Banu Munqidh
Banu Munqidh | |
---|---|
Emirs | |
Country |
|
Founded | 1025 |
Founder | Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh al-Kinani |
Final ruler | Muhammad ibn Sultan |
Dissolution | 1157 |
Historical Arab states and dynasties |
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The Banu Munqidh (
Under the reign of Emir Ali ibn Muqallad (r. 1059–1082), the Banu Munqidh reached their territorial peak with the emirate extending from the
Through a combination of wealth, diplomatic acumen and military skills, the Banu Munqidh survived as a local power and successfully resisted attempts by the Crusaders and stronger Syrian Muslim dynasties to seize their strategic fortress in Shayzar. Among their allies and enemies alike, the Banu Munqidh gained a reputation for "martial valor, honor, piety and courtly refinement" in the words of historian Adnan Husain. Their rural lands, which were largely populated by
History
Emergence
The Banu Munqidh were an
It was not until the 11th century that the Banu Munqidh emerged in regional politics.
Reign of Ali
Muqallad died in 1059, after which his son Sadid al-Mulk Ali inherited his iqṭāʿ.[1] Tensions with the Mirdasid emir of Aleppo, Mahmud ibn Nasr, led Ali to depart Aleppo for Tripoli.[4] The historian Thierry Bianquis notes that Ali afterward "was able to carve out for himself, to the detriment of the [Banu] Kilab, a lordship over the middle Orontes [valley]."[4] The Banu Kilab were the Bedouin tribe to which the Mirdasids belonged, and a branch of the tribe, the Ja'far, dwelt in the middle Orontes.[4] During the chaotic succession process following Mahmud's death, Ali was instrumental in installing Mahmud's son Sabiq as Aleppo's emir in 1076.[5] However, Sabiq's succession was opposed by other Mirdasids and the Banu Kilab, who favored Sabiq's brother Waththab.[4] After a number of major battles between the opposing sides and amid severe famine in Aleppo, Muslim ibn Quraysh, the Uqaylid emir of Mosul saw an opportunity to take the city.[6] In the aftermath of his entry into Aleppo in 1080 and the refusal of the Mirdasids to surrender the citadel, Ali intervened to mediate between the two sides.[6] Ultimately, Ali facilitated the city's surrender to Ibn Quraysh in return for the allotment of iqṭāʿat to the Mirdasids in Aleppo's hinterland.[6]
Struggle for Shayzar
Meanwhile, the Banu Munqidh led renewed efforts to capture the Shayzar fortress in what historian Hugh N. Kennedy described as a "long, drawn out process".[2] The catalyst of these efforts was the weakening grip of the Byzantines in northern Syria following their defeat by the Seljuk Sultanate at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071.[2] In 1076, Ali began the construction of the Hisn al-Jisr fortress, which would limit Shayzar's access to the Orontes River.[7] Hisn al-Jisr was used to hamper the flow of supplies into Shayzar from the Byzantine mainland.[2] At the time, it was also utilized by Ali for diplomatic efforts amid the struggle for Syria between the ascendant Seljuks and their opponents.[8] In 1078/79, he sheltered the families of the Seljuks' Turkish opponents from Aleppo and he hosted the Seljuk general Afshin, persuading him to spare both Kafartab and Byzantine Shayzar from his pillaging.[8] These were early demonstrations of how "diplomatic skills, more than military power, enabled the Banu Munqidh to maintain their precarious independence", according to Kennedy.[8]
The Banu Munqidh's pressure on Shayzar compelled its Byzantine rulers to surrender the fortress to Ali in December 1081 in exchange for an unknown sum and guarantees of upkeep of the local bishop's home.
Reign of Nasr
Ali was succeeded by his son Nasr.
