and sixty, and the forces loyal to al-Muʿtamid gathered. Al-Saffār then advanced on Dayr ʿĀqūl, so al-Muʿtamid prepared for the engagement by sending his brother al-Muwaffaq, together with Mūsā ibn Bug̲hā and Musrūr. The two armies met in the month of Rajab and the fighting was fierce: at first the defeat fell upon al-Muwaffaq, but it soon turned against al-Saffār and his troops broke and fled.
It was said that ten thousand horses were taken from them, two million dinars in coined gold, and an immeasurable quantity of goods. Ibn Ṭāhir was freed from captivity. Al-Saffār withdrew to Fārs, while al-Muʿtamid reinstated Ibn Ṭāhir in his governorship and granted him five hundred thousand dirhams.
As for the wretch, he took advantage of the army’s preoccupation and committed every vile act of killing and taking captives.
That same year ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī al-Shawārib was appointed Chief Judge in Sāmarrāʾ—his brother al-Ḥasan having died while on pilgrimage—and Ismāʿīl the Judge assumed the judiciary of Baghdad.
During that year as well, the Muslims fought the Zanj, routed them, and killed their commander al-Ṣuʿlūk.
In the year three, al-Saffār advanced and seized Ahwāz (1).
In the year four al-Muwaffaq and Ibn Bug̲hā set out to fight the Zanj; Ibn Bug̲hā died, while the Muslims raided the Byzantines and took spoils. The Byzantines then carried out a night assault on the Muslim vanguard led by Ibn Kāwus (2) and captured him wounded.
The Zanj overran Wāsiṭ, plundered it, and set it ablaze.
Al-Muʿtamid became angry with his vizier Sulaymān ibn Wahb, confiscated his wealth, and appointed al-Ḥasan ibn Makhlad in his stead. Through this al-Muwaffaq gained full control and would heed no one.