In Shaʿbān of that same year, Zubaydah arrived from al-Raqqah with the treasuries and all the precious objects and textiles that had been in her possession from al-Rashīd. Her son al-Amīn rode out to meet her at al-Anbār, accompanied by the leading dignitaries. Al-Amīn then confirmed his brother al-Maʾmūn in authority over the territories already in his hand—Khurasan, al-Rayy, and other domains—and maintained his brother al-Qāsim over al-Jazīrah and the frontier districts. He likewise kept in office most of his father’s governors, dismissing only a few.

In that same year Nikephoros, the king of the Byzantines, was killed by al-Burjān (the Bulgars) (1). He had ruled for nine years. After him his son Istabraq reigned for two months before dying, whereupon Michael, the husband of Nikephoros’ sister, took the throne—may Allah curse them.

That year also witnessed a clash between Harthamah b. Aʿyan, the governor of Khurasan, and Rāfiʿ b. al-Layth. Rāfiʿ appealed for help to al-Turk (the Turks) (2), but they fled, leaving him alone, and his cause thereby weakened.

The pilgrimage of that year was led on behalf of the people by the deputy of al-Ḥijāz, Dāwūd b. ʿĪsā b. Mūsā b. Muḥammad b. ʿAlī.

Among the notable figures who died this year was Ismāʿīl b. ʿUlayyah (3), one of the foremost scholars and eminent hadith transmitters. Al-Shāfiʿī and Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal narrated from him. He once presided over the Court of Grievances in Baghdad and supervised the endowments in Basra. Trustworthy, distinguished, and venerable, he was rarely seen to smile. He traded in cloth, supporting his family from its profits; from it he also financed his pilgrimages and showed generosity to his companions, such as the two Sufyāns and others. Al-Rashīd had appointed him to the judiciary, but when Ibn al-Mubārak learned of this, he wrote to admonish him in both verse and prose. Ibn ʿUlayyah thereupon sought to be relieved of the post, and his request was granted. He died in Dhū al-Qaʿdah of this year and was buried in the cemetery of ʿAbd Allāh b. Mālik.