to him and found him at al-Raqqah.

Al-Muttaqī now perceived the impatience of the Ḥamdānids, so he opened correspondence with Tuzun and obtained firm assurances from him (1). When al-Ikhshīd learned of this, he said to al-Muttaqī:

“I am your servant; you already know the treachery of the Turks. For Allah’s sake, safeguard yourself. Travel with me to Syria and Egypt, and you will be safe.”

The caliph would not heed him, so al-Ikhshīd was sent back to his own lands (2).

In Baghdad the thief Ḥamdī—who had undertaken to “guarantee” the city’s thievery for twenty-five thousand dinars a month (3)—was killed. He used to descend upon houses and markets openly, by candle and torch-light. The shihna of Baghdad captured him and cut him in two (4).

Tuzun was in Baghdad holding supreme authority when he was stricken by a seizure (5).

Abū ʿAbd Allah al-Barīdī died, leaving one million dinars, about thirteen million dirhams, and equipment and textiles valued at another million dinars (6).

Al-Muttaqī then set out from al-Raqqah toward Baghdad and halted at Hīt. Tuzun swore an oath of loyalty to him, and when they met Tuzun dismounted, kissed the ground, and walked before him to a tent he had pitched for the caliph. As soon as al-Muttaqī alighted, Tuzun seized him, gouged out his eyes, and brought him into Baghdad blind (7)—the affair belongs to Allah. He took from him the mantle, the staff, and the ring of office, and then produced ʿAbd Allah al-Mustakfī bi-llāh ibn al-Muktafī and pledged him allegiance as the new caliph.