مسير مؤنس إلى بغداد وقتل المقتدر

In Shawwal 320 AH Mu'nis the servant left Mosul for Baghdad, and his army met the army of the caliph al-Muqtadir at al-Shammasiya, where al-Muqtadir was killed in the battle. ¹

Al-Mas'udi says that the killing was on Wednesday, three nights before the end of Shawwal, at the time of the afternoon prayer, at the Shammasiya gate. ²

Ibn al-Athir relates that al-Muqtadir went out unwillingly, with jurists and reciters before him holding copies of the Qur'an, and stood on a hill far from the battle. His companions were routed before he reached them. ³

Al-Suyuti, Ibn al-Athir and Ibn al-Jawzi agree that a group of Berber soldiers from Mu'nis's men struck and slaughtered him, raised his head, and stripped his clothes. Then a man covered him with grass, and he was buried where he lay. ^{4 3 5}

Ibn al-Jawzi says that his age was thirty-eight years, one month and five days, and that his caliphate lasted about twenty-four years. ⁵

Al-Tabari says that Mu'nis was greatly distressed when the body was brought to him. Ibn al-Athir relates that he wept and struck his face when the head was brought to him. Ibn al-Athir holds that his act emboldened the provincial commanders against the caliphs and weakened the dignity of the caliphate. ³