Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani
Encyclopedia
Muhammad ibn Hamed Isfahani (1125 – June 20, 1201) , more popularly known as Imad ad-din al-Isfahani ( (519-13 Ramadan 597), was a Persian historian, scholar, and rhetorician. He left a valuable anthology of Arabic poetry
to accompany his many historical works and worked as a man of letters during the Zengid
and Ayyubid
period.
. He graduated into the bureaucracy, and held jurisdiction over Basra
and Wasit
. He then became a deputy of the vizier ibn Hubayra. After the death of ibn Hubayra, he went to Damascus
in 1166 CE (562 Islamic Calendar
) and entered the service of the qadi
of Damascus, Kamal ad-Din. The qadi presented him to the Zengid Nur ad-Din, who appointed him a professor in the school he had established there, which then became known as the Imadiyya school in his honour. Nur ad-Din was later appointed to be his Chancellor.
After the death of Nur ad-Din in 1173, Imad ad-Din was removed from all his bureaucratic duties, and was banished from the palace. He went to live in Mosul
and later entered the service of Saladin
, the Kurdish Sultan of Egypt during that time. When Saladin took control of Damascus, Saladin's vizier, al-Qadi al-Fadl, appointed him chancellor, and he also became al-Fadl's deputy. Saladin had been unsure of his talent because he was only a scribe, Imad ad-Din soon became one of the sultan's favourites, and was even granted his own slave girl. As chancellor he did not have to perform the everyday duties of the chancery scribes, and he had a lot of leisure time in Egypt
.
From then on he accompanied Saladin on all his campaigns. After a certain raid, he was chosen to kill one of the prisoners, but the prisoner was a child and was instead exchanged for a Muslim prisoner held by the Crusaders. Imad ad-Din was present at the Battle of Marj Uyun, the Battle of Hattin
, and the subsequent campaign to expel the Crusaders from the Holy Land. At Acre, he criticized Saladin for giving away the city's treasure instead of spending it on the reconquest. At Beirut
, he became ill, but was the only scribe capable of writing the terms of surrender. He had recuperated in time to see the aftermath of the Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
, where he again criticized Saladin's generosity; he was also disgusted by those in charge of the ransom who took bribes, and the rich Crusader nobles who took their treasures with them rather than ransoming the poor. He was present at Acre again during the Third Crusade
when the Christians retook the city of Acre, and was among those who fled after the defeat.
After Saladin's death in 1193, he began writing his biographies of the sultan. He wrote the Kitab al-Barq al-Shami, which is lost, but was abridged by al-Bundari. He also wrote al-Fath al-Qussi fi-l-Fath al-Qudsi, which survives.
He died in 1201.
epic film Kingdom of Heaven
, by actor Alexander Siddig
.
Arabic poetry
Arabic poetry is the earliest form of Arabic literature. Present knowledge of poetry in Arabic dates from the 6th century, but oral poetry is believed to predate that. Arabic poetry is categorized into two main types, rhymed, or measured, and prose, with the former greatly preceding the latter...
to accompany his many historical works and worked as a man of letters during the Zengid
Zengid dynasty
The Zengid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Turkic origin, which ruled parts of Syria and northern Iraq on behalf of the Seljuk Empire.-History:...
and Ayyubid
Ayyubid dynasty
The Ayyubid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origin, founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt. The dynasty ruled much of the Middle East during the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The Ayyubid family, under the brothers Ayyub and Shirkuh, originally served as soldiers for the Zengids until they...
period.
Biography
He was born in Isfahan in the year 1125, and studied at the Nizamiyya school in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He graduated into the bureaucracy, and held jurisdiction over Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
and Wasit
Wasit
Wasit is a place in Wasit Governorate, south east of Kut in eastern Iraq.-History:During Ottoman times, it was the head city of the sanjak of Wasit.To quote UNESCO:...
. He then became a deputy of the vizier ibn Hubayra. After the death of ibn Hubayra, he went to 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...
in 1166 CE (562 Islamic Calendar
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar , also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , is a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries , and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic...
) and entered the service of the qadi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
of Damascus, Kamal ad-Din. The qadi presented him to the Zengid Nur ad-Din, who appointed him a professor in the school he had established there, which then became known as the Imadiyya school in his honour. Nur ad-Din was later appointed to be his Chancellor.
After the death of Nur ad-Din in 1173, Imad ad-Din was removed from all his bureaucratic duties, and was banished from the palace. He went to live in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
and later entered the service of Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
, the Kurdish Sultan of Egypt during that time. When Saladin took control of Damascus, Saladin's vizier, al-Qadi al-Fadl, appointed him chancellor, and he also became al-Fadl's deputy. Saladin had been unsure of his talent because he was only a scribe, Imad ad-Din soon became one of the sultan's favourites, and was even granted his own slave girl. As chancellor he did not have to perform the everyday duties of the chancery scribes, and he had a lot of leisure time in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
From then on he accompanied Saladin on all his campaigns. After a certain raid, he was chosen to kill one of the prisoners, but the prisoner was a child and was instead exchanged for a Muslim prisoner held by the Crusaders. Imad ad-Din was present at the Battle of Marj Uyun, the Battle of Hattin
Battle of Hattin
The Battle of Hattin took place on Saturday, July 4, 1187, between the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and the forces of the Ayyubid dynasty....
, and the subsequent campaign to expel the Crusaders from the Holy Land. At Acre, he criticized Saladin for giving away the city's treasure instead of spending it on the reconquest. At Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, he became ill, but was the only scribe capable of writing the terms of surrender. He had recuperated in time to see the aftermath of the Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
On July 4, 1187 the Kingdom's army was defeated at the Battle of Hattin by Saladin and only Balian of Ibelin commanding a small number of soldiers remained in Jerusalem. The Siege of Jerusalem lasted from September 20 to October 2, 1187. On October 2, 1187 Balian of Ibelin surrendered Jerusalem to...
, where he again criticized Saladin's generosity; he was also disgusted by those in charge of the ransom who took bribes, and the rich Crusader nobles who took their treasures with them rather than ransoming the poor. He was present at Acre again during the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
when the Christians retook the city of Acre, and was among those who fled after the defeat.
After Saladin's death in 1193, he began writing his biographies of the sultan. He wrote the Kitab al-Barq al-Shami, which is lost, but was abridged by al-Bundari. He also wrote al-Fath al-Qussi fi-l-Fath al-Qudsi, which survives.
He died in 1201.
In popular culture
A heavily fictionalized version of Imad ad-Din is portrayed in the 2005 Ridley ScottRidley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
epic film Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven (film)
Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic action film directed by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. It stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch, Michael Sheen and Liam...
, by actor Alexander Siddig
Alexander Siddig
Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abderrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi is a Sudanese-born English actor, also known as Siddig El Fadil and his stage name Alexander Siddig. He is known for playing Dr...
.