Ibn Ammar
Encyclopedia
Ibn Ammar was a Muwallad
poet from Silves.
Ibn Ammar, descended from a Portuguese Muslim family, became Grand Vizier
of the taifa
of Seville
. Though he was poor and unknown, his skill in poetry brought him the friendship of the young Abbad III al-Mu'tamid, who named him prime minister some time after the death of his father Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
. Ibn Ammar was reputed to be unbeatable at chess; according to Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi, his victory in a game convinced Alfonso VI of Castile
to turn away from Seville.
He engineered the annexation of the taifa of Murcia
to the kingdom of Seville, and convinced Al-Mu'tamid to name him as its governor. He proclaimed himself its king and cut off relations with Al-Mu'tamid. He soon fell from power, was captured in an ambush, and was imprisoned in Seville. Al-Mu'tamid was initially inclined to forgiveness, but was later incensed by something he read in an intercepted letter sent by Ibn Ammar from his prison cell. The king then killed the poet with his own hands.
The stormy relationship between the two might be explained by a romantic relationship - Al-Mu'tamid was both lover and patron to Ibn Ammar. Al-Mu'tamid's father disapproved of relations with a commoner and exiled Ammar in order to separate them. On his succession, however, al-Mu'tamid granted Ibn Ammar political and military power. Their relationship was apparently emotionally complicated, and came to an end when Al-Mu'tamid killed the poet with his own hands, only to bury him with great honors.
Muladi
The Muladi were Muslims of ethnic Iberian descent or of mixed Arab, Berber and European origin, who lived in Al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. They were also called "Musalima" .-Etymology:...
poet from Silves.
Ibn Ammar, descended from a Portuguese Muslim family, became Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
of the taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
of Seville
Taifa of Seville
The Taifa of Seville was a short lived medieval kingdom, in what is now southern Spain and Portugal. It originated in 1023 and lasted until 1091, and was under the rule of the Arab Abbadid family.-History:...
. Though he was poor and unknown, his skill in poetry brought him the friendship of the young Abbad III al-Mu'tamid, who named him prime minister some time after the death of his father Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
Abbad II al-Mu'tadid was second ruler of Seville in Al-Andalus, a member of the Abbadid dynasty....
. Ibn Ammar was reputed to be unbeatable at chess; according to Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi, his victory in a game convinced Alfonso VI of Castile
Alfonso VI of Castile
Alfonso VI , nicknamed the Brave or the Valiant, was King of León from 1065, King of Castile and de facto King of Galicia from 1072, and self-proclaimed "Emperor of all Spain". After the conquest of Toledo he was also self-proclaimed victoriosissimo rege in Toleto, et in Hispania et Gallecia...
to turn away from Seville.
He engineered the annexation of the taifa of Murcia
Taifa of Murcia
The Taifa of Murcia was one of the Taifas of medieval Al-Andalus, in what is now southern Spain. It became independent as a taifa centered on the Moorish city of Murcia after the fall of the Omayyad Caliphate of Córdoba...
to the kingdom of Seville, and convinced Al-Mu'tamid to name him as its governor. He proclaimed himself its king and cut off relations with Al-Mu'tamid. He soon fell from power, was captured in an ambush, and was imprisoned in Seville. Al-Mu'tamid was initially inclined to forgiveness, but was later incensed by something he read in an intercepted letter sent by Ibn Ammar from his prison cell. The king then killed the poet with his own hands.
The stormy relationship between the two might be explained by a romantic relationship - Al-Mu'tamid was both lover and patron to Ibn Ammar. Al-Mu'tamid's father disapproved of relations with a commoner and exiled Ammar in order to separate them. On his succession, however, al-Mu'tamid granted Ibn Ammar political and military power. Their relationship was apparently emotionally complicated, and came to an end when Al-Mu'tamid killed the poet with his own hands, only to bury him with great honors.