Khalid ibn Barmak
Encyclopedia
Khalid ibn Barmak was a member of the powerful Persian Barmakids
family. When Balkh
the native town of Barmakids fell to the Arabs in 663, Khalid ibn Barmak and his brothers moved to the garrison town of Basra in Iraq, where they converted to Islam. Their ancestor was a Pramukh (corrupted by the Arabs to Barmak), a title borne by the high priest in the Buddhist temple of Nawbahār
.
He played an important role in the formation of the Abbasid
dynasty. He is the first Barmakid about whom much is known. Khalid supported the revolt of As-Saffah
, who was to become the first Abbassid caliph. In 747, he was put in charge of the distributions of war spoils from the revolt, then of the district of Dayr Qunna, and then in 749, was minister along with Abu Al-Jahm, and was chief of the land Tax bureau. He was also entrusted with the upbringing of the caliph's daughter.
Under the Caliphate of al-Mansur
, he was appointed governor of Fars and, after helping obtain Prince Isa ibn Musa
's renunciation of succession to the caliphate in 765, was governor of Tabaristan. He built the town of Mansura
; and was later involved in the founding of Baghdad, and protested the use of material from Ctesiphon
to build the new city
In 765 (775?), he lost favour with the Caliph due to political intrigues, and was given a heavy fine, for which future Caliph Al-Khayzuran
, the wife of prince Al-Mahdi
helped him raise money. But following Kurdish uprisings in Mosul
, Khalid was appointed governor of the city, which he was until Al-Mansur's death. Around the same time, his son Yahya ibn Khalid
was appointed governor of Azerbaijan
. Afterwards, his family gained more privilege under the caliphate of al-Mahdi
, with Yahya's help. In 773, he was sent as guardian on an expedition led by Harun al-Rashid
(then 20), that went as far as the Bosphorus.
Barmakids
The Barmakids were a noble Persian family from Balkh that came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs. Khalid, the son of Barmak became the Prime Minister or Wazir of Al Saffah, the first Caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His son Yahya aided Harun Al-Rashid in capturing the throne and...
family. When Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
the native town of Barmakids fell to the Arabs in 663, Khalid ibn Barmak and his brothers moved to the garrison town of Basra in Iraq, where they converted to Islam. Their ancestor was a Pramukh (corrupted by the Arabs to Barmak), a title borne by the high priest in the Buddhist temple of Nawbahār
Nava Vihara
Navbahar was a Buddhist stupa or monastery near the ancient city of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. The temple may have been an old Zoroastrian fire-temple, or it may have been converted to a Zoroastrian temple .-Rise to prominence:Navbahar, the main monastery at Balkh became the center of higher...
.
He played an important role in the formation 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....
dynasty. He is the first Barmakid about whom much is known. Khalid supported the revolt of As-Saffah
As-Saffah
Abu al-`Abbās `Abdu'llāh ibn Muhammad as-Saffāh, or Abul `Abbas al-Saffah , was the first Abbasid caliph .As-Saffah was the head of one branch of the Banu Hashim, who traced their lineage to Hashim, a great-grandfather of...
, who was to become the first Abbassid caliph. In 747, he was put in charge of the distributions of war spoils from the revolt, then of the district of Dayr Qunna, and then in 749, was minister along with Abu Al-Jahm, and was chief of the land Tax bureau. He was also entrusted with the upbringing of the caliph's daughter.
Under the Caliphate of al-Mansur
Al-Mansur
Al-Mansur, Almanzor or Abu Ja'far Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mansur was the second Abbasid Caliph from 136 AH to 158 AH .-Biography:...
, he was appointed governor of Fars and, after helping obtain Prince Isa ibn Musa
Isa ibn Musa
Isa ibn Musa was a nephew of the first 'Abbassid Caliph, as-Saffah, who nominated him as heir after as-Saffah's brother, al-Mansur....
's renunciation of succession to the caliphate in 765, was governor of Tabaristan. He built the town of Mansura
Mansura (Brahmanabad)
Mansura was the historic capital of the Arab empire in Sindh. The city now lies in Western Pakistan and is usually known as Brahmanabad in Sindh, situated about south-east of Shahdadpur railway station, and north-east of Hyderabad.-History:...
; and was later involved in the founding of Baghdad, and protested the use of material from Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
to build the new city
In 765 (775?), he lost favour with the Caliph due to political intrigues, and was given a heavy fine, for which future Caliph Al-Khayzuran
Al-Khayzuran
Al-Khayzuran bint Atta was the wife of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi and mother of both Caliphs Al-Hadi and Harun al-Rashid, the most famous of the Abbasids. She was from Jorash, Yemen....
, the wife of prince Al-Mahdi
Al-Mahdi
Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph who reigned from 158 AH to 169 AH . He succeeded his father, al-Mansur....
helped him raise money. But following Kurdish uprisings 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...
, Khalid was appointed governor of the city, which he was until Al-Mansur's death. Around the same time, his son Yahya ibn Khalid
Yahya ibn Khalid
Yahya ibn Khalid , yaḥyā bin ḫālid) was a member of the powerful Persian Barmakids family, son of Khalid ibn Barmak. Around 765, he was appointed to Azerbaijan by the Caliph Al-Mansur. Yahya's son Fadl ibn Yahya was born at Ar-Reiy, at the same time as Caliph al-Mahdi's son Harun...
was appointed governor of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. Afterwards, his family gained more privilege under the caliphate of al-Mahdi
Al-Mahdi
Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Mahdi , was the third Abbasid Caliph who reigned from 158 AH to 169 AH . He succeeded his father, al-Mansur....
, with Yahya's help. In 773, he was sent as guardian on an expedition led by Harun al-Rashid
Harun al-Rashid
Hārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth Arab Abbasid Caliph in Iraq. He was born in Rey, Iran, close to modern Tehran. His birth date remains a point of discussion, though, as various sources give the dates from 763 to 766)....
(then 20), that went as far as the Bosphorus.
External links
- Entry in Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Chapter 62 of The Caliphate by William MuirWilliam MuirSir William Muir, KCSI was a Scottish Orientalist and colonial administrator.-Life:He was born at Glasgow and educated at Kilmarnock Academy, at Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, and at Haileybury College. In 1837 he entered the Bengal Civil Service...
, mentioning Khalid.