Ibn Khazim's War for Khurasan

حرب ابن خازم على ولاية خراسان

Ibn Khazim met the departing Salm at Naysabur and carried his covenant over Khurasan with a hundred thousand dirhams; Bakr ibn Wa'il's masses resented 'these men eating Khurasan over us' and raided his baggage before being fought off. Sulayman ibn Marthad told him the covenant was worthless — its issuer could not stay himself — and they agreed to let Ibn al-Zubayr arbitrate; six months on, Urwa ibn Qatiba brought Ibn Khazim the governorship — and Sulayman refused it: 'Ibn al-Zubayr is no caliph, only a man sheltering at the House'. Six thousand against fifteen thousand, cries 'humr la yunsarun' against 'ya nasr iqtarib' — Sulayman fell to Qays ibn Asim (may God be pleased with him) al-Sulami, who took his head; his remnant under Umar ibn Marthad at Talaqan was destroyed next. When Rabi'a gathered to Aws ibn Tha'laba at Herat, Ibn Khazim left Musa over Marw and marched — the Turks exploiting their strife to raid near Naysabur — had Aws poisoned, and before battle urged his men to stab the horses' nostrils, 'no horse ever endured that and stayed'; Aws, already ailing, took a wound and died days later.