The killing of the pilgrimage commander Aqbash and the battle of al-Hasan ibn Qatada in Mecca

قتل أمير الحاج أقباش ووقعة الحسن بن قتادة بمكة

c. 1221 CE · 618 AH

In the year 618 the pilgrims of Iraq set out under a commander called Aqbash, a mamluk of the caliph al-Nasir, who was of good conduct and gave the pilgrims much protection. Rajih ibn Qatada approached him and offered him, and the caliph, money to help him seize Mecca from his brother al-Hasan. They reached Mecca and camped at al-Zahir; al-Hasan came out against them with bands of Arabs. The pilgrimage commander went out ahead of his army alone and climbed the mountain, humbling himself, since no one would dare approach him. The men of al-Hasan surrounded him and killed him and hung up his head, and the army of the Commander of the Faithful fled. They then surrounded the pilgrims to plunder them; al-Hasan sent them his turban as a guarantee of safety for the pilgrims, so his men went back and took nothing from them, and he allowed them to enter Mecca. They stayed ten days performing the rites of pilgrimage and trading, and returned safely to Iraq. The matter weighed heavily on the caliph, and messengers from al-Hasan arrived apologising and seeking pardon, which was granted ¹.