A.H. 101–105.
sword.[1] Fighting went on more or less throughout the reign in these outlying provinces, but with no very marked results.
ʿIrāḳ, Asia Minor, and Armenia,
102–104 A.H.Maslama not sending on the surplus revenues of his province to Damascus, the government was given to ʿOmar ibn Hubeira, an ambitious scion of the Fezāra tribe, in reward for his military service. He had distinguished himself in the campaign against the Khawārij, and more recently on the northern border of Mesopotamia. He was a Ḳeisite of the Ḳeisites, and the Azd and Yemen suffered accordingly, especially in Khorāsān. The legacy bequeathed by Al-Ḥajjāj began to bear interest. Yezīd II. followed in the footsteps of Suleimān, and outside of Syria the government represented only a party—that of Ḳeis. The policy of extirpating the family of Al-Muhallab, a new departure in Islām, meant war upon the Yemen. In Asia Minor, the Muslim possessions were quiet. But towards the North-east several heavy, and not always fortunate, operations were carried on against the Khazar, Kipchak, and other hordes inhabiting the mountain region between the Black and Caspian seas.104 A.H. The first army sent thither suffered a bad defeat, losing their camp, and being driven out of the country. A second force under Al-Jarrāḥ retrieved the disaster, and occupied Balanjar and other important cities; but incautiously pressing their advance too far, were overtaken by winter, and were surrounded and cut off by Turkoman hordes. The Caliph promised fresh support, but dying shortly after, left the task to his Successor.
Africa.In Africa things went from bad to worse. The Caliph appointed one who had been a favourite secretary of
- ↑ Another tradition says 7000, which, even with any conventional margin, seems incredible. The Soghdian merchants were allowed to retire before the massacre. A romantic story is told of the fort of Bāhila, occupied by a clan of the Soghdians, who remained loyal. One of the Turkoman generals wished to marry a lady in the fort; on her refusal they besieged the place. A Muslim column came on the scene just as they were on the point of surrendering from thirst. The Turks were attacked and routed. They fled out of sight, and the Muslims meanwhile bore away every man, woman, and child to a place of safety. The Turks returning, found the fortress empty, not a soul to be seen, and declared that it was the genii who had done the miracle.
