Abbreviations employed
Translator's Foreword
Genealogical table of the `Abbasids (with special reference to those members of the family mentioned in this section of al-Tabari's History)
Maps.
1. Al-'Iraq in the Caliphate of al-Ma'mun
2. Baghdad and its environs
The Caliphate of al-Ma'mun
[The Remainder of the Events of the Year 198(813/814)]
The Events of the Year 199 (814/815)
Various events in al-`Iraq
The revolt in al-Kufah of Muhammad b. Ibrahim,called Ibn Tabataba, under the military leadership of Abu al-Saraya
The spread of the revolt to Mecca under Husayn b.Hasan al-Aftas
The Events of the Year 200 (815/816)
Harthamah b. A`yan's recapture of al-Kufah, and the defeat and execution of Abu al-Saraya
The revolt in the Yemen of the `Alid Ibrahim b.Musa al-Jazzar
The proclamation in Mecca of the `Alid Muhammad b.Ja`far al-Sadiq as Caliph
The overthrowing of Muhammad b. Ja`far's rule by the `Abbasid forces, and his renunciation of power
The abortive attempt to seize power in Mecca by a member of the `Aqili branch of the Talibids
Harthamah b. A`yan's journeying to al-Ma'mun's court at Marw and his fate there
The civil strife in Baghdad between the troops of the Harbiyyah quarter and those of al-Ma'mun's representative in al-`Iraq, al-Hasan b. Sahl
The Events of the Year 201 (816/817)
The expulsion from Baghdad of al-Hasan b. Sahl's representative in the city, `Ali b. Hisham; the fighting between the Sahlid forces and the leader of the Baghdad rebels, Muhammad b. Abi Khalid; the proclamation in Baghdad of the `Abbasid prince Mansur b. al-Mahdi as al-Ma'mun's amir and khalifah
The breakdown of social order in Baghdad, and the movement there of the volunteers and vigilantes under Khalid al-Daryush and Sahl b. Salama al-Ansari
Al-Ma'mun's designation of the Eighth Imam of the Shi`ah, `Ali al-Rida, as his heir and the adoption of the `Alid green colour
The proclamation in Baghdad of Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi as anti-caliph
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 202 (817/818)
Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi's assumption of power in central al-`Iraq
The revolt in al-Kufah of the `Alid al-`Abbas b.Musa al-Kazim, and its suppression by Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi's forces
Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi's arrest and jailing of the vigilante leader in Baghdad Sahl b. Salama
Al-Ma'mun's decision to leave Marw and to travel westwards and secure al-`Iraq; the murder of his minister al-Fadl b. Sahl; Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi's preparations to withstand al-Ma'mun's forces
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 203 (818/819)
The death of the Imam `Ali al-Rida; al-Hasan b.Sahl's nervous breakdown
Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi's despairing attempt to retain his caliphal power in Baghdad; his loss of the people of Baghdad's allegiance;his disappearance underground in the city
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 204 (819/820)
Al-Ma'mun's arrival in Baghdad and assumption of authority there; the abandonment of the `Alid colour of green and restoration of the traditional `Abbasid colour of black
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 205 (820/821)
Al-Ma'mun's appointment of Tahir b. al-Husayn as governor of Khurasan and the East; Tahir's suspicions of al-Ma'mun's good faith towards him and his scheming with the Caliph's minister Ahmad b. Abi Khalid
Various appointments to governorships in the outlying part of the empire
The Events of the Year 206 (821/822)
Various items of information
Al-Ma'mun's appointment of `Abdallah b. Tahir as governor of al-Jazirah and Syria with the task of suppressing the revolt there of Nasr b. Shabath
Tahir b. al-Husayn's epistle of advice to his son `Abdallah on the latter's taking up his post
The epistle's immediate fame
The Events of the Year 207 (822/823)
The revolt in Yemen of the `Alid `Abd al-Rahman b.Ahmad
The mysterious death in Khurasan of Tahir b.al-Husayn
The appointment of his son Talhah as successor over Khurasan and the East; a variant account of this episode
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 208 (823/824)
Al-Hasan b. al-Husayn al-Mus`abi's revolt in Khurasan; various appointments to official positions
The Events of the Year 209 (824/825)
`Abdallah b. Tahir's lengthy campaigns against Nasr b. Shabath; `Abdallah's letters to Nasr inviting his submission and guaranteeing his safety; Nasr's final submission and the demolition of his fortress Kaysum
Military operations in Azerbaijan against the rebel Babak al-Khurrami
The Events of the Year 210 (825/826)
Al-Ma'mun's execution of the conspirator Ibn `A'ishah
The capture of Ibrahim b. al-Mahdi, dressed in woman's clothing, in the streets of Baghdad; Ibrahim's ode addressed to al-Ma'mun seeking the Caliph's forgiveness
Al-Ma'mun's consummation of his marriage to al-Hasan b. Sahl's daughter Buran and the sumptuous celebrations at Fam al-Silh
`Abdallah b. Tahir's march into Egypt to combat the rebel `Ubaydallah b. al-Sari; his capture of Alexandria and expulsion thence of the Andalusians to Crete
The revolt of the people of Qumm against tax burdens
