Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

The Real Founder of the Dynasty
On defeating Abdullah, Abu Muslim occupied his wealth. Mansur pressed for the deposit of the wealth which antagonized Abu Muslim to the extent that he determined to build up Alwi state on the destruction of the Abbasids. But soon they reconciled although Mansur did not forgive him for Abu Muslim considering himself on the pillar of Abbasid sovereignty wanted to rule over Khurasan independently. Establishing himself firmly, Mansur thought of killing Abu Muslim whom he feared most ignoring his faithful service to his dynasty and to himself. Mansur could not stand the power and position, Abu Muslim held in Khurasan. In order to deprive him of his strategic position he was offered the governorship of Syria and Egypt.
Suspecting treachery Abu Muslim proceeded to Khurasan from Nasibin. He received the royal mandate at Halwan to see the caliph at al-Mada’in. Trusting the words of the caliph and advised by some of his old companions, he came to the capital. Although Abu Muslim had rejected the offer of the post of governor he was lured to Mada’in. He was received with warm welcome but charges after

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charges were brought against him and though he reminded the services he had done to the dynasty and implored forgiveness but to no avail and he was killed in the presence of the caliph himself. Though he had laid the foundation of the dynasty and saved Mansur from great disaster yet, as long as he was alive, the Abbasid throne was not free from danger. Thus Mansur became the real king and founder of the Abbasid dynasty which might have perished had Abu Muslim been allowed to survive.
Abu Muslim was undoubtedly the greatest figure of his age. By his zeal, wisdom and generalship he changed the outlook of the entire Muslim world and raised the house of Abbas on the ruin of the Banu Umayyad. He was hard and harsh in his treatment and is said to have killed 600,000 in cold blood besides killing a large number in the battle-field, but all that he did was to establish and nourish the Abbasid dynasty. Even Mansur owed his all to him. It was his jealousy and lust of power which made him forget his past services and commit such a nefarious deed. Abu Muslim was held in high esteem and was considered an incarnation of the deity by his followers (the Rawindiyah). The murder of Abu Muslim resulted in a serious uprising in Khurasan under Sunbadh, the Magian Abu Nasr, the lieutenant of Abu Muslim at Halwan fled at first but finding no refuge ultimately submitted to Mansur. But Sunbadh the Magian declared a blood feud against Mansur in 137/755 and occupied lands between al-Rayy and Nisabur and remained in the field with a large Persian following. He was defeated and killed by the royal troops there between al-Rayy and Hamdan with 60,000 Magians. There was also rebellion of the same nature in Mesopotamia in the same year. In the following year peace was resorted in both Persia and Mesopotamia. The caliph was relieved of all possible dangers which threatened him. Mansur was regarded divine by a Persian sect Rawindiyah the imprisonment of their two hundred leaders for creating disturbances in the capital led to a serious rising at Hashimiyah in 141/May 758-9 endangering his own life while returning from Jerusalem the troops came and extirpated the rebels. Risings in Khurasan and Tabaristan
In 141/758, the governor of Khurasan, Abdul Jabbar b. Abdur Rahamn, rebelled, Madhi and Ibn Khuzayama were sent to put him down. He was arrested and beheaded along with his followers. Ispahand, the ruling prince of Tabaristan, also cast off allegiance in the same year. His rebellion was put down but in the
Abu ]afar Al-Mansur 521
following year he again rebelled, his fortress was occupied and the garrison was put to carnage. Madhi the prince turned towards the Deilem (Dayalm) where dissension continued for more than a year. Khalid ibn Barmak who had fought in his youth under Abu Muslim and Qahtabah was appointed governor of Tabaristan from 765 to

769. He put an end to the last native principality on Mt. Demawand. He also participated in old age in the war against the Byzantines. Later he was appointed governor of Mosul to suppress the Kurds. Rising of the Alids

The reign of Mansur witnessed the first rift between the Alids and the Abbasids whose interests had so long remained united. The Alids and their supporters became disillusioned with the Abbasids rule and flouted their authority. In 144/762 the Alids rebelled. Muhammad and Ibrahim the two sons of Abdullah, the great-grandson of Ali, were great ambitious persons. They did not attend the pilgrimage led by Mansur at which the latter became furious. Abdullah with his family and relatives was put in to prison but his sons escaped to Adan and Sind. They returned and joined the Bedawi tribes, failing in producing them before Mansur the Alid’s prisoners were be headed. The head of one of them was paraded in Khurasan. This led to the risings of the Medinites under Muhammad and Basrites under Ibrahim in 145/762. An exchange of letters took place over the rights of Khilafat claimed by the Alids and Abbasids between the rival parties. Muhammad could not gain his supporters among the Syrians. Isa was sent at the head of a Syrian army to Medina where Muhammad thought of protecting himself by constructing a moat but on the approach of Isa many of his followers fled and Muhammad was killed and gibbeted in December 762. Peace was restored as a punishment for the Medinites supply from Egypt through Umar’s canal (Nahr Amiral-Muminin) and the Red Sea was cut off till Mahdi came to the throne and restored it.
The other brother Ibrahim called Nafs al-Zakiyah rose in rebellion in Basrah. Among the Basrite rebels under Muhammad’s brother Ibrahim there were many learned men including the famous theologian Malik ibn Ans. They occupied Pars, al-Ahwaz and Wasit. On receiving the news of the defeat of the Muhammad, Ibrahim marched on Kufah but the number of his followers instead of increasing decreased from 100,000 to 10,000. Mansur himself was helpless in the qity of Baghdad which was under construction because his troops were engaged in quelling rebels and maintaining

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ace in persia, Arabia and Ifriqiyah. Prince Mahdi rushed from alRayy and re-occupied Pars and Ahwaz while Isa ibn Musa advanced on Suliana from Medina and overtook Ibrahim of Bakhamra 16 leagues south of Kufah when he was marching to attack the city. It was impolitic in delaying his march directly towards Kufah. Ibrahim who had kept the Abbasids in constant terror for three months struck by an arrow fell and his army fled on 24th Dhu’l Qa’dah

145/February 14, 763. Enmity with the Byzantines

The old enmity between the Arabs and the Byzantines was revived. Relieved of danger at home the caliph turned his attention towards Asia Minor which had been attacked by Constantine in

138/762 and Malatia was occupied by the Greeks. It was reoccupied and the Byzantine Emperor was forced to conclude a peace for seven years and exchange of prisoners took place. War was renewed in

158/November 774-5 when Leodicaea was attacked, 6000 persons including women were taken captives and the Byzantine emperor agreed to pay an annual tribute. Foundation of Baghdad
After establishing himself firmly Mansur thought of fortifying his possessions in 145/762 the site of the new capital was selected by Mansur on the right west bank of the Tigris about fifteen miles above al-Mada’in the capital of the Chosroes. His brother had established his residence in Hashimia near Anbar on the left bank of the Euphrates the materials for Baghdad were collected from alMada’in, Kufah, Wasit and Damascus and imported from other places the foundation stone of a round city was laid by the caliph himself and the construction work started under the supervision of Khalid. After his victory over the Alids Mansur energetically promoted construction work. The palace named Daru’l Khuld along with the chief mosque was constructed in the centre surrounded by the offices and palaces of ministers and courtiers keeping the markets outside towards Karkh where the commoners lived. The system of canals was elaborated and bridged over. The capital city was fortified by inner and outer high walls having four gates with fifty yards high dome namely Bab-al-Kufa, Bab al-Slam, Bab alBasrah and Bab al-Khurasan. The main roads were wide upto forty yards.
2 Muir, The Caliphate, P.459.