al-Junayd's Khurasan and the Turkish War

ولاية الجنيد بن عبد الرحمن خراسان وحربه الترك

In 112h Hisham gave Khurasan to al-Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri; his vanguard caught the Khaqan's son drunk hunting — sent to Hisham — and he fought on till the Turks were driven off. Reinforced by Amr ibn Muslim with ten thousand Basrans, Abd al-Rahman ibn Nu'aym with ten thousand Kufans, thirty thousand spears, thirty thousand shields, and an open stipend for fifteen thousand men, his raids prospered — while the Hashimi da'is spread and grew strong in his rule. He died at Marw; Hisham then gave Khurasan to Asim ibn Abdallah al-Hilali. Abu Ubayda notes the Tukharistan districts al-Junayd had breached were returned to their sulh.

Overview

In 112 AH Hisham appointed al-Junayd ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Murri over Khurasan, and he fought the Turks. ¹

The war

al-Junayd met the Turks and fought them. He sent vanguards who caught the son of the Khaqan while he was drunk and out hunting. They brought him to al-Junayd, who sent him on to Hisham. He kept fighting the Turks until he drove them back. ¹

Reinforcements

al-Junayd wrote to Hisham asking for reinforcement, and Hisham sent him Amr ibn Muslim with ten thousand men from Basra, and Abd al-Rahman ibn Nu'aym with ten thousand men from Kufa. He sent him thirty thousand spears and thirty thousand shields, and gave him a free hand over the stipend roll, so he enrolled fifteen thousand men. ¹

The end of his governorship

The source says that the missionaries of Banu Hashim spread through his province and their cause grew strong. al-Junayd died in Merv, and Hisham appointed Asim ibn Abd Allah al-Hilali over Khurasan. ¹

The source quotes Abu Ubayda that some districts of Tukharistan had broken away under al-Junayd, and that he then restored them to their treaty and their separate arrangement. ¹

Notes

The year 112 is taken from the source text; the date needs an additional source.

al-Mubarak Canal and the Tigris Pontoon

In al-Baladhuri: Khalid ibn Abdallah al-Qasri dug al-Mubarak canal — al-Farazdaq praised it ('al-Mubarak, like its name, waters Sawad's ploughland and the tyrant's lush domain; Tigris at its flood seems a fang stretched out on a caravan rope'). Khalid wrote Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik asking leave to build a pontoon on the Tigris; Hisham answered 'if this were possible the Persians would have preceded us,' and when pressed, 'if you are certain it will hold, do it.' He built it at enormous cost; the water soon cut it, and Hisham made him repay all he had spent.

al-Junayd's Khurasan and the Turkish War

At a glance

Overview

The war

Reinforcements

The end of his governorship

Notes

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

al-Mubarak Canal and the Tigris Pontoon