Reign of Sultan
In 1098, Nasr died and the lordship of Shayzar passed to his brothers. For unknown reasons, Nasr's brother and chosen successor, Murshid,[9] withdrew himself from the line of succession in favor of his younger brother Sultan,[12] who had served as the Banu Munqidh's governor in Latakia.[9] Murshid maintained a prominent leadership role as his then-childless brother's deputy.[13] At the turn of the 11th century, the Banu Munqidh's possessions were under threat not only by their Turkish suzerains, but also the encroachments of the Banu Kilab, the growing presence of the Nizari Ismailis in the coastal mountains of northern Syria and the newly arrived Crusaders.[14]
During Sultan's reign, the Banu Munqidh had become more numerous and Sultan chiefly depended on his own kinsmen in confrontations with the constellation of powers, local and regional, that controlled northern Syria.
The principal Crusader threat to the Banu Munqidh was posed by the neighboring Principality of Antioch.[9] The ruler of Antioch, Tancred attacked and plundered the Banu Munqidh's emirate in 1110 and imposed a heavy tribute on Shayzar, a testament to its wealth at the time.[16] The following year, Tancred built the Tell Ibn Ma'shar fortress along the west bank of the Orontes, across from Shayzar,[9] to prepare an assault against the city.[16] Sultan reached out to Mawdud, the Seljuk ruler of Mosul, for military support, while Tancred gathered a larger Crusader coalition including the rulers of Jerusalem and Tripoli.[16] In the ensuing Battle of Shayzar, which according to Kennedy was more of "a prolonged confrontation" than a battle, the Crusader armies retreated in October 1111.[17] Nonetheless, the Banu Munqidh continued paying the annual tribute to Antioch.[17]
Shayzar also became a target of the Isma'ilis subsequent to their exodus to the coastal mountains due to persecution they faced in Syria's major cities.
Suzerainty of the Zengids
In 1127 Sultan put the Banu Munqidh under the suzerainty of the ascendant Muslim ruler of Mosul and Aleppo, founder of the
The domain of the Banu Munqidh entered a long period of stability and prosperity beginning in 1138.
Demise and surviving members
Taj al-Mulk, his children, and all members of the Banu Munqidh present in Shayzar, except for Taj al-Dawla's wife, died in the collapse of the Shayzar citadel during the August 1157 earthquake, which devastated a number of other towns in the area.[25] This brought an end to their rule of the Shayzar principality, which was soon after seized by Nur al-Din to prevent its capture by the Crusaders.[26] Nur al-Din did not seek to find any surviving members of the Banu Munqidh to resume their lordship of Shayzar, whose fortifications he had promptly restored.[26] Instead, he handed the town over to a certain Sabiq al-Din Uthman ibn al-Daya.[26] The latter's family, the Banu al-Daya, remained the lords of Shayzar through Ayyubid rule until 1233.[27]
Among those of the Banu Munqidh who were not present during the earthquake was Usama, who became the best known member of the family. He left the Zengids' service in 1164 to work for the
Usama's nephew Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad (d. 1201) served as Saladin's envoy to the
Diplomacy and social relations
Relations with the Crusaders
The Banu Munqidh initially reacted to the Crusader invasion of coastal Syria by offering the Crusaders in early 1099 a tributary arrangement, the provisioning of food supplies, and protection for Christian pilgrims passing through the family's territory.
