Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd ibn Hakam al Qurashi
Encyclopedia
Abû ‘Uthman Sa’îd ibn Hakam al Qurashi (30 December 1204- 9 January 1282) was the first Ra’îs of Manûrqa
(modern Minorca
) (1234-1287).
in the Algarve (modern Portugal
). He studied philology
at Seville
, the then capital of the Almohad
Caliph
of Al Andalus, and took part in literary reunions of famous poets.
Al Andalus had been in a process of decadence primarily due to the downfall of the Abbasid
Caliph which meant the closing of a vital commercial relationship. This situation brought a critical spiral of internal conflicts and external invasions. Because of the political instability in Al Andalus, Sa’îd ibn Hakam moved to North Africa, to the cities of Bejaïa
and Tunis
, where he served as secretary to the Almohad governors.
In the year 1229, James I of Aragon
invaded Mayurqa, but did not take any action at that moment against Manûrqa. By 1231, the resistance of Mayurqa’s Muslims was finally crushed and James I sent three embassadors to Manûrqa, Berenguer de Santa Eugenia, Don Assalit de Gudar and Don Pere Maça, to negotiate its submission to the Kingdom of Aragon
. James I, who at that time had a small number of troops ordered to set fires burning on the coast facing Manûrqa as to simulate a larger army and thus put more pressure on the Muslims. After a meeting between the Kadī Abû ‘Abd Allah Muhammad, Sa’îd ibn Hakam, the sheiks and three hundred of the principal people of the island, they agreed to become vassals to the new King of Majorca. The treaty of Capdepera was signed the 17 June 1231. It is rumoured that Sa’îd ibn Hakam was the real inspirator of the treaty with James I, although his role in the text treaty was really discreet. The treaty gave wide political autonomy to the island and the military protection of the island by the King of Majorca in exchange of the payment of an annual tribute of three thousand quarters of wheat, a hundred cows and five hundred goats or sheep, later adding two “quintals” (hundredweight) of fresh butter and two hundred bezants for leave to transport the cattle. Abû ‘Abd Allah Muhammad, was the new ruler of Manûrqa.
This is believed to be the only time in the history of the island to be an independent political entity, although tributary to the Kingdom of Majorca.
Under his harsh rule, Manûrqa became an Islamic law abiding structured state. It is said that he executed by beheading those Muslims found drunk. He constructed a strong political apparatus in Madina al Jazira (modern Ciutadella
) with a council of ministers, secretaries and clan representatives, and a small military force consisting of mercenaries.
His political shrewness allowed for the survival of this Islamic entity while all other Muslim territories fell into the Christian Reconquista: Cordoba
(1236), his hometown Tavira (1242), Seville
(1248). Only the Kingdom of Granada remained independent although vassal to the Kingdom of Castille.
At the death of James I (1276), the Kingdom of Aragon was split in two: The Kingdom of Majorca (the Balearic Islands and counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne) to his son James
and the Kingdom of Aragon to his other son Peter
. Manûrqa kept being tributary to James II. This division would ultimately mean the fall of Manûrqa.
Sa’îd ibn Hakam died in 1282 in Madina al Jazira, his son Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd
became the next and last Ra’îs of Manûrqa.
Sa’îd ibn Hakam was also an important Islamic intellectual figure of the 13th century, learned in Islamic law and medicine, philologist, grammarian and poet. He managed a great library at Madina al Jazira. Some samples of this collection are kept in the library of El Escorial
.
Manûrqa
Manûrqa was the Arabicized name given to the island of Minorca by the Muslims from its annexation to the Caliphate of Cordoba by 'Isâm al-Khawlânî in 903 until the rule of the last Muslim ra'îs, Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd in 1287. The only urban centre of the island was Madînat al Jazîra or al Manûrqa...
(modern Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
) (1234-1287).
Early life
Sa’îd ibn Hakam was born in the city of TaviraTavira
Tavira is a Portuguese city, situated at 37°07' north, 7°39' west in the east of the Algarve on the south coast of Portugal. It is 30 km east of Faro and 160 km west of Seville in Spain. The Gilão River meets the Atlantic Ocean in Tavira....
in the Algarve (modern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
). He studied philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
at Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, the then capital of the Almohad
Almohad
The Almohad Dynasty , was a Moroccan Berber-Muslim dynasty founded in the 12th century that established a Berber state in Tinmel in the Atlas Mountains in roughly 1120.The movement was started by Ibn Tumart in the Masmuda tribe, followed by Abd al-Mu'min al-Gumi between 1130 and his...
Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
of Al Andalus, and took part in literary reunions of famous poets.
