Beautiful Egypt 196 – Al-Sarri and Al-Jarawy – March 5, 2017

   In the previous article, we tackled the conditions of Egypt during the hard time she had gone through the conflict between the two brothers, al-Ma’mun and al-Amin. We also spoke of that followed during the tenure of  al-Muttalib bin Abdullah and al-Abbas bin Mussa, as well as al-Muttalib’s second term. This was followed by the reign of al-Sarri bin al-Hakam and Soliman bin Ghalib. Then came al-Sarri for a second term. At that time Egypt suffered from a great deal of turmoil.

Al-Sarri bin al-Hakam’s Second Term (202-205 Hijri) (817-820 A.D.)

   While he was in prison, al-Ma’mun ordered that al-Sarri be re-assigned the affairs of Egypt, which is why the latter was acquitted, and immediately took over. When he settled down, he started chasing those who fought him, arrested some of them and banished others. He ruled Egypt for three years and nine and a half months until he died while trying to reform some of the country’s conditions, caring for the people. Yet, he exterminated the people of al-Houf.

   War had broken out between al-Sarri and a person called Abdul Aziz al-Jarawi. Al-Maqrizi asserts that during al-Sarri’s first term, “he became the sole ruler of Egypt at the beginning of Ramadan. When the Andalusians killed Umar bin Malal in Alexandria, al-Jarawi marched toward the city, leading a fifty-thousand-soldier army…”

   He would have conquered Alexandria, had it not been for al-Sarri who feared lest he do so and overcome him. Consequently, “al-Sarri sent troops to Tinnis; so al-Jarawi returned to Tinnis in Muharram, 202.” Thus, al-Sarri and al-Jarawi broke up. Lots of wars broke out, then Soliman bin Ghalib took over for five months.

   Al-Sarri was restored to his post, only to resume fighting al-Jarawi. In fact, during his second term, al-Ma’mun ordered him to pledge allegiance to Ali al-Reda heir apparent. Al-Sarri did so in Egypt. When the people of Baghdad rebelled against al-Ma’mun, declaring Ibrahim bin al-Mahdi Caliph in his stead, the latter sent troops to Egypt, requesting the deposal of al-Ma’mun and his heir apparent Ali al-Reda. Yet, al-Sarri objected. He was opposed by al-Harith bin Zar’a at al-Fustat, Abdul Aziz bin al-Wazir al-Jarawi in Lower Egypt, Salama bin Abdul Malik al-Azdi al-Tahhawi in Upper Egypt, and Soliman bin Ghalib bin Jibreel who took sides with al-Jarawi and Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Jabbar al-Azdi.

   They resisted al-Sarri, calling for establishing Ibrahim bin al-Mahdi Caliph. Then, they delegated Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman al-Azdi. So, al-Sarri fought and overcame him, exterminating his family in 202 Hijri (817 A.D.) Consequently, al-Jarawi resorted to the leaders who had opposed al-Sarri.

   Afterwards, al-Jarawi marched to Alexandria to besiege the Andalusians, having reconciled and agreed to let him conquer it. There, they called upon the people to make al-Jarawi proconsul of Egypt instead of al-Sarri. The call reached Upper Egypt, only to increase their hostility. Al-Sarri sent an army led by his son, Maymoun, to fight al-Jarawi. The armies met at Shatanof where a battle broke out, ending up in Maymoun’s defeat and death in 203 Hijri (819 A.D.)

   Consequently, al-Jarawi hurried to burn al-Fustat, but he was stopped. After Ali al-Reda’s death and al-Ma’mun’s entering Baghdad, Egypt was prepared to support al-Ma’mun. The Andalusians ousted al-Jarawi, and expelled his delegate from Alexandria. Yet, al-Jarawi returned in 203 Hijri and besieged Alexandria. He besieged it again in 204 Hijri (820 A.D.) for seven months until he died when a stone was thrown at him in 205 Hijri (820 A.D.) Three months later, al-Sirri bin al-Hakam died.