In addition to the financial sums, they also had to provide guides for the emissaries of the neighboring Principality of Antioch on their way to Jerusalem.[31] The family was particularly close to King Baldwin II of Jerusalem (r. 1118–1131) and hosted him in Shayzar in 1124 at the request of his Muslim captor and ruler of Aleppo, Timurtash, son of Ilghazi, during negotiations for Baldwin II's release.[31][32] Sultan and Murshid successfully mediated the ransom for Baldwin II's freedom.[32] Subsequent to his release, Baldwin II relieved the Banu Munqidh of their tribute and services in appreciation of their generosity.[31][32] The bonds forged between the Banu Munqidh and Baldwin II enabled Usama ibn Munqidh to play a mediating role in the diplomatic negotiations of the early 1130s between Baldwin II and Taj al-Muluk Buri, the Burid ruler of Damascus in whose court Usama served.[31]
Relations with Muslim states and lordships
Despite generally peaceful relations with the Crusaders, the Banu Munqidh remained loyal to their Muslim suzerains, fighting alongside the Muslim rulers of Aleppo and Damascus in their battles and campaigns against the Crusaders in 1111, 1115 and 1119.[33] The family also fended off Crusader attacks against their domains between 1122 and 1124.[33] The family maintained friendly ties with a number of the semi-independent Muslim lords of other fortress towns who shared their social standing, including the Fatimid lord Iftikhar al-Dawla of Abu Qubays and the Banu Salim ibn Malik family of Qal'at Ja'bar.[24][32] The former's sister was married to Sultan and the emirs of Qal'at Ja'bar shared similar Arab tribal origins as the Banu Munqidh.[24][32] The Banu Munqidh's emirs paid visits to Iftikhar al-Dawla,[24] while keeping frequent contact with Shihab al-Din Salim ibn Malik via letters, couriers, and the exchange of gifts.[32] The emirs of Qal'at Ja'bar played a similar diplomatic role as the Banu Munqidh and both families were described in the anonymous Syriac Chronicle of 1234 as "a good sort of people, friendly to all and good mediators at any time".[32]
Provision of asylum
The Banu Munqidh often provided asylum for refugees and exiles.
Recreation
Usama ibn Munqidh's accounts show the family were avid hunters and went on expeditions in the wetlands of the Orontes valley west of Shayzar and in the hills south of the city.[34] The expeditions were led by the heads of the family, who led retinues containing tens of horsemen, including relatives and mamluks.[35] Equipped with various birds of prey, dogs, and cheetahs, they hunted francolin, waterfowl, hares, wild boars and partridges.[35] However, the ultimate prey of the Munqidhite emirs were lions and leopards, the slaying of which were an apparent symbol and function of the emir's authority.[35] According to Kennedy, "killing lions and leopards" was "one of the ways" an emir "demonstrated his protection of and care for the people who lived on his lands".[35]
Assessment
The Banu Munqidh were described as an "elite, patrician family of well-known warriors who enjoyed a wide reputation for martial valor, honor, piety, and courtly refinement" by historian Adnan Husain.[36] From the citadel of Shayzar, perched on a rocky hilly enveloped by the Orontes River, the Banu Munqidh ruled a relatively a small emirate largely inhabited by Greek Orthodox Christians.[37] Throughout their rule, their emirate was surrounded by frequently hostile powers, whether local or regional Muslim lords, Crusader principalities, or Bedouin tribes.[38] In addition to their military abilities, the family often pursued diplomacy and alliances with their larger neighbors.[38] Their martial skills and diplomatic maneuvers enabled their survival.[38] According to an account of a conversation between an emissary of Roger of Antioch and Sultan in 1116, the lands of the Banu Munqidh were developed and prosperous, distinguishing them from the ruinous state of the surrounding region.[24][31][33] This was an apparent testament to the Banu Munqidh's wealth.[24]
List of Banu Munqidh emirs
Regnal title | Kunya | Name | Reign start | Reign end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mukhlis al-Dawla[39] | Abu'l Mutawwaj | Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh | 1025 | 1059 | *Granted the iqta of Shayzar by the Mirdasid emir of Aleppo Salih ibn Mirdas in 1025, but rule was confined to Kafartab. |
Sadid al-Mulk | Abu'l Hasan | Ali ibn Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh | 1059[40] | 1082[41] | *First Munqidhite emir of Shayzar. |
Izz al-Dawla | Abu'l Murhaf | Nasr ibn Ali ibn Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh | 1082 | 1098 | *Son of Ali. |
Taj al-Dawla | Abu'l Asakir | Sultan ibn Ali ibn Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh | 1098 | 1154 | *Brother of Nasr. |
Taj al-Mulk | Muhammad ibn Sultan ibn Ali ibn Muqallad ibn Nasr ibn Munqidh | 1154 | August 1157 | *Son of Sultan. |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Humphreys 1993, p. 577.
