That same year, Mankajur—a kinsman of al-Afshin—rose up in the region of Adharbayjan and repudiated his allegiance. Al-Afshin had previously appointed him governor over those lands after finishing with Bābak’s revolt. While in office, Mankajur discovered a vast treasure that Bābak had hidden away in certain towns; he kept it for himself and concealed the matter from the Caliph. A man named ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman uncovered the affair and wrote to the Caliph, whereas Mankajur sent a letter denying the charge and even resolved to kill the informant. The people of Ardabil, however, shielded him. When the Caliph realized that Mankajur had lied, he dispatched Bughā al-Kabīr against him; Bughā fought him, granted him safe-conduct, captured him, and brought him before the Caliph.

In this same year Yāṭis the Byzantine—who had been governor of Amorium when al-Muʿtaṣim captured it—died. He had descended from his fortress on the Caliph’s terms, whereupon al-Muʿtaṣim took him prisoner and confined him in Sāmarrā until his death in the present year.

In Ramadan of that year there passed away Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mahdī ibn al-Manṣūr, the Caliph’s uncle, known as Ibn Shaklah (1). Dark-skinned, large of frame, eloquent, and refined, he was, as Ibn Mākūlā (2) notes, nicknamed “the Dragon” on account of his complexion. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAsākir, in his History (3), devotes a lengthy entry to him, stating that he governed Damascus on behalf of his brother Hārūn al-Rashīd for two years, was then removed, reinstated, and remained there for another four. He records many fine instances of Ibrāhīm’s justice and stern discipline, and that he led the people in the pilgrimage in 184 AH before returning to Damascus. The people of Baghdad had pledged allegiance to him at the beginning of al-Maʾmūn’s reign in 202 AH, as mentioned earlier. Al-Ḥasan ibn Sahl, al-Maʾmūn’s deputy in Baghdad, fought him and was defeated; Ḥumayd al-Ṭūsī then advanced, routed him, and Ibrāhīm went into hiding in Baghdad for a long time. When al-Maʾmūn entered the city in 210 AH, Ibrāhīm was discovered; the Caliph pardoned and honored him.

His tenure over Baghdad and its districts lasted one year, eleven months, and twelve days [some say five days] (4). He went underground toward the end of Dhu’l-Ḥijjah 203 AH and remained in concealment for six years, four months, and ten days; he was finally apprehended on 13 Rabīʿ al-Awwal 210 AH. During that period of hiding, extraordinary events befell him whose full account would be too lengthy to relate here.