Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ - Shams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi - (22/339)

Siyar Aʿlām al-NubalāʾShams al‑Din al‑Dhahabi

which he captured. (1) Al-Fonso (2) then ranged through the farthest Christian territories, rousing every worshipper of the Cross; armies the like of which had never been heard of gathered under his banner. He was reinforced by the Franks of Syria, the troops of Constantinople, and King Arghun (3) of Barcelona.

The sultan likewise summoned the Muslims, and the two hosts met in what came to be called the Battle of al-ʿIqāb. Al-Fonso launched a furious charge that routed the Muslims, and many fell as martyrs.

The chief cause of the defeat was the soldiers’ resentment over the delay in their stipends. The sultan himself stood his ground with absolute steadfastness; but for him his army would have been annihilated. The engagement took place in Ṣafar of the year 609 AH. The enemy returned with spoils beyond description and seized Baeza by storm—To Allah we belong and unto Him we shall return.

A few days later the sultan was struck by apoplexy and died in Shaʿbān, 610 AH, after a reign of fifteen years. He was succeeded by his son al-Mustanṣir Yūsuf, who ruled for ten years.

It is also reported that Muḥammad once went out at night in disguise; the night patrol set upon him and pierced him with their lances while he cried, “I am the caliph! I am the caliph!”

His son:

207 – Abū Yaʿqūb Yūsuf ibn Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb al-Muʾminī*
The sultan, al-Mustanṣir bi-Llāh (4), Abū Yaʿqūb Yūsuf ibn Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb al-Muʾminī.

(1) The fortress bore the name Shalbatra. (2) He is also called al-Adfanish, that is, Alfonso III, king of Castile. (3) The name is likewise written as “Arghun.” (*) Accounts of him are found in: Abd al-Wahid, al-Muʿjib, p. 404 ff.; al-Dhahabi, Tarikh al-Islam, fol. 215 (Aya Sofya MS 3011); Ibn Khaldun, al-ʿIbar, 5/81; Ibn al-Qadi, Jadhwat al-Iqtibas, p. 344; al-Maqqari, al-Anis al-Mutrib, p. 172; Ibn al-Imad, Mirat al-Jinan, 4/47; and other works. (4) His laqab appears in al-Hulal al-Mawshiyya (p. 122), Ibn Khaldun’s History, and al-Istiqsa as al-Muntasir billah (the one whom God grants victory).

فَأَخَذَهُ (١) ، فَسَارَ الفُنْشُ (٢) فِي أَقَاصي المَمَالِك يَسْتَنفر عُبَّاد الصَّلِيب، فَاجتمعت لَهُ جُيُوش مَا سُمِعَ بِمِثْلِهَا، وَنجدته فِرَنْج الشَّام، وَعَسَاكِر قُسْطَنْطِيْنِيَّة، وَملك أَرغُن (٣) البَرْشَلُوْنِيّ، وَاسْتنفر السُّلْطَان أَيْضاً النَّاس، وَالتَقَى الجَمْعَان، وَتعرف بوقعَة العِقَاب، فَتحمَّل الفُنْشُ حَملَةً شَدِيْدَة، فَهَزم المُسْلِمِيْنَ، وَاسْتُشْهِدَ خلق كَثِيْر. وَكَانَ أَكْبَر أَسبَاب الكسرَة غَضَب الجُنْد مِنْ تَأَخُّرِ عَطَائِهِم، وَثبت السُّلْطَان ثبَاتاً كُلِّياً، لولاَهُ لاَستُؤصل جَيْشُه، وَكَانَتِ المَلْحَمَة فِي صَفَرٍ، سَنَة تِسْعٍ وَسِتِّ مائَةٍ، وَرجع العَدُوّ بغَنَائِم لاَ تُوصَفُ، وَأَخَذُوا بيَّاسَة عَنْوَةً - فَإِنَّا للهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ -. مرض السُّلْطَان أَيَّاماً بِالسكتَة، وَمَاتَ فِي شَعْبَانَ، سَنَةَ عَشْرٍ وَسِتِّ مائَةٍ، وَكَانَتْ أَيَّامه خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ عَاماً، وَقَامَ بَعْدَهُ ابْنه المُسْتَنْصِر يُوْسُف عَشْرَة أَعْوَام. وَيُقَالُ: تَنَكَّر مُحَمَّد ليلاً، فَوَقَعَ بِهِ العَسَسُ، فَانْتظمُوْهُ بِرمَاحهِم، وَهُوَ يَصيح: أَنَا الخَلِيْفَة، أَنَا الخَلِيْفَة. ابْنُهُ: ٢٠٧ - أَبُو يَعْقُوْبَ يُوْسُفُ بنُ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ يَعْقُوْبَ المُؤْمِنِيُّ * السُّلْطَانُ، المُسْتَنْصِرُ بِاللهِ (٤) ، أَبُو يَعْقُوْبَ يُوْسُفُ بنُ مُحَمَّدِ بنِ يَعْقُوْبَ المُؤْمِنِيُّ.

(١) اسم هذا الحصن: شلبترة. (٢) ويقال فيه: " الادفنش " ايضا، وهو ألفونس الثالث ملك قشتالة. (٣) وترسم أيضا " أرغون ". (*) أخباره في المعجب لعبد الواحد: ٤٠٤ فما بعد، وتاريخ الإسلام، الورقة ٢١٥ (أيا صوفيا ٣٠١١) ، والعبر: ٥ / ٨١، وجذوة الاقتباس: ٣٤٤، والانيس المطرب: ١٧٢، ومرآة الجنان: ٤ / ٤٧ وغيرها. (٤) وقع لقبه في الحلل الموشية (١٢٢) ، وتاريخ ابن خلدون، والاستقصا: " المنتصر بالله ".