Harthamah ibn al-Nadr al-Jabali

Harthamah ibn al-Nadr (or al-Nasr) al-Jabali (Arabic: هرثمة بن النضر الجبلي‎) was a ninth century provincial governor for the Abbasid Caliphate, serving as governor of Egypt from 847 until his death in 849.

Career

Harthamah may[1] be identified with Harthamah ibn al-Nadr al-Khuttali, who was governor of al-Maraghah in 838. That same year, he became involved in the conspiracy to assassinate the caliph al-Mu'tasim (r. 833–842) and replace him with al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun. When the plot was discovered he was arrested and put in irons, but after al-Afshin interceded for him he was released and received the governorship of al-Dinawar instead.[2]

In 847 Harthamah was appointed resident governor of Egypt by the Turkish general Itakh, and he arrived in the province in the following year. During his administration the caliph al-Mutawakkil (r. 847–861) began to bring an end to the mihnah and abandon the doctrine that the Qur'an had been created,[3] and in accordance with this policy Harthamah was ordered to prohibit debate about the nature of the Qur'an in Egypt.[4]

Harthamah remained governor until February 849, when he fell ill and died. Before dying, he designated his son Hatim as his successor, and the latter then took over the governorship.[5]

Notes

1. Al-Kindi 1912, p. 197, n. 1.
2. Bosworth 1991, p. 133.
3. Hinds 1993, p. 4.
4. Al-Kindi 1912, pp. 196–97; Ibn Taghribirdi 1930, pp. 265–66; Al-Maqrizi 1987, p. 312.
5. Al-Kindi 1912, pp. 197–98; Ibn Taghribirdi 1930, pp. 269–70, 278; Al-Maqrizi 1987, p. 312. These three sources also agree that Itakh remained overlord of Egypt until July–August 849, following his appointment of Ali ibn Yahya al-Armani as governor.Gordon 2001, pp. 113, 235 n. 73, and Turner 2010, p. 96 n. 44, however, based on a passage in Al-Ya'qubi 1883, p. 593, believe that Harthamah was dismissed following Itakh's downfall and death.

References

• Bosworth, C.E., ed. (1991). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXXIII: Storm and Stress Along the Northern Frontiers of the ʿAbbāsid Caliphate: The Caliphate of al-Muʿtasim, A.D. 833–842/A.H. 218–227. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0493-5.
• Gordon, Matthew S. (2001). The Breaking of a Thousand Swords: A History of the Turkish Military of Samarra (A.H. 200–275/815–889 C.E.). Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-4795-2.
• Hinds, M. (1993). "Mihna". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. & Pellat, Ch. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume VII: Mif–Naz. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 2–6. ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
• Ibn Taghribirdi, Jamal al-Din Abu al-Mahasin Yusuf (1930). Nujum al-zahira fi muluk Misr wa'l-Qahira, Volume II. Cairo: Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya.
• Al-Kindi, Muhammad ibn Yusuf (1912). Guest, Rhuvon (ed.). The Governors and Judges of Egypt (in Arabic). Leyden and London: E. J. Brill.
• Al-Maqrizi, Taqi al-Din Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn 'Ali (1987). Al-Mawa'iz wa al-I'tibar bi Dhikr al-Khitat wa al-Athar, Volume I (Second ed.). Cairo: Maktabat al-Thaqafah al-Diniyyah.
• Turner, John P. (2010). "The End of the Mihna". Oriens. 38: 89–106. doi:10.1163/187783710X536671. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
• Al-Ya'qubi, Ahmad ibn Abu Ya'qub (1883). Houtsma, M. Th. (ed.). Historiae, Vol. 2. Leiden: E. J. Brill.