THE REIGN OF AL-IHAKIM Bl AMR ALLAH ‘(386/996 - 41\ / \ Q 2 \ % "A POLITICAL STUDY" by SADEK ISMAIL ASSAAD Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of London May 1971 ProQuest Number: 10672922 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10672922 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ABSTRACT The present thesis is a political study of the reign of al-Hakim Bi Amr Allah the sixth Fatimid Imam-Caliph who ruled between 386-411/ 996-1021. It consists of a note on the sources and seven chapters. The first chapter is a biographical review of al-Hakim's person. It introduces a history of his birth, childhood, succession to the Caliphate, his education and private life and it examines the contradiction in the sources concerning his character. Chapter II discusses the problems which al-Hakim inherited from the previous rule and examines their impact on the political life of his State. Chapter III introduces the administration of the internal affairs of the State. It examines the struggle for power between the Imgm-Caliph and his Wasita and its results on the internal policies of the Imam-C aliph. If also discusses the economic, social, legal and architectural reforms which he introduced throughout his reign. The progress of the Ismaili Da*wa and the problem of Ahl af-Dhimma are also examined in this chapter. Chapter IV is devoted to the external policy of al-H akim . It studies his policies concerning the maintenance of his suzerainty over the provinces of Damascus, Hijaz and Tripoli and his endeavour to extend it over Aleppo and other parts of the Muslim world. His policy towards the Byzantine and Abbasid Empires is also discussed in this chapter. Chapter V examines the rebellions and uprisings which al-Hakim faced and discusses his methods in dealing with them. Chapter VI introduces the split in the Ismaili Da*wa which resulted in the creation of the Druz Sect. It also examines the causes behind such an important event. Chapter VII is concerned with the death or "disappearance" of al-Hakim and discusses the stories and myths surrounding it, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of a ll, I should like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Bernard Lewis, for his learned guidance throughout the years of my study under him. His help and encouragement made it possible to undertake and complete this thesis. To him I am greatly indebted. Thanks are also due to the librarians and staffs of the School of Oriental and African Studies, the British Museum Library, the University of London Library, the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, for their help in making available manuscripts and books. I should also like to thank all my colleagues and friends, especially Miss E. Bastable, M issR.L. Hollis, M r. A . al-Kharsan and Dr. T. Kawa for their help and constant encouragement. S .1. Assaad 5 . LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ^ u P( M Abu al-Fida al-Mukhtagar fi Tarikh al-Bashar by Abu al-Fida.. Antakl Tarikh Yahya ibn Sa* id al-Antaki by al-Antaki. ft *Azim i Tarikh al-*Ag:imi by al-* Azim i. Exposfe Expos4 de la Religion des Druzes by S, de Sacy. Ibn Abi U§aybi*a * Uyun al-Anba; fj Akhbar al-Atibba* by Ibn Abi Usaybi*a Ibn aM A m id Tarikh al-Muslimin by Ibn al-*Amid. Ibn al-Jaw zi al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa al-Umam by Ibn a l-Ja w zl. Ibn a l-A th ir al-Kamil f? al-Tarikh by Ibn al-Athir. Ibn Ayas BadaM* al-Zuhur fi WaqaM* al-Duhur by itn Ayas. Ibn al-Dawadari Kanz al-Purar v/a JamF al-Ghurar; al-Durra al-Madiyya Fi Tarikh al-Dawla al-Fatjmiyya by Ibn al-Dawadan. Ibn Hammad Akhbar Muluk Bani 6 Ubayd wa Siratihim by ibn biammad, Ibn ‘ Idhari al-Bayan al-Mughrib fi Akhbar al-Andulus wa al"M aghrib by Ibn i Idhar’T, "* Ibn Khaldun AN * Ibar wa Diwan al-Mubtada wa a 1-Khobar by Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Khaliikan Wa fa yat al-A * yan by Ibn Khali ikan. Ibn Kathir Al-Bidaya wa al-N ihaya by Ibn Kathir. Ibn al-Muqaffa* Tarikh Bajarikat al-Kanisa al-Misr?yya by Severus Ibn al-Muqaffa* Ibn Muyassar Akhbar Misr by Ibn Muyassar. Ibn al-Q alanisi