Al Andalus had been in a process of decadence primarily due to the downfall of the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
Caliph which meant the closing of a vital commercial relationship. This situation brought a critical spiral of internal conflicts and external invasions. Because of the political instability in Al Andalus, Sa’îd ibn Hakam moved to North Africa, to the cities of Bejaïa
Béjaïa
Béjaïa, Vgaiet or Bejaya is a Mediterranean port city on the Gulf of Béjaïa in Algeria; it is the capital of Béjaïa Province, Kabylia. Under French rule, it was formerly known under various European names, such as Budschaja in German, Bugia in Italian, and Bougie...
and Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
, where he served as secretary to the Almohad governors.
Al-Motaserrif of Manûrqa
Two years later, he planned to return to Al Andalus, but the situation had worsened, so he was given refuge by the Almohad wali of Medina Mayurqa (Modern Majorca). He was then sent to Manûrqa as al-motaserrif in 1227. His mission was to collect and administrate the taxes and command the army.In the year 1229, James I of Aragon
James I of Aragon
James I the Conqueror was the King of Aragon, Count of Barcelona, and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276...
invaded Mayurqa, but did not take any action at that moment against Manûrqa. By 1231, the resistance of Mayurqa’s Muslims was finally crushed and James I sent three embassadors to Manûrqa, Berenguer de Santa Eugenia, Don Assalit de Gudar and Don Pere Maça, to negotiate its submission to the Kingdom of Aragon
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
. James I, who at that time had a small number of troops ordered to set fires burning on the coast facing Manûrqa as to simulate a larger army and thus put more pressure on the Muslims. After a meeting between the Kadī Abû ‘Abd Allah Muhammad, Sa’îd ibn Hakam, the sheiks and three hundred of the principal people of the island, they agreed to become vassals to the new King of Majorca. The treaty of Capdepera was signed the 17 June 1231. It is rumoured that Sa’îd ibn Hakam was the real inspirator of the treaty with James I, although his role in the text treaty was really discreet. The treaty gave wide political autonomy to the island and the military protection of the island by the King of Majorca in exchange of the payment of an annual tribute of three thousand quarters of wheat, a hundred cows and five hundred goats or sheep, later adding two “quintals” (hundredweight) of fresh butter and two hundred bezants for leave to transport the cattle. Abû ‘Abd Allah Muhammad, was the new ruler of Manûrqa.
Rise to power
In July 1234, Sa’îd ibn Hakam took over power with an armed coup and negotiated a new treaty with James I, in which he ruled alone with the title of Ra’îs of Manùrqa.This is believed to be the only time in the history of the island to be an independent political entity, although tributary to the Kingdom of Majorca.
Under his harsh rule, Manûrqa became an Islamic law abiding structured state. It is said that he executed by beheading those Muslims found drunk. He constructed a strong political apparatus in Madina al Jazira (modern Ciutadella
Ciutadella
Ciutadella de Menorca or simply Ciutadella is a town and a municipality in the western end of Minorca, one of the Balearic Islands . The name means "citadel". It is one of the two main cities in the island, along with Maó.-History:...
) with a council of ministers, secretaries and clan representatives, and a small military force consisting of mercenaries.
His political shrewness allowed for the survival of this Islamic entity while all other Muslim territories fell into the Christian Reconquista: Cordoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
(1236), his hometown Tavira (1242), Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
(1248). Only the Kingdom of Granada remained independent although vassal to the Kingdom of Castille.
At the death of James I (1276), the Kingdom of Aragon was split in two: The Kingdom of Majorca (the Balearic Islands and counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne) to his son James
James II of Majorca
James II was King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier from 1276 until his death. He was the second son of James I of Aragon and his wife Violant, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary...
and the Kingdom of Aragon to his other son Peter
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
. Manûrqa kept being tributary to James II. This division would ultimately mean the fall of Manûrqa.
Sa’îd ibn Hakam died in 1282 in Madina al Jazira, his son Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd
Abû 'Umar ibn Sa'îd
Abû ‘Umar ibn Sa’îd was son of Abû 'Uthmân Sa'îd ibn Hakam al Qurashi and last ra’îs of Manûrqa .In his first year in government, King Peter III of Aragon and his fleet stopped by Manurqa on their way to the city of Constantine...
became the next and last Ra’îs of Manûrqa.
Sa’îd ibn Hakam was also an important Islamic intellectual figure of the 13th century, learned in Islamic law and medicine, philologist, grammarian and poet. He managed a great library at Madina al Jazira. Some samples of this collection are kept in the library of El Escorial
El Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
.
Sources
- The Book of Deeds of James I of Aragon (available in PDF format)
External links
Insolita cruzada by Javier Lacosta«Bosquejo histórico de la dominación islamita en las Islas Baleares», por D. Álvaro Campaner by Francisco Codera y ZaidínFootnotes
- (ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
) Chief, leader. - (ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
) Governor. - (ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
) Tax-collector or Minister of Finances. - (ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
) Judge