Husam Al-din Abu Al-hayja, also known as Al-samin 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 Abu Al-hayja Al-hadhbani | |||||||||||
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Emir | |||||||||||
Emir of Ayyubid Nubia | |||||||||||
Reign | 1174-1182 | ||||||||||
Predecessor | Ibrahim Al-kurdi | ||||||||||
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 played an important role in Saladin's war against the crusades and conquest of Levant and upper Mesopotamia. He also aided Al-afdal on his power struggle against his relatives.
Early life
editHusam Al-din Abu al-Haija was born in Erbil, a Kurd hailing from Hadhbani tribe. However according to ibn Athir he was of Hkmi clan, that belongs to Hadhbani tribe.[2] He was known as Abu-Hayja "Man of war" or "Father of war" and Al-samin "fat, the obese" for his unusual fatness.[1][3] although the fat should be read as a sign of good health.[4]
Personality and appearance
editAbu'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
editZengid and Ayyubid Service
editAbu al-haija was the Supasalar of the Kurdish Mihraniyya corps, and tribal chief of Hadhbāni 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
editAfter 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 atabek of Azarbayjan Ozbek, who by that time was occupying Hamadan. Despite his monstrous obesity Abul-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
editAfter his campaign against The eldiguzids, he died in Daquqa in 1197, while on his way to return to his hometown Erbil.[2]
Legacy
editFor his monstrous obesity and courage, extra size bowls fabricated in Baghdad were called Abul-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.