Dhayl Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn al-Q alanisi T a r i k h al-Duwai al-MunqatWa by Ibn Ibn a i-Z aft fir a i-Z a fir * Ishara a 1-Ishara I la Man Naia al-Wazara by Ibn al-Sayrafi IttWaz !ttj*az al-Hunafa fi Akhbar al-A ? imma al-fatimiytn al-Khulafa by al-Maqrizl Khitat al-Mawa*iz wa al~l*tibar fi Dhikr al-Khijaj’ ■ * wa al-Athar by al-MaqrizT Hujum al-Nujum al-Zahira by Ibn Taghri Birdi Nuwa yri Nihayat a I-Arab by Nuwayri Tarikh al-Hukama by al-Q iffi Q iftT* al-Rudhrawari Dhayl Tajarub al-Umam by al-Rudhrawari al-Safadi al-Wafi bffal-Wafayat by al-Safadi Sibt Mir’ at al-Zawan by Sibt Ibn al-Jawzi al-Suyuti Husn al-Muhadara by al-Suyutr Periodicals A .1 .E .O . Annales de I'Institute d'Etudes Orientate de L'Universif& d'Alger A .J *S *L. American Journal of Semitic Languages A . 0 . Archiv Oriental? B.E .O .I.F .D . Bulletin d'Etudes Orientale de I'Institute Franpais de Damas B.FA.E.U. Bulletin of the Faculty of Arts of the Egyptian University 7. B.I.E. Bulletin de 1'Institute de Egypt B.l ,F *A .O • Bulletin de I'Institute Francois d fArcheologic Orientale de Caire B *L ,R. Boldeian Library Records B ,S .G * Bulletin de la Society de Geographie, Paris B.S.O .A .S. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies # CJ. Les Cahiers de Tunisie E .l. Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1st edition E.l 2 Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition G .U .O .S .T. Glasgow University Oriental Society Transactions I.C. Islamic Culture Is!. Der Islam J ,A * Journal Asiatique J .A X> .S, Journal of American Oriental Society J *B.B.R JK ,S . Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society J.M .E *S. Journal of the Middle East Society J *Q ,R. Jewish Q uarterly Review J .Q .R .N .S * Jewish Quarterly Review New Series J .R .A .S, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society M.O. Le Monde Oriental M .F.O .B. Melanges de la Facult6 Oriental Beirut 8 . N *0 • Der Neue O rient O .R . Rocznik Orient! I istyczny R .B ,M *L • Repertorium fu r Biblische und Morgen land ische Litteratur R .C A *S .J • Royal Central Asian Society Journal R.O. Revue de I 'O rient R.E.I. Revue des Etudes Islamique / R.E.B. Revue des Etudes Byzantine R *F.S .E . Revue de la Faculty des Sciences £conomiques (Istanbul) W.l * Die W elt des Islams Z .D ,M .G * Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgen landischen Gesellschaft CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 5 NOTE O N THE SOURCES 11 Chapter I A BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW OF AL-HAKIM'S PERSON ‘ 26 His Birth 26 Al-Mansur as Heir 28 Al-Mansur's Succession to the Caliphate 30 Portrait of Al-Hakim 33 Al-Hakim's Education 33 AI-Hakim's Private Life 37 AI-Hakim's Character 37 # Chapter I! THE LEGACY OF THE PREVIOUS RULE 45 The U nfulfilled Promises of the Da* wa 45 The growing influence of Ahl al-Dh?mma in the Financial Administration of the State 52 Struggle for Power among the M ilitary Elements 59 The Downfall of Ibn ^m m ar 78 Barjawan's Rule, his Administration and his Downfall (387-390/997-999) 80 Chapter III THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE STATE 97 Political Administration 97 Economic Policy 109 Agricultural Policy 111 10* Page Chapter til Legal, Social and Architectural Reforms 113 (cont d) pr0gress 0f fhe Da* wa during ai-Hakim's Reign 122 The Problem of Ahi al-Dhimma 133 Chapter IV THE EXTERNAL POLICIES OF AL-H AKIM 157 His Policy towards the *Abbasid Empire 157 His Policy concerning Aleppo 167 Damascus 176 al-Hijaz 180 Yaman 184 Maghrib 185 Ai-Hakim*s Policy towards the Byzantine Empire 187 * Chapter V THE ANTI-FATIMID REBELLIONS DURING AL-hA k IM 's REIGN 192 * ^ The Rebel I ion of Abu Rakwa 192 The Rebellion of Ibn al-Jarrab 214 Chapter VI THE ORIGIN OF THE DRUZ MOVEMENT 228 The Origin of the Founders of the Teaching 231 The Teaching 235 The Elements behind the Origin of the Sect 243 Chapter VII The End of ai-Hakim 267 ■ BIBLIOGRAPHY 283 Primary Sources 284 Modern Works 312 Periodicals 321 NOTE O N THE SOURCES A satisfactory account of Fatimid history is a most difficult task.