The illness and death of Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq

مرض أبي أحمد الموفق ثم موته

278 AH

In 278 Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq returned from the highlands to Iraq, his gout so severe that he could not ride. He died on Wednesday, eight days before the end of Safar, and was buried in al-Rusafa beside his mother's grave ¹ ². According to al-Mas'udi, he came from Azerbaijan gravely ill, swollen and wasting, in a wooden litter lined with silk and brocade, carried in relays on men's shoulders. He reached Baghdad on Thursday, two nights into Safar of 278. The commanders grew restless, the common people hurried to plunder the houses of the notables and secretaries, and the bridges and prison doors were opened. He died on the night of Thursday, three days before the end of Safar, aged forty-nine. His mother was a Byzantine umm walad called Asahr, and his name was Talha ³. According to Ibn al-Jawzi, Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq came from the highlands to Iraq in Muharram, and people met him at the river; he rode on the water, passing through al-Nahrawan, then the Diyala, then the Tigris. He was sick with gout, entered his house in early Safar, and died a few days later. Two nights before the end of Muharram a star with a mane appeared, and the mane then became a tail ⁴.

Overview

The sources record the illness and death of Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq in 278 AH, and differ over the details of his arrival in Baghdad and the day of his death. ¹

Al-Tabari's account

Abu Ahmad al-Muwaffaq returned from the mountain to Iraq with gout so severe that he could no longer ride. He died on Wednesday, eight days before the end of Safar, and was buried at al-Rusafa beside his mother's grave. ¹ ²

Al-Mas'udi's account

Al-Mas'udi says that he came from Azerbaijan ill, carried by men in a wooden house. He reached Baghdad in Safar 278 AH, the commanders were thrown into disorder, and the common people plundered some houses. He died at the age of forty-nine, and his name was Talha. ⁵

Ibn al-Jawzi's account

According to Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Muwaffaq arrived in Muharram and people met him at the river. He was ill with gout, entered his house at the beginning of Safar, and died a few days later. ⁶

The accounts differ on the exact day, and the museum presents them without preferring one.

Sources

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.10 p.20

Tarikh al-Rusul wa'l-Muluk — al-Tabari (ed. Abu al-Fadl Ibrahim) , j.10 p.22

Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p. 594-595

al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa'l-Umam — Ibn al-Jawzi , p. 113-114

Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi , p.594

al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa'l-Umam — Ibn al-Jawzi , p.113