Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands

غزوة مروان بن محمد في بلاد الخزر والجبال

between 732 and 744 CE · c. 114 AH

Armenia → Al-Sarir → Bab al-Lan (Darial) → Khakhit → Kisal → Al-Lakz

In al-Baladhuri: after Maslama, Hisham gave the march to Sa'id al-Harashi, who held it two years, then to Marwan ibn Muhammad — who camped at Kisal, having built its city (forty farsakhs from Bardha'a, twenty from Tiflis), then entered the Khazar land by way of Bab al-Lan, Asid ibn Zafir al-Sulami Abu Yazid guiding him in with the mountain kings by way of Bab wa-l-Abwab; Marwan raided Slavs in the Khazar land, carrying off ten thousand households whom he settled in Khakhit — they later killed their amir and fled, and he overtook and slew them; when the Khazar great-king learned the numbers Marwan trod into his lands and their strength and array, it stung his heart and filled it with dread, and as Marwan drew near he sent a messenger summoning him to Islam or war — Marwan answered 'I accept Islam; send me one to present it', which was done, and the Khaqan showed forth Islam, Marwan making peace confirming him in his kingdom; with him Marwan settled a body of Khazars between al-Samur and al-Shabiran in the Lakz plain; then Marwan entered the land of al-Sarir, fell upon its people, took castles, and its king submitted and obeyed — he compounded with him for a thousand heads, five hundred lads and five hundred girls black of hair, brow and lash each year, and a hundred thousand mudd poured into Bab's granaries, taking hostages of him; Marwan compounded with Tuman's people for a hundred heads — fifty girls and fifty five-year-old boys black of hair, brow and lash — and twenty thousand mudd yearly to the granaries; then entered Zirikeran's land, whose king compounded for fifty heads and ten thousand mudd yearly; then came to Hamzin's land — Hamzin refusing peace — took their fortress after a month's siege, burned and demolished it, its treaty then being five hundred heads delivered in one payment, no further claim on him, and thirty thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; then came to Sadan, which he opened by treaty for a hundred heads its lord delivered at once, no claim thereafter, and five thousand mudd borne yearly to Bab's granaries; and he assessed the people of Tabarsaranshah at ten thousand mudd borne yearly to the granaries, while assessing Filanshah nothing — for his fine service, handsome conduct and praiseworthy way; then Marwan camped on the fortress of al-Lakz — its lord having withheld the levy and gone out to join the Khazar king, whereupon a herdsman killed him with an arrow not knowing him — so the Lakz people compounded for twenty thousand mudd borne to the granaries, and he set Khashrama al-Sulami over them; and Marwan went to Shirwan's lord's fortress called Khirsh upon the sea — he submitted, was ordered down to the plain, and they were bound to ten thousand mudd yearly; on Shirwan's lord he laid it that he be in the van when the Muslims began raiding the Khazars and in the rear when they returned; on Filanshah, that he raid with them only; and on Tabarsaranshah, in the rear at the outset and the van at the return; and Marwan went to the Dudaniyya and fell on them — then word of al-Walid ibn Yazid's killing reached him.