar who has recreated himself and is here to be the final Qa'im to conquer the world for the sake of Ahl ul-Bayt and Allah above.
The reception was mixed among Shi'i but fanatical supporters of the late Umar ibn Faraj and Yahya ibn Umar watched intently the actions of this Dibaj. They decided that the sign would be his prowess against the Abbasid in terms of a duel and the speech he exhibited. However, the majority write Dibaj off for his association with Khawarij and Zanj.
In the courts of Baghdad
Mu'Tazz
"So the calls of the Zanj is that of rebellion? Is this a new development, for never have I heard that rebellion nor fire came from such lowly of the low."
Bugha al Saghir responds:
"Zanj are but the weakest and dumbest of human kind created by the most high. They grovel at the feet of a believing people and do the bidding of their master as is ordained, their lot is among the marshes and the fields, this is a mercy and glad riding for them as in their homeland they were but savages raging across the jungle to no avail. The rebellion of theirs is nothing to fear oh Amir any stalwart warrior will prove their valor against such transgressors and then I will ride the east and take the traitor (Ya'qub al-Safar) from his horse and bring him before you, oh Amir."
Wathiq al-Assad:
"To not be so brash and quick to dismiss enemies, oh stalwart general. All enemies carry a slight prick and with it all watchful lords must be aware and great force while not needed, calls for serious eyes and stern hands."
Mu'Tazz responds:
"My honorable master, I rejoice in your wisdom on the matter at hand. However, I also see the point the honorable general makes, who is well versed in the ways of the bow and has experience across the land. Further, is it not the time at hand to engage Ya'qub, for he is encroaching upon Iraq, and his army has medal and fame. Better it is for us to face the stronger, leaving the weaker for another time. As you know well, the walls to our stronghold are firm and the throw of the Zanj means little to that made of stone and defended by valiant warriors from amongst the most noble of stock. However, the east is filled with the horsemen of Fars and is ruled by a heretic no less, who despite apostasy, defeated the Khurramiyah and the faked Ammar ibn Yusu, the Khawarij. His legend is growing across the Fars as the revived empire and the one to break the yoke. It is he who endangers the most. Therefore I call on you to agree with the honorable Bugha on this matter, oh teacher and father alike."
Wathiq al-Assad responds drawing a deep breath and in his mind hearing for a great pitch:
"Oh Amir, what great depth of perception you have! What great intellect who have displayed! You make an old teacher proud, to have given life in regards to knowledge, it is the best quality of said employment. I have been a slave of Allah since times foregone and have seen many things and never least amongst them and in fact most is the threat of the ambush, the unsuspected enemy who peers from behind the veil. Or the great call of the delusional, for with great madness comes speech beyond the comprehended and the insane the zeal of the long gone age of old. The pious know my call, for the signs are clearly written for all to be aware in both the word of Allah and in the books of history which have in them the wisdom of ages added. Let me, oh Amir, bestow the history from which I speak and listen well, for the knowledge is light. Look upon the example of the land in which we live, the land of empires of the past, built upon the great rivers and the wealth that our land bestows and Allah watches over with glee. Once in our land, was the eminence of the Assyrian who held high the mantle of fire and their swords stretched across the earth as the flood of time. The great Sultan Asir-Bani-Apel who great in battle defeated his enemies making all kneel before him. However, in a sense of security left his door open to the unsuspected opponet. His mistake was to be the grave for his children as the warlords of Babylon and Fars overtook him and his prestigious land. Best be it that he calmly watched his opponet giving due process than to exhaust himself in frivolous affairs. Then look to a people close at home, the reign of the lords of Babylon, in all their splendor, was not enough to save them. In the reign of the conqueror Cyrus, the people of Fars flooded the land of Iraq as an unsuspected opponet and gained noteriety. Allah ordains who he pleases and shuns the transgressors and lazy of eye. For empires pass and fade and all that remains is the eye that watches the fall and the hand that put it into motion. Call to the shadows of the past, what splendor did their endeavors incur? But to lay with the dirt and their people turned into skaves of the earth. Look upon the people of Assyria now, how low they have fell. Or look to the lands of Egypt, the people no longer remember their past and a time is new. Oh, Amir,out of all empires and peoples, yours is the best among the best, but in all peoples lives the possibility of failure if wisdom is not heeded. For even in the people of Allah stands the failure of a generation, look to the Umayyad who claimed the same logic, 'why look to the East when the seat of Rum is before us and the end times in reach', they forgot to be patient and watchful at all time but to rush in head first and lose your footing is the most loathesome and through their transgression, Allah brought forth a more noble rule to the land of belief and ever more it will be if wisdom is always taken. Contemplate my words oh, Amir, betray you or decide you I shan't."
At the behest of these words, Mu'Tazz decided to have moderate skirmishes with Ya'qub, The Sultan of Dunqula and send small forces to quell the Zanj threat.
