Thabit ibn Nasr
Encyclopedia
Thabit ibn Nasr ibn Malik al-Khuza'i (died 813/814) was an Abbasid
general and governor of the Cilicia
n frontier zone (al-thughur al-Sha'miya) with the Byzantine Empire
in 808–813.
Thabit was a native of Khurasan, and was appointed as governor of the Syrian thughur (essentially comprising Cilicia
, with Tarsus
as its capital) in the last year of the reign of Harun al-Rashid
(808/809). He organized a prisoner exchange with the Byzantines
at Podandos in 808, but also led a series of raiding expeditions (sawa'if) against them. In one of these however, in August 812, he suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Leo the Armenian, losing 2,000 men.
From ca. 810, with the outbreak of a civil war between al-Amin
and his brother al-Ma'mun
, Thabit, like many other provincial governors and magnates, was able to assume virtually independent control of his province. He died or was killed shortly after the final victory of Ma'mun in 813.
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....
general and governor of the Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
n frontier zone (al-thughur al-Sha'miya) with the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
in 808–813.
Thabit was a native of Khurasan, and was appointed as governor of the Syrian thughur (essentially comprising Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
, with Tarsus
Tarsus (city)
Tarsus is a historic city in south-central Turkey, 20 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of 2.75 million...
as its capital) in the last year of the reign of 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)....
(808/809). He organized a prisoner exchange with the Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
at Podandos in 808, but also led a series of raiding expeditions (sawa'if) against them. In one of these however, in August 812, he suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Leo the Armenian, losing 2,000 men.
From ca. 810, with the outbreak of a civil war between al-Amin
Al-Amin
Muhammad ibn Harun al-Amin , Abbasid Caliph. He succeeded his father, Harun al-Rashid in 809 and ruled until he was killed in 813.-Caliph:...
and his brother al-Ma'mun
Al-Ma'mun
Abū Jaʿfar Abdullāh al-Māʾmūn ibn Harūn was an Abbasid caliph who reigned from 813 until his death in 833...
, Thabit, like many other provincial governors and magnates, was able to assume virtually independent control of his province. He died or was killed shortly after the final victory of Ma'mun in 813.