Abdallah ibn Abd al-Malik
Encyclopedia
‘Abdallah ibn ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (in Greek
sources , Abdelas) was an Umayyad
prince, the son of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705), a general and governor of Egypt
.
He was born ca. 677 and grew up in the Caliphate's capital, Damascus
. During his youth he accompanied his father on several campaigns. He led his own campaign for the first time in 700/701, as a retaliation for the attacks of the Byzantine
general Heraclius
. During this expedition he captured the border fortress of Theodosiopolis and raided into Armenia Minor. In 701 he was sent, along with his uncle, Muhammad ibn Marwan
, to Iraq, to aid Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in subduing the rebellion of Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath. In the next year, the Byzantine Armenian provinces east of the Euphrates, recently conquered by Muhammad ibn Marwan, rose in a revolt that spread out over much of Armenia. In 703, Abdallah conquered Mopsuestia
in Cilicia
, which he refortified as the Caliphate's first major stronghold in the area, and then proceeded to subdue the Armenian revolt along with his uncle Muhammad.
In late 704 however he was recalled from Armenia to serve as governor of Egypt, succeeding his uncle 'Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan. His tenure was marked by his corruption and embezzlement of public funds, until he was recalled in 708/709 and his gains confiscated by the Caliph. Nothing is known of him thereafter, except for a report in al-Ya'qubi that he was executed by crucifixion
by al-Saffah at al-Hira in 749/750.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
sources , Abdelas) was an Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
prince, the son of Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (r. 685–705), a general and governor of Egypt
Arab Egypt
Arab Egypt may refer to*Egypt after the Arab conquest of AD 639, see History of Muslim Egypt*modern Egypt under a state doctrine of Pan-Arabism, see**United Arab Republic **Arab Republic of Egypt...
.
He was born ca. 677 and grew up in the Caliphate's capital, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. During his youth he accompanied his father on several campaigns. He led his own campaign for the first time in 700/701, as a retaliation for the attacks of the Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
general Heraclius
Heraclius (brother of Tiberius III)
Heraclius was the brother of the Byzantine emperor Tiberius III and the Byzantine Empire's leading general during his reign. He scored a number of victories against the Umayyads, but was unable to halt the Arab conquest of Armenia, nor able to prevent the deposition of his brother by Justinian II...
. During this expedition he captured the border fortress of Theodosiopolis and raided into Armenia Minor. In 701 he was sent, along with his uncle, Muhammad ibn Marwan
Muhammad ibn Marwan
Muḥammad ibn Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam was an Umayyad prince and one of the most important generals of the Caliphate in the period 690–710, completing the Arab conquest of Armenia...
, to Iraq, to aid Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf in subduing the rebellion of Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ash'ath. In the next year, the Byzantine Armenian provinces east of the Euphrates, recently conquered by Muhammad ibn Marwan, rose in a revolt that spread out over much of Armenia. In 703, Abdallah conquered Mopsuestia
Mopsuestia
Mopsuestia , later Mamistra, is the ancient city of Cilicia Campestris on the Pyramus river located approximately 20 km east of ancient Antiochia in Cilicia .The founding of this city is attributed in legend to the soothsayer, Mopsus, who lived before the Trojan war, although...
in Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
, which he refortified as the Caliphate's first major stronghold in the area, and then proceeded to subdue the Armenian revolt along with his uncle Muhammad.
In late 704 however he was recalled from Armenia to serve as governor of Egypt, succeeding his uncle 'Abd al-Aziz ibn Marwan. His tenure was marked by his corruption and embezzlement of public funds, until he was recalled in 708/709 and his gains confiscated by the Caliph. Nothing is known of him thereafter, except for a report in al-Ya'qubi that he was executed by crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
by al-Saffah at al-Hira in 749/750.