قتل صاحب الزنج
قتل صاحب الزنج
c. 883 CE · 270 AH
The fighting ran from al-Mu'tamid's accession in 256 to 270, when the Zanj chief — who claimed he had sent creation letters to creation and knew the unseen — was killed; his head entered Baghdad on a lance, domes of celebration were raised, the crowd roared prayers for al-Muwaffaq, poets praised him, and people safely re-entered the cities the Zanj had taken, Wasit and Ramhurmuz among them 1.
At a glance
- Era
- The Early Abbasid Caliphate
- Region
- Levant & Iraq
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
Overview
The fighting with the Zanj continued from the accession of al-Mu'tamid in 256 AH until 270 AH, and in that year their leader, the Sahib al-Zanj, was killed. Al-Suyuti says that he claimed he had been sent to mankind and that he knew the unseen. 1
The head enters Baghdad
Al-Suyuti says that his head entered Baghdad on a spear, decorative domes were made, the people cried out prayers for al-Muwaffaq, and poets praised him. The people were reassured and returned to the cities the Zanj had taken, among them Wasit and Ramhurmuz. 1
Date
Al-Mas'udi dates his killing to the night of Saturday, two nights into Safar 270 AH in the caliphate of al-Mu'tamid. 2
Ibn al-Jawzi's account
Ibn al-Jawzi says that al-Muwaffaq urged the war against him and encouraged people to jihad, and a group of volunteers joined him. The army crossed on Monday, three days before the end of Muharram, and the Zanj were routed; their city was taken and those held captive in it were freed. Then the messenger came with his head, and the people prostrated in thanks. Ibn al-Muwaffaq, Abu al-Abbas, reached Baghdad with the head on a lance, and rode with a great army to the palace of the caliphate. 3
Connections
- Had participant
- صاحب الزنج· أبو أحمد الموفق
People and things also explored
دخول الزنج البصرة وإخربتها· اعتراض ابن كنداج المعتمد ومحجوره· عهد المعتمد للمفوض والموفق· حصار بغداد في فتنة المستعين والمعتز· أبو أحمد الموفق· صاحب الزنج
Sources
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition), p. 564-565
- Muruj al-Dhahab — al-Masʼudi, p. 568
- al-Muntazam fi Tarikh al-Muluk wa'l-Umam — Ibn al-Jawzi, j.5 p. 74-75
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “قتل صاحب الزنج”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/killing-of-sahib-al-zanj/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.