and a group of others. He charged them with undermining his authority, so he had them brought in together with their judge, Abū Zayd al-Qurṭubī (1), and chained them. The populace rose up, seized their weapons, and a number were killed before they withdrew. In 460 AH the houses of the accused were plundered and they were imprisoned, as was the vizier and man of letters Ibn Ghusn (2). While in confinement he composed a book entitled al-Mumtaḥanīn (“Those Put to the Test”), covering the trials of the faithful from Adam—peace be upon him—down to his own day.
Ibn al-Ḥadīdī, the chief of Toledo, was suspected of having informed against those men. Al-Maʾmūn then died and was succeeded by his grandson al-Qādir (3), while the reins of power in the city—appointment and dismissal—remained in the hands of Ibn al-Ḥadīdī (4). A petition concerning him reached al-Qādir, who consequently freed Ibn al-Ḥadīdī’s opponents from prison. They put Ibn al-Ḥadīdī to death (5) and paraded his head about the town, while Ibn al-Lawzankī suffered grievously in prison (6).
(1) The base manuscript reads “Ibn Zaydun,” which is wrong; the correct name is the one adopted here. He is Abu Zayd Abd al-Rahman ibn Isa ibn Muhammad, known as Ibn al-Hasha, the judge. Al-Ma’mun Yahya ibn Dhi al-Nun appointed him qadi of Toledo in 450 H/1058-59 CE, and its people praised the soundness of his rulings and his upright conduct. He was then moved to Tortosa and later to Denia, where he died in 473 H/1080-81 CE. See: Tarteeb al-madarik 4/817; al-Sila 2/340-341.
(2) For his biography, consult: Jadhwat al-muqtabis 402-403; Bughyat al-multamis 529-530; al-Dhakhira, part 3, vol. 1, 331-336; Nafh al-tib 3/363-364; al-Maghrib 2/33; al-Kharida 2/12; al-Masalik 11/447; Takmila, no. 1610. The person concerned is the man of letters Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik ibn Ghusn al-Hajjari from Guadalajara.
(3) He is Yahya ibn Ismail ibn al-Ma’mun ibn Dhi al-Nun, surnamed al-Qadir. His grandfather al-Ma’mun designated him as his successor. See: al-Dhakhira, part 3, vol. 1, 92-93, and part 4, vol. 1, 149-169; al-Maghrib fi huli al-Maghrib 2/13; Aamal al-aalam 207; Ibn Khaldun 4/161. Tarteeb al-madarik 4/820 wrongly says “his son” instead of “his grandson,” unless “son” is meant in the broader sense of descendant.
(4) He is Yahya ibn Said ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Hadidi of Toledo, kunyah Abu Bakr. He enjoyed great influence with al-Ma’mun Yahya ibn Dhi al-Nun; no decision was taken without his counsel. Al-Qadir, the grandson of al-Ma’mun, had him killed in 468 H/1075-76 CE. See: al-Sila 2/669-670.
(5) A detailed account of his murder is given in al-Dhakhira, part 4, vol. 1, 152-155.
(6) See also Tarteeb al-madarik 4/819-821.