كتاب نقفور وغزوة هرقلة
كتاب نقفور وغزوة هرقلة
c. 802 CE · 187 AH
In year 187 a letter reached al-Rashid from Nikephoros, king of the Romans, repudiating the truce made with Empress Irene: 'she set you as the rook and herself as the pawn, carrying you loads of her wealth from women's weakness — restore what reached you or the sword is between us.' Al-Rashid raged and wrote on the letter's back: 'from Harun, Commander of the Faithful, to Nikephoros, dog of the Romans: I have read your letter, son of the infidel woman — the answer is what you will see, not what you will hear.' He marched that day to Heraclea — a witnessed conquest — and Nikephoros sued for peace at yearly tribute; but on the caliph's return to Raqqa he broke faith, trusting winter, and al-Rashid turned back in hardship until he camped before his city and took his prize 1.
At a glance
- Era
- The Early Abbasid Caliphate
- Region
- Anatolia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
In time
Summary
The letter
In his letter Nikephoros demanded that al-Rashid return the queen's wealth that had come into his hands, or else the sword would stand between them. He wrote that the queen had made al-Rashid the rook and herself the pawn. 2
The campaign
al-Rashid grew angry and wrote a harsh reply on the back of the letter. He set out the same day and reached the city of Heraclea. The source describes this as a celebrated raid and a clear conquest. Nikephoros asked for a truce and undertook to pay an annual tribute, and this was granted. 2
When al-Rashid returned to al-Raqqa, Nikephoros broke the covenant, believing that al-Rashid would not come back in the cold. al-Rashid turned back in great hardship until he reached his own territory. 2
Connections
- Had participant
- Harun al-Rashid
People and things also explored
Bayt al-Hikma — the House of Wisdom· The Aman of Samalu and its People's Transfer to Baghdad· وفاة هارون الرشيد بطوس· Umar's Expulsion of the Christians of Najran· The Building of Madinat al-Hadath· The Building of al-Rafiqa· The Garrisoning of Sur man Ra'a (Samarra)· The Building of Sisar
Sources
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition), p. 461-462
- Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition), p.461-462
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “كتاب نقفور وغزوة هرقلة”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/nikephoros-harun-war/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.