Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik's Khazar Campaign and the Taking of al-Bab

غزوة مسلمة بن عبد الملك للخزر وفتح الباب

c. 731 CE · c. 113 AH

In al-Baladhuri: Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik gave Armenia to Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik and sent ahead as his vanguard Sa'id ibn Amr ibn Aswad al-Harashi — with him Ishaq ibn Muslim al-Uqayli and his brothers, Jamwana ibn al-Harith ibn Khalid of Banu Amir ibn Rabi'a ibn Sa'sa'a, Dhufafa and Khalid the sons of Umayr ibn al-Habab al-Sulami, al-Furat ibn Salman al-Bahili and al-Walid ibn al-Qa'qa' al-Absi — who met the Khazars besieging Wartan, drove them off and routed them, coming to Maymadh of Adharbayjan; as he readied for battle, Maslama's letter reached him blaming him for fighting before his arrival and telling him Abd al-Malik ibn Muslim al-Uqayli had been given his army's command — when he handed the army over, Maslama's messenger seized him, bound him, carried him to Bardha'a and jailed him; the Khazars withdrew, Maslama pursued, and wrote of it to Hisham, who wrote back the verse 'leave them to waste — you see them — and chase them till the dust is cut off', ordering al-Harashi released from prison; Maslama compounded with the people of Khayzan, ordered its fortress demolished and took estates there known today as Hawz Khayzan; the mountain kings made peace with him, and to him came the Shirwanshah, the Liranshah, the Tabarsaranshah, the Filanshah, the Jarshanshah and the lord of Masmumat; he advanced on Madinat al-Bab and took it — in its citadel were a thousand Khazar households whom he besieged and stoned, then had a mantlet built in stone-shape which availed nothing, whereupon he went to the spring Anushirwan had led into their cistern, slaughtered cattle and sheep and threw in the offal and dung, so that by nightfall their water wormed, stank and fouled — and when night covered them they fled, abandoning the citadel; Maslama settled in the city of Bab wa-l-Abwab twenty-four thousand Syrians on mount-allowances — whence Bab's folk today admit no governor unless he brings money to share among them — built a granary for food, one for barley and an arms-storehouse, ordered the cistern sealed, and repaired and honoured the city; Marwan ibn Muhammad was with Maslama, engaging the Khazars at his side and fighting bitterly.

Overview

Al-Baladhuri relates that Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik appointed Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik over Armenia, and he raided the Khazars and took the city of al-Bab. ¹

The vanguard

Maslama put Sa'id al-Harashi in command of his vanguard, with Ishaq ibn Muslim al-Uqayli and others. The Khazars uncovered Warthan and were defeated. Then a letter from Maslama reached him blaming him for fighting before his arrival; he was taken to Barda'a and imprisoned. Hisham later ordered his release. ¹

Taking al-Bab

Maslama made peace with the people of Khayzan, and the lords of the mountains made terms with him. He went to the city of al-Bab, where in its fortress were a thousand Khazar households. He threw dung into the spring that fed their cistern, the water was spoiled, and they fled by night. ¹

After the conquest

Maslama settled twenty-four thousand people from Syria on regular pay in al-Bab and al-Abwab. He built granaries for food and barley and a store for weapons. Marwan ibn Muhammad was with him and fought the Khazars. ¹

The date is approximate and derived.

Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands

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.

Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik's Khazar Campaign and the Taking of al-Bab

At a glance

In time

Overview

The vanguard

Taking al-Bab

After the conquest

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

Marwan ibn Muhammad's Expedition through Khazar and Mountain Lands