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The Aman of Samalu and its People's Transfer to Baghdad

أمان أهل ضمالو ونقلهم إلى بغداد

c. 780 CE · 163 AH

Baghdad

In al-Baladhuri: al-Mahdi sent his son Harun al-Rashid raiding in year 163 and he besieged the people of Damalu — which common speech calls Samalu — and they asked his aman, ten householders among them the qummis, which he granted on the condition that they not be separated, so they were settled in Baghdad at the Shammasiyya gate and named their quarter Samalu, which it is still known as; others say they came down on al-Mahdi's ruling — he spared them, gathered them at that spot and ordered it named Samalu; al-Rashid had those remaining in the fortress cried and sold, and an Abyssinian who used to curse al-Rashid and the Muslims was taken and crucified on one of its towers.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Early Abbasid Caliphate
Region
Levant & Iraq
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

770780790 c.
The Early Abbasid Caliphate

In space

Baghdad

Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph

Overview

al-Baladhuri relates that al-Mahdi sent his son Harun al-Rashid on a campaign in 163 AH, and he besieged the people of Samalu. 1

Safe-conduct

The people of Samalu, whom the common folk call Samalu, asked for safe-conduct for ten households, among them the Qumis. al-Rashid agreed, on condition that they not be separated. They were settled in Baghdad at the Gate of al-Shammasiyya, and their place was named Samalu. 1

In another report that al-Baladhuri gives, they came down under the judgement of al-Mahdi, who spared their lives and gathered them in that place. 1

Those left in the fort

al-Baladhuri says that al-Rashid ordered a call made for those who remained in the fort, and they were sold. An Abyssinian who used to revile al-Rashid and the Muslims was taken and crucified on one of its towers. 1

See also Baghdad.

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
Muhammad al-Mahdi· Harun al-Rashid
Occurred at
Baghdad

People and things also explored

Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom· The Building of Madinat al-Hadath· The Founding of Madinat al-Salam (Baghdad)· The Building of al-Rafiqa· The Building of Sisar· The Building of Tarsus· Establishment of the barid from the Hijaz to Iraq· Muhammad al-Mahdi

Sources

  1. Futuh al-Buldan — al-Baladhuri (Mu'assasat al-Ma'arif edition) , p.234
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “The Aman of Samalu and its People's Transfer to Baghdad”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/captives-of-samalu/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom

The House of Wisdom at Baghdad, the greatest library whose report survives from the first Abbasid age: al-Rashid laid its nucleus and al-Ma'mun enlarged and strengthened it. Al-Rashid put Yuhanna ibn Masawayh over the translation of the ancient medical books found in Byzantine lands with skilled scribes writing before him; Abu Sahl al-Fadl ibn Nawbakht rendered Persian wisdom-books into Arabic in its khizana, and Allan al-Shu'ubi copied for al-Rashid, al-Ma'mun and the Barmakids. Al-Ma'mun widened it, sending to the Byzantine emperor for the ancient sciences an embassy of al-Hajjaj ibn Matar, Ibn al-Bitriq and Salm the master of the House, and making Sahl ibn Harun keeper of its treasuries — though its precise organisation and site remain wrapped in obscurity.