Qutayba's Opening beyond the River

افتتاح قتيبة ما وراء النهر

Al-Hajjaj gave Qutayba ibn Muslim al-Bahili Khurasan; marching on Akharun he was met at Talaqan by Balkh's dahqans bridging the river, and at the crossing by the Saghaniyan king bearing gifts and a golden key, yielding obedience and inviting him into his land — pressed by Akharun and Shuman's king — and Kafiyan's king came likewise, both surrendering their lands. Qutayba left his brother Salih beyond the river, who took Kasan and Urusht of Farghana — Nasr ibn Sayyar in his army — and Sakhr and Akhsikath, Farghana's old city; Kasan and Urusht, breached later, were last reopened by Nuh ibn Asad under al-Mansur. Juzjan's king truced on coming in person, came, returned, and died at Talaqan.

Overview

Al-Hajjaj appointed Qutayba ibn Muslim al-Bahili over Khurasan; he crossed the river and the kings beyond it came to him in obedience. He then left his brother Salih over Transoxiana. This is what al-Baladhuri relates. ¹

Crossing the river

Al-Baladhuri says that when Qutayba reached Taliqan, the landowners of Balkh met him. After crossing the river, the king of Saghaniyan came to him with gifts and a golden key, and gave him obedience. Another king, of Wasumashan, had been pressing him, which is why he gave what he gave. The king of Kaphian did the same. ¹

Salih ibn Muslim

Qutayba returned to Merv and left Salih, who conquered Kasan and Awrasht in Farghana, and conquered Sakhr and Akhsikat. Nasr ibn Sayyar was in his army. ¹

The source says that Nuh ibn Asad was the last to conquer Kasan and Awrasht, and that its people broke their covenant in the caliphate of al-Mansur. The lord of Jozjanan made peace with Qutayba, and then Qutayba returned and died at Taliqan. ¹

Note

This report comes from a single source and needs an additional source.

Abu Muslim Enters Marw and His Partisans Fall upon Mudar

In 130 Abu Muslim entered the wall of Marw and took up residence in the governor's house on Thursday, 9 Jumada I. The cause was that Sulayman ibn Kathir objected to Ali ibn al-Kirmani's reconciliation with Nasr ibn Sayyar: 'Are you not ashamed to make peace with Nasr, when he killed your men and your companions only yesterday?' Ali ibn al-Kirmani was seized by anger, reversed his position, and the truce among the Arabs broke. Nasr ibn Sayyar sent to Abu Muslim asking him to join Mudar, and Rabi'a and Qahtan sent the same request. Abu Muslim ordered that envoys of both sides come before him to choose between them, and told the Shi'a to choose Rabi'a and Qahtan, since authority lay with Mudar, who were Marwan's agents and the killers of Yahya ibn Zayd. When his letter was read to the seventy assembled, Mazid ibn Shaqiq al-Sulami stood and said: 'Mudar are the killers of the Family of the Prophet and helpers of the Umayyads and partisans of Marwan al-Ja'di; our blood is on their necks and our wealth in their hands, and Nasr ibn Sayyar, Marwan's governor in Khurasan, has the khutba given for him from his pulpit and calls him amir al-mu'minin; we are innocent of that before God.' The seventy agreed with him; he rose, and humiliation and dejection came upon Mudar, while Ali ibn al-Kirmani and his companions returned glad and victorious. Abu Muslim had stayed at Alin for twenty-nine days, then moved on to al-Makhwan, stayed three months at Khunda, and then entered the wall of Marw.

Qutayba's Opening beyond the River

At a glance

Overview

Crossing the river

Salih ibn Muslim

Note

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

Abu Muslim Enters Marw and His Partisans Fall upon Mudar