Harthamah ibn al-Nadr al-Jabali

Harthamah ibn al-Nadr (or al-Nasr) al-Jabali (Arabic: هرثمة بن النضر الجبلي) was a ninth century provincial governor for the Abbasid Caliphate, serving as governor of Egypt from 847 until his death in 849.

Career

edit

Harthamah may[1] be identified with Harthamah ibn al-Nadr al-Khuttali, who was governor of al-Maraghah in 838. That same year, he became involved in the conspiracy to assassinate the caliph al-Mu'tasim (r. 833–842) and replace him with al-Abbas ibn al-Ma'mun. When the plot was discovered he was arrested and put in irons, but after al-Afshin interceded for him he was released and received the governorship of al-Dinawar instead.[2]

In 847 Harthamah was appointed resident governor of Egypt by the Turkish general Itakh, and he arrived in the province in the following year. During his administration the caliph al-Mutawakkil (r. 847–861) began to bring an end to the mihnah and abandon the doctrine that the Qur'an had been created,[3] and in accordance with this policy Harthamah was ordered to prohibit debate about the nature of the Qur'an in Egypt.[4]

Harthamah remained governor until February 849, when he fell ill and died. Before dying, he designated his son Hatim as his successor, and the latter then took over the governorship.[5]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Al-Kindi 1912, p. 197, n. 1.
  2. ^ Bosworth 1991, p. 133.
  3. ^ Hinds 1993, p. 4.
  4. ^ Al-Kindi 1912, pp. 196–97; Ibn Taghribirdi 1930, pp. 265–66; Al-Maqrizi 1987, p. 312.
  5. ^ Al-Kindi 1912, pp. 197–98; Ibn Taghribirdi 1930, pp. 269–70, 278; Al-Maqrizi 1987, p. 312. These three sources also agree that Itakh remained overlord of Egypt until July–August 849, following his appointment of Ali ibn Yahya al-Armani as governor.Gordon 2001, pp. 113, 235 n. 73, and Turner 2010, p. 96 n. 44, however, based on a passage in Al-Ya'qubi 1883, p. 593, believe that Harthamah was dismissed following Itakh's downfall and death.

References

edit
Preceded by Governor of Egypt
847–849
Succeeded by