- ^ a b c d e f Kennedy 2012, p. 6.
- ^ a b c Zakkar 1971, p. 85.
- ^ a b c d Bianquis 1993, p. 121.
- ^ Bianquis 1993, pp. 115, 118.
- ^ a b c Bianquis 1993, p. 122.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, pp. 6–7.
- ^ a b c d Kennedy 2012, p. 7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Humphreys 1993, p. 578.
- ^ a b Kennedy 2012, p. 8.
- ^ a b c d e f Cobb 2005, p. 11.
- ^ Husain 2011, pp. 193–194.
- ^ a b c d Husain 2011, p. 194.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, pp. 8–9.
- ^ Cobb 2005, p. 12.
- ^ a b c Kennedy 2012, p. 10.
- ^ a b c Kennedy 2012, p. 11.
- ^ a b c d e Kennedy 2012, p. 9.
- ^ a b Kennedy 2012, p. 12.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, pp. 15–16.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, p. 15.
- ^ a b c d Kennedy 2012, p. 16.
- ^ a b Lewis 1968, p. 109.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kennedy 2012, p. 17.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, pp. 18–19.
- ^ a b c Kennedy 2012, p. 20.
- ^ Tonghini & Montevecci 2006, p. 205.
- ^ a b c d e f g Humphreys 1993, p. 579.
- ^ Humphreys 1993, pp. 578–579.
- ^ a b Husain 2011, p. 192.
- ^ a b c d e f g Husain 2011, p. 193.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kohler 2013, p. 126.
- ^ a b c d e Kohler 2013, p. 125.
- ^ Kennedy 2012, pp. 17–18.
- ^ a b c d Kennedy 2012, p. 18.
- ^ Husain 2011, pp. 190–191.
- ^ Husain 2011, p. 190.
- ^ a b c Husain 2011, pp. 191–192.
- ^ De Slane 1868, p. 425.
- ^ Bianquis 1993, p. 117.
- ^ Bianquis 1993, p. 118.
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- ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
- ISBN 9780791448809.
- De Slane, Mac Guckin, ed. (1868). Ibn Khallikan's Biographical Dictionary. London: Paris Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- Humphreys, R. Stephen (1993). "Munkidh". In ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
- France, John (2016) [2013]. "Patterns of War and Peace in the Latin East: Antioch, Edessa and Aleppo, 1099–1127". In Pazos, Antón M. (ed.). Pilgrims and Pilgrimages as Peacemakers in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Abingdon, Oxon and New York: Routledge. pp. 215–228. ISBN 978-1-40946-826-4.
- Husain, Adnan (2011). "Wondrous Crusade Encounters: Usama ibn Munqidh's Book of Learning by Example". In Glenn, Jason (ed.). The Middle Ages in Texts and Texture: Reflections on Medieval Sources. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. pp. 189–202. ISBN 978-1-4426-0490-2.
- Kennedy, Hugh N. (2012). "Shayzar: An Historical Overview of its History and the Archaeological Investigation: 1.1. An Historical Overview". In Tonghini, Cristina (ed.). Shayzar I: The Fortification of the Citadel. Leiden: Brill. pp. 2–25. ISBN 978-90-04-21736-2.
- Kohler, Michael (2013). Holt, Peter M.; Hirschler, Konrad (eds.). Alliances and Treaties between Frankish and Muslim Rulers in the Middle East: Cross-Cultural Diplomacy in the Period of the Crusades. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-24857-1.
- Lewis, Bernard (1968) [1967]. The Assassins. New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-00498-9.
- Tonghini, Cristina; Montevecci, N. (2006). "The Castle of Shayzar". In Kennedy, Hugh N. (ed.). Muslim Military Architecture in Greater Syria: From the Coming of Islam to the Ottoman Period. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-14713-6.
- Zakkar, Suhayl (1971). The Emirate of Aleppo: 1004–1094. Aleppo: Dar al-Amanah. OCLC 819643.