Allaqa

'Allāqa (died in 998), also known as al-'Allaqa, was an Arab sailor who led a revolt against the rule of the Fatimid Caliphate in Tyre, Lebanon.^[1]

Revolt in Tyre

Instigated by 'Allāqa, the townspeople of Tyre killed the local representatives of the Fatimids in 996^[2] or 997.^[3] He became popular in Tyre and coins were minted with his likeness.^[3]

Under siege

Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah responded by sending land and naval forces to lay siege to Tyre.^[3] Allaqa sought support from the Byzantine Emperor Basil II, promising to hand over the city if he emerged victorious; the emperor agreed and sent a squadron to support him.^[3] Most of the Byzantine vessels were captured by the Fatimids.^[2]

The Fatimids also diverted troops under the command of Jaysh ibn al-Samsāma from their original mission to suppress another revolt in Damascus, to reinforce the siege.^[3]

Defeat and death

On June 13, 998, the Fatimids conquered Tyre, despoiled the town, and killed many townspeople.^[3] The Arab historian Yahya of Antioch records that the Fatimids captured a Byzantine ship and its crew, which consisted of two hundred men, and killed them all.^[3]

Allaqa was captured and taken to Cairo with a large number of his followers, where they were flayed alive and then crucified.^[2]

References

^ El-Azhari, Taef (2019). "5 The Fatimid Eunuchs and their Sphere". Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic History, 661–1257. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 268–269. doi:10.1515/9781474423199-011. ISBN 978-1-4744-2319-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gil, Moshe (1997). A History of Palestine, 634–1099. Cambridge University Press. pp. 369–370. ISBN 978-0-521-59984-9 – via Google Books.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Lilie, Ralph-Johannes; Ludwig, Claudia; Zielke, Beate; Pratsch, Thomas (2013). "ʻAllāqa". Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online (in German). Berin; Boston: De Gruyter.

Bibliography

Gil, Moshe (1997). A History of Palestine, 634-1099. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-59984-9.
Lilie, R.-J.; Ludwig, C.; Pratsch, T.; Zielke, B. (2013). Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Nach Vorarbeiten F. Winkelmanns erstellt (in German). Berlin and Boston: Walter de Gruyter. doi:10.1515/pmbz.

[1] El-Azhari, Taef (2019). "5 The Fatimid Eunuchs and their Sphere". Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic History, 661–1257. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 268–269. doi:10.1515/9781474423199-011. ISBN 978-1-4744-2319-9.

[:1-2] Gil, Moshe (1997). A History of Palestine, 634–1099. Cambridge University Press. pp. 369–370. ISBN 978-0-521-59984-9 – via Google Books.

[:0-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Lilie, Ralph-Johannes; Ludwig, Claudia; Zielke, Beate; Pratsch, Thomas (2013). "ʻAllāqa". Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online (in German). Berin; Boston: De Gruyter.

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