Bugha al-Saghir further engaged and defeated Khurramite rebels in and around Kirkuk who had fled Ya'qub. His army as well, began moving eastward to attack Qom and extend the Anbasid buffer zone between Iraq and the heartland of Ya'qub's land which was being situated in and around Qandahar which he began to decorate in ornate designs and build to grandeur.
In the Sawad, Muhallani became the foremost general given his skill in battle and experience fighting amongst the tribes in the Nejd.
Soon the Zanj will start actual battles.
I just wanted to add my voice to those people who have voiced their appreciation for this thread, and regretted that they have little to add to it. I've enjoyed your posts elsewhere on Islamic history and I've enjoyed following this timeline so far.
Stylistically, the conversations are especially interesting to me because I consider them the hardest part of a narrative to write - I try to avoid them myself because I worry about accidentally sounding stilted or anachronistic. I think you've done well with them.
Stylistically, the conversations are especially interesting to me because I consider them the hardest part of a narrative to write - I try to avoid them myself because I worry about accidentally sounding stilted or anachronistic. I think you've done well with them.
Well thank you for the feedback!
On the style, I try to do my best to mimic the style seen in the courts and letters of the day. As well, I try to leave out terms not conducive to the board (I don't want to translate everything lol). But yes, in my opinion it is the most interesting yet also time consuming part.
Added some characters, killing Musa ibn Bugha, pushed the Saffarids up 5 years in actual letter, pushed up the Zanj rebellion in time, Al-Qummi and his state at Dunqula, all the Khurramiyyah, Umar ibn Farj giving his support to Yahya ibn Umar, etc..
As others people said, I really enjoyr the thread so far and want to see more soon.
For the matter of Zenj and Saqaliba, it's true that they didn't carried a that formalized "ethnical" meaning before latter centuries : there's mention of "black" Saqaliba, for instance.
But, Zenj tended (in Arabo-Islamic accounts, but not only) to be more associated with African slaves.
If all Zenj weren't Africans but mixed-ancestry people (free or not) or even people whom their social standing made them close to black slaves, they were called so by association.
(I ought to find Heers's account on African slavery...)
For the matter of Zenj and Saqaliba, it's true that they didn't carried a that formalized "ethnical" meaning before latter centuries : there's mention of "black" Saqaliba, for instance.
But, Zenj tended (in Arabo-Islamic accounts, but not only) to be more associated with African slaves.
If all Zenj weren't Africans but mixed-ancestry people (free or not) or even people whom their social standing made them close to black slaves, they were called so by association.
(I ought to find Heers's account on African slavery...)
Of course, that is Tahlhami's position, but that does not change the meaning of the word Zanj. Just because others were lumped into the term, doesn't change the term. I think most will agree, that I am not only meaning African slaves from Zimbabwe are rebelling, this was the point Tahlhami was highlighting.
There definitely is western academic scholarship that equates Zanj with "black" based on contemporary evidence. However there's an open question if any of the Zanj were East African. I'd say probably not, given a lack of records for any major slave trade south of the Horn of Africa in this time. More likely the majority of people identified as Zanj were Cushitic or Nilotic langauage speakers, in any case. Possibly from the Sudan?
Regardless, the "Zanj Rebellion" itself obviously was a complex and multifaceted revolt based around social inequality and religious motives. It's worth noting that as far as I know the rebellion never sought to end slavery and was backed extensively by both the bedouin and other marginalized groups.
Calling the Zanj Rebellion a slave rebellion might be the real issue.
Regardless, the "Zanj Rebellion" itself obviously was a complex and multifaceted revolt based around social inequality and religious motives. It's worth noting that as far as I know the rebellion never sought to end slavery and was backed extensively by both the bedouin and other marginalized groups.
Calling the Zanj Rebellion a slave rebellion might be the real issue.
I thought the TL was good. The language seems authentic enough to me.
Please consider continuing.And don't feel like you have to detail relationships between the zanj and their masters. Most authors on here don't detail the horrors of the age of west Atlantic slavery too much. Its more depressing than interesting or enlightening.
Anyway, I hope you feel like updating. I'll be on the lookout.
I hope you will continue, Its very informative. Its your thread your not obligated to respond to people in comments just continue what you were doing.
I'd want the TL to continue, personally.
It might be conflicting about some features, but frankly, if you see the lot of more-western focused TL that doesn't really matches sources (if they even check it)...
I don't see why you should apply much harsher regulations on it, if you don't feel like it : we can use some suspension of disbelief if we need to.
Now, it does seems like non-eastern African Zenj weren't that considered as mass taskforce. For instance, al-Istakhri points that what came from North-Western Africa, at least in central Arabo-Islamic world, were expensive slaves and that for one unskilled slave from these parts, it could be worth at least 1000 dinars.
