The Slavs of Al-Ya’qubi’s The Book of Countries and of The History

Al-Ya’qubi (died either circa 897 or 905) refers to the Arab geographer Ahmad ibn Abu Ya’qub ibn Ja’far ibn Wahb Ibn Wadih al-Ya’qubi.  He is also referred to sometimes as Ahmad al-Katib or Ibn Wadih or the Abbasidian (by reason of his ancestor having been freed by the Abbasids).  He lived in Armenia, Khorasan and northeast Persia where he served the local Tahirid dynasty.  After the fall of that dynasty he left for India and then Egypt where he settled.  He also visited the Maghreb.

Al-Ya’qubi’s Kitāb al- Buldān (the “Book of Countries” written about 891/892) exists in two known manuscripts (Munich 959 and Berlin Oct. 133 from the Kern collection).  The below comes from the Michael Jan de Goeje edition.

Al-Ya’qubi’s Tarih (The “History” written about 904/905 – assuming Al-Ya’qubi was still alive – before 897, otherwise) is a history of the world (the first part) and of the Caliphate (the second and longer part) through the year 872.    It is possible that this is the same as the History of the Abbasids which al-Masudi says was written by Al-Ya’qubi.  It is preserved in three manuscripts (Cambridge H 1684/85 or 1685/6, 2), Manchester and 4, 2403 from the Topkapi palace library in Constantinople).  The below come from the edition by Martijn Theodoor Houtsma (which was based on the Cambridge manuscript).

Among works of Al-Ya’qubi which are now lost are a work on the Byzantine Empire (written in Armenia), a book on the wars of Tahir of Khorasan against al-Amin (written in Khorasan) and a work on the Arab conquest of northwest Africa (written in Egypt).  Of these, the first may perhaps have contained other mentions of the Slavs.

Kitab al-buldan

II

“When he began to rule the Caliphate, Abu Ga’far al-Mansur, also known as ‘And Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘And Allah ibn al-‘Abbas ibn ‘And al-Mutalib, built a city between Quffah and Hirrah, and he called it al-Hasimya and he stayed there some time, until he decided to send his son Muhammad al-Mahdi on an expedition against the Slavs in the year 757/758.  He set out  for Baghdad, stopped there and asked: ‘My God!  This is the city that my father Muhammad ibn ‘Ali told me he would build, that I will dwell therein and that, after me, my son will dwell in it.”

Tarih

VII (32)

“Japhet, son of Noah, settled between the East and West.  Born to him were Gumar, Tubal, Mas, Masih and Magug.  The descendants of Gumer are the Slavs, of Tubal the Burgans [Danube Bulgars or Burgundians!?], and of Mas, Turks and Khazars.  The descendants of Masih are al-Isban and of Magug are Jagug and Magug, who live in the East of the Earth, towards the Turks.  The lands of the Slavs and the Burgans were at ar-Rum before the rise of the Byzantines.  These are the descendants of Japhet.”

VIII (40)

“God separated their language into seventy two [different] languages.  And in that same moment he divided them into seventy-two parts [peoples].  And among the descendants of Shem there were 19 languages, among the descendants of Cham, 16 languages, and among the descendants of Japhet, 37 languages.  When they noticed their predicament, they came to Falig son of Abir, who said onto them: ‘And so as a result of the separation of your languages, the Earth won’t contain you all.’  And they replied: ‘Divide the Earth among us.’  And so he [Falig] divided [the Earth among them] and the descendants of Japhet, the son of Noah received: China, India, Sindh, Turkey [in the old sense],  Khazaria, Tibet [at-Tubbat], Bulgaria [al-Bulgar], Daylam and all that borders the lands of the Khorassan.”

IX

“Next, all that lies beyond ad-Darb [belongs to the descendants of Japhet or to the Byzantines!?], until the lands of the Slavs, Alans [al-Alan] and Franks [al-Ifrag], and among famous and well-known cities, in the Byzantine land, there are, for example: Rumiya [Rome], Niqiya, Qustantiniya [Constantinople], Amasiya, Harsana, Qurra, Ammuriya, Sumaluh, al-Qalamiya, Samandu, Haraqla, Siquilya, Malakina, Antaqiya al-muhtaraqa, Dahirnata, Muluya, Saluqiya, Amarta, Quniya, Gabus, Tulul, Taragis and Saluniqa [Thessalonica].”

X (70)

“The kingdoms of the North.  the descendants of Amur, son of Tubal… son of Noah… after the division of the Earth among the descendants of Noah, set out towards the Northeast.  A certain part of these people, the descendants of Tagarmay, went northwards, in the direction of al-Garbi.  They spread out in this country and established a number of kingdoms.  And these are: al-Burgan, ad-Daylam, al-Babr, at-Taylasan, Gilan, Filan, al-lab, al-Hazar, ad-Dudaniya and al-Arman. The Khazars took over the entire country of Armenia.  Their ruler is a king called Haqan, who has a deputy called Izid Bulas.  Arran, Gurzan, al-Busfurragan and as-Sisagan.  These lands were called Armenia.  It was conquered by Qabad, the king of the Persians and it then transferred to king Anusarwana all the way to Bab al-Lan, for over 100 farsahs [parsecs].  It contains 360 cities.  The King of the Persians conquered al-Bab wa ‘l-Abwab, Tabarsaran and al-Balangar and built a city called Qaliqala and many [other] cities and he settled there people from among the inhabitants of Fars.  Thereafter, the Khazars conquered what once had been conquered by the Persians.  And [that country] remained theirs for some time.  Thereupon, these countries were conquered by the Byzantines who placed a king named al-Murijan on the Armenian throne.  Later [these lands] divided themselves into several independent principalities, the duke of each of which had his own fortress/castle.  And these are well-known kingdoms.”

XII

“And al-Malik sent Maslama against Byzantium, ordering him to head towards Constantinople and to stop there for as long as it took to conquer it.  Maslama went [and] reached Constantinople, where he stayed until the sowing season and [even] until what was sown [was harvested] and eaten.  Then he headed towards the interior of the country and conquered the Madinat al-Saqaliba [the “City of the Slavs“].  Thereafter, the Muslims [that is the expeditionary force] suffered ill luck, hunger and cold.  [The news of?] Maslama’s situation and of those who were with him reached Suleiman, [who] sent help: ‘Amr ibn Qays by land and ‘Umar ibn Hubayr al-Fazari by sea… ‘Umar ibn Hubayr reached Halig al-Qustantinija [the “Straight of Constantinople”/Bosphorus].”

XIII

“During his reign in the year 714/715 Maslam went on an expedition and he conquered Hism al-Hadid and he wintered in Byzantine lands, as also had Umar ibn Ubayra who [came by way of] the sea.  They raided [lands] between al-Halig [the “Straits”] and Constantinople and they took Madinat as-Saqaliba [the “City of the Slavs“].”

XIX (126)

“Al-Mutawakkil sent the elder Buga.. He went against the Sanarians and fought against them.  [But] they broke through his ranks and forced him to flee, and he defeated retreated…  Then he chased after those [Sanarians] whom he had freed/granted amnesty earlier and took them.  Some of those escaped and wrote to the ruler of Byzantium and the ruler of the Khazars and the ruler of the Slavs, whose armies [then] assembled in great numbers.  [Buga] notified al-Mutawakkil of this, and he sent Muhammad ibn Halid ibn Yazid ibn Masyad as-Saybani.  After he arrived, those who would stir discontent calmed down and he renewed their amnesty.”

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