Husam al-Din Abu'l-Hayja
| Husam al-Din Abu'l-Hayja | |||||||||||
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| Emir | |||||||||||
| Emir of Nisibis | |||||||||||
| Reign | 1182-1189 | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Zengids | ||||||||||
| Emir of Jerusalem | |||||||||||
| Reign | 10th September 1195-13 July 1196 | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | ‘Izz al-Din Jurduk al-Nuri | ||||||||||
| Successor | Shams al-Din Sungur al-Kabir | ||||||||||
| Born | Erbil, Hadhbani Emirate | ||||||||||
| Died | 1197 Daquq, Abbasid caliphate | ||||||||||
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| Dynasty | Hadhabani | ||||||||||
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Husam al-Din Abu'l-Hayja, also known as al-Samin (lit. 'the Fat') and al-Hadhbani, was a Kurdish general and aristocrat in service of the Ayyubid dynasty. He was the commander of Salahiya regiment of Saladin and prominent figure in the Third Crusade.[1][2]
Husam al-Din played an important role in Saladin's war against the Crusaders and conquest of Levant and Upper Mesopotamia. He also aided al-Afdal on his power struggle against his relatives.
Early life
[edit]Husam al-Din Abu'l-Hayja was born in Erbil, a Kurd hailing from Hadhbani tribe. However according to Ibn Athir he was of the Hkmi clan, that belongs to Hadhbani tribe.[2] He was known as Abu-Hayja (lit. 'Man of war' or 'Father of war') and al-Samin ('fat, obese') for his unusual fatness.[1][3] although the fat should be read as a sign of good health.[4]
Personality and appearance
[edit]Abu'l-Hayja was nicknamed "al-Samin" for his monstrous obesity. he must have been a merciless man, however all sources praise him for his courage. he was highly trusted commander by Saladin.[2]
Military career
[edit]Zengid and Ayyubid Service
[edit]Abu'l-Hayja was the Ispahsalar of the Kurdish Mihraniyya corps, and tribal chief of Hadhbani tribe. in the service of the Zengids and later the Ayyubids in 1171.[5] In 1174 he was given a fiefdom in upper Egypt by Saladin. In 1182 he was appointed as governor of Nisibis up until 1189.[2][6] he was the commander of Ayyubid garrison in Siege of Acre from August 1189-1191.[2] after the death of Saladin in 1193, Abu Al-Haija participated in internal Ayyubid power struggle. He first sided with al-Aziz Uthman, but defected to al-Afdal's side in 10th September 1195. Al-Afdal rewarded him with the governorship of Jerusalem. However when al-Aziz Uthman retook Jerusalem in 13 July 1196 and stripped Abu-l-Hayja’ al-Samin of the governorship of Jerusalem and appointed Shams al-Din Sungur al-Kabir. Abu'l-Hayja’ was sent to go into exile, abandoning the Ayyubids, he went to Iraq to seek service with the Abbasid Caliphate.[7]
Abbasid service
[edit]After his exile by al-Aziz Uthman in 1196, he went to Mosul and stayed there for 2 years. After that he went to the caliph of Baghdad and served as a military commander. The caliph sent him against the Eldiguzid ruler of Adharbayjan, Muzaffar al-Din Uzbek, who by that time was occupying Hamadan. Despite his obesity Abu'l-Hayja displayed much energy on this new ground and was able to capture Ozbek and his associates. The caliph was alarmed by his forceful methods and ordered him to return.[2]
Death
[edit]After his campaign against The Eldiguzids, he died in Daquq in 1197, while on his way to return to his hometown Erbil.[2]
Legacy
[edit]For his monstrous obesity and courage, extra-size bowls fabricated in Baghdad were called Abu'l-Hayja in honour of him.[2]
The settlement of Kaukab Abu al-Hija, founded by his relatives in Palestine was named after him.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Humphreys 1977, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Minorsky 1953, pp. 142–143.
- ^ Slyomovics, Susan (June 1998). The Object of Memory: Arab and Jew Narrate the Palestinian Village. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-8122-1525-0.
- ^ Hopkins, Peter; Kong, Lily; Olson, Elizabeth (2012-09-13). Religion and Place: Landscape, Politics and Piety. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 63. ISBN 978-94-007-4684-8.
- ^ Humphreys 1977, p. 100.
- ^ Baadj, Amar S. (2015-08-11). Saladin, the Almohads and the Banū Ghāniya: The Contest for North Africa (12th and 13th centuries). BRILL. p. 106. ISBN 978-90-04-29857-6.
- ^ Humphreys 1977, p. 104.
Sources
[edit]- Humphreys, Stephen (1977), From Saladin to the Mongols: The Ayyubids of Damascus, 1193–1260, SUNY Press, ISBN 978-0-87395-263-7
- Minorsky, Vladimir (1953). Studies in Caucasian History. New York: Taylor’s Foreign Press. ISBN 0-521-05735-3.