Due to the Great Berber Revolt, and in spite of trans-saharian trade, I don't remember a true equivalence to treaties passed, for exemple, with Nubians as al-Tabari mentions have to give away people as a regular tribute.
Eventually, you don't have the equivalent of Arab-dominated places along Eastern coast of Africa on western parts.
There raiding campaigns were more the usual way to take slaves, but wasn't that of a regular feature until the XIth century : before, you had more mixing including socially/politically than in Eastern Africa and it changed less for economical than for political/religious reasons with Almoravids.
Giving that western African slaves had a reputation to be good slaves when it mattered to domestic service (black women from western Africa were reputed good cooks, for exemple)
When it comes from the broad origin and "ethnicisation" (I'll stress my above point that Zenj could come to name a black slave, a mawla, a metissed person, or even an Arabo-Persan, when they had a social standing comparable to the black slaves or percieved as such), and putting aside Ethiopians (as they were distinguished from other Eastern Africans), I'd think that the massive slave trade from Eastern Africa (attesed by Arabic, Chinese and Ethiopians accounts) seems quite natural.
al-Jahiz himself mentions "Zenj's Land", pointing out to an at least as much "territorial" ethnicisation than cultural. While Zenj had as much precision than Ethiopian or Black for slavery in North America, it does point, IMO, to a certain identification due to an actual origin of what was seen as a representative part of slaves.
I'd go quickly over the matter of castration : it's not because it's impairing the work capacity of slaves, that it wouldn't have been effectued anyway for cultural/political/social reasons.
We have countless exemples of counter-productive (on an economical ground) decisions to not have a rationalised take on it, IMO.
Slavery trade in Eastern Africa was so important that, on the matter of mass taskforces, castration's consequences would have been largely compensated.
I agree that zenj serving as soldiers and guard (and there were a lot of these) were likely not castrated, tough.
Sorry if it derails the thread that, again, I want to see continue, no matter how it goes on these details : I think we can agree it's quite vague, enough that if it goes one way or another, it doesn't impairs radically the timeline.
As John7755 يوحنا said, it's not the focus of where he wants to go.
It might be conflicting about some features, but frankly, if you see the lot of more-western focused TL that doesn't really matches sources (if they even check it)...
I don't see why you should apply much harsher regulations on it, if you don't feel like it : we can use some suspension of disbelief if we need to.
Now, it does seems like non-eastern African Zenj weren't that considered as mass taskforce. For instance, al-Istakhri points that what came from North-Western Africa, at least in central Arabo-Islamic world, were expensive slaves and that for one unskilled slave from these parts, it could be worth at least 1000 dinars.
Due to the Great Berber Revolt, and in spite of trans-saharian trade, I don't remember a true equivalence to treaties passed, for exemple, with Nubians as al-Tabari mentions have to give away people as a regular tribute.
Eventually, you don't have the equivalent of Arab-dominated places along Eastern coast of Africa on western parts.
There raiding campaigns were more the usual way to take slaves, but wasn't that of a regular feature until the XIth century : before, you had more mixing including socially/politically than in Eastern Africa and it changed less for economical than for political/religious reasons with Almoravids.
Giving that western African slaves had a reputation to be good slaves when it mattered to domestic service (black women from western Africa were reputed good cooks, for exemple)
When it comes from the broad origin and "ethnicisation" (I'll stress my above point that Zenj could come to name a black slave, a mawla, a metissed person, or even an Arabo-Persan, when they had a social standing comparable to the black slaves or percieved as such), and putting aside Ethiopians (as they were distinguished from other Eastern Africans), I'd think that the massive slave trade from Eastern Africa (attesed by Arabic, Chinese and Ethiopians accounts) seems quite natural.
al-Jahiz himself mentions "Zenj's Land", pointing out to an at least as much "territorial" ethnicisation than cultural. While Zenj had as much precision than Ethiopian or Black for slavery in North America, it does point, IMO, to a certain identification due to an actual origin of what was seen as a representative part of slaves.
I'd go quickly over the matter of castration : it's not because it's impairing the work capacity of slaves, that it wouldn't have been effectued anyway for cultural/political/social reasons.
We have countless exemples of counter-productive (on an economical ground) decisions to not have a rationalised take on it, IMO.
Slavery trade in Eastern Africa was so important that, on the matter of mass taskforces, castration's consequences would have been largely compensated.
I agree that zenj serving as soldiers and guard (and there were a lot of these) were likely not castrated, tough.
Sorry if it derails the thread that, again, I want to see continue, no matter how it goes on these details : I think we can agree it's quite vague, enough that if it goes one way or another, it doesn't impairs radically the timeline.
As John7755 يوحنا said, it's not the focus of where he wants to go.
Ah, my mistake then, I misunderstood part of your argument due to general exhaustion. I apologize.
As for John, I hope you do continue the timeline, for all the reasons that have been stated by others. I'm still fascinated to see where this is going to all go.
