Then the year 601 AH began (1).

Among the events that occurred in it were the following:

The caliph al-Nasir removed his son Muhammad (2), known as al-Zahir, from the position of heir-apparent after the Friday sermon had been proclaimed for him for seventeen years. He appointed instead his other son ʿAli, but ʿAli died soon afterwards; the succession therefore reverted to al-Zahir, who was invested with the caliphate after his father al-Nasir, as will be mentioned under the events of 623 AH.

That same year a tremendous fire broke out in the Palace of the Caliphate, in the armories. A vast amount of weaponry, furnishings, and residential quarters was consumed—property valued at nearly four million dinars. News of the conflagration spread among the populace, and the kings of the various regions sent gifts [weapons to the caliph in compensation for the losses, and far more besides] (3).

The Georgians rampaged through Muslim territory, killing great numbers of people and taking many others captive (4).

War also flared up between the Emir of Mecca, Qatadah al-Hasani (5), and the Emir of Medina, Salim ibn Qasim al-Husayni. Qatadah advanced upon Medina and laid siege to Salim there. After praying at the Prophet’s Chamber and imploring Allah’s help against Qatadah (6), Salim mounted his horse, confronted him, routed him, and pursued him to Mecca, where he in turn besieged him. Qatadah then sent envoys to Salim’s commanders and won them over (7); consequently, Salim withdrew and returned safely to Medina (8).

In that year as well, Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw (9) ibn Kilij Arslan ibn Masʿud ibn Kilij ibn Sulayman ibn Qutlumush seized the lands of Rum, wresting them from his nephew. He established himself there; his prestige grew, his power became formidable, his armies multiplied, and the amirs and frontier chieftains obeyed him. Al-Afdal ibn Salah al-Din had the Friday sermon delivered in his name at Samosata and traveled to enter his service.