In the previous article, we spoke of al-Mu’taz who was deposed by his sentries to be succeeded Mohammed al-Muhtadi Bellah (255-256 Hijri) (869-870 A.D.) Yet, after a few months, war broke out between al-Muhtadi and his sentries and ended up in arresting and deposing the caliph. As such, his tenure lasted for eleven months and fifteen days. Then, we spoke of Egypt’s rulers during that era, namely, Muzahim bin Khaqan, Ahmed bin Muzahim whose father deputized during his illness, Archur bin Ulug Turkhan who ruled Egypt for about five and a half months. Then came Ahmed bin Tulun to establish the Tulunid State in Egypt.
The Tulunid State in Egypt (254-292 Hijri) (868-905 A.D.)
Commander Baikbak was managing the Abbasid State’s affairs after Bugha’s murder; then al-Mu’taz annexed Egypt to him, assigning him her affairs and the appointment of whoever rules or replaces him in the ruling. In 254 Hijri (868 A.D.), Baikbak deputized prince Ahmed bin Tulun to handle the affairs of al-Fustat.
Ahmed bin Tulun (254-270 Hijri) (868-884 A.D.)
Abu al-Abbas Ahmed bin Tulun’s father was a Maluku who was given as a present by the ruler of Bukhara and Khorasan to al-Ma’mun bin Harun al-Rashid. He was promoted and eventually became prince. Ahmed was his son, though some historians assert he was his biological son born in 220 Hijri (835 A.D.), whereas others maintain he was an adopted son due to the latter’s cleverness.
Taghribirdi writes that, “It came to pass that Ahmed went to Tulun to ask him something for the poor. So, he told him to bring an ink bottle from the compartment. On his way, he saw two servants committing adultery. Yet, Ahmed did what he was supposed to do, and never spoke of the situation. Yet, the maidservant, in fear that Ahmed might revile her, hurried and said he was trying to seduce her! Tulun believed her without investigating the matter, after which he asked Ahmed to convey a message to somebody in which he wrote that the messenger should be killed! Ahmed hurried to convey it without knowing the content. On his way, he met the maidservant who tried to seduce him with words that she might prove her claim and Tulun might get angrier. So, she asked Ahmed to write her a message, but he apologized for having to convey another. So, she took it and gave it to a servant to convey it. When the message was read, the servant was beheaded and his head sent to Tulun who marveled. Then he asked Ahmed for a clarification, then the maidservant who confessed. So, he had her put to death, and Tulun cherished Ahmed more.”
As for Tulun’s upbringing, he was said to be erudite. He loved the Quran and learned it, and he had a sweet voice. Likewise, he had a military upbringing, unlike his peers. He avoided recklessness, and never accepted the Turks’ deeds. Ahmed bin Tulun worked at Tarsus harbor which had a military and strategic importance for being on the border between Asia Minor and the Levant where the border between the Abbasid State and Byzantium were. Ahmed bin Tulun married his cousin who bore him al-Abbas. After Tulun’s death, al-Mutawakkil bequeathed all his possessions unto Ahmed. He was assigned the affairs of the harbors, Damascus, then Egypt.
Ahmed bin Tulun was brave. It is said that on his way back to Tarsus with five hundred men, including al-Musta’in’s servant, as they reached Osroene, they were warned against staying at the fortress, for there were highway men who wanted to rob them. Yet, Ahmed refused and resumed the march. He met the highway men and fought them bravely until some of them were killed and the rest fled.
When the caliph’s servant arrived, he told him about bin Tulun’s bravery. It said that the caliph sent him one thousand dinars secretively and told his servant to tell him, “Tell him that I love him. I would have made brought him close to me had I not been afraid to do so.” When al-Musta’in was deposed, the Turks asked him to chose a person to escort him. So, he chose Ahmed bin Tulun. It is said that they wrote bin Tulun, asking him to kill al-Musta’in in return of taking Wasit. So, he replied, saying, “I shall never kill a caliph to whom I pledged allegiance.” A scribe killed al-Musta’in and it was bin Tulun who buried him.
After al-Musta’in’s death, bin Tulun remained at Samarra and took over Egypt’s affairs as Baikbak’s deputy in 254 Hijri (868 A.D.) Ahmed remained deputy until al-Muhtadi was put to death. He was assigned Egypt’s affairs after Yargukh, the Turkish proconsul who was also his father-in-law. Yargukh made him deputy and added authority to him by giving up the country’s affairs to him, except tax collection which was handled by Ahmed bin al-Mudabber who was disreputable. Then, the Levant was annexed to him due to the tumult therein. Some assert that he said, “The best thing I had after al-Musta’in’s death was Wasit, but I left this to God. So, He recompensed me by Egypt and the Levant.” When Yargukh died in 259 Hijri (873 A.D.), Ahmed bin Tulun was directly assigned Egypt’s affairs by the caliph.
It is said that with the beginning of bin Tulun’s tenure, he combated many rebellions like:
The Rebellion of Bugha the Son
In 255 Hijri (869 A.D.), Bugha the son (aka. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Tabataba” left Iraq, heading to a place between Barqa and Alexandria with some of his associates. Then, they went o Upper Egypt. So, bin Tulun sent them an army which defeated them and brought Bugha’s head to al-Fustat.
The Rebellion of bin al-Sufi, the Alawite
Bin al-Sufi (aka. Ibrahim bin Yahya bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Umar bin Ali bin Abu Talib) instigated a rebellion in Upper Egypt in 253 Hijri (867 A.D.). He seized Esna, robbed the population and killed some of them until he became a threat to the country’s security. So, bin Tulun sent him army in 256 Hijri (869 A.D.) which bin al-Sufi overcame. So, bin Tulun sent another army which overcame bin al-Sufi after a battle in Akhmim. So, bin al-Sufi fled to al-Wahat, only to start a new story. Stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
