Sa'ad al-Dawla
Encyclopedia
Sa'ad al-Dawla ibn Hibbat Allah ibn Muhasib Ebheri (c. 1240 – March 5, 1291) was a Jewish physician and statesman in thirteenth-century Persia. He was grand vizier
from 1289 to 1291 under the Mongolian Ilkhan in Persia, Arghun Khan. According to Abu al-Faraj
, Sa'ad was father-in-law of the prefect of Baghdad
. Sa'ad held a position in the treasury
department, where he so distinguished himself that the Mongolian governor was jealous and recommended him to court as a physician. Here Sa'ad made a friend of Ordu Kia, a powerful general, and through his influence was sent to collect the arrears of taxes in Baghdad. He was so successful in raising money that Arghun appointed him assistant (musharrif) in the department of finances at Baghdad, Ordu Kia being appointed military governor, or emir
, of that province. The historian Wassaf
says that Sa'ad cured Arghun of an illness, and, having thus gained his confidence, informed the Ilkhan of the corruption among the officials at Baghdad. At the same time he impressed Arghun with his own ability by his knowledge of the Mongolian
and Turkish language
s, and by his intimate acquaintance with the conditions existing in the province. He was soon made general controller of the finances of Baghdad, and then of the whole empire, becoming grand vizier. "Thus," remarks Abu al-Faraj, "were the Muslims reduced to having a Jew in the place of honor," a situation which they greatly resented. Arghun, as a Lamaist Buddhist, had no such compunctions.
The administration of Sa'ad al-Daulah (Arabic for "Felicity of the Empire," a name which he took as vizier) appears to have been wise and just, although Von Hammer calls it "sanguinary and golden." He instituted regulations which, although strict, were wise and aimed at a sure increase of the revenue. The taxes were on a fixed basis, and no extraordinary requisitions—of food or animals—were allowed. He employed only Jews and Christian
s in office, and, as was natural, a large share of the positions fell into the hands of his own relatives. Under him the Jews enjoyed a short period of prosperity, and Abu al-Faraj says they flocked to Baghdad from all parts of the world. It is possible that Sa'ad was instrumental in establishing diplomatic relations with Europe
. Besides, he patronized the arts and literature; and a collection of poems and eulogies dedicated to him was made and circulated in Baghdad. On account of this work, mentioned by Wassaf, Heinrich Grätz identifies Sa'ad with Mordecai ibn al-Kharbiya, who is described in a poem (still extant) dedicated to him in terms that might well apply to Sa'ad (Grätz, "Gesch." vii, note 10).
Sa'ad had many enemies. The Mongolian officials hated him because they could no longer divert the revenues to their own use; and the Muslims felt it a degradation to have a Jew placed over them. Sa'ad had moreover made an enemy of Arghun's favorites. He himself was proud and haughty in his bearing. False reports were circulated about him; and no opportunity was lost of maligning him to Arghun, although without effect. It was said that Sa'ad was trying to introduce a new religion at the head of which was to be the Ilkhan. Finally Arghun fell ill, and Sa'ad's enemies took advantage of the opportunity to get rid of the Jew. He was killed, as stated above, on March 5, 1291; his goods were confiscated; and his family and the Jews in general were persecuted. Arghun died soon after.
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
from 1289 to 1291 under the Mongolian Ilkhan in Persia, Arghun Khan. According to Abu al-Faraj
Bar-Hebraeus
Gregory Bar Hebraeus was a catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the 13th century...
, Sa'ad was father-in-law of the prefect of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. Sa'ad held a position in the treasury
Treasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
department, where he so distinguished himself that the Mongolian governor was jealous and recommended him to court as a physician. Here Sa'ad made a friend of Ordu Kia, a powerful general, and through his influence was sent to collect the arrears of taxes in Baghdad. He was so successful in raising money that Arghun appointed him assistant (musharrif) in the department of finances at Baghdad, Ordu Kia being appointed military governor, or emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
, of that province. The historian Wassaf
Wassaf
Wassaf or Vassaf or Toghril Beg Abdallah ibn Faḍlallah Sharaf al-Din Shīrāzī was a 14th-century Persian historian of the Ilkhanate...
says that Sa'ad cured Arghun of an illness, and, having thus gained his confidence, informed the Ilkhan of the corruption among the officials at Baghdad. At the same time he impressed Arghun with his own ability by his knowledge of the Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
and Turkish language
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
s, and by his intimate acquaintance with the conditions existing in the province. He was soon made general controller of the finances of Baghdad, and then of the whole empire, becoming grand vizier. "Thus," remarks Abu al-Faraj, "were the Muslims reduced to having a Jew in the place of honor," a situation which they greatly resented. Arghun, as a Lamaist Buddhist, had no such compunctions.
The administration of Sa'ad al-Daulah (Arabic for "Felicity of the Empire," a name which he took as vizier) appears to have been wise and just, although Von Hammer calls it "sanguinary and golden." He instituted regulations which, although strict, were wise and aimed at a sure increase of the revenue. The taxes were on a fixed basis, and no extraordinary requisitions—of food or animals—were allowed. He employed only Jews and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s in office, and, as was natural, a large share of the positions fell into the hands of his own relatives. Under him the Jews enjoyed a short period of prosperity, and Abu al-Faraj says they flocked to Baghdad from all parts of the world. It is possible that Sa'ad was instrumental in establishing diplomatic relations with Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Besides, he patronized the arts and literature; and a collection of poems and eulogies dedicated to him was made and circulated in Baghdad. On account of this work, mentioned by Wassaf, Heinrich Grätz identifies Sa'ad with Mordecai ibn al-Kharbiya, who is described in a poem (still extant) dedicated to him in terms that might well apply to Sa'ad (Grätz, "Gesch." vii, note 10).
Sa'ad had many enemies. The Mongolian officials hated him because they could no longer divert the revenues to their own use; and the Muslims felt it a degradation to have a Jew placed over them. Sa'ad had moreover made an enemy of Arghun's favorites. He himself was proud and haughty in his bearing. False reports were circulated about him; and no opportunity was lost of maligning him to Arghun, although without effect. It was said that Sa'ad was trying to introduce a new religion at the head of which was to be the Ilkhan. Finally Arghun fell ill, and Sa'ad's enemies took advantage of the opportunity to get rid of the Jew. He was killed, as stated above, on March 5, 1291; his goods were confiscated; and his family and the Jews in general were persecuted. Arghun died soon after.
Resources
- Jacobs, Joseph and Mary W. Montgomery. "Sa'd al-Daulah". Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
. Funk and Wagnalls, 1901–1906, which gives the following bibliography: - Abu al-FarajBar-HebraeusGregory Bar Hebraeus was a catholicos of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the 13th century...
, Chronicon Syriacum]], pp. 610, 624-625, Leipzig, 1789; - Hammer-Purgstall, Gesch. der Ilchane, i.377 et seq., Darmstadt, 1842;
- Howorth, History of the Mongols, iii.331 et seq., London, 1888;
- Grätz, Gesch. vii.173, 183-186;
- Weill, Gesch. der Chalifen, iv.146 et seq.