   After al-Sirri’s death, his son, Mohammed, took over. At that time, al-Ma’mun left Merv and marched to Baghdad. On the way, he got to know of Ali al-Reda’s death and informed the people of Baghdad about it. War ended after al-Ma’mun had restored allegiance to the Abbasids and entered Baghdad.

Mohammed bin al-Sarri (205 Hijri) (820 A.D.)

   Mohammed bin al-Sarri became proconsul of Egypt after his father’s death, having been appointed by al-Ma’mun. When he took over, he got prepared to fight Ali bin Abdul Aziz al-Jarawi who had become quite influential in Upper Egypt and eastern al-Houf. Mohammed himself marched to fight Ali al-Jarawi. Several wars took place between them. Some historians assert that Mohammed sent an army led by his brother, Ahmed bin al-Sarri to fight al-Jarawi. The armies met at Shatanof. Yet, Ahmed was overcome by al-Jarawi. He was resent to fight him, and their armies met at Damanhur. A fierce battle broke out and several men, from both parties, were killed. Afterwards, Ahmed returned to al-Fustat.

   Mohammed bin al-Sarri could not resume fighting Ali al-Jarawi for he got seriously ill and was bedridden until he died in 206 Hjri (822 A.D.), having already ruled Egypt for about a year and two months. He was succeeded by his brother, Ubaydullah bin al-Sarri.

   At that time, al-Ma’mun appointed Tahir bin al-Hussein proconsul of Khorasan and the East. He fought Babak al-Khurmi and al-Zatt.

Ubaydullah bin al-Sarri (206-211 Hijri) (822-826 A.D.)

   Soldiers pledged allegiance to him after his brother’s death. Historians have no common opinion regarding the war between Ubaydullah and Ali al-Jarawi. Some asserted that they kept fighting, while others maintain that Ubaydullah did not resume fighting. So, Ali al-Jarawi did not attack him.

   Then, al-Ma’mun dispatched commander Khalid bin Yazid to rule Egypt who marched with an army. Yet, Ubayd did not give up, and sent his brother Ahmed to combat Khalid. The two armies met at Faqus and a battle broke out. Ali al-Jarawi joined Khalid bin Yazid. Ubayd dug a trench, whereas Khalid marched to Damanhur, then to the trench. They fought there. Khalid retreated to Damanhur on the fourth day where Ubayd came and they resumed fighting. War stopped during the flood, then was resumed at Nahya, Giza where Khalid was imprisoned and made to choose either remaining at the proconsul of Egypt’s or going wherever he pleased. So, he chose going to Mecca. In effect, al-Ma’mun decreed that Ubaydullah rule his provinces and Ali bin al-Jarawi his. Thus, Egypt came to be ruled by two proconsuls.

   It came to pass that when Ali started collecting taxes, some of al-Houf people prevented him, seeking Ubaydullah’s help. So, the latter dispatched an army led by his brother Ahmed to Benna, an ancient city two miles far from Samanud. They plunged into a fight. Then, Ubaydullah left al-Fustat and marched to al-Batnun, Gharbiya where the army camped. Then, both he and al-Jarawi started raiding cities.

   A little while later, the Caliph dispatched Abdullah bin Tahir, appointing him proconsul of Egypt in Ubayd’s stead. He led several armies; so, al-Jarawi joined him. On the other hand, Ubayd mobilized his troops to fight Abdullah, digging the trench. Then, he went to fight Abdullah. A fierce battle broke out, ending up in Ubaydullah’s defeat and escape. Yet, Abdullah chased him. According to Taghribirdi, “… Abdullah bin Tahir chased him with his troops. So, most of the majority of Ubaydullah’s army fell into the self same trench which he had dug. So, he entered the capital with a few sentries. Consequently, Abdullah bin Tahir besieged him until he was about to perish…” Such stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center