The Events of the Year 211 (826/827)
`Ubaydallah b. al-Sari's submission to `Abdallah b.Tahir
Anecdote in which `Abdallah is cleared of suspected sympathies for Shi`ism
Ahmad b. Yusuf's letter of congratulation to `Abdallah on his restoration of order in Egypt
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 212 (827/828)
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 213 (828/829)
Various items of information
Ghassan b. `Abbad's appointment as governor of Sind
The Events of the Year 214 (829/830)
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 215 (830/831)
Al-Ma'mun's journey to the Byzantine frontier and his campaigning there
The Events of the Year 216 (831/832)
Al-Ma'mun's further campaigns against the Byzantines
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 217 (832/833)
Al-Ma'mun's execution at Adana of `Ali and Husayn, the two sons of Hisham
Al-Ma'mun's campaigns in the Byzantine lands; his correspondence with the Emperor Theophilus
The Events of the Year 218 (833/834)
Al-Ma'mun's fortifications at Tyana and his troop levies for the Byzantine wars
Al-Ma'mun's orders to his governor in Baghdad, Ishaq b. Ibrahim al-Mus`abi, to interrogate the judges and traditionists on the question of the createdness of the Qur'an: the Caliph's first letter
Anecdote in which `Abdallah is cleared of suspected sympathies for Shi`ism
Ahmad b. Yusuf's letter of congratulation to `Abdallah on his restoration of order in Egypt
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 212 (827/828)
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 213 (828/829)
Various items of information
Ghassan b. `Abbad's appointment as governor of Sind
The Events of the Year 214 (829/830)
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 215 (830/831)
Al-Ma'mun's journey to the Byzantine frontier and his campaigning there
The Events of the Year 216 (831/832)
Al-Ma'mun's further campaigns against the Byzantines
Various items of information
The Events of the Year 217 (832/833)
Al-Ma'mun's execution at Adana of `Ali and Husayn, the two sons of Hisham
Al-Ma'mun's campaigns in the Byzantine lands; his correspondence with the Emperor Theophilus
The Events of the Year 218 (833/834)
Al-Ma'mun's fortifications at Tyana and his troop levies for the Byzantine wars
Al-Ma'mun's orders to his governor in Baghdad, Ishaq b. Ibrahim al-Mus`abi, to interrogate the judges and traditionists on the question of the createdness of the Qur'an: the Caliph's first letter
Al-Ma'mun's interrogation at al-Raqqah of certain scholars, and his second letter to Ishaq b. Ibrahim
Ishaq's interrogation at Baghdad of a further group of scholars
Al-Ma'mun's third letter to Ishaq after receiving the scholars' replies
Ishaq's despatch of the remaining recalcitrants to the Caliph at Tarsus
Al-Ma'mun's letters to his governors appointing his brother Abu Ishaq al-Mu`tasim and his successor and commending him to their obedience
Al-Ma'mun's fatal illness at al-Budandun; his last testament and commendation to al-Mu`tasim; his death on 18 Rajab 218/9 August 833 and burial at Tarsus
Anecdotes about al-Ma'mun and his conduct:
Al-Ma'mun's answer to Ibrahim b. `Isa b. Burayhah's request to be admitted into the circle of the Caliph's travelling companions
Al-Ma'mun's suspicious attitude towards the Syrians
His reverence for a document emanating from the Prophet himself
His generosity with the revenues collected in Syria
Al-Ma'mun and the poet of Tamim from al-Basrah
Al-Ma'mun and the exigent boon companion from Syria
Al-Ma'mun's dismissal of a poet-judge of Damascus for his jesting attitude towards the Islamic faith
The singer `Allawayh's defence of the Umayyads before his master al-Ma'mun
Stories illustrating al-Ma'mun's own poetic talent and aesthetic judgement; his relations with his court poets and the hostile one Di`bil
Al-Ma'mun and Kulthum al-`Attabi
More stories about al-Ma'mun's relations with his court poets
Bibliography. 1. Primary sources: texts and translations
2. Secondary sources and reference works
Index

The 20 years' caliphate of al-Mämun began as a stormy period in Middle Eastern history; after the comparatively peaceful reign of his father Harun al-Rashid, the caliphate was plunged into violent civil warfare in both Iraq and Arabia, involving the sons of al-Rashid, rivals for the supreme authority, and various other sectarian rebels and aspirants for power. Yet once peace was secured and the caliphate lands united once more, al-Mämun's reign settled down into one of the most exciting and innovative of the mediaeval caliphate. The Caliph himself was a highly cultivated man who possessed a keen intellectual curiosity and who interested himself in the practical sciences, astronomy and mathematics. He also encouraged the translating of Greek philosophical, scientific and medical works from Greek and Syriac into Arabic and involved himself in theological controversies in which the dialectical techniques of the Greek thinkers were to figure. ¿abari's history of this period constitutes a prime source for political and military history. His racy and vivid style, including many verbatim conversations and documents, brings the Caliphate of al-Mämun very much alive.
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