Qaliqala (Theodosiopolis/Erzurum)

قاليقلا

Qaliqala (Theodosiopolis, Erzurum), of Armenia III in the reported division — or II — and the seat of Armenia's conquests; al-Baladhuri relates that a woman who ruled Armeniakos after her husband, named Qali, built it calling it 'Qali's beneficence', her image on one of its gates, and the Arabs arabised it Qaliqala; Habib ibn Maslama took it in Uthman's caliphate on departure-who-willed and jizya for who stayed, Mu'awiya garrisoning it with two thousand men on land-grants; it stayed defiant until Kusan the Armenian brought it down in year 133 through two brothers' tunnel under its wall and demolished it; al-Mansur restored it in year 139 ransoming its captives, settling and garrisoning it, and al-Mu'tasim spent five hundred thousand dirhams on its fortification.

Overview

Qaliqala is one of the cities of Armenia. Al-Baladhuri mentions that it is third in the transmitted division, and some say second, and that it was the centre of the conquest of Armenia. It is part of Armenia. ¹

The name and the conquest

Al-Baladhuri relates that a woman, named Quli, ruled the land of Armeniakos after her husband. She built the city and named it Qaliqala, meaning "the goodness of Quli". Her image was carved on one of its gates, and the Arabs arabized it as Qaliqala. ¹

Habib ibn Maslama conquered it in the caliphate of Uthman, on terms of departure for whoever wished and payment of jizya for those who remained. Mu'awiya settled there two thousand men on garrison duty (murabata), with land grants (qata'i'). The conquest has a page: The conquest of Qaliqala. ¹

Fall and restoration

The city remained defended until Kusan the Armenian took it in the year 133 AH, through a breach dug by two brothers of its people, and he demolished it. Then al-Mansur restored it in 139 AH, ransomed its captives, settled it and placed troops in it. Al-Mu'tasim spent five hundred thousand dirhams on fortifying it. For the detail, see The fall and rebuilding of Qaliqala. ¹

Habib ibn Maslama's Circuit of Armenia

In al-Baladhuri: Habib camped at Khilat, whose patrikios came with the tribute-money and a gift he would not accept, then marched to al-Sasana where the lord of Muks — a district of the Busfurrajan — met him and compounded for his lands, and Habib wrote him a peace and aman writ; he sent collectors to the villages of Arjish and Bajunays whose people he held, taxing the jizya on their heads and assessing their notables the kharaj — as for Lake al-Tarikh he did not touch it, and it stayed free until Muhammad ibn Marwan governed the Jazira and Armenia, annexed its fishery and sold it as revenue, whence it passed to Marwan ibn Muhammad and was seized; then he came to Azdisat, the village of al-Qirmiz, crossed the Kurds' river, camped at Marj Dabil grazing his horses, advanced to its gate where the people fortified themselves and shot at him, so he set a mangonel on it and battered them until they sought aman and peace — which he granted — while his cavalry ranged to Jurni, Ashush, Dhat al-Lujum, al-Jabal and Wadi al-Ahrar, taking all Dabil's villages; he sent to Siraj Tayr and Baghrawand whose patrikios compounded for a tribute and for loyalty to the Muslims, quartering them and aiding against their enemies; the writ of Dabil's peace ran: 'This is a writ from Habib ibn Maslama to the Christians of Dabil and its Magians and its Jews, present and absent: I have given you security on yourselves, your wealth, your churches, your houses of worship and the wall of your city — you are safe, and it is on us to keep the covenant while you keep it and pay the jizya and the kharaj; God witnesses, and God suffices as witness — sealed, Habib ibn Maslama'; then he took Nashwa on Dabil's terms, the Busfurrajan's patrikios compounded for all his lands on a yearly kharaj, and at Sisajan the people fought him — he routed them, took Ways and compounded with the castles' folk for kharaj, then marched for Jurzan; the shaykhs of Dabil, Barmak ibn Abdallah among them, told me: reaching Dhat al-Lujum they loosed some beasts' bridles, and a band of the Aluj came out, hurried them off the bridles and fought them — the Aluj prevailed and took the bridles and what beasts they could, then the Muslims wheeled on them, killed them and took back what was taken, whence the place is called 'of the bridles'; and the messenger of Jurzan's patrikios and people came to Habib as he marched on it, asking a writ of peace and aman, and Habib wrote: 'Your envoy's report reached me and the believers with me, saying of you that you desire our peace; I have assessed your matter and reckoned it of your jizya, and have written you an aman stipulating a condition — if you accept and fulfil it, well; else be warned of war from God and His messenger — and peace be on whoever follows guidance.'

Qaliqala (Theodosiopolis/Erzurum)

At a glance

Overview

The name and the conquest

Fall and restoration

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Place

Habib ibn Maslama's Circuit of Armenia